Stonehill Tavern

Stonehill Tavern is Michael Mina at his finest! Superb limited menu, excellent wine list and wonderful service make this beautiful Restuarant inside of the St Regis Monarch Beach resort a must try. From the moment that we walked in every aspect of the evening went perfectly. Not a lot of dinner choices but all certainly worth trying. Some unusual selections like jandori chicken for two but most will find something in the land or seafood category that will please even the most finicky diner. We would certainly return.

This gem is tucked away in the St. Regis Hotel in Monarch Beach.
We started with Ahi Tuna Tartare. This beautifully presented dish was so fresh. And I absolutely LOVE anything with cilantro and cucumber. I probably ate most of this appetizer. (piggy)
Ordered our beverages… Dirty Bird with hand stuff blue cheese olives. Yes, I felt very special. I hade the Ribeye and he had the Lobster Pot Pie. Service was attentive and view was spectacular. Everything was perfect.

Gorgeous spot, superb service and a great place to dine when you’re off celebrating!
I really loved the trofie pasta (love my truffles!). It was definitely a great starter!
As for the main entrees, we had the jidori chicken (with truffle mac ‘n cheese mmm) and american wagyu beef. Both were tasty and well seasoned.
Drinks were great as well-​especially the mojitos!

I came for breakfast with my parents since it was essentially the only place open at the hotel. It was very empty save for maybe one other lone customer. For a Michael Mina restaurant, I expected anything I ordered to be good, even for breakfast, which is probably the most simple of meals. Their selection of breakfast items was a short one page, and they really didn’t have many appealing choices.
My mom ordered the smoked salmon bagel, which was attractively plated and was good enough to not merit any complaint, though you can’t quite screw up smoked salmon all too much.
My dad ordered a Benedict which he thought was good. It was served very plainly and simply, with chunks of ham and the poached eggs atop, sided with asparagus and a grilled tomato.
I wanted to try something I’ve never had before, and ordered the chilaquiles– which is essentially soaked and softened tortilla chips topped with salsa verde, sour cream, avocado, egg, and cheese. It was okay. I had to force myself to try and finish it and failed because I got a stomach ache from it, which was super disappointing since I expected anything they made to taste fantastic. But it was breakfast and they’re not known for that, which I get.
Oh well. It was an incredibly disappointing meal that did not correlate well with the amount of money we spent. I would advise definitely not coming in for breakfast if you’re staying in the hotel, and just venture out for the countless other options of breakfast and brunch food Dana Point has to offer.

I loved everything about dinner here. I got the lobster pot pie & every bite was pure deliciousness. Warning though– it’s a scene ordering it! It comes out wheeled on a cart & assembled at the table. The chocolate toffee bar dessert was one of the best desserts I’ve had. Great food, but then again you can’t go wrong with a Michael Mina restaurant.

One of the best restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. We were celebrating our 10^th anniversary, and decided to go with the Tasting Menu, including wine pairings. Everything was just outstanding. The service was perfect — always there when you needed something, but not overbearing. Everyone that came to our table wished us a happy anniversary. We each started with a crafted cocktail. In addition to what was on the menu, there were several other «bites» from the chef, brought out in between courses. They also gave us a hot buttered rum to enjoy with our dessert. This was definitely an expensive experience, but for a special occasion it was well worth it.

I am really disappointed to have to rate this a 3, but our experience Tuesday night was underwhelming to say the least. I love this venue, but our service was far below what it should be. Our waiter (can’t remember his name) was condescending and rude at times. The food was average and certainly not worth the price. My wife’s black cod was rubbery and not edible. We didn’t complain, but when the waiter saw that she didn’t eat it he became very rude in questioning why she didn’t like it. Even my teenage daughters commented on his arrogant attitude. I wish I would have gotten his name so I could share it with the hotel as this is one of my favorite properties to visit. If this place wants to seriously compete with The Ritz-​Carlton and Montage they need to re-​evaluate some of their customer facing people and improve their food quality. The good news is both can be improved.

