Boneheads

I thought I already wrote a review for this place!!! Love the food here. I’ve had the piri piri shrimp appetizer which are great, crunchy w/​good sauce. Then I love all the fishes with the mango salsa or any of the salsa for that matter.
You cannot go wrong w/​the Key lime ice cream pie either!!! Sooo good.
I just heard they are closing though. Sooo very sad!!! :(

Located in a very nice plaza with tons of other restaurants and shops around. I ordered the alaskan cod plate with rice and grilled zucchini’s and my partner got the extra spicy half chicken with fries.
My plate was $ 11.99 with a small and okay tasting fish. Even with all the salt and sauce over it, I can still tell it wasn’t the freshest piece of fish. Instead of the pieces flaking off with my work, I actually had to use a knife, Very odd. The grilled zucchini’s were nicely grilled with this red spices sprinkled on top that added a hint of spiceyness, it was quite juicy as well. My yellow rice was just eh though. I give you 3 stars
My partners plate of half chicken was SUPER HUGE! (NO, that’s NOT what she said) Extra spicy was just ok spicy. The dark meat on the legs were good and tender with some nice pieces of marinated skin. However, the breast of of course wasn’t all that great. Dry and a huge difference to the dark meat. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft and hot on the inside, just perfect. These fries were interesting in that they weren’t cut the usual rectangular shape, but these were prism/​triangular shaped. We give you 3.5
The establishment was quite nice, the cashiers were pleasant enough, it was just the food wasn’t all that spectacular. So far, southern OC food not so great, Mission Viejo, Aliso viejo area, laguna woods =/.

This place is too expensive to lunch at regularly but the grilled salmon with the lime– yogurt topping is dee-​licious! I was totally satisfied with my lunch.

So far, I’ve had the Shrimp Skewers (yummy!!) and the Shrimp Tacos (my favorite so far), and as for sides, I’ve had the grilled zucchini, the marinated broccoli, and the asian slaw. I love all three.
Their prices are decent, could be a tiny bit lower, but everything i’ve had so far has been delicious, flavorful, and very filling. Especially the shrimp tacos! they’re not huge, but after 2, i’m already stuffed! but they’re SO good, I find a way to finish the last one. LOL

This place was so fresh– watching them grill up the food while you are in line is a real selling point.
I had the asparagas and mahimahi tacos– get one taco– they’re huge!
Only complaint– the mahgo salsa was super sweet it tasted like there was a syrup in the salsa– I’m sure there was not, but it was just that sweet.
I will definitely be back

It’s listed under Seafood and is mainly seafood/​fish and I do not like fish. What are you doing there, right? Well they do have chicken and I’ve wanted to try Boneheads’ chicken for quite awhile and it was time!
I had the Piri Piri pulled chicken tacos w/​side. The chicken is slow roasted with a piri piri sauce, cheese, some greens (cilantro maybe) and a tad of avocado. My side was fries, I wasn’t adventerous and perhaps I should have been.
I got this to go since I was off and had already been out and about, and the Chiefster was at home awaiting! Dig in: The chicken was good and fairly tasty and tender. I didn’t like the limp fried onions, I definitely prefer raw onions in many foods. They were stingy on the avocado and cheese and the fries were kind of just there. I felt the piri piri sauce was a bit lackluster, but nothing that would stop me from coming back again.
All in all, I might be persuaded to go back again, maybe when I’m with a fish lover.

Ordered Cod with Greek Salad and Asparagus.
In comparison to California Fish Grill, the plate has a different sides like salad, broccoli, asparagus, where as CFG has beans & rice.
The Cod was cooked well but man was it covered in seasoning!!! I don’t know what kind but my fish was smothered in redness. Maybe Lawry’s and paprika and others.
The asparagus side was good. The Greek salad was more like a cole slaw with cabbage, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and onions in a white sauce that made looked like a cole slaw.
Overall, the meal was very filling and I left pretty satisfied. I’m glad they offer the option to substitute the rice side for a vegetable dish unlike California Fish Grille doesn’t give you that option.

I’ve actually been going to this place for a few years because you can get a tasty meal that’s of good quality that won’t bust your belt. I normally go with the shrimp skewers with pineapple salsa and some various sides. I recently had the grilled zuchini and it was really good. The rice is very good, and I’m not even a big rice fan (due to Atkins giving us all the heebie jeebies about carbs). I’ve had shrimp tacos and they’re good, too. Very filling.
I won’t say this place is super cheap. For 2 of us to eat, it’s usually upwards of $ 20, but again, the food is pretty good quality.
My only complaint is that the staff is sometimes, not present (to put it politely). Not that they’re dumb but I don’t think they get that they WORK at this place and it isn’t a pick up spot.

