Rooster PM

— Locale Destination —
It’s on St Clair St and Bristol St in Costa Mesa.
It’s located behind «CAMP» (hipster shopping mall).
Décor is pretty simple and looks almost a bit too «cheap». Very casual. Friendly staff. Quick service. No corkage fee. Parking is very limited but street parking is also available. They do have an outside seating area, too.
— Gluttony Expedition —
Ballast point: Amber ale. Light with caramel like bitterness. I like it.
Mac&Cheese: Creamy and very buttery. I felt the BUTTER!!! Better than other items but Meh. I’ve had a better one at somewhere else…
Chicken served in avocado cups: In the coffee cup, they put chips, shredded chicken, pico de gallo and avocado. Very funky flavors as a whole. Avocado at the bottom, which is called «avocado cup»… Meh.
Mushroom 3 ways: 1) Deep fried with ponzu, 2) sautéed, 3) grilled with cheese inside of the mushroom. Boring.
— Conqueror’s Deduction —
Nothing crazy about here.
Very bland food, though decent drink menu.

Their breakfast is awesome. Also went for a late night dinner once. The lamb with pesto was just ok. There wasn’t much lamb to it. A lot of fat and bone. Their smore dessert was amazing though.

They have a great rotating selection of food — and the owners are awesome people.
I have come here multiple times, and I have never left disappointed. In addition to their awesome and «unique» food, they have a solid wine selection for the price points.
I wish I could recommend particular foods to try, but they are really all great — and if you don’t like anything, just let them know and they’ll swap it out for something that you do enjoy! It might look like a tiny hole in the wall, but it is well worth it even for the non-​adventuresome types!

This rooster pm is weak, more like a Chicken pm =/
Came on a Fri night right at 5, thought that’s when it was open, but when we walked in they informed us it was 5:30. So we came back and a server gave us a menu and hummis and chips dip right away. There wasn’t anything that stood out or looked that great but we agreed upon getting:
Grilled cheese 3.5 stars –good but $ 8!?! You weren’t THAT good for manchego cheese
Fried chix sliders w gravy and mashed po 4 stars– Chix were yummy and tender tastey juicy with excellent mashed po, served w sweet hawiian buns. Good and different take on fried chix and gravy. Me like that.
Lobster quesadilla 4– pretty good, I tasted good pieces of lobster.
Service was decent as well 3.5 stars. Overall this place should be given 4 stars but I just feel like I will never come back for these dishes again 1. Being that it wasn’t anything spectacular 2. It was pretty darn pricey.
Sad to say but this cock wasn’t enough to satisfy me.

Finally got to try this place in the PM and it really surpassed my expectations.
They give you fresh chips and hummus to start– so addicting I think I got 3 helpings. Hhaha.
Me and my roomie ordered the Shishito Peppers, Bacon wrapped asparagus, Fried chicken and mash sliders, tri-​tip, and the churros. Everything was on point, simple, and delish. The mashed potatoes inside those sliders were ingenious. Those churros were piping hot and so good with the mountatin of whipped cream on the side.
Service was really friendly and attentive. I will definitely try to come back again or if not at night, I will be there when it’s Rooster Café.

