Nirvana Grille

Outstanding food. My wife and I really enjoyed everything we had. Casual relaxed environment. We will be back over and over.

For me, the key is to go to Nirvana early before it gets too crowded and noisy. The menu is fabulous and the service is impeccable. I have loved everything I’ve ordered here. Can’t wait for the patio to open (it is pet friendly outside).

Dined here with my husband for dinner. Hubby ordered the grilled chimichuri top sirloin which he enjoyed. I ordered the basil crusted trout and it was disappointingly dry and unenjoyable.

Nirvana is a great spot for those who are going to the Festival of the Arts In Laguna Beach, or those who just want a darn good meal. It is a good choice when you are trying to find something for everyone including vegetarians.
The food is very fresh. I’ve eaten there several times now and have not been disappointed. The staff is friendly and helpful. Our waiter on the last visit wasn’t just great, he was superb! There is a happy hour every night; they have a roof top area and parking which is a plus in Laguna. TRY the sweet potato fries and poblano chiles. I like to do lots of small plates to get a taste of lots of choices.

This place is a hidden gem. Located at Beach and Broadway in Laguna Beach, this restaurant serves vegan, gluten free and standard food. I eat standard and the menu offered a lot of choices. Try the corn with cream and the fried lentils. The desert menu was outstanding and the kids menu is the best I have seen. Service was great. In the summer they will open the second floor patio with fire pit– I will be back!

So disappointed in quality of the food. Review is for a «to-​go» order.
Ordered vegan poblano, only to have (what looked and tasted like) canned or jarred artichoke hearts served along with the poblano. Hubby also added 2 «prawns» to his veggie plate for an additional $ 11 to find two large shrimp, at best. The arugula and beet salad was delish, but that’s not too hard to get right. Guess their 4-​star rating is a bit off for me.

Time for an update, since I’ve just returned from a brunch that was a triumph in three courses.
From the unexpected spiciness of the crab cakes to the quirky blending of smoked salmon, potato latke, and poached egg, every flavour combination revealed a blend of creativity, attention to detail, and respect for the ingredients that silenced conversation while we focused our attention on eating.
Even dessert, which in the past has been adequate but uninspired, succeeded in impressing… the lemon cake in particular was a strong finish, and belongs on the regular menu.

Made a reservation on Open Table for restaurant week and inked it in for the last slot available. The restaurant is tiny inside and was quite crowded. The tables are stacked pretty close to each other and u will most likely be in tune for the conversation of the tables next to you. If you don’t mind the tight squeeze then it’s all good. Started off with the prix fixe menu choice of spinach salad with bacon, goat cheese and fried leeks. Great combination and a very tasty salad. Next up was the bouillabaisse filled salmon, clams, mussels and one large shrimp. The sauce was tasty and great for bread dipping. We brought our own bottle of wine and the corkage was $ 20.
For dessert I opted for the pumpkin pie cheesecake in a jar. Very tasty with a nice, light, creamy layer of whipped mousse on top. I thought it was a bit odd to have pumpkin on the menu for spring. Tasty and delicious nonetheless.
Next week they are debuting some new dishes at 50% off, so I may swing in and try a few of those offerings. The waitress told us that they do this for one week every six months to showcase some of the new menu items. Hooray!!!

My husband and I ate here for our last dinner before heading back to MI. We sometimes struggle to find a restaurant that caters to both our culinary preferences. Nirvana met and exceeded our taste. I had a kale and apple salad and the vegetarian plate. Usually a veggie plate will be either bland or poorly seasoned. The platter was so well prepared that even someone who is not a vegetarian would enjoy this dish! The salad reminded me how much I love kale! It was perfectly dressed and full of flavor. My husband had the spinach and mushroom salad and the sea bass. He devoured every bite. When we return to Laguna we will certainly come back to Nirvana Grille!

Got the deal off of groupon. The food was decent but the place it self was not what I was expecting. Very run down and tacky inside. I got the short ribs but for almost $ 40 I have had wayyy better at other «fine dining» places.

