We came in a Saturday night for dinner. The service is great from hostess to bus boy. We had the grilled prawns for an appetizer.....yum! Slightly spicy sauce with a little bit of garlic mashed potatoes. We also had the poppers which were awful. Too dry, cold and overly salty. The flat bread with prosciutto and egg was delish. I would go again if it was close but probably wouldn't go out of my way.
(4)
Scott C.
Got the Turkey Bolognese pasta and it was delicious. The service was pretty good. We did feel kinda rushed at the end but we understood because the restaurant was closing. Beware of the strong wood smell when you first walk in or sit near the door. We were debating to either eat here or lemonade but the prices for this place was a lot higher. I also wasn't too impressed by the 15 dollar pizza. But it was an overall good experience and a romantic seating.
(3)
Miriam B.
Came to Fashion Island while visiting LA. The apps were decent-had the Italian flatbread and spicy shrimp. Then I ordered the steak and frites and the steak had so much fat and no flavor. Friend ordered the spicy chicken sandwich and it had no flavor and other friend ordered the brisket sandwich and same- lacking flavor and mashed potatoes were dry. TAble next to us waited 1.5hour to get served and waitress and manager were not considerate until we told the manager to check on the table next to us when he came and checked on how we were doing!! WTF? That table had been complaining to the waitress all night and the manager came to us! Is SF the only city with good food and service? YES!!
(2)
Ayami H.
Cute little place that my gal-friend and I decided to try that was dog friendly at Fashion Island. I had the chicken sandwich with truffle fries, which was pretty good. My gf had the egg whites with chicken breast, which she really enjoyed. Only negative was when the server snatched the bill from under my friend's elbow which caused her to be in a bit of shock. When the waitress returned after we paid the check, she left us with nothing to sign, so we had to wait longer than we wished to actually leave. I would like to return but I doubt my gf does.
(4)
Julie K.
Had another nice dinner here with some friends... Seems like the menu has been updated with some new additions. Mostly good additions, like some stellar appetizers - don't miss: English popovers - tastes like a cross between Yorkshire pudding and croissants Fried calamari - comes with olive coins and a nice lemon caper sauce Portabello mushroom "fries" - so savory with lots of grated Parmesan encrusted on it w/ pesto aioli Shrimp - okay, I can't recall the name of this appetizer but it was basically jumbo shrimp in a tomato sauce in a bed of mashed potatoes. Random as heck but really good. Only 4 pieces though... For my main entree, I decided to try the lobster roll w/ pomme frites (in lieu of the sweet potato chips). I gotta say, there was definitely a good amount of fresh lobster chunks in the roll; however, the flavor was spiked with so much dill? I could be wrong, but whatever the herb was, it was herb overload. Every time I took a bite, all I could taste was the seasoning. The fries were kind of forgettable. I should've just tried the sweet potato chips that comes standard with the roll instead of being up charged $2 for lame fries. Or rather, should've paid an extra $3 for their delicious truffle fries instead. Anyway... For dessert, I tried a bite of the key lime pie and the chocolate truffle cake. The key lime pie had the right amount of tartness and a good crust. The chocolate cake was very rich, as expected, and definitely can be shared! Party of four - 4 appetizers, 3 alcoholic drinks, 2 soft drinks, 4 entrees, 3 desserts = $204 before tip. Very reasonable for a nice evening out in Fashion Island. Service was a solid "B".
(4)
Kelsie H.
I can't say I would rush to come back here, but I wouldn't object if someone suggested we go here. The outdoor seating/inside decor is wonderful, definitely a place you feel like you can sit and enjoy your meal. The food, however, didn't "wow" me and the menu seemed confused. I couldn't grasp the concept of the restaurant and the array of food didn't help. For a more overpriced restaurant, the only food I loved was their sliders! A pretty basic meal, right? But it was delicious- I'll stand behind that. Their fish tacos were also tasty, but weren't necessarily something I'd order again. The apple pie was disappointing. A lot of their "famous" dishes and desserts were sub-par to me. A little more vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, and cutting up those giant chunks of apple would be fantastic. You will eat good food when you come here. But it lacks being memorable in the many possibilities at Fashion Island.
(3)
Michael K.
Very good selection of food. Great, attentive service and fantastic strawberry-rhubarb pie to end the meal.
(4)
John B.