Yay… double «Yay» for Garlic Mac & Cheese and the Presto Chicken Sammie. Yay… for breakfast, lunch & just yummy food.
I’m a brat when it comes to Mac & Cheese, one of my ULTIMATE FAVE FOODS on this earth. I will try anyone’s Mac & Cheese at least once! I like super gooey, melting off the spoon Mac & Cheese and theirs is def all that and then some! I came to lunch here with my buddies from work and I had the best lunch. Perhaps I was starving and it was 1ish… MAYBE! Perhaps I was eye hungry and just wanted everything! I dunno but when I taste a damn good Mac & Cheese, it makes my day! Okay, I guess you can tell by now that I love their Mac version. Kinda garlicky, kinda gooey gooeyish, KINDA LOVING IT.
Besides that, I did have their Presto Chicken «OUT OF THIS WORLD» Sammie. They def grilled this baby up with a ton of yummy butter to crisp it up. The chicken for heaven sakes was fried… TO DIE FOR fried goodness. I personally think all chickens should be FRIED! I could do away with the cut up lettuce that kept falling out of my sammie but other than that, I was HAPPY. Oh and if you love presto, they DO NOT skimp on that.
LOW DOWN:
01. Mac & Cheese $ 2.50 — 4 Stars
— UBER UBER GOOEY GOODNESS with just a hint of garlic.
02. Presto Chicken Sammie $ 7.25 — 4.5 Stars
Lightly Breaded Chicken w/​Presto, Lettuce, Tomato & Onions on Francese Bread
— What can I say, you MUST TRY to get it…
LOCATION: Directly across from Memphis on Bristol next to a Hair Salon.
PARKING: Is a REAL PAIN in anyone’s rear looking for parking. Not sure where the owners of those damn cars are but by counting the heads in the restaurant, I think they have themselves some peeps just parking there and not eating there. UGH…
SERVICE: I love them… every single one is super nice and on top of their Rooster game.
TIDBITS:
— You can get breakfast all day (open hours of course!)
— Prices are decent for sammies but turn to the rabbit side and Salads can be a small fortune.
— Side note: You can order a side to make your meal extra special. You call the shoots, they make it for you!
We shall meet again my Mac & Cheese LOVER!

Man swung by here again recently before THE WICKED show at Segerstrom. Man-​o-​man, they out did themselves again. We were the 1^st customers for the evening. I always get the «great white shark» beer, my favorite.
Ordered their potato leak soup which I was hesitant about, but I love potatoes and it ended up delicious. My favorite of the night were their fried chicken sliders with gravy (3), AMAZING. Also ordered their lobster quesadilla which wasn’t so great, seemed artificial, but oh wells, I always enjoy coming here and their service is always so chill and personal.

Going here on suggestion from Minerva T. because she’s been hearing a lot of good things from other Unilocalers. Right by the Camp in Costa Mesa, it was a nice place for tapas after a movie.
We went as a group of 5 and here’s what we collectively got:
asparagus with prosciutto (
)
4 cheese mac n cheese (
)
lamb chops with pesto (
)
mahi mahi (
)
fried chicken & gravy sliders (
)
churros (
)
All of the food was relatively good in terms of quality and for the gourmet pricing. Maybe it just wasn’t my style. I thought the mac n cheese was overly thick. I know for this time, it’s a different combo of cheese each week. I guess for that week it was too much for me personally.
I liked the asparagus with prosciutto although I like most items involving asparagus anyway. The prosciutto gave it the necessary salty and savory characteristics but was missing that slight crunch that you would expect.
The churros were delicious though. And it came with a decoratively cut strawberry which made the plate look really fancy ahahaha.
Service was top notch in such a small pop-​up space. Our host was prompt and friendly each time he visited our table. Overall, I would probably need to come back at an earlier time instead of the tail end of the night to get a second experience. Judging based on one experience wouldn’t be fair.

We meant to head to a different restaurant prior to heading over to the Segerstrom Theatre. Lucky for us, they were all too busy so we headed over to Rooster PM and had thoroughly enjoyed our experience!
Service was excellent. We were constantly checked on. I even moved my cup onto the counter to take a picture and left it there. Our server came by soon after to check if they accidentally took my cup away.
(1)Four Cheese Mac & Cheese ($ 8) — I know everyone has been using the same adjectives, but only «rich» and «creamy» can really describe it! It was a tad oily but definitely not heavy.
(2)French Onion Dip ($ 10) — It came with a side salad but we barely noticed it while we gobbled down the very flavorful main part of the dish that had a perfect balance between sweet and salty.
(3)Mahi Mahi ($ 12) — It wasn’t the best dish of the evening but far from bad. The mahi mahi itself was juicy but a tiny bit fishy-​tasting closer to the center. The mashed potatoes it came on was light and fluffy.
(4)Hummus & Pita Chips — Can’t forget about this! They served this to us immediately upon being seated and came back to refill after we ordered. Both were deeelicious and definitely kept us wanting more.
To sum it up: «Woohoo! As good as it gets!»