Enjoyed Nirvana Grille last night for the first time. Had a Groupon. WOW, really good! Heirloom Tomato salad with pesto, olives and cheese was the perfect first course. And then enjoyed the Short Ribs. The waiter didn’t need to give me a knife, it was melt in your mouth tender. Loved all the gluten free options as I can not eat gluten. Atmosphere is nice. I’ll dine there again

First timer on New Year’s Eve for a dinner date with my girlfriend. We both opted for the 3 course semi pre-​fixed menu. There were 2 – 3 choices for each course and I went with the Bisque, Filet Mignon and Gelato Trio. My girlfriend went with a salad starter and otherwise had the same exact meal.
The food was good for both of us, the staff was friendly, and the restaurant had the exact vibe I was looking for. Well manicured, on the quiet side, but still welcoming chatter and festivities for the new year. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to dine on the upstairs patio, but considering it was in the low 50s and sinking into the 40s, I didn’t miss it that much.
The reason I’m at a 3 were for reasons outside (mostly) of the actual meal, things that just unfortunately didn’t stick well with me during the meal and even now as I type the review.
First and foremost, the menu was pared down to a special ¾ course menu for the night. I did not do my homework and didn’t expect this, but admittedly, didn’t care too much. While we weren’t able to try the mussels that were recommended throughout the Unilocal page, there were still options that we were both satisfied with and for the aforementioned reasons still were excited about trying the place. When we asked our server what came with the Gelatio Trio, he began trying to explain what trio meant, «it’s a trio of three.» While the dictionary lesson was appreciated, we asked him, «what about the flavors?» He proceeded to rattle off three, rather unconfidently. For the purpose of efficiency, I can quote him saying raspberry, cream cheese, and pecan. When the trio came out, her set and my set both had three white scoops. Upon tasting, I had mint (pecan?), white /​lavender tea (?), and mint (pecan?). Yes, I had two of the exact same scoops and most obviously, raspberry no where to be found. No, I didn’t ask for it to be taken back probably because the mystery whites were ones I liked and could eat, whereas cream cheese was probably going to be a doozy for me anyway. Point here being that, for a pared down menu that I assume had a pre service meeting to hash out the details, our server seemed to have snoozed on some of the lesson.
Secondly and usually unimportantly, my dining partner and I were one of the younger couples in the room. We were junior to our next tables (conservatively and respectfully) by a minimum of 30 years. Now, the reason why I bring this up is that in a rather intimate dining space (the couple next to me could be touched by an arm’s length), you can hear/​notice any difference in service and treatment. Our server /​the staff was extremely professional and kind so it’s not that I felt directly discriminated against, but more so that there were little details that I couldn’t help but try to analyze. At meal’s end, our neighbors were offered a coffee/​extra dessert menu, we were not. Our neighbors were offered a comment card with their bill, we were not. From what I could tell, our neighbors were about 15 minutes ahead in their 3 course meal. They had a glass of wine on their table, we had a beer. We both definitely spent «nice» meal money in a «nice» restaurant that you wouldn’t expect anything short of a uniform experience throughout the room.
Would I be opposed to coming back for a 2^nd meal? No. Is it high on my list to try again if I’m ever back in the Laguna area? No.
TLDR: Good food that helped stomach the price tag, great space, weird «irks» that kept me from a 4.

Picked this place out for a 3 course (or 4 course if you choose) New Year’s Eve dinner. I did the 3 course and their knowledge of making food gluten free (I’m celiac) didn’t disappoint. The waiter immediately recommended the options they had to make gluten free and they told me the modifications that made specifically to accommodate me.
So great service aside, the food was delicious. Nice light spinach salad, well cooked rack of lamb, buttery vegetables, and rich dark chocolate pot de crème to finish off the night. I was full but not stuffed which is right where I wanted to be before ringing in the new year.
Great place, highly recommend trying it.

The service wasn’t that good for Groupon customers. I was extremely pissed that on top of that, they charged me $ 50 for tax and tip. If the service was worth it, then I don’t mind. Not a great deal at all. They were very stingy with their bread and our waitress was too intense and not welcoming. I felt it was a waste to drive an hour to get there — not worth the groupon. Groupon users beware!

