Nirvana Kitchen + Pantry

Oh my goodness!!! This restaurant has been here in Laguna Beach for 16 years . And for good reason if you want a farm to table fresh flavorful dining experience, this is where you need to come. It's perfect for a night out for dinner a date a girls get together a family get together any type of reason that you would ever need where you would want to eat delicious food. This is where you want to go. I had the incredible Wagyu beef meatballs, so incredibly flavorful We all had something different, but the veggie plate probably was one of my favorites. We devoured it. And had to re-order it. It is really special and fresh. Our waitress for the evening, Candy, was on top of everything really treated us like family. It was a rather rainy night, but we felt warm and cozy and welcomed by the restaurant. Of course we were celebrating my birthday, which made it extra fun. We did not have their carrot cake but that is one thing they are known for so next time that is exactly what I will get.They have different events during the month. We are all going back for the DNA wellness dinner and informative lecture on 26 February. They have cooking classes. It's just a great spot right on the corner. Parking is in the back of the restaurant as well as street. And we had no issues parking. We love this quaint restaurant in Laguna Beach .

I came here on a date for Valentine's Day and it wasn't the best experience. It took 30 minutes for our order to be taken. It was almost as if we were forgotten about. Tables would sit after us and get service to their table immediately. Service wasn't great. We weren't greeted or asked how our night was going. Not even a "happy Valentine's Day". It felt very rushed and overwhelming. We received the wrong menu as well so we had to last minute think of what to order. My boyfriend ordered the steak medium and it came out almost rare. The Brussel sprouts and cauliflower lacked taste. Also for the Valentine's Day menu we had to order a starter and an entree each? It was basically forced to spend $100 a person at least. It was very confusing. It would be nice to get an explanation about the menu. Look I get it's a special day, busy night, packed restaurant and the servers are stressed out. I just would have hoped the food would have made up for the service. The host was very nice though. She actually acknowledged our presence. I work in the service industry as well and no matter how busy or stressed out I am. I always introduce my self to a table and make them feel welcome as well as make an individual connection with each table. There were no excuses for that. It didn't feel special like how my date should have felt on Valentine's Day. Not giving a one star because the garlic bread was probably the best garlic cheese bread I've ever had.

If I could give zero stars, I would. My boyfriend and I had a horrible experience at Nirvana Restaurant in Laguna Beach on Valentine's Day, marked by disorganization, unprofessionalism, and clear racial bias.Check-in Chaos and Discriminatory TreatmentWe had a reservation for 8:15 p.m., but when we arrived, there was a line nearly out the door with people waiting--some had already checked in, and others hadn't even been acknowledged. No staff member was checking people in, and the general consensus among customers was that no one had come by to communicate the delay.Eventually, a white gentleman behind us cut in front of everyone and approached the hostess, stating that he had been waiting to check in. She immediately apologized, seated him and his date on the spot, and treated him with complete kindness.In contrast, when my Hispanic boyfriend approached the same hostess after another 10 minutes of waiting, politely asking if we could check in, she snapped at him. Instead of an apology, she coldly said,"Everybody is waiting to check in right now. We're switching over table service, and we will get to you all when we can. Just be patient."The difference in tone and treatment was impossible to ignore.Disrespect Toward Other GuestsAnother appalling moment happened when a couple at the bar, who had mistakenly booked their reservation for the following day, asked a waitress for an update. Instead of assisting him, she turned to the manager and said,"You're gonna have to deal with him. I have no idea what he's saying."This was an Indian gentleman with a thick accent, and her response was not only unprofessional but outright offensive.Unacceptable Seating and False AdvertisingWhen we were finally seated, it was clear that customers who arrived after us had been seated well before us. We were then shoved into a cramped corner, with my seat adjacent to my boyfriend's, meaning we couldn't even face each other on Valentine's Day. Our table was squeezed next to a shelf of excess wine bottles and snack storage, making the experience even less enjoyable.To make matters worse, the manager herself seated us here and, without acknowledging how uncomfortable and inappropriate the setup was, said,"What a cute private table you have!"Excuse me?Additionally, we were handed menus that featured a set two-course meal, which was not disclosed online or at the time of booking. If a restaurant is going to require a prix fixe menu for a holiday, that should be made clear upfront.Unacceptable Wait Times and Poor Food QualityWe had arrived early for our 8:15 p.m. reservation, but we didn't receive our food until 9:45 p.m.--an hour and a half later. Other tables who were seated long after us had already finished their entrées before we even received ours.To make things worse: * The one dish we came for--scallops--was sold out. Instead of telling us upfront, the server waited until we tried to order them to let us know they were unavailable. * The delay in getting our food was due to them overcooking my boyfriend's lamb and needing to remake it. No one communicated this to us until much later. * Every item on our table--except for the lamb--was served completely cold.Management Ignored Our ConcernsWhile waiting for our food, I requested to speak to the manager. She made eye contact with us several times, fully aware that we were waiting to speak with her, yet deliberately avoided coming over.This experience was an absolute disaster from start to finish.Final Verdict - Do Not Waste Your Time or MoneyThe food was not worth the price, the service was beyond unacceptable, and the treatment of guests based on race and ethnicity was disgraceful.Nirvana Restaurant ruined our Valentine's Day, and I would never recommend this place to anyone.