According to Unilocal,2 stars = «Meh. I’ve experienced better.» That sums it up for my dinner experience at Rooster PM.
While the service was good, the food left much to be desired. I found this place on Unilocal and came here on a Saturday night (date night) with the bf. We were trying to go healthy, so we came to Rooster PM looking to dine on some small plates for more variety and smaller portions.
The dining room is simple, with a few bar seats and maybe 8 tables or so. The impression I got on Unilocal,i thought the ambiance would be more romantic, but it looks just like a diner. The complimentary tortilla chips and hummus were a nice touch.
Cutting to the chase, we ordered:
1. Pear salad with mixed greens — Mixed greens with slices of pear and some vinaigrette. I could have made this at home… and I could have made it 10x better with fresher greens and thinner sliced pears. Work on that presentation please.
2. Hanger steak with Chimichurri ($ 14) — 5 slices of hella thin steak, sitting on a bed of roasted veggies (squash, bell peppers, red onions). The chimichurri was the only flavor this dish had. I liked the flavor of the chimichurri, but I tasted no seasoning on the meat itself and it was sitting in a bed of oil. Totally failed on the healthy aspect
3. Roasted shishito peppers — overcooked. way overcooked. oily and soggy. I’ve had the best shishito peppers at Red Table Restaurant in HB (
). For the same price, Red Table’s shishito peppers are flavored with citrus oil and prosciutto bits. Rooster PM’s shishito peppers were just roasted with S&P and evoo (i think). Nothing special, nothing fancy, but the kitchen staff here failed miserably at making this seemingly simple dish.
Another little gripe: We saw Pelligrino flavored soda behind the glass doored fridge, but the server refused to sell it to us! He said it was not for sale. SRSLY?! Who does that?! Cover them up, get rid of them, or something if you’re not willing to sell what you’re displaying!
Overall, our bill came out to be $ 35 after tax and tip. While the menu did look very promising, the execution of the dishes were serverely lacking. It’s like having cooks do the job of an executive chef. It just doesn’t fly. I have nothing against cooks, but any cook should know that over-​cooking and leaving food in a bed of oil is highly undesireable for any patron.

This place still rocks when it comes to food and service! Tonight they offered all customers free chips with humus and a free sample of their tortilla soup. The humus was delicious; the soup was too spicy!
The waiter welcomes all of the customers to the restaurant as if it were his own home. Perhaps he is the owner? He is so friendly and like-​able! Tonight we shared 3 dishes — mahi with panko crust & mustard cream, chicken fried filet mignon with asparagus and lobster quesadilla (see attached photos). They were all very delicious!
I just had two gripes about tonight. First, it was 95 degrees and they have no air conditioning. They have fans inside but they’re on low speed, so it was pretty warm inside. They have the doors open, however there is a bar located next door and the smoke from the smokers outside easily seeps into the restaurant. Secondly, we had ordered beers, but the waiter said that they weren’t cold yet, so he said he’d keep it in the frig until our food came out. What? This should be standard stuff — chill the beers well in advance of your customers arriving.
Overall, this is still a 4-​star establishment! They know how to cook good food, they change their menu weekly and they treat their customers like old friends.

First a special thanks to the amazing owners for centering around quality food, friendly service, and prices that perfect the restaurant triangle of awesomeness!
I have tried the famous macaroni and cheese, the lobster quesadilla, the fries, the pita chips, the homemade guacamole, the phenomenal chocolate cake, all of this will solidify this place at a five star rating, nothing less. Keep up the excellent work and I look forward to my next visit to Rooster PM soon.
(If you need details on the food, have a look at the other reviews. Mine simply states, based on multiple food and dining experiences at Rooster PM, that this place is simply amazing.)