Poblano pepper was outstanding as was the service otherwise I thought is was dramatically overpriced, average food. I paid $ 37 for what amounted to 2 blackened scallops, 2 shrimp and a plank of salmon with a small side of pickled cucumbers. It was good but not worth that price $ 27 would have been too much even considering it is in high-​rent Laguna Beach. Go back for a glass of wine and a poblano pepper app (maybe the crab cakes which were also good).

Lovely meal, ate upstairs and outside with a big group. The food is marvelous and the staff works hard.

Absolutely delicious restaurant! We had the vegetable plate with chicken, the chicken provençal, the kids steaks and grilled cheese sandwich with carrots. We also had the chocolate molton cake and ice cream sundae, to die for too! Impeccable service!

Outstanding food & service. Great wine list and cocktails. We will become regulars here!

Very nice warm atmosphere, great reception. The food is well prepared and well presented. The taste is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the Laguna Beach.

A group of 5 girls dined at Nirvana Grille last night for my friend’s bday dinner. We had the most enjoyable experience! We were beyond late for our reservation, which was at 7:45 PM and did not get there till 8:15 PM. They had still reserved our table on the deck despite the restaurant being pretty busy. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and everything looked and tasted so delicious! I order the grilled prime chimichurri sirloin paired with Yukon masked potatoes with grilled onions and delicious street cream GMO free corn. My only wish was that I could douse my sirloin in the chimichurri sauce because I’m obsessed with chimichurri :). I will definitely be dining here again because I want to try all the entrees that I was conflicted on ordering.
Also, the service was outstanding! Our server was so accommodating and attentive to our table. I am not sure if it was the owner or the director of the restaurant but he also stopped by our table a few times to fill our drinks. I observed him being very on top of his staff making sure everything was getting done right and in a timely manner. I feel so bad for the other people complaining about the prices and leaving negative comments. Hello, its a fine dining restaurant and their prices are comparable to any other fine dining restaurant in Laguna Beach and every where else in the United States. Besides that, the prices are reasonable for the food and portion sizes. If you want to spend less go to Apple Bees.
P. S. Thank you for putting up with us as we were already all pretty tipsy and quite loud!

Stopped in with my wife for a quick bite to eat and a glass of wine during happy hour. We sat the bar and ordered our wine, a poblano chile, and an arugula and beet salad. Wine was good, poblano chile excellent (4 stars) but the beet salad was poorly prepared and overpriced (1 star). The salad amounted to a small mound of arugula with the accompanying grapefruit, pine nuts, goat cheese, etc., and what happened to the beets? For $ 10, you’d expect something more than a side salad-​sized portion.
Had to dig through the arugula to find the small, ½ inch sized, cubed purple beets, and not many of them… an afterthought… or, something you’d find in a cafeteria? Looked and tasted like out of a can instead of fresh. Did the line cook do this on his/​her own without being taught how to prepare and present a proper beet salad? Or, is this the way the owner/​chef thinks the salad should be like? Where were the nice, big chunks of purple beets? And where are the delicious golden beets that should be in a salad at an upscale place like this?
Eat at any of the other nice restaurants in Laguna, and you’ll find a beet salad worthy of the $ 10 price. Beautiful, fresh chunks of beets of different varieties, carefully plated, with properly-​dressed arugula and accompaniments. Time for Nirvana to re-​think this menu item.

As a Central OC girl I rarely make the trek down to Laguna for happy hour, but this little gem may change all that. Fabulous drinks, delicious food, and wonderful service!
Eats: I got the fork and knife veggie burger (very tasty, but the sweet potato fries and maple crème fraîche it came with totally stole the show), two of my friends got the beef burger (also looked amazing), and our 4^th friend ordered the mussels (to die for). We also split a molten chocolate Bundt cake with gelato — heaven on a plate.
To drink, I started with the Grapefruit Squeeze cocktail and then moved on to a Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita, which is not on the menu but was recommended by our server/​bartender (who was truly amazing, BTW — shout out to Luchi for being great!). Both were incredibly delicious and refreshing.
You could drive right by and not notice it on the corner, but once you’re inside the place has a wonderful ambience. It’s the perfect balance of mellow, intimate and fun that makes it great for a date or a night with the girls. I hope to be back soon to try their regular dinner menu, or for another crack at their fantastic happy hour!

