Tommy Bahama Newport Beach
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
64 reviews
Irvine, CA
"Great fries and burgers. Steaks are also worth coming here for. Great ambiance and wonderful staff. I'd come back here just to make chit…" read more »
22 Reviews for Tommy Bahama Newport Beach
OMG....That Molholland Malted Chocolate Cake we took to go was heavenly. THAT's what I want as my dessert for my last meal!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/14/2008
My girlfriend and I came here for her birthday dinner. We ordered:
Mojo My Mojito - $9.00
Crab… Read more »
While the image of Tommy Bahama transports you away to cool island breezes, tropical excursions and a little rest and relaxation, I will tell you the restaurant experience is another.
There are much better restaurants in the CDM area for you to visit. I was completely turned off by the overpriced tuna ahi. It didn't taste very fresh AT ALL. Lacking supple texture and the color was off. I've time and time again been to the Yardhouse (Fashion Island, Costa Mesa, and Irvine) to experience amazing fresh ahi on a salad. The menu overall at Tommy Bahama is overpriced and very limited to fare that is nothing special.
I will end on a positive note by saying that the island colonial decor is the best part. You could feel like you're in Cuba with a mojito in hand. You'd be better off at Gulfstream across the way for a great outdoor patio experience.
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Ok, this is NOT the greatest place in the world. The decor is really nice (feels like hawaii), the servers are friendly, but the food.. is good but not the greatest. Maybe I should have ordered something else because what I was really craving was Yardhouse's Spicy Tuna Roll. I got something similar at Tommy Bahama - the Loki-Loki Tuna Poke.
- It was way smaller than the one that yardhouse makes.
- It was almost twice as expensive than the one at yardhouse - $17 for an appetizar!
- The artichoke appetizar was pretty good.
- I would skip dessert and go to Sprinkles.
Two stars for the decor and friendly service.
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I understand this is in Newport Beach and things are pricey, heck, I'd buy a dozen sprinkles cupcakes just because. But I thought this place was expensive for the food you got. My boyfriend and I came for lunch. My pulled pork sandwich for $11.50 was reasonable for the amount of pork you get, but I didn't enjoy it much, but that's probably just my fault for not being a fan of big bbq sauce flavor in my sandwiches. My boyfriend ordered the Santa Barbara Sliders. The scallop slider was fabulous. BUT for $16 for 1 tiny scallop slider and 1 tiny filet slider.. hidden in a gloop of fries, no, that is not worth it. You can go to Morton's for mini prime rib burgers and filet sliders for 4 bucks. Like someone else mentioned, I'd rather go to Yardhouse.
Love this restaurant, and even better after they remodeled. The food is great and the drinks are fantastic. Parking is somewhat challenging.
I ate here in late summer of 2007. If you go and the weather is nice ask for a table on the patio. The patio has a nice ambiance and is a romantic place to dine as long as it does not get crowded.
The service was excellent. We took the opportunity while we looked at the menu to ask our waiter for drink recommendations. My wife had the Coconut Cloud Martini. We both like this drink so much that I set about finding out the ingredients and learning to make it myself, but that's another story.
My wife had fish (don't recall her exact order) and I had San Juan Shrimp and Scallops. My meal was excellent, she commented that her fish was very good. I will say that this place is very pricey, so be prepared. We also tried a Crazy Cuban and a Mojito. Both were very good but the Coconut Cloud Martini was the best.
I've eaten here for lunch too and had the Pork Sandwich, again, the food to me was excellent but a bit on the expensive side. Had a tap beer and was not that impressed, stick to their mixed drinks.
Definitely plan to return!
*** UPDATE ***
My wife and I had lunch there this weekend. We started with a grilled artichoke that was absolutely awesome, then we both had the pork sandwich. Service was excellent! It was fairly expensive however. I've decided to upgrade my review to 5 stars.
After reading the review of a fellow chowhounder, I made a spontaneous decision - picked TB as my 2nd stop for Newport Beach Restaurant Week. It was 11:35am and I made a reservation for lunch at noon.
This restaurant is located inside the Corona Del Mar Plaza, where the Newport Beach Public Library is located at. It's pretty easy to find it. When I saw the picture on the website, and the actual place... *BIG* different.
Once I stepped inside, I was greeted by the nice hostess and then led me to my table. The decor of the place is really really REALLY cool. Very interesting light fixture, very island-stylish waiter/waitress uniform. I got sat at the far corner at the back... there were 4 2-seaters. So a word of advice - if you are trying to impress your girlfriend, asked for a table for 3, so you'll be sat at the middle of the dinning room instead of the corner.
It was my solo lunch run, I was completely fine with the corner. In fact I got to seat next to the window, a little bit of sunlight shinning inside with the breeze... it set me up with an excellent mood to enjoy my lunch.
