Rusty Pelican

I'll be honest, the bad reviews made me nervous. I had some Landry's gift cards to use so I made reservations for the day after Valentine's. We were 30 minutes late because of bad traffic in Newport. They still accommodated us but maybe we could have had better seating if we got here on time. We sat at a high top by the bar. It was close to the fire place and you could still see the pretty sunset so it was fine. Each person working that night was super courteous and helpful. The hostess was super sweet. Our waitress had great energy and was very attentive all night. They keep your tables nice and clean throughout year meal. It was stellar.They don't have a lot of things on their menu but they have something for everyone IMO. My husband got the Orange ginger sea bass and I got the cioppino.We both also got the clam chowder. The clam chowder had good flavor, it was mostly potatoes but it still left us satisfied. The sea bass was perfection, would not change one thing! Was kind of jealous!The cioppino was one of the best I've had. Great portion of seafood, great flavor, just wished they put scallops in it.I also had a Newport Mojito and a mud pie. The mud pie was so amazing I cannot believe we ate the whole thing. Mojito was tasty, a little sweet but still yummy. Ambiance was perfect for us. Not to young and loud. Not too old and dead. Was definitely a great night for us. I would come back WITHOUT gift cards LOL

The service was great! We had a waiter by the name of Eric, he made sure our large group was taken care of and was attentive to our requests.My husband ordered the chicken piccata and I ordered the seafood pasta. I would say I liked the chicken piccata more than the seafood pasta. But, both tasted great it just depends on preference. The chicken piccata was lighter than the seafood pasta, so if you prefer a lighter palate, then go for the piccata, but if you want a strong savory flavor, seafood pasta is the way to go . I think their bread at the beginning is tasty! So definitely a plus!The ambience was nice in terms of a large friendly gathering, but also it was busy due to Valentines , which makes sense. I love how there is a view of the water by the windows. I think if we came here for lunch when it wasn't too busy, it would have a better vibe. Overall, enjoyed my time there, hope to visit again during brighter hours haha and maybe without the baby as well

This restaurant has fantastic views, delicious food and great friendly staff. This is one of the few restaurants on the ocean off of PHC that has stood the test of time. The great trendy nautical decor and ocean views are what make it great for a date night or family birthday dinner. Dress is smart casual or Sunday dress. The food was delicious. Pricing was medium to high but well priced for the ocean views. Parking is valet only. I definitely recommend this restaurant.

Celebrated my cousin's birthday at Rusty Pelican recently, we had wonderful experience. Parking is primarily valet only. Soon as we checked-in, we were seated immediately. Our windows seats offered amazing view of the Newport Bay. The vibrant wood design and classic seafarer decor gives the restaurant old school charm.We started off with some calamari and steamed mussels & clams. The calamari was delicious, tempura batter really enhances texture of the calamari. Garlic wine sauce of steamed mussels & clams was flavorful. We got some garlic bread for soaking up those incredible sauce.For entrée, I had the sea bass flagship with broccolini while the rest of the party got seafood pasta. The sea bass was outstanding. Perfectly seared outside and firm flaky inside. It was seasoned with cajun spices and brandy topped with sante fe butter for ultimate eating pleasure...so tempted to lick the plate afterwards. Everyone enjoyed seafood pasta. It was loaded with mussels, clams and shrimp; accompanied with lovely cream sauce. The bottle of Justin Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect complement to our meal. For dessert, my cousin got complimentary butter cake with berries compote for his birthday. We also got a mud pie which was yummerz!All in all, fabulous seaside meal worthy of return visit. Portions were perfect and our bellies were satisfied. Good service - staff was friendly and attentive.

Valet Parking only ($8) and reservations recommended. Our party of four came in wanting to sit near the water, and outside heated* seating was available which was excellent for us. The menu has a few selections from seafood cooked (swordfish, mahi mahi, sea bass) and raw (like the oysters). Our party ordered calimari appetizer, swordfish, king mushroom entree, and the chicken picatta and shareable side of mashed potatoes. I got to try wine for the first time here and what our server recommended me what delicious! One neat thing is that you don't have to feel pressured to order one entree. You can split the one portion into two plates and they will serve it well presented as such should you decide to share with someone. Just request for it to be a split plate. I would definitely love to come back here again!

Went down PCH and found this place to try. Keep in mind it's valet only!We requested to sit outside to enjoy the beautiful sunny view of the dock. The food and drinks were really good. I ordered the seafood pasta which usually comes with a ravioli type of pasta but I subbed for fettuccine. Oysters were fresh and drinks were refreshing. The waiter proposed to us a deal of paying $25 for a Landry's restaurant membership for loyalty points, that includes Morton's and Mastros, which we go to often enough. We opted in since it's refundable and we get a free dessert with it. It's a nice restaurant near the beach to enjoy a meal. Come here for a casual dining place or a special event!

Small parking must valet.From the moment we walked in aesthetic was amazing. Everybody is super nice, helpful and friendly , the prices are fair for the quality of food that we get. Food was decent , the lobster was the best dish I've had in years , steaks was blend. Our waiter was amazing Super attentive , friendly, and very intuitive . The view is breathtaking!

I've been to Rusty Pelican before. The atmosphere is always so nice and the view can't be beat. The food is delicious as always and the servers are great. It does get pretty cold in the evening but they have blankets if you do sit outside as well as heaters. I love trying their chef specials, they're always a lovely surprise!

Valet only. $8. Other parking option: park across the street and walk over. Easy to find. Cute location to enjoy the bay. Beautiful scenery. The staff is awesome. They greet you as soon as you come in. Our server, Jeremy, was on top of it and didn't skip a beat. The food was really good and the chicken was moist. We would come back simply because of the service. We had our 1 year old toddler and everything worked out great.

We have been here for a few years in a row for the boat parade. We got a table outdoors right on the front row. Based on our experience, I am glad we didn't invite anyone else to come along with us. Valet parking is a must at $8 per car. We had reservations and I "checked in" but later noticed that our name wasn't highlighted so I "checked in AGAIN" and then they noticed we were actually here... Our waitress was great, she kept checking on us. We knew what we wanted and ordered right away. The drinks were great and the bread was delicious. For appetizers, the wedge salad wasn't bad, it just wasn't what you would usually expect since it had no blue cheese, but the clam chowder was very tasty. The main courses were the main disappointments. I felt bad for sending back the first steak, but I ordered medium rare and it came out well done. The second steak was medium well and very chewy. I did not want to send back a second steak, but for sure not worth getting fat for so I left most of it. What I ate felt like a workout for my jaw. For the Cioppino, it was fine but not the best. Please make sure to check your shrimp as some of them were not cleaned out (a first at a "nice" restaurant). The seafood was a little overcooked and not the usual tender. This meal was for sure not worth the price.For dessert we had the cheesecake and the chocolate torte. Crème brûlée cheesecake was good, but not nearly as good as fogo de chao. I personally was not a fan of the flourless torte as it was very rich with not much flavour to it other than the marmalade looking sauce. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt and assume tonight was just not their night. Based on this experience and my earlier this week experience at the winery almost next door, next year we may not be back here and would rather go to the winery. If you care about view and not good food quality, this is your place.