It’s been a while since I have reviewed anything.
As of now, I am sitting in the corner of a humble office room in Japan, typing away at a desktop computer with my legs folded in such a way that I can rest my chin on my right knee.
No, I am not here by mistake. I am currently visiting relatives in Japan. But the fact that I have been unable to check-​in to the various restaurants and cafes I’ve been to since I got off the plane at the Narita International Airport pathetically yet truly pains me. I have always been fond of the check-​in feature that Unilocal offers on smart phones. It creates a kind of check-​in diary, where a person can look back on his or her past check-​ins and reminisce about them fondly.
But I digress.
I procrastinated enough on this review, so I figured since I miss Unilocal so much, I might as well tackle Rooster PM:
Rooster PM is a dive-​ish place. It seems to give off a hipster-​cool vibe just by its name and what people say about it, but it is housed in a small, glass cubicle-​like structure located right next to a rowdy bar.
But don’t let that fool you.
We realized there was no need to make a reservation when we saw that there was a good amount of open tables as we arrived at around 6 on a Saturday night. A waitress with a friendly smile took us to a table and handed us menus that were fashioned to cute rectangular slabs of cork. While looking over the menu, our waitress brought out some nice sourdough bread with a tasty spread and samples of the soup of the day, chicken tortilla.
After a little deliberation, we decided to order the following: Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto, Mushrooms 3 Ways, 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese, French Dip with Caramelized Onions and for dessert, Churros con Chocolate.
The food came in a nice, timely order, and here is how everything went:
Grilled Lamb Chops
Lamb chops were done perfectly, with just the slightest bit of pink for that extra juiciness and savory rawness. However, the gamey lamb flavor that I always covet was not quite there, and the pesto was just a little too overwhelming, as much as I like pesto.
Mushroom 3 Ways
Definitely one of Rooster PM’s more creative dishes. There were three types of mushrooms (I cannot remember them, to my dismay) done in, predictably, three different ways. Some were panfried, some were breaded and some were simply cooked to bring out some lovely mushroom flavors. Everything was very creative and very delicious. But what made it all even better? Rooster PM’s heavenly curry aioli.
4 Cheese Mac and Cheese
For the foodies out there that can go from foie gras to mashed potatoes, this is a great dish for you. It’s a huge portion of some of the cheesiest and homiest and yummiest (for lack of better superlative adjectives) mac and cheese out there. It’s a simple dish, really, but it’s the ultimate dish for comfort food lovers (and hard-​core foodies) everywhere.
French Dip with Caramelized Onions
Hands down best dish of the night. The bread was crispy and buttery, the pastrami was solid, the swiss inside was melty and the onions were sweet and savory… WOW. Half the time I did not even use the dip because the sandwich itself was sooooooo good. I have to hold back the urge to lick my fingers as I type this.
Churros con Chocolate
It was not a complete lackluster way to end the meal, but I do slightly regret not ordering something more refreshing, like a sorbet or something along those lines. These churros were definitely of a higher quality than those found at county fairs, but the whipped cream, the sugar and the drizzled chocolate did somewhat weigh me down after an already filling meal.
Overall, the food was definitely above average and the service was just as good. However, the only time I think I would consider going back is if they ever completely revamp their menu… I would definitely like to try new dishes!

Came here because I have a thing for mac and cheese…
I came on a Friday night around 8:30 with another person. Originally, we walked in and we were not greeted. They just stared at us… Finally when we came up and ask for a table for two, they told us it would a 15 minute wait but we ended up waiting 30. They let another group go before us because supposedly they had reservations, but more like they knew them. I’m not stupid.
When we finally got a table, we ordered the following and their description:
Lobster Quesadilla– it was served with chips and pico de gallo. It was probably my favorite thing there. It was special for the night and was not on the menu.
Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus– definitely something worth skipping. It was not very good.
4 Cheese Mac n Cheese– It was larger than I thought it would be. Yummy yummy, I love mac and cheese
Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto– The pesto sauce on top of the lamb chops was the same pesto that was served with our comped bread and pesto. The lamb was good but not anything spectacular. There was mash potatoes served with it. It was okay. A little on the runnier side.
European Cheese Plate– crackers, cheese, and meat. The cheeses were brie, Parmesan, and Provolone (I think). The meats were Proscuitto and one other. We were not drinking so I think it was something we should have skipped.
Our total was a little over $ 55 for 5 items. I thought it was weird that the plates were divided into thirds. For example, you get 3 pieces of asparagus, and the quesadilla was also divided into thirds. I also did not like that they used the same ingredients for a lot of the dishes. For instances, the pesto sauce that was used with the bread and then the same exact pesto sauce with the lamb. Also the proscuitto that was wrapped with the asparagus and used in the cheese plate.
Once we got seated, the service did get better. Our food came out quick. I didn’t like that it was cold but they kept the door open. The restaurant itself is small and has a causal feel to it. Overall the food was okay. Would I be back? Probably not.