Upscale vegan is a good thing. While pricey, Nirvana Grille was a comfortable dining place. Our tasty vegan risotto infused with coconut milk (nice taste twist) and the vegetables were good. Looked forward to the «blackened seitan» only to be disappointed with what appeared to be a 4 oz. pan fried cutlet slab that was uninspired. Lot of oil on the vegetables too. Had high hopes for this place but in the end it was a few bites short of Nirvana.

Update based on food:
We ordered the following appetizers after getting little help from our server except to point out at each request that only 2 pieces of an item came on each plate. He made no effort to guide us towards something suitable for a larger group.
Poblano Chile
Shrimp
Chicken Wontons
Wedge Salad for the table
Entrees:
I can’t remember.
Dinner was overpriced for both portion and food quality. But, if the service was better… those things would be forgivable.
Nothing makes up for poor service.
When you have to ask for water 3x when you arrive, ask for menu suggestions only to get a shrug… Norma place worth visiting again given that we’ve got so many options in town.
If they make a change in Service Expectations, I’d be open to visiting again. Ill keep my eyes on reviews for a chance.

*Disclaimer — if you’re using Google Maps to get here, good luck! On our first trip, we couldn’t find it to save our lives. Or, maybe we’re just horrible at observation. Regardless, you’ve been warned! :)
The food here is good. It’s not great, and I don’t have any overwhelming desire to come back any time soon, but I enjoyed my dinner both times we visited. On both occasions, my steak was cooked to specifications and the sides were tasty, though slightly salty. The scallops were horribly tiny, though. For a $ 12 add-​on, they were surprisingly disappointing in size (they were, however, sweet, tender, and cooked perfectly).
My biggest qualm with this establishment is price. Our first meal was $ 200, and although I was full, not everything was great. There are many other restaurants, that I know and love, at which I can get a more satisfying meal for the same price (if not less). On our second visit, we utilized a Groupon deal. The end total was more like $ 70-​$ 80, and that seemed more realistic and appropriate for the food we ate.
Final verdict: If you can find a deal on the price, this is a nice, intimate restaurant with decent food and friendly service.

Came here for OC Resto week. Had the following:
1. Chicken wonton with manchego cheese and sweet corn I thought was innovative and very tasty
2. Blackened tiger prawns was wonderful
3. Chocolate pot de crème
Would love to come here for HH at their rooftop so will def come back!