I went with a large party so I got to try many different dishes… here goes.
Appetizers:
Tuna tartar — had better but it was good. nothing special. I would skip it.
Lobster risotto — the one to get. it was yummy.
Hamachi fritter — tasty.
Pork rib — wasn’t so good. kimchee wasn’t kimchee. small portion. skip it.
Entrée:
I got the bone in NY strip because they ran out of the bone in ribeye. My NY strip was tough and chewy. I gave it to my husband and took his braised short rib. Short rib was good but it’s two small pieces so if you are hungry man, you will not be happy with the portion. The lobster in lobster pot pie was good and that portion was pretty big.
Dessert:
Rootbeer float — float was just a float but the freshly baked chocolate cookie was yum… little on the salty side
Most of the dishes were on the salty side… everyone on the table agreed to that.
service was slow but overall nice experience and glad I didn’t have to pick up the tab. I think some of the dishes were over priced.

Yes, this place is pretty expensive. And usually I don’t find that expensive restaurants equate to quality food. But my meal at Stonehill Tavern was so amazing that I felt compelled to write a review. Really, I haven’t been amazed by many fine dining restaurants for a while since my food adventures in Europe.
Okay, so I think we had:
garden salad with Lilliputian Lola rosa, shaved veggies, hijiki, flax seed, champagne shallot vinaigrette
French green lentil soup with pork belly, celery root, chestnut cream, lovage
pacific amberjack with Nantes carrot, vadouvan, chanterelle, pea tendril
Filet mignon with langres cheese, pommes purée, horseradish, spigarello, leeks, cepes
root beer float with sassafras ice cream and chocolate chip cookies
butterscotch custard with frosted flakes, cider apple, goat milk caramel, quince
Everything tastes amazing and composed very well.

Woohoo Unilocal review #100…
Michael Mina’s Stonehill Tavern (actually 4.5 Stars) located in the opulent St. Regis is truly a culinary dining experience. From inception to fruition you are transformed. Mind you this comes at a price so be prepared. Mind you there idea of market price refers to the real estate market as in do you own some…
The food is superb as is the restaurant, vibe and overall experience.
The warm sliced freshly baked breads and spreads are addicting. Each guest receives an Amuse Bouche from the chef. so good refreshing and enticing to the palate.
The Kale salad very good and refreshing dressed well but average in comparison to the other plates.
Don’t laugh but we started with the Lobster Pot Pie as an appetizer not a big pot pie guy and would never think about ever ordering it in a restaurant. Thank You Michael Mina seriously good.
The Whole Jidori Chicken is not to be missed and truly a sight to behold finished and plated tableside. OMG
The shortrib medallions with polenta were good but not in the same zip code as the pot pie or Jidori chicken.
The grilled Brussel sprouts also nice.
The chocolate caramel heath bar cappuccino desert concoction served on mini cones were so simple yet soooo good.
The service, food presentation and plating is top shelf and refined.
A wonderful dining experience and clearly a refined meal to tantalize your tastebuds and pleasure your palate. Romantic, opulent, refined and to be enjoyed. Clearly not just a restaurant or a good meal but a dining destination. Thank you, Michael Mina…

Disappointing sums up my experience from last night’s dinner.
To start, the bartender created the most unpalatable cocktails in a bar that was uncomfortable at best. The Michael Mina branded French champaign, at $ 23 a glass was a ripoff. I’ve had a $ 12 a bottle French Cremant from Trader Joes that was better.
Seating, except outside, is subject to significant server traffic and would be considered the opposite of intimate or pleasant. The server staff was mostly good, but our order was managed poorly; dishes missed and served without consideration of our dietary requirements. Our server had his sleeves rolled up and his tie undone. If I wanted casual I’d go to TGIF. When you pay $ 300 for a meal a certain expectation of food and service is considered.
Food was uninspired. The amuse bouche was a thin, tasteless tomato soup. The salad drenched and boring. The entries were good, but nothing special. Black Sea bass for $ 65. Don’t bother.
Dessert again was boring except for these tiny ice cream cones that were the best part of the meal.
I’ll not ever go again.