It was a Friday night. Christina and I spent much of the day grading papers and needed to relax so we had date night at Fashion Island. Great Maple has been on both four radars for quite some time and we decided to check it out. Our server was super helpful and gave us a list of his favorite menu items. Here is what we ordered. -Turkey burger ($17): Freshly ground turkey with brie, arugula, and visalia onion marmalade. Paired with baby pickles, fries, and choice of dipping sauce. The burger was juicier than most turkey burgers I have tried and the flavors paired fairly well but it was still not worth $17. -Smoked beef brisket sandwich ($18): Smoked beef brisket with crispy tobacco onions, horseradish sour cream, mashed potatoes (or fries), and baby pickles. I had a few bites of this and it was good. I liked the sauce they had. The brisket was cubed instead of sliced so the pieces kept falling out. I'd order it. -Portobello mushroom fries ($13): These were a hit! Slices of portobello mushroom that have been battered and fried, dusted with parmesan, and paired with a pesto aioli. We liked these so much that we actually were trying to figure out the recipe to try later on. The batter reminded us of calamari batter. And that pesto aioli was pretty good too. We'll definitely order this again if we come back. -Some sort of specialty lemonade: Christina ordered this and thought was meh. Both of us enjoyed our experience at Great Maple. However, the food and atmosphere weren't exceptional enough to really justify their prices.
(3)
Cindy W.
Lunch on the outside patio. Located in the center of Fashion Island, it has a awesome vibe and a calming environment. The cool weather from the near water is a bonus. Food and service is good. Originally, my husband and I wanted a simple (late) lunch but ended up ordering 2 meal and 1 appetizer. The fried portobello fries is very delicious. I would definitely recommend. We also got pasta and round bread pizza. It was a bit pricey for a lunch but I figured based on what we ordered, it was on the expensive ingredient side.
(3)
Christina Z.
My experience was mixed because there was an obnoxious diner during our experience this evening. However, our mood could not remain negative given how happy and peppy our server, Edward, was. Although my salmon was cooked well done, it was not as dry as most other places. I would have liked it to be cooked the way I ordered it (medium). But it was still fairly tasty when you dipped it in the paired sauce. Love the fries (super crispy), but wish there was more truffle oil, since I really enjoy the flavor of truffles. There was definitely more than a light dusting of parmesan, so maybe flip the ratio of truffle oil vs cheese.
(4)
Lulu M.
Awful service when it comes to seating, the hostesses seriously don't know what they are doing. We've been waiting for outdoor seating over 40 mins. We were told to the wait was 20 mins. It seems that they just forgot about us. Never coming back to this joint.
(1)
Barbara L.
***4.5 stars Came here for my birthday with family on a Sunday during Valentines Day weekend. We made reservations in advance. Let me just say that I think I found my new spot for brunch! Delicious food in a cozy place with beautiful flowers. Great ambience for family and friends. Plenty of street parking near by. Loved the lighting for photos as well. 0.5 stars taken off because service was extremely slow! I understand that it was busy because of V-Day but our server was not as attentive to our party. We had to ask for extra cups and utensils more than 1x. We also had a cake in the back but she forgot about it. She didn't bring it out until reminded and we had to stay behind because of this. Each entree was delivered to the wrong person because of miscommunication between our server and the kitchen. I loved how diverse the menu was. I tried the: + donuts with Maplewood bacon: absolutely delicious! The donut will melt in your mouth. Bacon was high quality too which made this donut tastier. + powered sugar beignets: your basic powered sugar pastry - nothing special. + great maple beef brisket popover: includes grilled asparagus, poached egg, fresh tomatoes, hollandaise sauce, smoked bacon, and herbed potatoes. Great presentation of the entree. Loved the Benedict with the bacon but the brisket was just "OK." Nonetheless, I'm still glad to have tried it because variation on brunch is always nice. I'll be coming back to try other stuff on the menu!
(4)
Rachel M.
Great food, drink & service. Lobster cobb is the best- location and parking is very easy- park by soul cycle!
(5)
Belinda O.
This is one of my new favorite places to go. It's located in fashion island, and their apple pie was phenomenal! The apples still had their shape, but was still soft enough to fall apart in your mouth. The bartender was very helpful and friendly, and made sure we were happy.
(5)
Adi J.
Let it be known that I would go back in a heartbeat just to get those freaking portobello mushroom fries.. but unfortunately, everything else I've tried here has been underwhelming. The maple bacon donuts looked better than they tasted - the bacon was overly salty for being bacon and it wasn't properly balanced out by the sweetness in the maple sauce. The GM chopped salad was okay - decent portion size, but I wasn't blown away by the flavors; and the spicy chicken sandwich tasted exactly like what it sounds like.. spicy chicken. Luckily the menu is seasonal, so whenever I come back to get those fries in my tummy again hopefully there will be something new on there that wows me. All that being said, one of the huge redeeming qualities is the atmosphere/ambiance of this restaurant. It is very open/relaxed and mellow and with our beautiful southern california weather 95% of the year, you can't beat sitting out on the patio munching on those portobello mushroom fries with a refreshing drink in hand. Perfect for an afternoon shopping break at Fashion Island!
