9 Best Restaurants in Orange County and Catalina Island, California

Set on an expansive deck overlooking the water and a few boats, Descanso Beach Club serves a wide range of favorites: grilled burgers, street tacos, clam chowder, salads, and layered nachos, along with the island's sweet signature cocktail, Buffalo Milk---a mix of fruit liqueurs, vodka, and whipped cream. Firepits and chic beach cabanas add to the scene, as does the sound of happy and terrified screams from the zipliners in the canyon above the beach. There is a shop to purchase beach items, and a stand to rent kayaks and snorkel equipment.

Grab a stool at this little snack bar on the Green Pleasure Pier for people-watching while drinking a draft beer and munching on a burrito, fish-and-chips, or signature buffalo burger.

Cordelia Knott's fried chicken and boysenberry pies drew crowds so big in the 1930s, that Knott's Berry Farm built a park to keep the hungry customers occupied while they waited. The Western-theme restaurant serves crispy home-style fried chicken, along with handmade biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, and Mrs. Knott's signature chilled cherry-rhubarb compote. The adjacent Marketplace has a grab-and-go counter to order and take home Knott's fried-chicken dinners.

This Laguna Beach establishment set in a historic Craftsman-style building is part gourmet pantry (a must-stop for your every picnic need) and part global dining adventure. Enjoy comfort cuisine from around the world paired with an eclectic wine and beer list. Brunch is best enjoyed outdoors on the sunny patio under colorful umbrellas. An iconic statue of Eiler Larsen aka "The Greeter" of Laguna Beach is a prominent feature on the corner of the property.

Craving a modern fusion of Californian and Asian cuisines? Tantalizing Tantalum has been one of Long Beach's favorite bay-side gathering places for a generation. Appropriately named for a type of metal that is resistant to corrosion, this restaurant is set on the water in the Marina Pacifica, where the views are exceptional. The verdant interiors evoke Bali with their warm woods and commanding views, or you can sit outside when the weather is fine (and it nearly always is). Enjoy a cocktail at the endless bar or explore the large menu, including local favorites like the yakiniku calamari. Live music is on offer nearly every night, along with daily happy hour specials. If you're feeling nautically inclined, you can even dock your boat rental in front of the restaurant.

Long Beach's famous Craftsman bungalows were built en masse during an oil boom a century ago, and while many have been torn down to make way for McMansions and apartment blocks, one now plays home to the Attic, which serves up some of the best Southern-style cuisine in the region. The comfort food on the all-day menu delights, from the Flaming Hot Cheetos mac and cheese (don't overthink it; just try it) to the Three Little Pigs sandwich. Daily happy-hour specials serve as an "intermission" between lunch and dinner offerings. Score a coveted indoor table in the home's former rooms, or enjoy the low-key outside patio. In the mood for adventure? Try to score a reservation for the communal weekend Attic Supper Club, nestled in a gorgeous private dining room. Like much of Long Beach, the Attic is dog-friendly.

Beach culture flourishes in this Crystal Cove Historic District restaurant, thanks to its umbrella-laden deck just a few steps above the white sand. This is where you can sip a really good mai tai at the Bootlegger Bar, while waiting for your chance to sample ahi tacos, Maine lobster pasta, or blue crab–stuffed salmon. They offer beach chair rentals and you can reserve your own firepit for s'mores.

A local favorite in the morning and throughout the day for organic heirloom coffee and hand-blended fine organic teas, Urth also serves health-conscious food as well as pastries outside on the charming garden patio looking out at the Laguna Art Museum across the street. For lunch and dinner, they offer a variety of salads, soups, bowls, pizzas, and signature sandwiches. Heartier fare includes a Mediterranean platter, Urth tamales, lasagna, and an Asian-style nori plum rice wrap. There is a children's menu, too.

It's always brunch time at his small Laguna Beach institution where—from 7 am to 4 pm—you will find reasonably priced breakfast-to-lunch (okay, brunch) items that include everything from signature quiches, poached eggs, and homemade granolas, to healthy salads, homemade soups, quesadillas, and pizza. All the sweets are homemade, including the megasize brownies. There are some gluten-free and vegetarian items, too, including a Zinc Rubenesque on rye bread made with beets. A large beverage menu includes lattes, lemonade, beer, mimosas, and red and white wines by the glass.