Fodor's Expert Review Phillips Crab House & Seafood Buffet

Feast on crab cakes, crab imperial, or stuffed and fried shrimp at the 1956 home of an O.C. institution that is the original of three Phillips locations here and has since grown into a regional chain (Phillips By the Sea 1301 Atlantic Ave.Phillips Seafood House 14101 Coastal Hwy.). Considered the city's most popular dining site, the restaurant has a dark-panel dining area with decorative stone floors, Tiffany-style hanging lamps, stained-glass windows, and funky wall art. Expect big crowds in the summer months. Its seafood buffet is served in an upstairs dining room.