Avalon Grille

My wife, daughter, granddaughter and I ate here last night. Was seated immediately which was good for a Saturday night. Nice table outside but terribly slanted. Daughter ordered the salmon plate and she loved it. Wife ordered tomato soup and Scallops just okay. I ordered caesar and ahi tuna burger. Caesar had Kale in it which made it bitter. Burger was okay. Service was normal for the island… just okay.

Came here for dinner last night and we had great food all around. Our server was friendly and attentive, can’t complain about that. The ahi tuna burger was one of the best I’ve had. It surprised me with it coming as a patty and not a filet of tuna. Good ambiance.

We had such high hopes after gaining a recommendation from a local. Yet, it didn’t meet our expectations. We were seated in the worst part of the restaurant (across from the Marlin Club — a loud bar), and then the bread appetizer came hard. While the Brussels sprouts were good, we each ordered a seafood entrée taking the recommendation and ordered what was ‘most fresh’. Neither came fresh… My halibut had no taste and the three fingerling potatoes accompanying it were quite plain and nothing more than what I could have made at home. Overall, we weren’t impressed and won’t be going back.

I took my fiancé here for her birthday and the service was amazing and the food was great I really liked the burgers and the filet mignon there. And our server I don’t remember her name but she had braces and ombré hair she was very sweet and beautiful young lady and she gave both of us the best service we’ve had in a long time. Definitely coming back.

I would say that giving this restaurant ONLY 5 stars is underrated. The food was PHENOMENAL and our server, I think her name was Catarina or Katrina lol I don’t remember exactly but she is extremely cute w/​braces and ombré hair, she made my experience so great. She always checked up on us and always made sure I was satisfied. On top of that, she gave me a birthday dessert & glass of champagne for my 21^st birthday tonight. :) If the manager and/​or boss is reading this, give her a raise or something because she’s the best server I’ve ever had in my entire life.

The entire staff here at this restaurant was truly amazing. Very friendly staff. And for the dinner we had there was delicious. Very impressed with everything they had to offer.

I ordered the Crisp Octopus, it was to die for! The steak I ordered was cooked to perfection and was an excellent cut. (Not cheap cuts dolled up!) I was impressed by the wait staff, they were punctual and friendly. The view was great and the atmosphere was casual but classy. I will be back!

Wow! The food and experience here was amazing. The service was first rate and the food was absolutely amazing. A must do for anyone visiting the island.

This restaurant is located right on the main strip of Avalon with excellent views of the bay. We came for the dinner and movie which includes a free movie ticket with any dinner entrée between 530 – 630. The skirt steak and ahi burger were both good. Price was a little high but you are on an island. The service is great, but the food took a long time to come out.
Ambience ⁵⁄₅: very classic interior with high wooden ceilings, white top bar and white wooden walls. The chairs are made out of the straw which adds to the island feel. The entire restaurant is very spacious, open, and clean.
Food:
Mint to be cocktail ³⁄₅: rum with pineapple, raspberry, and soda. Strong alcohol taste. Lacks the other flavors.
Brussel sprouts ⁴⁄₅: loved the texture and flavor. The Brussel sprouts were slightly crispy and the sauce was slightly sweet. Like any dish with bacon, it could have used more bacon.
Skirt steak ⁴⁄₅: the steak was juicy and tender for being skirt. The flavor was good and the tomato jam added a little sweetness. The fries were crispy. Minus one star for the mixed green where the dressing was bland and tasteless.
Ahi tuna burger ⁴⁄₅: the tuna was medium rare and had a good sear. The flavors were good but the ginger was a little overpowering.
Service ⁴⁄₅:
Our server Kris was awesome! He was extremely attentive, made sure we were satisfied and friendly. A toddler behind us banged his head on the table and he rushed over to make sure the kid was okay and offered ice. Minus one star because the food took forever to come out. We waited about 25 – 30 min.

One of my favorite restaurant on the island. My fiancé and I were seated by the window, which gave us a nice view of the ocean. The ambience is perfect for a romantic sunset date. We ordered the pacific prawns and diver scallops. I honestly loved both dishes. The waitress was extremely nice. After overhearing that we had just gotten engaged, she came out with complimentary dessert. She truly did make our night seem special. I will definitely be back again for my next trip.

Happy hour: Buffalo slider, pork slider, seafood tacos at $ 6 a plate. Simple, good, no complaints.
This is a nice restaurant inside and out. You can grab a quick bite during their happy hour from 3 – 6, not sure if offered daily.
The outdoor seating is especially nice.