The bisque, very solid. Warm and not too hot, not too salty, just right for my taste. In comparison of the soup I got at Bayside... it's far supr. The scallop slider once again surprised my palate - very tasty and yummy. Another word of advise... if it's a bit cold for the day, try not seat outside or next to the window, or else the food get cold REAL fast. I was so happy taking picture of my food... that my slider went a little bit on the cooler side. Bummer...
Dessert... awesome. Gotta taste 2 instead of have to choose 1. Personally I luuuuuv the bite size Chocolate Cake. It's SUPER rich in flavor, flourless, and instantly melt in your mouth. I'm not a big chocoholic... but that 2 bites definitely pull me a bit toward that direction! The tart's crust is very soft, and the key lime flavor is on the light side. So it's really a personal preference that... I luv the cake over the tart. Same as... I like the stronger flavor twisted mojito over the regular one.
I was so full, that I don't have any room to try out Gelato Paradise again~
p.s my waitress Kimberly was super nice, I wish there's a way I can give a half-star on her behalf. she made the lunch so enjoyable!!!
p.p.s. Kimberly is a very cute blonde :-p
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I love their salads and pina colada cake, but the only time I go here is when my boss takes me. No way would I pay for all of that stuff myself - I'd go broke, and the prices aren't really justified.
Thanks to Dine OC, me and a couple of girlfriends were able to check out most of what Tommy Bahama had to offer at a comparative bargain. We were able to order an appetizer, an entree, and dessert all for $35 off the dinner tasting menu. Everything was great: the flavors, the portions, and the variety. Our cute server was a nice kid who looked barely legal to serve us the drinks he recommended. My Crazy Cuban was a combo of rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice and something else. It was fruity but mellow and hella strong.
We all opted for different appetizers. I had the Crab Calloway, a giant lump crab cake, with Asian slaw and a sweet chili sauce...soooo good. From what the girls tell me, the World Famous Coconut Shrimp and Bungalow Salad were both very good as well. We all had the Sea Bass, although to varying degrees of doneness, which made it a little suspect but it too was quite good. It may have been the cause for one of my friends to spend half the night in her bathroom...coincidentally she did not order an alcoholic beverage.
Lastly, for dessert we were presented with a trio of their signature desserts. I had to restrain myself from licking the Butterscotch Crme clean off the dark chocolate cup. The girls, on the other hand, raved about the key lime pie and it's cookie like crust. The brownie was rich but on the tough side.
The decor and vibe is exactly how everyone else has described it but you have to experience it in person. The steel drum in the background, the island dressing, lively atmosphere, and the rum cocktail in my hand made it quite easy to escape the real world just beyond the glass double doors and make me feel like I was on a tropical vacation.
My only recommendation, when dining at Tommy Bahama, is be sure to have a cocktail on hand to kill any bad mojo that may have made it's way onto your plate...
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I've read the other reviews and I'm surprised that anyone came to this restaurant thinking it would be cheap or reasonably priced. It's a well known fact in the Newport Coast and Corona Del Mar area that Tommy Bahama is a pricey but well loved restaurant and only those expecting to pay well should venture here. Yet that being said, it is nowhere near as expensive as Ruth's Chris Steakhouse or the like.
I have had many a work lunch here with my colleagues to celebrate a coworker's birthday. We never paid more than $27 each and that was covering the birthday person's meal. We always expected it to be an expensive lunch and worth the splurge. The palm trees, coconut napkin holders, bamboo seating, super friendly wait staff wearing Hawaiian shirts, and the island music playing in the background all add up to a classy dining experience.
On top of that, the food is delicious. The Tahitian Tuna Salad is awesome, but my absolute favorite is The Habana Cabana Pork Sandwich. It's to die for! Of the desserts, the Blackbeard's Butterscotch, Barbados Brownie, and Key Lime Pie are heavenly. I definitely recommend this restaurant. Just don't expect it to be inexpensive! The average lunch dish is between $12 and $18, desserts are between $8 and $10, and regular non-alcoholic drinks are between $3 and $4.
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I've been here a couple of times and the food is just okay. Nothing special at all.
The food here really isn't that great, and their lunch menu is very limited. But the bartenders and staff are friendly and they make good Ketel-sodas. And the scallop sliders are really the best thing on the menu.
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The food is not very good and way overpriced. Forget it if you want to eat healthy. Not worth the trip and the whole in your pocket.
