Selanne Steak Tavern

I’ve been here twice now and I’d have to say, this place is very mediocre. The setting is fantastic — some reviewers said it’s romantic and I’d agree. The first time we sat upstairs as we had a large party. The service was phenomenal — the waiter and his assistant were both very attentive. I ordered the Lord Stanley Cut and unfortunately I was very disappointed. The cut was huge but the flavor just wasn’t there. And it didn’t have that melt-​in-​your-​mouth feeling when eating it. I’ve had the wagyu at Mastro’s (which I consider the gold standard) and it was much better. That cut was smaller at about the same price but was well worth it. Speaking of Mastro’s, Selanne needs something like the seafood tower. Their starters selection, IMO, is inadequate (except for the cheese and charcuterie plate which I had during my second visit). I’ve also noticed the wine selection at Selanne was a little limited and very pricey — nothing decent for under $ 100 per bottle. I did get the chance to meet Teemu so I guess that’s a plus.
The second time our yet another large group was seated outside in the tent area. I thought that atmosphere was very good with a fireplace and chandeliers. This time the service was lacking. We ordered the previously mentioned Artisanal Cheese & Charcuterie Sampler and it was delicious. I’d highly recommend starting off your meal with that. Unfortunately it went downhill from there. We sat down at 5:30pm and the waiter didn’t come around to take our orders for our entrees until 6:30pm. Worse, it took another hour until we were served! Granted, we had a party of 11 people. But still… I decided to try something more traditional this time, the ribeye. And again, it was disappointing. I don’t know what it is but it was too sweet. And the sides were only so-​so with the vegetables undercooked.
You may want to check it out once to see how it is but I probably won’t be back. I’ll stick with Mastro’s.

Can’t wait to go back! Decided to splurge on a last minute date night and so happy we did!
The restaurant is romantic and the food is outstanding! Extensive wine list.
My husband and I shared our entire meal and it was plenty! (drinks, bread to start, cesar salad, steak, mac/​cheese & dessert)
#GODUCKS

top of the line in dining and in service, I highly recommend, simply the best!!!

Went to Selanne Steak Tavern for the first time and it definitely did not live up to the hype. First of all, we arrived promptly 5 minutes before our 6:00 PM reservation and had to wait for our table because «they didn’t have enough menus». When I made the reservation for dinner I was expecting to eat in the dining room and not the loud, crowded bar. They definitely need to tell you that you need to make a special request when you make a reservation to sit in the dining room. The scallop appetizer was the highlight of the meal. Maybe the best scallops I ever ate. It was all downhill after that. Wagyu beef, salmon, halibut and dessert were all average at best.

My husband and I had dinner here in February 2016. We shared the market soup (it was a delicious cauliflower soup that evening) and the wedge salad… both were fantastic. For dinner we both had steaks, I had the 8oz filet mignon and it was so, so good. The truffle butter on top? Yummmmmmmm. We shared the mac n cheese as a side (the server recommended it), ooohhhh so good.
Amazing food, beautiful restaurant, friendly staff, great location. Loved it. No complaints. Can’t wait to go back!

Absolutely amazing food and top of the line service. I felt like royalty. The food was amazing. The steak tartare appetizer was superb, the goat cheese and beet ravioli salad was divine, the Wagyu Filet Mignon was scrumptious and had a butter like texture I’ve never experienced before, and the flourless chocolate cake dessert was off the charts. Highly highly recommend. I also had an amazing Truffle Martini that was unlike anything I had before and I loved it. This place is as classy as they come even including dinner mints in our car when returned from valet.

This was our first time eating at selanne. We arrived 15 minutes prior to opening and thought we’d have a relaxing drink at the bar. We were told that was not possible and were asked to wait outside or in the main entrance while staff were still preparing to open the restaurant. Wow — what a missed opportunity for such a nice restaurant. When we sat at the bar at 5 pm for a drink, we ordered and then were rushed to close our tab and take our seat (first seating in valentines day). All very disorganized and unwelcoming.
Despite this we simply had a spectacular meal. Scallops, berimundi, filet and accompaniments were top quality, refined and ever so tasty. Service was ok but not the 5 star quality you would expect with such a wonderful meal. The Loft at the Montage has the best service in town!
We will go back with the hope for a better welcome

We love this restaurant! We’ve been regular patrons for a couple of years and it never disappoints. Celebrated my Birthday last month and the meal was sensational. Oysters, steak and scallops were delicious. Our service was very good, server made us feel VIP and always felt well taken of… if you’ve never been its a must visit!!!

