R+D Kitchen

Great vibe among the Douglas firand the OC beautiful people............................

I wasted ten years avoiding R+D Kitchen, and I regret every one of them. A decade ago, a forgettable meal paired with lackluster service soured me on the place, and despite the chorus of friends swearing by it, I never gave it another shot. Until now.Last-minute Christmas shopping at Fashion Island left us starving and too tired to venture elsewhere. Against our better judgment, we wandered back in. Five minutes later, we were seated at a high-top outside, overlooking a hedge and a fountain. A pleasant enough view, but it was Abigail, our server, who made the real first impression--welcoming, attentive, and the kind of person who makes you feel like the afternoon could go very, very right.We started with the house Negroni, and let me tell you, this was no ordinary cocktail. The gin--Nolet's, if I remember right--packed a punch, but it was the citrus, perfectly balanced, that stole the show. 10 out of 10, easily.Then came the French dip sandwich. I've had plenty in my time, but this? The gold standard. A crusty bun that gave way to roast beef so tender it practically dissolved on contact. Abigail suggested Gruyère next time, and I'm taking that advice. My wife ordered the chopped salad, which she loved, but honestly? It's a salad. It couldn't compete with the sandwich that rewrote my mental list of go-to comfort foods.As we lingered over our meal, both of us couldn't help but curse ourselves for the decade-long boycott. R+D Kitchen didn't just redeem itself; it made us question why we'd ever doubted it in the first place.

Ambiance - good gathering place to meet friends; we felt we could have private conversations and not be heard by other patronsService - very goodFood - all three people in our party ordered the tuna sandwich which was delicious and robust. The sandwich did not come with fries so I thought the $19 price was a bit much. The $7 fries we ordered were skinny and was not much. It tasted ok. I give this place a 3.5 rating.

YummmmmmmmmmmCome back here again and again Crispy chicken sandwich so good Dip duo Tuna tartare Fries ofc Service can be slow at times but generally good service.

Our lunch was very good! The chicken sandwich is a classic and always delicious. Tried the steak again and it was tender and tasty, a little smaller portion than last time we had it but since it was lunch it was enough. Great service! Again it doesn't make sense that in all their sister locations the fries is included with their sandwiches (Sam price) but in this location you pay extra $7 for a side of fries.

A very nice place to sit and relax at fashion island! The service was very good and professional. For the food, we got the French dip and shared a Newporter salad. The salad was pretty delicious but the star of the show was the French dip. Buttery and savory in every bite :) would come back for the French dip~ but I will say it's not as good as Houston's (under the same company).. Houston's French dip comes with fries and a yummy aioli that's hard to beat.

It's been a very long time since I've been back to this location. It's just never on my radar and there's always a wait unless you can make a reservation. With that we were lucky to get a late afternoon reservation and dined outside. Our server was very friendly and helpful. We opted to order a French dip and theNewporter salad. They were both good, but nothing stands out as extraordinary to be honest and I feel the value is not worth it. The patio area is very comfortable. The heaters kept us warm. I'm actually glad we sat outside. It felt a little less congested than the dining room and bar areas. Both many items were freshly made using fresh ingredients. Having to order a side of fries added to the already $26 French dip price is a little bonkers in my opinion so now I'm looking at a $32 lunch. It'll probably be several more years before I return or make the effort.

I love the restaurant and the people that work and run it. They truly treat their items as art. Amazing presentation and quality. My favorite place.

We ordered four different dishes and loved them all! We also for the desserts- mouse and carrot cake both superb too! To top it all off, service was excellent!!

If you have no eggs don't try to pass cardboard as a suitable replacement Usually very satisfied and I know there is an egg shortage so don't offer omelettes