Two stars for «Meh, I’ve experienced better.» Now, the reason for this grade is simply because of the exorbitant price point at Stonehill. The food is quite good, as one would expect, but there is literally no way for these restauranteurs to justify $ 85 for a lobster pot pie, $ 65 for a standard fish entrée. I could have TWO equally delicious meals at a competing restaurant and receive the same gastronomic satisfaction.
In short, DO NOT go to Stonehill unless you are an individual of great wealth who has a complete disregard for the value of money. There are plenty of absolutely delicious restaurants in Dana and Laguna (let alone inland) that will treat you right for a far better price point. If upscale hotel dining is your thing, Raya at the Ritz is far superior with entrees around $ 20 less… same quality and a substantially better view.

I knew I was in for an expensive meal when I was offered flat or sparkling water right off the bat. Prefer not to experience upselling from the second we sit down. $ 10 for a bottle of Fiji.
Food was ok. Portions were very generous.
Amuse bouche of some type of bean soup came out piping hot and made a good dip for the bread service.
Lobster salad was large, but the lobster was bland to me. Salad lacked dressing.
Pasta with veal bolognese was covered in truffles which was nice, but there was nothing really to the pasta.
Lots of parties had the tableside jidori chicken for two which looked amazing. It was pretty good. Nothing special to the preparation. It is «fried» jidori chicken but you really couldn’t tell it was fried, just had a little crispy skin. The mac and cheese that it came with was my favorite.
Food came out very slow.
All of the above plus one beer and we were down $ 190. Cool place but I’ll pass on that price point.

I’ve eaten at several Michael Mina’s restaurants so I had really high expectations. I was unfortunately disappointed with the dinner service and the food was just okay.
My first disappointment was that the online menu featured a shaved white truffle risotto which I was looking forward to. The waiter said the online menu was outdated and they do not have risotto. The second was the food. Presentation was great but the flavors were just mediocre. They had a $ 45 special with two blini’s and caviar. The bilini’s were so buttery that you couldn’t even taste the caviar.
My overall experience was just meh. I expected more considering I spent $ 375 for two people; no alcohol was consumed.

Underwhelming experience but not for a lack of planning–
FOOD The food was decent enough but it wasn’t memorable or satisfying. Ordered the lobster pot pie, the CPD, the Black Sea bass, and the special which was a New York steak of some sort.

The ambiance of the St. Regis resort is to die for, likewise with Stonehill Tavern, which BTW is not a tavern. The food is quite good. The portions oh so small and the bill mind blowing. Dinner for two can easily cost $ 200 Without alcohol. Just be prepared.
On the positive note. The food is delicious and service premier.

I had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally found an occasion to go: a friend’s quarter century birthday dinner :)
I’m going to be honest and say I did not know who Michael Mina was, but his website sure is fancy! It shows that he has numerous restaurants across the country. I made a reservation a week in advance for 2 at 8:00pm on Wednesday night. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant is located inside the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort. We made our way through the lobby and followed the signs for the restaurant. It seems they do have some tables set up outside on the patio, but because there was a chance of rain, we had to sit inside. The restaurant overlooks a large pool and golf course, with the beach right below it. It was GORGEOUS!
We were led to our table and given the dinner and wine menu. The top of the dinner menu describes their Ocean Discovery Menu for $ 165 per person with the option of wine pairing for an additional $ 75 per person. Might have to come back and try it! They also have a selection of chilled shellfish as well as caviar selections all at market price. We started with an order of the Ahi Tuna Tartare ($ 24) appetizer to share. The waiter brought it out and mixed the egg, pine nuts, and sesame oil together for us to enjoy.
For the main entrée, we debated between the Morro Bay Black Cod ($ 38) or the Kurobuta Pork Short Ribs ($ 47), but at the waiter’s recommendation, we went with the Whole-​Fried Jidori Chicken for Two ($ 32PP). This is Michael Mina’s specialty so we had to give it a try! The waiter explained that this dish is like a show and the entire chicken will be rolled out, then cut and served in front of us. The chicken is about 12 ounces and they serve it on top of mushrooms, string beans, and truffled mac & cheese. I have to say, I am not usually a fan of mac & cheese (blasphemy, I know!), but this one was SO DELICIOUS! You would think you can’t make fried chicken any better, but somehow Mr. Mina did! The skin was so crispy and the meat was so tender, it fell off the bones. I believe there is also truffle sprinkled on top.
Throughout the meal, they were bring out small food items, as compliments of the chef. One of them was a shot of tomato bisque like soup? It was great! Even the homemade butter with the bread was exquisite! We ordered the Peaches’n’Cream dessert ($ 12), which was superb as well! They also brought out mini ice cream cones for us to enjoy and a wrapped muffin to take home. We wanted to only order a half bottle of Cabernet for our meal, but because they ran out of the half bottles, they asked if they could just serve us half of a regular bottle, which was fine with us! After leaving the restaurant, we went to use the bathroom before retrieving our car. On the way out, the waiter from the restaurant approached us with the leftover wine and told us to go ahead and take it home :) How great!
Overall, a wonderful night out. The restaurant is not too big or loud and it wasn’t too crowded when we were there. It felt like there was always someone checking up on us and I don’t have a single complaint. I will be back (probably to try that lobster pot pie)!