We planned on celebrating our anniversary with a nice romantic meal but found our table to be in the bar. I could not even hear my wife it was so loud! The food was great, but I would be hesitant to go back unless I knew that my table was not going to be in the bar.
Not happy at all!!!

Three of us ate in the wine room which was quite cozy. I had my back to the front door and with the outdoor seating, it was a bit cool and breezy on my back.
Scallops were delicious, however at $ 10/​each not sure it was worth it.
All 3 of us ordered the Halibut — our favorite, a bit overcooked and not flaky when touched by the fork, for $ 42/​each it should have been perfect.
Most likely will go back and sit at the bar, but for dinner I will pass and go to another favorite in Laguna. This was a Tuesday night. Count on $ 100/​each no matter what you seem to order.

It’s over two weeks into 2016 and I’m still stuck on my last meal of 2015.
Selanne, sometimes when I’m eating my boring work salads, I begin to daydream about the marscapone cheesecake that ended my 4 course prix fixe New Year’s Eve meal. Now, when I go out to drinks with my coworkers, I think about the Veuve that was flowing all evening from the most gracious and lovely serving/​bartending team. Thank you, Neil, Justin and Athena for helping us celebrate all night long! From this point forward, I will be spending all my restaurant time searching for a filet as perfect and a mac and cheese as ooey gooey as I had at Selanne’s.
New Year’s Eve has a reputation for being a disappointing holiday, but honestly the staff knew how to throw a party. Fun favors from Ciroc, beautiful decorating, and people watching that cannot be beat.

Delicious dinner options! I took my boyfriend here for his Christmas present. Very classy atmosphere, a bit noisy around the bar area, but service was great! We ordered the charcuterie plate. Pâté and cheeses were delicious. We shared the sirloin which was cooked perfectly. The truffle Mac and cheese is a must try; I couldn’t stop eating this. I’d skip the Brussels sprouts; they were a bit salty. Overall, atmosphere was cute, classy, and very intimate. Nice place to have dinner date with friends or significant other. The patio outside is beautiful as well.

My brother (who is a major Duck’s fan) was in town so we took him here on Friday. We ordered the lentil potato soup, foie gras, and bone marrow to start. They were all so delicious that if stomach space and sharing weren’t an issue, I would have ordered 3 of each. The bone marrow had pickeled shallots on top which tasted like a fruit jam and the foie the two different ways was perfection.
The steaks were amazing and so was the halibut that I ordered.
The wine carafes were really fun shaped as well.

Went here celebrating my brother’s 18^th birthday and it was a great experience. We were late to dinner, but they still held our reservation. Great servers and great service. Ordered the Chef’s «Signature» Lord Stanley Cut and this had to be the best thing ever with the amazing sauce on it. Then also a side of the Mac and cheese which was very tasty. We also got to meet Selanne and Filppula! This was a very nice experience!

Great meal.
Started with prawn cocktail which was fine, cooked scallops which were good, and steak tartare which I also liked but didn’t need the truffle (oil?) that was used.
Ribeye was fantastic. I find it a little weird that they include bourdelaise and truffle butter automatically unless you ask for it without. Pretty expensive steaks to be adding that stuff. Liked the bourdelaise but didn’t need the truffle butter at all. Perfectly cooked.
Enjoyed the white corn with hatch chiles although would have preferred it spicier (very mild), mac and cheese was insanely rich and a table favorite.
Loved the outdoor patio but the inside is very cool too. Wouldn’t hesitate to come back here for an expensive meal.

Wow! I was surprised by the elegant décor, multiple sections layout, the energy and hip crowd of Selanne Steak Tavern located in Laguna Beach. All created by former Anaheim Ducks hockey legend Teemu Selanne.
Went for a double date dinner. Although I usually don’t drink, I was told to try their Moscow Mule in a copper mug. It was refreshing. For appetizers, we ordered the scallops and oysters which were both fresh and flavorful. For entrees, we order the signature dish: Lord Stanley Cut, 32 Oz Darling Downs Australia Wagyu for $ 110. Totally worth it. We finished off the meal with some Monkey Bread and Strawberries & Cream.
The restaurant is on PCH but the valet parking is in the back alley.
All staff were great.
Next time we’ll try to get table on 2^nd floor or outdoor patio.