Why is the Tommy Bahama chain so damn overpriced?? Let me say that I liked the restaurant. Great theme, good music (live steel drummer), good service, good food. So my rating is a little tough only because the place is just not realistic for a middle class family to go and enjoy and not feel like they just spent the month's rent on the mango-coconut shrimp platter. But I can see how it's a hit, especially in Newport Beach, where it seems that there is no middle class anyways, so why bother i guess? Right nextdoor is the Tommy Bahama clothing store in case you feel like dropping another $150 on a hawaiian shirt after dessert. Yeah, I ordered the plate of sarcasm. I just don't think I can afford to go here again.
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It's like being on vacation every time I'm there. It's a bit on the pricier side (about $40 pp, without drinks), but the food and experience is excellent. The plantain chips, crab cakes or coconut shrimp are great to start with (and their bread and cinnamon apple butter is yummy too). I love the seared ahi tuna salad and Jamaican jerk pork loin are great. The brownie dessert makes for a perfect ending.
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Wasn't too impressed with the restaurant. The food was tasty but way overpriced. I had the ribs (of course) and it was tender and nicely flavored. It was just a little on the fancy side for me though. My boyfriend had the filet which he seemed to enjoy. The coconut shrimp was sweet and crispy but a lot smaller than I expected. The mai tai was pretty good. He ordered a side of mashed potatoes and it was huge! It was like a family size portion. There was just so much butter and cream in it that we just couldn't eat it more than two bites. The service however was fantastic. Our server was extremely nice and attentive. They even give you a black napkin if you are wearing black pants. Now that's attention to detail! But for the same price you can find way better fine dining restaurants.
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A friend took me here for my bday a couple of months ago. I never even knew Tommy Bahama had a restaurant attached to their clothes store. I got there early and decided to browse through their clothes first. Wow, some pretty expensive stuff! My BF has some of their shirts and usually he's pretty cheap in the wardrobe dept, I never realized he'd lay out so many clams for a tropical looking top.
My friend came and we entered the restaurant for our dinner. I have to say the decor was really nice, it really felt like we were in the Bahamas. I opened my menu and was surprised by the prices. Almost all of the entrees were $30 and over. Even the soups were around $10 each. Wowee. Even though it was my bday and I wouldn't be paying I felt kind of bad. But my friend insisted I get everything and anything I wanted. I ordered the Island Cowboy which was a filet with wine sauce and garlic. It was $35. She got the Santiago Sea Bass which was also $35. Our orders came out and they were really good but I'm not exactly sure if it was worth the price.
For dessert we shared the key lime pie (almost $10) which was again really good. I greatly enjoyed my time at Tommy Bahamas but I consider it a special occasion kind of place, I can't afford to be dining here very often.
good food but pricey. the complimentary bread with cinnamon butter was really good. the drinks were strong, it was nice getting drunk at 1 in the afternoon. best part is that sprinkles is right next to it so you can get extra fat.
I need just one word to describe my dining experience at the Tommy Bahama restaurant in Newport Beach: scrumptious.
A close friend took me here on the last night of my Southern California vacation. We dined outside on the patio, surrounded by palm trees (lit with rope lights) and heat lamps (needed on a cool February evening). We sipped on tropical drinks as the stars came out overhead. We shared two very tasty appetizers: crab cakes that still make my mouth water as I write this review and coconut fried shrimp with a mango dipping sauce. For my main course I devoured The Island Cowboy, a flawless piece of steak that was so perfect I didn't even need a steak knife to cut it. My friend let me eat some of his seafood pasta, which was also amazing.
The atmosphere at this restaurant was perfectly relaxing and also romantic. I can't wait to go back to Tommy Bahamas.
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Who ever knew that Tommy Bahama had a restaurant/cafe? The price range is about $20-35. Relaxing plantation tropical theme throughout the restaurant but the food is not as good as you expect for the price. I had the hot spiced pork tenderloin that was mediocre. The flavors seemed a bit off. I'd eat here again if the price was half off.
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Just stick to the appetizers. Good ambiance, especially during the holidays with live music.
The food, service and atmosphere were all great at Tommy Bahama! We always go to the shopping center it's in, but never knew that they had a restaurant there. It is attached to a Tommy Bahama store, and the decor of the restaurant is reminiscent of the store...upscale and beachy. We went in the late afternoon and they were still serving lunch. The menu had an array of sandwiches, salads and entree. They had an extensive bar menu as well. I had one of the mojitos made with Tommy Bahama rum (who knew they had their own rum?), and it was one of the best mojitos I've had thus far. We had the plantain chips for an appetizer. They were tasty and sweet, and served with a salsa. For main course, I settled on a barbecued pulled pork sandwich. The sandwich was huge, and came with fries. The pork was tender and covered in a really tasty barbecue sauce. We opted out of dessert, although the tray was filled with wonderful-looking things! The general manager was super-friendly, and even gave us a certificate for a free appetizer on our next meal. I'm really looking forward to eating here again and possibly trying the dinner menu!
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