The 5 best restaurants/bars in Irvine

The 5 best restaurants/bars in IrvinePhoto: Del Frisco's Grille/Yelp
Hoodline
Published on January 09, 2020

Wondering where to find the best restaurant/bars near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top such spots in Irvine, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list. Read on for a rundown.

Winter is the top season of the year for consumer spending at bars and lounges across the Irvine area, according to data on local business transactions from Womply, a software provider that helps small business owners build an email marketing strategy. The average amount spent per customer transaction at Irvine-area bars and lounges rose to $36 for the metro area in the winter of last year, 3% higher than the average for the rest of the year.

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1. EMC Seafood & Raw Bar

photo: nadine c./yelp

Topping the list is a city outpost of the California chain EMC Seafood & Raw Bar. Located at 14346 Culver Drive in El Camino Real, it's the most popular restaurant/bar in Irvine, boasting four stars out of 1,845 reviews on Yelp.

2. Del Frisco's Grille

photo: del frisco's grille/yelp

Next up is the Irvine Health and Science Complex's location of the Del Frisco's Grille chain, at 772 Spectrum Center Drive. With four stars out of 860 reviews on Yelp, the bar, steakhouse and breakfast/brunch spot has proven to be a local favorite.

3. EATS Kitchen & Bar

photo: jane r./yelp

The Business District's EATS Kitchen & Bar, at 17900 Jamboree Road (in the Hotel Irvine), is another top choice. Yelpers give the bar and New American spot four stars out of 718 reviews.

4. Phans 55

Photo: indira c./Yelp

Phans 55, a bar and Vietnamese/Asian fusion spot in the Business District, is another go-to, with four stars out of 621 Yelp reviews. Head over to 6000 Scholarship Drive to see for yourself. (The chain has another location in Irvine, in Los Olivos, and in Huntington Beach.)

5. Anthill Pub & Grille

Photo: Elizabeth M./Yelp

Finally, in UC Irvine, check out Anthill Pub & Grille, which has earned four stars out of 385 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bar and traditional American spot at 4200 Campus Drive, C215, the Student Center.


This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.