6 Best Restaurants in Newport Beach, Orange County and Catalina Island

This popular indoor and outdoor dining spot grills up the freshest local fish (swordfish, sea bass, halibut, and tuna) and offers a wide range of creative seafood dishes, sushi, fish tacos, and Hawaiian-style poke salad. Order at the counter, which doubles as a seafood market, and sit inside or outside on the patio. This is one of the few restaurants in Southern California with its own fishing boat, so there's a good chance some line-caught local fish will be on the menu.

This intimate French--Swiss bistro adds a touch of old-world elegance to Balboa Island with its white linen and flower-topped tables. Chef Bernard Althaus grows the herbs used in his classic French dishes. Head here for charcuterie, coq au vin, steak au poivre, and a fine glass of Bordeaux. Finish with a caramelized apple tarte tatin with ice cream. The restaurant offers a prix fixe five-course tasting menu and à la carte items.

This popular dining spot offers a variety of seasonal seafood, shellfish, meat, and poultry with a tranquil bay view. On sunny days, the waterfront patio is a popular spot to enjoy different types of shellfish with an emphasis on freshness. The menu changes daily, and the bar pours cocktails, wine, and craft brew.

The eclectic seafood menu served at this 1920s cannery building has many locals arrive by boat, as there's a convenient dock at the front entrance. If you are feeling some boat envy, you can reserve the restaurant's Duffy boat for a two-hour brunch or sunset cocktail cruise before dinner. The boat is available for $150 an hour with a two-hour minimum. Order items from the special boat rental menu such as a bottle of champagne, with lobster sliders, a cheese board and sushi platter. The upstairs Jellyfish Lounge offers one of the best happy hours in Newport Beach with discounted sushi and cocktail specials daily from 3:30 to 6:30 pm.

This trendy Hillstone Restaurant has an open kitchen, comfortable booths, and outdoor seating. The patio is a fantastic place to hang out for Dover Sole flown in from the North Atlantic, cedar plank Scottish salmon, and fried shrimp. For more terrestrial fare, the USDA Prime filet mignon is popular. They make heavenly biscuits, shucked oysters, grilled California artichokes, and an ahi tuna burger. It gets noisy near the bar area, so come early or retreat onto the patio if you prefer a quieter spot.

Stop by Sugar 'N Spice for a Balboa Bar that is a slab of vanilla ice cream dipped first in chocolate and then topped with your choice of other sweet treats. It's also home of "The Original Frozen Banana" created back in 1945. They also have a frozen cheesecake an frozen tiramisu on a stick, plus ice cream cookie sandwiches.