(4)
Morgan H.
Not only was the food great, the service was the best. Isaac at the bar was FANTASTIC. I would honestly say that I would return just for his great service. So nice, happy and friendly. 5 stars for you Isaac.
(5)
Celine A.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon and looked forward to a great meal on a beautiful day in Newport. I really wanted to like this place. Seasonal and fresh ingredients? That's a great philosophy that I totally agree with. But everything just fell a little short. Promptly seated and started off with the slender margaritas, which were nice and strong, good start. Lovely ambiance, contemporary design we settled in nicely. Decided on the hanger steak salad, steak frites and since they didn't have a burger on the kids' menu the waitress suggested two happy hour burger sliders with fries for the little one. My salad was disappointedly small with very little steak on it. Ordered the meat medium, but it was over cooked, lacked flavor and greens were not dressed properly. Hubby was pretty happy with his steak frites, it had a generous portion of meat that was well seasoned and tender but the fries could have been crispier. It came with a cup of caesar salad which was bland. The sliders were also lacking salt and fries were kinda soggy. We had a shift change during our meal and both waitresses were not really around when we needed them, but they were friendly. Finished our meal with espressos, which arrived cold, and a scoop of peanut butter gelato, which was pleasant. My underwhelming experience was topped off with a filthy bathroom. For the prices they charge, Great Maple should really deliver more. With much better options at Fashion Island I highly doubt I'll come here again.
(3)
Alicia G.
This review is for service at the bar. I have sat at the bar on two separate occasions and each time I get the feeling the bartenders are either bored to tears or they are doing me a favor by serving me. I only recommend sitting at a table.
(2)
Aaron E.
Great Maple offers decidedly uninspired dishes with extravagant prices at its eatery inside of Fascist Island, Newport Beach. I have dined at Great Maple more than a few times over the course of the last two years and although I rather like grabbing an ice cold beer at their bar, the food itself has always seemed lackluster when the considerable expense is factored. The small plate/tapas concept is employed here and actually magnifies the problem. The interior is quasi-upscale and they offer a very large patio for al fresco dining. The service is usually quite adept but be aware, the bar can easily become overwhelmed during Happy Hour. The Montreal Spiced Grass Fed Beef Burger is a customizable affair that has you paying for toppings a la carte. Caramelized onions alone add $1.00 to your check, Bacon? Another $2.00. This would be fine if the flavor warranted it, but it is honestly a humdrum burger with a pedestrian Montreal seasoning strewn across the face of the patty. Another issue is that they tend to overcook the patty. Another offering I have tried is the GM Trio Steak & Frites; a Ten Ounce Ribeye topped with Red Wine Demi Glace and served with a Caesar Salad and Fries. The quality of the ingredients is spot on, as was the cooked temperature of the meat. The issue was the $28.00 price of admission, a good $5.00 more than warranted when the portion size is considered. If you are going to order a Steak entree, I would suggest you opt for the Summer Hanger Steak which was much more impressive and weighs in at $21.00. I continue to patronize Great Maple as they offer Ballast Point on draught but refrain from dining there as I have yet to have anything with any real "pop" factor.
(2)
Nickyy S.
Love there fish tacos they are amazing, yet I would change how it comes with potato chips to tortilla chips just for tacos but over was delicious would definitely go back there anytime.
(5)
Kelsey Lee H.
When you're looking for a casual, fresh option for dining out, Great Maple is a fair choice. Be prepared to endure an obnoxiously high noise volume (dinner timeframes might as well be called Club Great Maple); you will find minor relief from this by sitting outside. Their salads are hearty and warrant a positive review. The Chicken Cobb is my go-to. If you're GF for actual medical/health purposes, the Asparagus appetizer is safe, and good. The beef bourguignon is not their star entree, so spare your money and tastebuds and opt for a salad entree or seafood. I'd consider visiting for lunch to avoid the noise level issue.
(3)
Rob H.
The Allagash white beer rocks!! The ahi sand was very tasty with the slaw. Great job guys!!
(5)
Christina R.
A very nice, local place to eat at Fashion Island. The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Saturday night, we sat at the bar and it was our own little oasis. There were only a few people sitting there, so it wasn't as loud and a little more private. We enjoyed the Portobello mushroom fries (excellent), wine-a wonderful Malbec (awesome), and split the French Dip (absolutely delish). The bartenders were very attentive and fun, they didn't skip a beat the entire night. It was a nice place to enjoy some great food & wine after shopping at Fashion Island.