Celebrated my birthday here and loved it!
Ordered their freshly made tomato soup and their stanley cut along with mac n cheese. Their soup was made from scratch and the stanley cut is proportionally huge so it is best to share. It is seasoned with some sweet marinade but to my surprise, it paired well together and we devoured it!
Don’t forget to request to sit out on the patio, you won’t regret it.
If you’re in the area, come well dressed for you will see the best of OC folks :)

Went here for our anniversary dinner. To be clear, I LOVE good food and service. But, I cannot say my mind was blown when I dined at Selanne’s. I understand people rave about it, but for the price, I would much rather dine at Mastros.
After waiting for our reservation, we were starving. We ordered drinks and an appetizer… everyone around us got bread… except us. It’s 9:30 PM by now, and we are starving.
Our server did a fine job. He checked on us as frequently as you would have expected. We noticed that the manager went around to tables to ask how everyone’s meals were… except ours.
The foie gras– drenched in some type of homemade jelly that overpowered the flavor of foie gras.
Mac and cheese — standard steakhouse mac and cheese. Very rich, saucy. It was good and tasty.
Bone in Filet — Just get one at Mastros. Blows this one out of the water.
We were charged a dollar more than menu price for one of our cocktails, but we just let that go because there was a bug in our wine and we had to send it back and felt bad.
Glad I experienced it once… likely will not be back again.

Beautiful restaurant in Laguna Beach on PCH owned by ex-​hot-​Duck Teemu Selanne. Multiple rooms for dining, upstairs and down, including outside with fireplace. Rohlin and I were seated in the «Wine Library» and sat at a cozy but still comfy table for two, side-​by-​side. Beautiful entrance with this chandelier:
Outside walking up to greet you, a quaint wishing well:
Happy Birthday to me and our hostess and our terrific waiter Gary helped make the evening special. Almost zero expense was spared as Rohlin and I ordered quite a bit!
Drinks: 3 stars for My Sweet Valentine specialty drink, no punch to this drink and overpriced. 5 stars for hubby’s choice of Selanne Moscow Mule, just delicious!!!
Bread & Butter: 4 stars for the bread basket of various choices and soft butter.
Starters: 5 stars for both the soup of day, Cauliflower-​Potato Chowder and Prosciutto Wrapped Caesar… declared perfection!
Intermezzo: Gary brought us small shot glasses of fresh raspberry sorbet and champagne… delicious and effective.
Main Meal: 5 stars for the fresh Alaskan king crab legs, prepared with a beurre-​blanc wine and butter sauce, and wow, de-​clawed for you, so no tender meat is missed! 4 stars for both steaks, a Rib Eye and Filet Mignon. Both steaks were terrific and came as ordered. 3 stars for the Risotto, but don’t let that 3 stars «fool» you, I’m sure it was wonderful and the truffle definitely came thru, I am just now convinced that Risotto just doesn’t work for me and my palate.
Dessert: we were so full, and bringing home containers (which they so kindly mark with what it is and date), that we just couldn’t stuff any more food in us. However, Gary our server brought me a birthday treat! A fairly large chocolate-​chocolate ganache cake ball, with rainbow sprinkles and complete with chocolate-​written «Happy Birthday».
Spending my expensive birthday dinner at Selanne Steak Tavern was a huge SCORE for me. I highly recommend and for you wine lovers, there is a wonderful selection to be tasted!

An overall great experience during my very short visit to Laguna Beach.
Let’s keep it short and sweet. Raw oysters were available as appetizers during the first 30 minutes of mingling/​happy hour. I wouldn’t recommend ordering oysters there. These were a bit small. They had an okay taste to them. Definitely order the filet mignon. You can’t go wrong with this choice. The steak was tender, cooked to my liking, rare, and was topped with the best tasting butter in the world. It’s worth the heart attack later in life. My tip? Get two scoops.
Expect great service from the staff who are all dappered up in nice white shirts and black ties. I recommend you dress up, too. It’s not too booshie but certainly deserving of a steak tavern to at least put on a nice business casual outfit. I’m sure kids are allowed but I wouldn’t say this is the type of place to bring young children.