I’ve had this place bookmarked for months and have been eying it for so long. I spontaneously decided to come here with a friend after seeing a Groupon Now for it that included 2 glasses of wine and 2 plates for about $ 15. SCORE!
First of all, the complimentary slices of bread and pesto was enough to make me want to come back again!!! It was sooooo good. I happen to believe that my pesto is awesome, but the one they serve here is pretty awesome too.
Blackened chicken avocado cups were just as I imagined them to taste! What a heavenly genius creation. So delicious. A must try! The coconut shrimp was tasty too. A good amount of coconut crunch and the mango chutney paring was perfect. We also ordered the mac and cheese and man… is that thing cheesy! Very gooey cheesy stuff. If you like mac and cheese, you’ll definitely enjoy it here.
The place is small and is good for groups of 2 – 6 people. Anymore than that… then I don’t think this place can really accommodate. It’s more of a café.
I can’t wait to come back and try more dishes!

This is one awesome place to grab a quick bite of gourmet food… and the most important thing is that it won’t Molotov cocktail your wallet. Here are the items we tried:
Lentil Soup with andouille Sausage: They gave us free samples of this soup and it was pretty good. Packed with flavor but I can see how a whole bowl of this can fill you up. Would be a nice accompaniment to a salad.
Ahi Po-​boy (special of the day): Dam this sandwich was good. Freshly grilled ahi, cajun aioli, and some delicious coleslaw topping really did the trick. Didn’t care much for the semi-​soggy fries though, but the siracha ketchup was a nice touch.
Mac and Cheese: Cheese overload (a good thing!). Had a hint of truffle oil in it.
I only got to try a few items, but from eating them, I would definitely come back and try others. Hopefully the Ahi Po-​boy makes it to the regular menu. Great service, good food, and decent prices gives this place 4 stars. My only gripe was that they kept opening the front door, allowing a cold draft to hit us since they gave us a crappy table right in front of the door. Noting that there were many empty tables NOT in front of the door, when asked if we could switch tables, they told us that they were reserved… even though nobody «reserved» ever showed up during our dining time.

One of my fave finds in the OC thus far! Pretty hipster restaurant, totes reminds me of places back in SF =) My friend and I came in for dinner around 8pm on a Friday night, the wait was about 10 – 15 minutes, not too shabby at all. This was my first visit here and the service was very fast and friendly.
They started us off with bread and pesto dipping sauce.
I ordered the PM Black and Blue Burger — Angus Beef, Tomato, Crispy Onions, and Blue Cheese Dressing served with a side of Homemade Fries. Biting into that burger was like feeling fireworks going off in my mouth, so delicious! Blue Cheese Dressing was probably the best decision ever! The fries were great and are served with a variety of dipping sauces — we opted for the sriracha ketchup and ranch.
The food is typically served tapas style, but this entrée was more than enough to fill me up! It seems like they change their menu pretty often, I can’t wait to see what will be on the menu during my next visit!