As one of the few restaurants in downtown Laguna with legit vegetarian (and several vegan) options, I want to give Nirvana Grille a better rating. But then I’m reminded of the lousy service, weird atmosphere, and overpriced food.
First off, who plays elevator muzak loudly throughout the entire restaurant? Half the time I felt like I was at the dentist. Crappy muzak aside, the atmosphere is a little odd with the «bar area» jammed right up against the «dining area». This happens in the upstairs patio as well, where the best spot is actually the «bar» area surrounding the fire pit.
They have this super weird idea of happy hour here where HH is ALL THE TIME. Which in theory is cool. But in practice it’s super confusing. Basically it’s just a bar menu with fewer food options (but you can still order off the main menu) and drink specials that range from well drinks to house wine and a few specialty cocktails. FYI, the nirvana margarita is pretty damn tasty. It’s made with blood orange juice and costs $ 9 during HH (duh, all the freaking time). The lavender french 75 was okay but weird with little bits of lavender floating on top of the gin and champagne combo in a flute glass. The «HH» is located in the bar area only which is the high tables both up and downstairs and the area around the fire pit.
So what’s good on the bar menu? (Note: From this point on, I’m refusing to call this thing «happy hour», it’s just silly.) Well, the roasted poblano chile was very different in a good way. It was creamy and a bit rich but was filled with a good amount of spinach and artichokes to prevent it from being too heavy. The raw kale and brussels sprouts salad was refreshing and had a nice play on sweet, salty, and savory flavors going on. On another visit, I ordered the raw kale salad which was a little bland and tough — I recommend the other salad over this one. Other dining companions absolutely raved about the chicken wantons, exclaiming they were the best they’d ever had. The wild mushroom raviolis were nicely flavored but quite heavy. I’m glad there were only three of them. Another FYI: don’t have your heart set on any particular menu item on the *bar* menu because they were out of two of the items our party wanted. One was on an old menu (fair mistake I guess) and another simply just wasn’t available.
I also tried the fork and knife veggie burger. It had so much potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. With one bite, the entire patty fell apart. It was all bland starch, made of rice, potato, and very little vegetables. Even all the toppings couldn’t save it. I was very disappointed by this sad burger. At least the fries that came with it were good.
I just don’t get the service here. Some servers are friendly enough but it seems like there’s chaos in either the kitchen or putting the orders in. It took over half an hour to get an order of blue cheese paprika thyme fries. They weren’t worth the wait. Drinks never get delivered to your table. Your server comes around twice in three minutes asking if you need anything and then you don’t see them for 30 minutes. And look out if you get the super surly dark haired woman. She’s just plain hostile for no apparent reason.
Some of the food is good but a lot of it is mediocre and super overpriced for what it is. A vegetable plate for $ 22? Yeah… not happening. I still don’t know what to make of this place, hence the three star rating.

Nirvana Grille offers great service in a quirky environment and some wonderful recipes, but you will pay for it.
I was recently gifted with a Groupon offer that lead me to Nirvana Grille in gorgeous and parking deficient downtown Laguna Beach. After securing a spot a good 3 blocks away on the coldest night of the year I was greeted with an interior that could only be found in Laguna. There is a distinct warm, friendly and uniquely «granola» feel about this place that would be equally at home in Seattle, Portland or Denver. Classy, yet not pretentiousness, I found it very refreshing.
The patrons on the other hand were all over the place. Some donning $ 2000.00 suits with wives literally bathing in perfume (we asked to switch tables) and others wearing sweatsuits and tennis shoes, the crowd ran the gamut.
The menu is «California Clean» which basically means they take great pride in offering the freshest and highest quality ingredients possible with a menu friendly to just about anyone regardless of their diet.
Here is how it broke down:
Blue Lip Mussels:
Easily the most fun course of the meal the Mussels are cooked with Tomato, Leeks, and Wine along with Herbs in a light cream broth and then the lot of it is topped with French Fries seasoned with Thyme and Paprika. I didn’t think this dish was going to work on paper but I was absolutely wrong. The light and airy broth lent itself to both the Fries and Mussels and made an amazing (and quite large!) appetizer.
Loup De Mer (Sea Bass):
A medium sized Bass is halved and then simply grilled along with fresh Herbs and browned Butter. The fish really needed no additional ingredients to shine after being hit with a fresh squeeze of lemon. This is a superb dish. The sautéed mixed vegetables went perfectly with the meat although the French Lentils were a cataclysmic failure and left on the plate after one bite.
Australian Rack of Lamb:
A somewhat small undercooked Rack of Lamb is plated on top of a rich, thick and delicious Rosemary Demi Glacé and plated along with Goat Cheese mashed Yukon gold Potatoes and Broccolini. The Lamb was unquestionable fresh and all of the flavors were robust but considering the plate cost I was a little disappointed at the actual amount of meat offered. I am sure the cost of ingredients have everything to do with the portions but had I not had other items, I would have left hungry.
To put this too long of a review to sleep, I did enjoy my visit to Nirvana Grille very much and the cuisine suited me just fine but the associated cost, distance from home and somewhat tacky clientele (of course this is not the restaurants fault) would probably have me looking elsewhere to dine next time I was in Laguna Beach.