This place is a bit pricier than i like spending on lunch.
i ordered the two taco plate. one shrimp, one fish. can’t say that i was really blown away by either. i feel like it’s just massive sauce overload, and it masks out the taste of pretty much everything else. You get two tacos and a choice of side, and with a drink my total came to over 12 bucks.
also too much sauce = soggy tortillas = breaks apart = not even a taco. i had to eat it like a salad.

Living near UCI, California Fish Grill was always my go to choice for seafood. However, now that I work in the lake forest area, I though I would try Boneheads so my coworker and I came here for lunch.
I give stars for thequicknesse, the cleanilness and the Gluten Free Option! I tried to start the Gluten Free diet this week and eating out has been really difficult; it was great that their menu has everything that is gluten free or vegetarian labeled.
I ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos and the Portabello pepper taco. Unfortunately, They gave me the Piri Piri chicken taco instead of the Mahi Mahi Taco… I guess Mahi Mahi sounds like Piri Piri. Anywasy, the Portabello Taco was succulent, delicious, and satisfying. I could have done without the Piri Piri Chicken was a bit much for me. The tangyness of the Sauce was really overwhelming and there was just so much of the sauce that I couldn’t taste anything else. I loved the addition of the avocados though!
I would definitely come back to try to the other stuff but I may pass on the Piri Piri chicken. I hope I would have liked my Mahi Mahi taco better.

Boneheads is a seafood restaurant located inside The Arbor Plaza on El Toro Rd in Lake Forest. The name is catchy as they define it as «People who ignore experts and conventional wisdom, follow their hearts and achieve great success against steep odds.» If that’s what «Boneheads“are all about, then I think they’ve got it right as I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
Fish is probably the easiest to cook. You can grill it, fry it, or eat it raw. Boneheads tends to grill their fish so I ordered the tilapia with pineapple salsa, rice, and grilled zucchini.
For $ 9.99, you get a freshly cooked tilapia that isn’t dry. It has a nice crust on the outside, and very tender/​flakey in the inside. The pineapple salsa adds a nice sweetness & kick to it with cilantro and onions being apart of it. The rice I believe was a curry type rice, which went well with my fish. For the grilled zucchini, it’s just what it is. Grilled with some spices — I can’t complain. my momma raised me to eat my veges =P
Some may say the price is a lot for what you get, but seafood fluctuates with the market so you can’t really complain. It was fresh, flavorful, and a quick eat. I enjoyed it a lot and look forward to coming back for other fish selections as well as the chicken.

Just tried this place for the first time a few nights ago.
I will note that the prices when you get there are a little higher than the ones listed online.
My plate was delicious. I got the salmon with the cucumber lime and yogurt sauce. I wish I would have gotten the sauce on the side. The fish seemed really good and I think it would be delicious with or without sauce.
The reason I dropped a star is because I thought it was pricier than it should be and because although my bf and I both ordered salmon, his didn’t look as good as mine. At one point he questioned if it was chicken. Makes me question if my dish was the rare piece of good fish or if his was a rare case of not so good fish.
I will most likely try this place again.

Good fish, good prices. What more can you want?
This is a casual joint, with portions that are good for your body, cooked simply and flavorfully, with choices of comfort food sides or the healthy zuchinni
Good neighborhood joint

Boneheads isn’t really a 2, I’d give it a 2.5 if I could because I have experienced better, but I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic to say it’s «A-​OK!»
I tried the Mahi Mahi Tacos (flour tacos) with a side of Grilled Zucchini. The tacos had a pineapple salad that was really light but the salad was so runny it got everywhere and made eating a challenge. The mahi mahi was grilled and tasted alright, I think it could’ve used a bit more flavor. Grilled zucchini was average also. I just didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary and nothing jumped out at my tastebuds.
I personally prefer the California Fish Grill flavor-​wise and it’s probably a couple dollars cheaper.
My meal ended up being ~$ 10 at Boneheads. If I come back, I want to try the grilled fish, maybe the tacos aren’t the best thing to get here?

Luv this place esp that it’s not a chain restaurant: P whew~ I frequent here for lunch since I work in the area. Reasonbly priced for the quality & quantity. Servers are friendly. I do notice that they are pretty attentive in clearing out any finished plates they see. Food is definitely made fresh on the order so the wait is worth it if you have the time to spare. Plus if you’re in line waiting to place your order (to passby time) you can watch the cooks grill/​prepare the food in an open kitchen view :)
I usually get:
Grilled Fish: Mahi mahi, Tilapia or Alaskan cod
— generous portion, well seasoned & yummy with the remoulade
Topping: Piri Piri mushrooms or Pineapple salsa
— both are helllla good! YumYum!
Side 1: Grilled zucchinis
— nice visible grill marks, tender center & lightly seasoned
— give it a lil kick by adding some of the med/​hot piri piri sauce
Side 2: House salad
— perfect portion size to get some tasty mixed greens in & soooo glad
it’s not iceberg lettuce!
Note: they took off the mahi mahi as part of their entrée due to the increase price of the fish. boooo…
I always depart here with my tummy feeling healthy, satisfied & soooo thankful that i did not stuff it with greasy, carby or fried food: D