Overall it was average. The good: The roasted cauliflower and goat cheese gratin was delicious. Would definitely order that again. My wife liked the ambiance, she liked the decor and it felt intimate. The not so good: Had a pomegranate lime martini and honestly it was tasteless and didn't feel like there was any alcohol in it - asked for another shot and they gave us one ( and kindly didn't charge us for it )The filet was tasty but it sat on a bed of whipped potatoes and sautéed spinach - frankly it was something I could do at home and didn't really excite the palette. The blackened seafood di mare was on the same bed of potatoes and spinach and had 3 rather small pieces of seafood. We ordered that because we saw it at the table next to us but they clearly had much larger pieces of seafood so their plates lacked consistency. The uglyThey were really concerned about getting us to turn the table - in fact when they brought the dessert the waitress, under her breath said you have about 15 min.Finally the chocolate molten cake was anything but. It was so over cooked you needed a knife to cut through it . Again we ordered it because the table next to us ordered it and it looked great- nice gooey chocolate center, so again what came out of the kitchen was inconsistent for the same dish.

Amazing restaurant in the heart of Laguna Beach! This is a must on your trip! We had the wild-mushroom ravioli and it was amazing! And the cheese toast was the perfect side dish! Oxcana was our fabulous server!What a treat with a capital T!

Think this place is 4.5. very friendly service, good quality food. My girlfriend and I were visiting and hotel recommended this place as she is vegan.Enjoyed the salad for starter & mains were very good. Didn't have room for dessert. Good value for laguna. The ambiance isn't my style plastic plant on table but food and service made up for that.

Dinner on Saturday evening, 15th February 2025, was like eating in a railway car. The tables were pushed together in 'single file' diners seated next to each other in a single row with the tables in front and behind pushed right up against ours so that we were all facing in the same direction. The feeling was one of claustrophobia. There was certainly no romance in the table seating and resulting atmosphere. To our surprise the Valentine's Menu was offered "all weekend" resulting in an expensive and very restricted menu.The server, Nicole, was outstanding - friendly and diplomatic. Food was mostly good although the starter was tepid and the Valentine's Day (all weekend long!) menu entrees were expensive.Never again at Nirvana.

Every dish from appetizer, to fresh made mushroom soup, to main course of house made raviola, to a ice cream desert. Chef Lindsey has created each dish well.We will certainly go again. One other point- the serving staff was attentive, responsive to special dietary requests.They have a main dining area AND a crows nest to catch a glimpse of lovely laguna beach and the fresh ocean air.DrKhalsa and family

Valentines Day should be special.This restaurant ruined it for us. I made a reservation months ago, trying to be proactive. It seemed completely unorganized and like nobody knew what they were doing. We almost felt like we were in the way or bugging the staff. Complete chaos. Everyone was smashed in like sardines in a can, and it was very expensive for a burnt steak.$17.00 for a tiny wedge salad?! What??? $9.00 for a little baguette. This place needs someone to really take control. We would never go back.

Food was good. The tables were crammed too close together. The servers were nice but seemed unorganized and inexperienced.