I’m very open to the concept of tapas, especially since I am a reformed eater not focused so much on size but quality. With Rooster PM, it was a middle of the road type of experience, nothing I can rave about but on the same token, nothing I can truly criticize either.
I showed up with a party of 3 on Friday night and there was about a 20 minute wait. The place is tiny, I would estimate it would fit roughly 30 – 40 people (about 25 inside the restaurant, the rest is outdoor seating which I imagine is nice on summer day but not on the night we went: shivers:). As a suggestion, the waitress told us to check out the bar next door until our table was ready. I did feel like it was either stand out in the cold or get a drink so we opted for the latter.
Once we got seated, our table split the following:
Burger special — avocado, cheddar, bacon burger
Mac and cheese
Country fried ribeye steak
Chili cheese fries
Onions rings
The highlight of the meal was definitely the burger special, which upon reflection was only special because of the bacon used in it. It’s the very thick cut of bacon that I feel I only get at fancy shmancy places (or the Wynn Buffet in Vegas). The mac and cheese was also very addictive, I felt I had to pace myself otherwise my friends would not get a bite in.
I really liked the idea behind the country fried steak but it left more to be desired. It also started bringing me back to that place where I want bigger portions on dishes because after two bites, it was basically gone (two bites per person). My other friends were not impressed.
And across the board, we had an aversion to the fries and onion rings. The fries came out soggy and were swimming in a pool of chili residue. NOT appetizing. Onion rings are hard to impress me with and this yet adds to the list of why I avoid getting onion rings as a side order unless it comes with my meal. Too much batter for my taste. The sriracha ketchup dip was an attempt to save this but even then that wasn’t enough.
At the end of our meal, we got the bread pudding. This was a reasonable sized dessert for 3 (esp. since we were planning to get dessert afterwards anyways). Maybe I have been so used to getting ice cream with it like at Haven Gastropub, but I wish that was available here.
All in all, pretty good decent (excellent service) but I don’t see myself coming back here unless someone really wanted to get tapas.
(ETA– Forgot to mention the bread that comes out with a pesto sauce, I suppose if it was that memorable, I would have mentioned it in my original review… but I really did like it…)

Had dinner with two of my friends here on Friday. We arrived a bit early, around 6, and we snagged one of the last two tables outside. When we left around 8 people were waiting around to be seated. Parking sucks, we had to park a couple blocks away. Get here early!
The service was wonderful. Everybody who worked here was super nice and really on top of things.
Right after we were seated we were given bread and pesto. Yummy. Then somebody brought out samples of some sort of chipotle soup. The samples were about medicine cup sized. The soup was great, really spicy and had a nice flavor.
For dinner we ordered: Filet, Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese, Mac & Cheese, Prawns with Capers and Lemon Butter, and a French Dip Sandwich.
I did not try the filet, but my friends did. They both asked for it medium, and it was cooked well done. They both said the cut of meat did not taste anything like a filet, but rather a normal steak. Could have been because it was overcooked, but neither of them were impressed.
The potatoes didn’t have much flavor, and they were not very hot by the time they arrived at our table.
The Mac & Cheese was okay, but definitely not the best.
The French Dip was just alright. I ate about half of it, it was a bit dry and the bread wasn’t very toasted.
The best thing by far were the Prawns. They were freaking delicious. I loved the bread pieces they were served with, they totally soaked up the lemon butter. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the flavor was just awesome. If I ever came back, I would probably just order those.
So…i’m going 3 stars on this place… just A-​OK!

Oh haaaaaaaaiiiilllll yes!
Took last minute dinner plans over to Rooster PM with Trina D. since I was craving Mac n’ Cheese and hate the one at Veggie Grill. Plus, I’ve heard so much about Rooster PM that I finally wanted to eat there! I added lots of pics! :D
Their 4 cheese Mac n’ Cheese was very generous — loaded with cheesy cheese, served hot and baked just the way I like it. AND NOT soggy! Let me reiterate! — I loved the Mac n’ Cheese here (unlike the one at Veggie Grill that everyone seems to love but I really dislike). I wish it was a liiittle more baked but really, it was pretty perfect.
The lamb chops with pesto was pretty good. We got it medium, maybe should have gotten it medium-​rare. A bit on the salty side, just FYI. But it was easy to cut through and the grilled veggies were perfect with the lamb.
Shoshito peppers weren’t bad — I’m used to less oily versions but it was still good. Perfectly salted and roasted!
The honey roasted goat cheese menu item was delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. The black sesame seeds gave it extra texture and the goat cheese and honey were a perfect savory-​sweet combo.
The churros were great. They came out hot and the custard inside was still nice and warm. A perfect bite to it. Though, I wish the chocolate dipping sauce was on the side.
The s’mores were good too — well heated marshmallows and none of that fake stuff. Except, only three s’mores came out with a bunch of whipped cream and strawberries… aren’t most parties in pairs? You know, dinner for 2 or 4 or 6??? It’s just a curious thing is all I’m saying.
I’m definitely coming back to try their other menu items!