Rusty Pelican

Reviews

• WI

  William Itschner

  3 days ago
  5.0
  Amazing once again. Our annual visit to Newport Beach always includes a Rusty Pelican meal. Never disappointed. Devyn did an outstanding job accommodating us and helping make our special.occasion memorable.
• JD

  Joe Daddy

  May 9, 2026
  5.0
  Mother's day weekend Saturday 1 o'clock parking lot was full so I parked across the street the worst of it all and no problem Got in side greeted right away with two smiley faces very warm welcome and pleasant got seated up stairs corner window seats for 8, only needed 6 so we had plenty of room Our server Eric came over right away and asked us for drinks, he recommended the garlic bread I wanted some clam chowder Great way to start Our drinks arrived so we started ordering more drinks in-between he acomadated us to the very highest of level with the staff to perfection My wife and I were there 20 years ago I will tell you now Im not going to wait another 20 to go back More sooner than later and often I forgot to get some pictures as my food arrived and enjoyed every second Loving every moment and bite My experience was 10+ don't even understand any less than excellence review So in closing Eric showed us a special exit where we ended up walked down some stairs to the front door outside WOW Nice Went back inside to the two smiley faces and made my complaints I said Got a complaint, Eric and the staff up stairs are the Best, food is to perfection sea bass,pork tenderloin,lobster tail,,rib eye I should have taken pics Presentation and the flavors 110% Thank You so much for making our weekend the Best See you soon
• JK

  John T Kim

  May 8, 2026
  2.0
  On the water (not the ocean, boat inlet) good garlic bread... Filet is $60, came out under cooked... They redid a new steak vs continue to cook the first one we cut into (which a positive) but the filet was not great even with the butter.. Veggies under seasoned, pork tenderloin had flavor, the cauliflower mash/puree was too watery/thin.
• ES

  Emilia Schmitz

  May 3, 2026
  2.0
  The host stand forgot about us. We had a 7pm reservation & checked in a little early (around 6:45 ish) around 7:20 we noticed people who came in after us were getting seated. My husband went to host stand and they seated us at 7:30(no apologies for the oversight but ok). Sat us at small table in middle of room with wobbly table. The waiter noticed and said they'd send someone to fix it. That never happened. Took a long time for someone to take our order and they didn't check in on us. The dining area was super busy and loud. The food was good. They gave us a dessert for our anniversary but otherwise service was just not good. Kinda disappointed since I’ve heard good things about this place.
• AK

  Ali Keyvan

  Apr 17, 2026
  2.0
  I emailed the general manager on 03.24.2026 to keep this feedback private but didn't get a reply so maybe by posting my review in public will get the management attention see below: Good afternoon Natalie, I hope this email finds you well. I usually don't like to write my reviews online because I feel like keeping them private is more effective. I wanted to share my first-time experience visiting Rusty Pelican in Newport Beach. We are regulars at Louie's by the Bay, but I wanted us to try something different for my wife's birthday. On March 14, 2026, I made a reservation for dinner with my wife and son at Rusty Pelican. Initially, our server was not very attentive, which we understood given how busy the restaurant was. I mentioned to the server that it was our first time there and that we were celebrating my wife's birthday, but he seemed to brush it off and quickly moved on to taking our orders. After finishing our dinner, we ordered dessert along with coffee. The coffee arrived right away, but while we were waiting for our dessert, the table next to us received theirs, and, coincidentally, one of the guests was celebrating a birthday (as well). They received their dessert with a candle. As we continued to wait, I caught the server's attention and mentioned that we preferred to have our dessert with our coffee. (because my wife finished her coffee and we were still waiting for our dessert) He apologized, but when our dessert finally arrived (without the candle), it was brought without the coffee. I felt this was a good training opportunity for the server, so I provided my feedback to the manager, Tom, on duty that night. Unfortunately, his reaction was unapologetic, rushed, and nonchalant. While we were waiting for our car at the valet, we decided that this would likely be our last visit to Rusty Pelican. However, one of your servers, Sylvia, was waiting for her car as well and overheard our discussion about our disappointment with the service and the manager's reaction. She immediately apologized for our bad experience and expressed her regret. I was surprised by her genuine concern, as she seemed to care more about our experience than the manager did. Before she left, Sylvia even paid for our valet out of her own pocket without us knowing, and she also tipped the valet driver. When I tried to pay her back through your valet service, they refused to take my money. I thought that was incredibly kind of her, and it made us feel better about the situation. I am writing to recognize Sylvia for her excellent customer service and concern for our experience. Her actions showed how much she cared about our feelings and our experience. Although we still do not plan to return, her kindness left a lasting impression on us. I have been working in the customer service environment for the last 30 years, and she checks all the boxes. However, Tom needs more training because, as a leader, you are supposed to lead, and your employees will follow your expectations. Please let Sylvia know that her action made my wife's birthday experience much better! She is awesome! Thank you Have a great evening

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