Public 74

Have not thought about coming here due to the several failed attempts by other restaurants in this location. Fortunately, we stumbled upon the Temecula store and realised this location in San Juan Capistrano is owned by the same company. Delighted to find out the quality is the same and the food is delicious. We live around the corner so we will be back many times !

I’ve been coming here since they opened and I must say everytime I get the best service. Terry behind the bar never ceases to be so pleasant and I’m always by myself for a drink after work so he makes sure to keep me company and is so genuine about it even when they are slammed. That’s good service. And the Ruben sandwich OMG to die for. I’m so picky and damn gina that shit is fly. You gotta check this joint out if you haven’t yet!

Food was pretty good. The squash gratin and mac and cheese was really, really good. Service was good and the ambiance was okay considering that we came in late. Cocktails (specialty) are a little on the sweet side, so be aware if you order. Beer list is just okay. Our burger was a little overdone, but it was still flavorful and totally worth ordering. It was definitely on the expensive side, however, for what it was. Cool local place that we will definitely come back to.

Another straight and to the point review.
Food was absolutely amazing. I had the swordfish special just wonderful.
Place was quiet and the staff was helpful can’t imagine a more pleasant experience.
Will definitely recommend and bring the whole brood next time

GO!
Absolutely YUM!
Catherine, our expert server recommended roasted Brussel Sprouts as well as the Chef! s special — the Ono fish with brown rice & fresh-​grilled Veggies. DELICIOUS…
GO!
Eat beautiful, delicious foods with matching surrounding.

Food here was good and the beer selection was above average. Our server and bartender really brought the place up a notch and were especially attentive!
We both got the Kobe Burger and were very satisfied. The fries were crisp and freshly made as well!
Food came very quickly and promptly to our table… We’ll be back!

My hubby and I went for a date night last night with another couple and we loved it here! We were dropped off so finding the entrance was the ONLY flaw…(upstairs and kind of hidden)
We got here early so we could have some alone time before our friends got there and ordered a drink and some brussel sprouts at the bar. OMGGGGGG, the Brussel sprouts were the most amazing ones I’ve ever had. They made Mastros taste like Carls Jr. Our drinks were stiff and the bartender was super cool and helpful.
We then headed to our table, cozy booth with pillows. Loved that. We sat with our friends for about an hour and enjoyed some cocktails and the waiter wasn’t pushing us and gave us our space. Also, we ordered another round of Brussels sprouts for our friends to try.
Our hubbies both ordered the Kobe burgers and they were delicious. Us ladies ordered a salad to start. She ordered the beet one and it was delicious and fresh and I ordered kale one and the dressing was outstanding. For dinner her and I split the fish special… opah served over quinoa couscous with asparagus with fresh bruschetta on top. It was outstanding, perfectly cooked and so fresh. I am a forever customer of this fine establishment. It’s hard to find a good restaurant that has it all these days and I am truly impressed! Cannot wait to go back!

This place is awesome!!! First time here and am pleasantly surprised! All fresh and locally stocked!
It’s been along time since I was 100% satisfied from the fresh hosradish, to in house smoked hot wings and the Rubin was to die for!!!
Excellent selection on beer as well!

I don’t know what’s happened to San Juan Capistrano, or when it started getting younger and hipper, but «IT’S ABOUT TIME»!
Because that just means we get more places like this, farm to table fresh foods, a great décor, and Craft Beers & Cocktails.
The Friendly Staff is welcoming, the beer is cold, and the food is tasty as hell! Try the «Daily» Mac & Cheese as an appetizer. I had the one with Panchetta and it Rocked!
PS — Park in back, and upstairs, for convenience.
BUT DON’T MISS THIS LOCAL GEM

If we had stuck with drinks and appies, Public 74 is a solid 4 stars. They have a lovely and thoughtful selection of infused boozes and signature libations. I really enjoyed my Grandma out in Public. But if you want top shelf vodka or rum, you won’t find it. Tito’s is as good as it gets here.
I think this place is really good for the appies and burgers. Our table raved about the brussels and artichoke dip. But when it came to choosing a main dish, I was disappointed that every single salad was made with kale or cabbage. Welcome to fart city. Plus there were no protein options to add on. Ugh… really? So I ordered the fish of the day, which was seared albacore on cous cous. Meh. Pretty flavorless, despite the raspberry sauce swipe. It was just a hunk of raw fish. A pet peeve of mine is when you order rare seared fish, they serve it whole. The better presentation is to slice and sauce it. I didn’t finish it. My hubby had the deconstructed chicken pot pie. This dish could have SOOO much potential. Zero flavor profile. All of the dishes needed a touch of salt and there was none on the table. One of our friends ordered the Kobe burger and picked off the under-​cooked bacon/​ham and ate less than half. Maybe that was on purpose? But he’s a big fireman… Firemen eat everything! Server and runners were nice and efficient.
The ambiance is a bit too industrial for me. Not good for a date. Very, very loud and makes it hard to have a conversation. I like cozy. But the entertainment was pretty nice, but could barely hear him sing because of the noise. If we’re in the area, might stop in for a cocktail and appies. But I don’t think we will go out of our way for dinner here.