A colleague and I came here for lunch today. We both ordered the ¼ chicken (white meat for me) with lemon and herb. I got mine with grilled zucchini and she got hers with cole slaw.
The chicken was moist and the lemon and herb sauce was delicious! It was so flavorful. I added a little bit of the medium piri piri sauce and it just added a whole ‘nother level of goodness! The seasoned rice was pretty good too. It wasn’t dry at all and I liked it better than plain white rice with the chicken. The grilled zucchinis were nothing special in my book. I wish there were more grill marks on them.
Overall, a very satisfying lunch. I thought the portions were perfect, especially for lunch. Half a chicken would’ve been way too much even though it was really yummy! Had we not been in public, I probably would’ve been gnawing on the bones trying to get every last piece of meat!

No more grilled mahi mahi steak due to price increase on the fish! They still offer mahi mahi taco but the portion is soooo small! You get one thin strip of fish for the taco… Not worth it! I suggest they should lower the price if they’re going to cut down the portion!
The taste is still good but I’m just not happy about the price.

Chicken, not fish here. It seems like counterintuitive advice to give but I prefer their chicken. 3.5 rating. The staff here is nice and the place is popular. Every time we go with a friend who loves the salads here it is packed. We order at the cash register and are given a number to place on our table. I found that it wasn’t easy sticking the number in the stand but I got it in after a couple of tries. This must be childproof. Or I am simply not lifting enough weight at the gym. For being a busy place, our food was brought to us in good time.
I like that they have a lot of vegetable options for the sides that are given with entrees. I’ve tried the lightly seasoned grilled zucchini twice and like it. The rice is okay. It is yellow, lightly seasoned and accompanies all the entrees. I am not one of the Unilocalers who love rice so don’t take my word on that. They do a good job here with the chicken which I’ve gotten twice (dark meat) and they give a good portion of it.
The shopping center Boneheads is located in contains a Yogurtland, Peet’s Coffee, Lee’s Sandwiches, PetSmart and Verizon store. The restaurant has free wifi and refillable drinks. I enjoy meeting here.

I’m not a fish — or seafood — person, at ALL. A normal person would wonder why I would come to a fish place for lunch in the first place. What can I say? I’m weird. Just plain weird.
I read that their fish tacos are pretty good. Well, you won me over on the ‘taco’ part. I’ll give it a try. I ordered two Mahi Mahi tacos with a side of rice. The Mahi Mahi fish in the tacos was actually — gasp — good! I actually enjoyed it. Wait, can you believe that I enjoyed fish for ONCE in my life?! Why, yes, I did. It was amazing. Loved every bite of it. Some of the best tacos overall I’ve had in awhile. Also, the rice was the best rice I’ve ever eaten. I’ll have to know what their secret ingrediant is! Overall, best seafood experience I’ve had in my life. I’m impressed, Boneheads.
Also, the place is spotlessly clean. The staff is über friendly. They have lots of drink options besides the normal water-​coke-​diet coke options. Bathrooms are nice too. And with a meal that’s under 10 bucks, I’m sold.
Overall, wonderful experience. I will be coming back again for my ‘I’m going healthy today’ lunch experience. Thanks Boneheads for making this fish hater into a fish lover!

Am I a bonehead? After the second visit, I think I’m qualified to be one.
My first visit was when they first opened and I was given a $ 10 certificate by the owner at a networking event. It was nice to learn that everything on their menu was also $ 10 or less, loaded with flavor, and oh so good!
The first time around, I went with a good friend of mine and we both took our certificates and sampled their chicken salad sandwich that had chunks of granny smith apples. That was an interesting twist and added a slightly sweet taste to the chicken salad.
Tonight, I went out with another good friend and her husband and sampled their combo tacos with the house salad. They both opted for the salmon and tilapia plates with the house salad and sauteed mushrooms. The combo tacos can come in any combo. You have a choice between fish, shrimp, and chicken. I got 3 chicken tacos.
The house salad is a mixture of gorgonzola cheese, sunflower seeds, cranberries, apples, carrots, and cucumbers in a light raspberry vinaigrette. Wow! That was an awesome salad.
Next up were my tacos. The chicken meat was seasoned in their special Piri Piri seasoning and it was stuffed with cabbage and lettuce and not overly done. My friends fish entrees were light and flaky and not over done.
I also like the fact that this place has an open kitchen. You can watch your orders being prepared and watch the fire flare up when they make their specialty dishes. It’s always a great show. Just don’t take a seat behind the kitchen because the heat seems to escape out that way and you’ll be hot and miserable and you’ll miss all the action. Try to grab a seat out in the dining room or against the wall in a booth. The booth seating offers the greatest views and it’s the coolest area of the restaurant.