Best Wineries in Dana Point / Monarch Beach

Everything was so on-point! The menu. The food. The service. The music. What a great brunch. RCW hit this one out of the park!

It was my first time dining with RCW. After reading numerous reviews, I decided that RCW was the best place for dinner. From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the ambiance and energy of the place. It wasn’t too rowdy, but it wasn’t too quiet either—just the right balance where you can enjoy a private dinner while still being surrounded by lively company. The food was beyond great. We started with the Brussels sprouts, which absolutely blew my mind, and then moved on to the Cowboy Steak and Filet Mignon. For dessert, we had the Whiskey Bundt Cake—an absolute must-try when you visit. Be sure to pair it with their coffee; you won’t be disappointed. We also tried the dessert wine, which had distinct chocolate raspberry notes, though those flavors only came through after a strong hit of alcohol (lol). The only downside of the night was the service at our table. From the moment we sat down, it took 20 minutes just for the server to come over and take our drink order. Even after placing the drink order, it was another 20 minutes before they returned to ask about appetizers—by which time we were already ready to order our main dishes. I believe the manager noticed because she personally came over to take our dessert order. It seemed like she had seen us sitting there, twiddling our thumbs while waiting for the server. I had read reviews mentioning that the service at the Ladera Ranch location was subpar, and unfortunately, I have to agree. Other than that, I highly recommend visiting this place just for the food! Thank you to the manager on duty who noticed us sitting there uncomfortably. She is definitely service-oriented and genuinely cares about taking care of the customers.

The new Chef is on his game! I had the new Lemon Tortellini and my wife had the salmon. We both enjoyed the delicious flavors and presentation. We split Brussel sprouts and a cup of the delicious jalapeno soup which is a must every time we dine here. The new item that may have been just for Valentine's Day was the butter cake. literally one of the very best desserts we have ever shared. We were served by Janay and that is always a pleasure. She knows her menu well and has become familiar with our choices in the past and often tells us how we want things done before we can tell her. There is a hostess at the front entry, often 2 are on hand but this is the one that is not as tall of the two. She makes our welcome pleasant every time and she was able to seat us in our requested table which really makes for an even more enjoyable experience.....so many thanks to her!

Recommended by two trusted locals and boy were they right! Fabulous place for the 30 and older crowd. Great menu, great cocktails and outstanding wine. Top quality and yet not crazy expensive. The pizza crust is from heaven! Super nice staff. Fun vibe.

Absolutely wonderful experience. We sat at a high top table facing the train and Trevor’s which was beautiful and entertaining. Rochelle was knowledgeable about the wines and cheese and chocolate that we tried during the tasting. Everything was delicious and the whole experience very enjoyable. My friends and I are already making plans to return in the near future. Thank you for an awesome afternoon!