(5)
Ashley N.
(More like 3.5, but I'll round up) Solid place to have lunch with friends at Fashion Island! Came here around lunch time on a Wednesday, and we had no trouble getting a table for five. My friends and I ordered a variety of burgers / salads. I personally got the Mission Fig flatbread, and I LOVED IT. Definitely enough for one person, since I couldn't even finish mine. My boyfriend got the salmon sandwich, per recommendation of our waitress. He liked it, but I thought it was a little too fishy for me (but I don't REALLY like fish). Their fries were pretty average though, in my opinion. Everyone else enjoyed their meal too, so I have to conclude that Great Maple's food is pretty good! Service was very attentive throughout our meal (but they weren't super busy). Very hip looking restaurant :) A little more on the pricey side for lunch, so I don't think I'd come here EVERY day, but I am definitely interested in coming to see what dinner is like here :) Bonus - free refills on their iced tea!
(4)
jonathan s.
For some weird reason I've always wanted to try this place. Finally got the chance and I think one visit was probably enough. Everything was alright I guess. French dip was fine but $21? Shit. Wish the horseradish was spicier. Shared the sando and a chicken cobb salad. Blue cheese dressing was pretty minimal. Salad was very bland and boring. Not sure what I was expecting but I was hoping for something better. I'd walked by this place probably 1,000x without trying and I'll probably walk by it another 1,000 without going back.
(3)
Denise M.
Hangar steak salad Chicken sandwich BLT Calamari BLT - so much bacon it in that my friend, who only had half of her sandwich, pulled some of it out from her half - and we had enough left over for probably 3 people from the other half. Sometimes you can have too much (gasp) bacon. No complaints, but it was a lot. The chicken sandwich was very juicy and much loved by hubby. My hangar steak salad - wonderful, but I hope they will use a bigger plate next time. Nothing worse than salad falling off your plate with each poke of the fork. Overall - applause all around. Definitely on my "go back" list.
(5)
Heather B.
I had lunch here several months ago, and thought it was very good. I decided to go back for dinner (despite looking up the phone number and seeing mixed reviews). Dinner was very good. The Turkey Bolognese is excellent. The GM chopped salad was also delicious. The vanilla bean sundae infused with peanut butter was also delicious. Service was also very good. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Kimberly S.
Came here with my grandmother for lunch. The service was horrendous. The food was just okay, so not worth the price. I will not be returning and wouldn't recommend anyone going here.
(1)
John P.
Great Maple is a good farm-to-table American restaurant. The restaurant offers fresh salads, sandwiches and hamburgers. Located in The Fashion Island Mall next to Nordstrom. Saturdays and Sundays the mall has live concerts adjacent to or in front if the Great Maple restaurant. It's definitely a must try in my book!
(4)
Gene M.
After making reservations we were seated in a very crowed area of the patio. Service was slow, the waitress does not deliver your meal and it takes a while to find her if you have any needs. Food was ok... Yes, my last visit.
(2)
Ayesha K.
Like a good strong maple tree, Great Maple has made a firm foundation with its roots in my stomach and branches in my mind. What I mean by that is together with its philosophy behind using seasonal, organic, local ingredients, partnered with the ambience, and food that's tastefully and artfully brought together, great maple has made a firm impression on myself. The seared ahi tuna sandwich paired with the truffle butter fries were a perfect, healthy combo that left me feeling just right. Not too full and not still hungry. I couldn't break myself away from eating the fries, they were sooo delicious. My friend decided to go with their fish tacos and sweet potato chips. I'm not a fan of sweet potato by any means but these were by far the best sweet potato anything I've ever eaten! Seasoned and crisp to perfection. I highly recommend trying out great maple at fashion island for a different, healthy, alternative restaurant offering something new and creative to your food experience.
(4)
David E.
The ambiance is casual yet fanciER. The depression era red-colored chandeliers are pretty cool. Also, the framed "animal art" is fun. The FRIED CALAMARI pieces had a moderately thick batter at most. The pieces were a bit too tiny for my liking, especially on the rings. The tentacles were a little better with more meat and pretty tender overall. The mayo sauce had some chopped peppers or something but can't recall. I likely wouldn't order it again as I've had much better. The ENGLISH POPOVERS are definitely a miniature version of Yorkshire Pudding Bread with more zest via cheeses and seasonings. These were airy and delicious. The BRISKET SANDIE had sauce which was moderately applied and definitely on the sweet side. Regardless, the meat was pretty tender and the quality brioche roll added to the effect. A pretty good rendition. The RIBEYE DIP SANDIE was tender, juicy and flavorful. A definite crowd pleaser at the table. The SIDE SALADS had some shredded cheese and a tasty BALSAMIC VINEGAR dressing which was lightly applied but pretty sufficient. It was a nice companion to our less healthy entrees. The DESSERT MENU didn't speak to us so we gave it the "pocket veto". All in all, a nice establishment with some really good food.