This place was amazing! I had the prawns and my husband had the sea bass– both were SOOOO good! we also got a side of brussel sprouts. OMG! Best meal ive had in a while. The crème brûlée was sooo good… Excellent service, brittany our waitress was very nice and welcoming. This is our first time on catalina island and we definitely scored by choosing this place for our anniversary dinner.

We had a hard time finding good food and good service, all in one place. I popped in late last night with a hankering for a salad. The bartender, Sascha, informed me they did last call for the kitchen already. He double checked, though, and accomodated my salad craving. I had the Caesar Salad and it was awesome. We came back today for lunch because I was so impressed with last night’s salad! Stephen and Shawn were our bartenders. Once again, the service was friendly and the food was ridiculous. The 5 Onion Soup… it took some control to refreain from licking the bowl. The brussel sprouts were the best I have ever had. We shared the Meat & Cheese Board. Fantastic.
Friendly staff, amazing food. We may be back for dinner!!!

The location of this restaurant is great. The interior is pretty, clean, and has a good atmosphere. The service isn’t terrible but it isn’t great, especially considering the price of the food. It is over-​priced for decent food but not amazing food. When the dessert I ordered was described as coming with delicious special ice cream (since my original order was out) I was looking forward to the promised scoop of amazing. Instead there was a dollop of whipped cream (not favorable). I asked the waitress and she said the cook must have changed his mind. The entire dessert was not worth eating. I took a small bite of each section but left the rest. Basically, the food isn’t bad, but isn’t worth the money either.
Also, when you ask for water with your meal (we also ordered drinks but I usually like water too) they bring a Voss bottle and charge $ 3.75 saying it is due to the drought, but the other places we ate did not do this. It feels a little low end when the average bill is $ 50 a person to also be charged for table water.

Came here the other night and I wasn’t super impressed. The inside was nice and comfortable but I think because the doors were all open, there were little bugs flying around and well… bugging us!
We had mushroom risotto for an appetizer and it was good. We had the special which was a prime rib burger with salsa verde and egg. It was so so. Not really anything super special for a $ 17 burger. If there is anything I don’t like more is having expensive food and saying to myself I could have made this better or the same at home.
Seemed like a place better suited to just have some wine but I wasn’t sold on the food.

Impeccable service was the high point of our visit. My wife and I selected two different steaks, hers rare, mine medium rare. Mine arrived perfectly done, hers a bit overcooked.
All in all the food was good, but the tab was over the top. Had it not been that they offered two free movie tickets with entrees ordered before 6 p.m., the bill would have been untenable.
Restaurant location on Avalon harbor convenient to downtown hotels is certainly a plus.

We didn’t have reservations so we had to sit at the patio. It was not bad since it was covered and there were heaters. We love the tomato soup here. This time we ordered the chopped salad with avocado, roasted corn and a mustard dressing. It was delicious. My husband had the sea bass and risotto and I had the prawns and grits. My daughter had the macaroni and cheese. We all enjoyed our food. For dessert we had the bread pudding and the fishbowl ice cream. It was also good. I love the presentation. Service was good as well. It just took a while before we got our check.

Had the California sea bass, pork belly Brussel sprouts, and fries. Nothing popped out like wowzers soo gewd.
Everything was just good. Risotto that came with the fish was not al dente like it should be and how it was made with chorizo kinda threw me off.

Overpriced, bland food. DO NOT COME HERE. It’s a tourist trap! Good location. right on Cresent Ave. and probably on the 2^nd block. We stopped by because it was the first restaurant we saw with no line. First warning sign lol.
What I Ordered
— Crispy Fish Sandwich with Tomato Soup
My mom and I ordered the same thing. The fish was not seasoned at all! What a waste of stomach space. A little salt and pepper could have save this dish. Super, slow service. I really enjoyed the tomato soup though. Very flavorful! Although, it really was just. tomato soup. Definitely walk around before you settle for a spot to eat!

I just came back from a trip to Catalina with my wife and some friends. When we were there, we noticed a restaurant in town that was packed inside and outside (Avalon Grille). We were both hungry after the boat ride over and decided to give them a shot.
The server came to take our drink and meal order within a short amount of time after being seated. She was super nice and made friends with the one year old baby in our group rather quickly! We all ordered cheeseburgers and fries which were delicious! The food was so good that we returned for lunch a few days later before we left and used a ten percent off coupon that we were given during our original visit.
This place has patio seating and is highly recommended — especially on a hot day! Great food and great service will keep us coming back!