Really great location with a nice view (located inside the St Regis hotel).
Extensive wine list, with an equally extensive mark up compared to other restaurants in OC.
The food was really great. Highly recommend the Foie Gras, lobster pot pie, ribeye, and magic beans! Salmon and short rib were great, but the items I highly recommend were really impressive.
I have eaten at MM locations before and they never disappoint. I would characterize as very high quality and fresh ingredients cooked nearly perfectly.
Expensive, but worth the splurge …

You would expect that the quality of the taste would be above average to the very least being that it is in such a renown beautiful ocean view hotel (St. Regis).
My Lobster Pot Pie was overly salty so I ate a few lobster pieces only. My date had a rather under seasoned one.
The filet mignon was baked inside a bread (not the brightest idea) …however, it did come with a tiny piece of slightly cooked fois gras that pretty much stole the show.
The black velvet dessert tasted better than the butterscotch cremeux. Overall, still no wow-​factor.
I would love to come back for a less expensive meal that they call, «brunch» at the Monarch Bay Club or even for late night drinks at the lounge. ONLY because I am very weak-​hearted when it comes to breathtaking ambiances. Oh, the foolish things we do…

I made a reservation here to celebrate a special occasion. I requested one of the two glass booths by the bar. The reservation process was smooth. We pulled up to the valet on the night of our reservation and made our way to the restaurant (through the resort entrance — make the first left).
Oh goodness, I love those booths! You’re kind of away from the main dining area in this huge booth that’s enclosed in glass. There were pillows and the booth was dimly lit by a single hanging light. It definitely made the meal feel more intimate and romantic.
The server immediately came over to greet us and wished my boyfriend a happy birthday. We ordered tuna tartare to start, and before that even came out, we were given a small bowl of complimentary soup, which was quite yummy! The tuna tartare though… I’ve had my fair share of tartare, and let me tell you, no one does it like Stonehill. It was so good that I was almost scared to eat it… Who am I kidding, I wolfed it down (just between you and me, I almost ordered a second helping as my entrée, but I thought better of it, last minute).
For our entrees, I got scallops and my boyfriend got a steak. The scallops were divine! Throughout our meal, our server checked in on us and made sure everything was going well. He did a great job being attentive yet was careful not disturb us.
For dessert we got a root beer float, yeah yeah yeah… I know what you’re thinking… «A root beer float at an upscale restaurant, you should have got the crème brûlée!» It wasn’t A&W and Dreyer’s vanilla ice cream though! It was house made root beer and ice cream, and my babe and I are suckers for root beer floats.
After our root beer float, the server brought out a little piece of cake with a candle and «happy birthday» scrawled out elegantly in chocolate sauce. Definitely a nice touch! Lastly, to go, we were both given a cute little jars of rosemary salt (which was put to good use in numerous home cooked meals).
The overall dining experience was fantastic, which made me a happy girl, because I get borderline obsessive when planning birthday dinners for my loved ones. I want everything to be perfect for their special day.
Lastly, Stonehill is located at the St. Regis in Dana Point; definitely take a stroll around the grounds either before or after your meal. It’s gorgeous!