The food is excellent, as is the ambiance. A great place to bring a date!
The only negative thing worth mentioning was my visit during the lunch shift. The wait staff was a little bit TOO attentive. We were the only table for awhile, and we were constantly interrupted by waiters asking if they could take that empty plate, refill that glass of water, etc. Sometimes your guests just want to have a conversation!
This isn’t something that affects me personally, but the kids menu is entitled «little people.» That’s the preferred nomenclature for people of short stature (i.e. genetic conditions such as dwarfism). Just a heads-​up, your clever title may be offensive to some.

I happened to stop by San Juan Capistrano out of the ordinary, once in a blue moon situation.
I decided to try out Public 74 for a bite before. I always enjoy pot pies and decided to try their deconstructed chicken pot pie! However, time was not on my hands and pies usually take time to bake. At least that’s what I was thinking… The server explained to me that because it’s deconstructed, all the parts come out separate, including the crust on the side. It cooks much faster than the usual pie.
The chicken, crust and vegetables were accompanied by kale salad. The vegetables were fresh, the chicken was superb, and I couldn’t get enough of the crust. The pot pie is definitely worth it.

The only issue we have encountered with Public 74 is the kitchen apparently refuses to cook the Kobe burger to the customers’ desires. Not everyone wants to eat ground beef medium rare, we certainly don’t.
We had been very frequent customers for a period of time, but after a couple of bad experiences with kitchen execution of our orders, Public 74 has fallen off our list.

Despite five stars from me and strong ratings across the board, I worry that this cool joint won’t be around forever. It’s easy to miss in its upstairs location at a small strip mall. It was dead on a Sunday at lunch time — which made for speedy service — but it it seems like a great space that could be busy at peak dining and drinking times. Great balcony out front.
In any case, the beer selection is good and the food is tasty. Considering it’s a «pub» (gastropub), I was surprised to see such fancy and obscure foods on the menu. The ingredients and plates were more gourmet and high-​end than I expected. Not a bad thing, but something worth knowing if you’re going thinking this is a typical pub.
I heard good things about the burger, so that’s what I ordered. I was hesitant about the pork belly that it comes with and asked if they had bacon instead (only pancetta). But when the burger came out, the pork belly was thin and prepared just like bacon, so I was very happy. The burger was extremely thick, so way too big for me to even eat half of. There was a unique, tasty cheese-​greens spread on top that gave it great flavor and texture. Although I don’t like mustard, the dijon that came on top added a nice little kick too. I do suggest the chef look into unique aiolis, though; those are great for gourmet burgers and fries.
The fries included (we also ordered a basket separate) were also tasty and cooked to perfection. They had great seasoning on them. The basket of fries we ordered were truffle fries, but they didn’t have much truffle flavor.

Stopped in here based on the Unilocal recommendations. Place definitely has a cool vibe.
We ordered the Smoken Socal Wings. They come one of two ways either dry rubbed or the more traditional buffalo style. We opted for the dry rub. They were very good without being overly spicy.
The second issue we ordered was the Destructed chicken pot pie. It is served with two small chicken breasts on a bed of vegetables with a thyme cream sauce and a fairly good size piece of flat piecrust. I did enjoy the unique take on this classic however the carrots and celery were much to hard for my liking.
Desert consisted of a chocolate crème brûlée that was pretty darn fantastic.

I enjoy the vibe here! Yummy food, cute location and good service. Kelly was a great sever who was attentive and helpful. The wine was a perfect end to a hike earlier in the morning. We had the spice rubbed wings and almost all 4 stars come from those!!! Sooooo delicious!!! You don’t need any sauce, the dry rub is so incredible. Also shared the deconstructed pot pie, always really delicious. However, the carrots and celery weren’t cooked enough and that is where the 5^th star is not happening. Would definitely come back here overall!

Came in for some beer and missed the enjoy by with tangerine. Still had a great time with the beers they have on tap. Danny and Terry are the coolest. Get in here already.
Thanks, Public74!

This is my favorite local spot. Live in Dana Point and eat here once a week. Love the bar manager, Terry. Usually sit at the bar and enjoy the cozy seating in booths, too.
Favorite meals:
1. Kobe burger
2. Orange fowl play
3. Cilantro Caesar with chicken
Great drinks, awesome beer, sweet atmosphere and always enjoyable live music!

I’m obsessed with #Gourmet #GourmetBurgers #Burger #Kobe #Pub74 #DoinWork Public 74 is quickly becoming a favorite for me… Always have solid #Beer choices #SJC #SanJuanCapistrano #CapoFC #SaintArchersDoubleIPA #SaintArchers #DIPA #IPA #Foodie #LateLunch #Delish #Yumm #Clink #Cheers #CraftFood #CraftBeer #DrinkLocal #EatLocal #FarmFresh
#HappyTuesday by the way… #OC #SouthOrangeCounty #OrangeCounty #GastroPub #Prost

Have been here on Wednesday afternoon brought the dog. Never an issue. Zack the afternoon server knows me and the dog. Even got permission with one of the owners. Just went to this place and the female server was a total bitch. Went and got the cook. And said we can’t stay. Do not go Here stay away don’t pass go to collect
Will never be back
Went downstairs to tannins where we were welcomed