(4)
Michelle K.
Food is 4 stars, Service is 2 stars at best. Came for a nice Saturday brunch after Skin Laundry (review to come) with my twin and we were blown away by how tummy everything was. Mimosas - best hangover cure...cause I was definitely hurting Grilled cheese with salted rosemary and clover honey - AMAZING. This was my favorite dish and I don't even like cheese. Mini beef wellingtons - so yummy and so cute! The beef was tender and juicy Portabello fries - they were good but Bottega Louie's are definitely better Ahi poke - really yummy and fresh. Not enough accouterments Blueberry pie - wasn't a big fan The food was really good but the service was ridiculous. Our server neglected us and couldn't even get the bill right - split in HALF..not that difficult. The manager seemed like he was doing damage control. He was attentive and made sure our food and orders were being input promptly and correctly. I'll be back...but not anytime soon.
(3)
Sherri G.
Our party of 6 walked in 30 minutes before our reservation time and they were happy to prepare a table and seat us. Great service at the hostess stand. They were all very friendly. We sat down at our table and were given menus but the server didn't come for quite some time. Uh oh! Is this a prelude to what will come?? The server finally came and took our orders. He wasn't the friendliest server in the world but maybe it was just me because I was irritated that it took so long for him to acknowledge us. The food came out so quickly that it shocked four of us. Was the restaurant making up for lost time? Who knows - the food looked delicious and we were all very hungry. I had the $14 BLT. It was probably one if the best I've had. Why? TONS of thick crispy bacon accompanied with fresh green leaf lettuce and tomato. The bread was delicious - so soft, it seemed to be fresh baked. I ordered the truffle fries. Some places put way too much truffle on the fries but this restaurant did you great job balancing the two. My sister ditched her regular fries and ate mine. You get a good portion of fries too. I couldn't finish mine, even with my sister's help. The hubby ordered fish and chips. He's British so he knows his stuff. He gave it two thumbs up. Good job Great Maple! For dessert I wanted to try that apple pie à la mode because I saw the pictures Yelp. I wasn't disappointed it was delicious. Food presentation is really cool. Most meals come out on wooden cutting boards. Pasta comes in big white bowls. I would recommend this restaurant. We ended up having great service, delicious food and a wonderful time. I will be back.
(4)
Brigitte O.
Came to grab lunch après yoga. Tried the pecorino cheese, kale, pine nut, quinoa salad. The kale was a Dino ? Kale -- a baby kale with less bitterness than the kale I've eaten before. Added grilled chicken to the salad which made the salad a satisfying meal. Loved the ambiance on the patio. It was a wee bit chilly (65 degrees out) however the space heaters kept us toasty. The menu is extensive so we plan to come again for post yoga grubs.
(4)
Dawn R.
We had a great lunch here with friends. If you eat here and it is a nice day make sure to get a table outside. The service was great, they came to our table a lot. They were nice and all, but we started to feel like they wanted us to hurry up and finish as the place got busier. The food selection is really good, we all had a hard time deciding to figure out what to have. All 4 choices we ordered were delicious. Lobster roll, burger, flat bread and fish & chips are all winners. I hope to go back to try some more of the menu items.
(4)
Tina M.
This is my third time here, and for this visit we had a party of 7 to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent, as before, but I want to comment on the service for this visit. Our server Chris was excellent and very attentive. He made sure glasses were filled and took special care to have a decorative birthday plate and candle put together for the dessert cake. My daughter loved it! This place always had the freshest and most flavorful seasonal food (I recommend the blueberry pie!) and the service also rises to the occasion. Thank you so much!
(5)
Dawn m.
I must have had a seasonal dish, I can't find the name on the menu or remember what it was called. It was an arugula salad with duck, plums, goat cheese, and a pomegranate dressing. If I could eat that everyday for the rest of my life, I would. I don't even like arugula but the plums and dressing made it work. The service was good. Attentive without being overly so, exactly what you'd hope for at this price point. Atmosphere was pleasant enough, pretty typical for upscale suburban resturants so no complaints there. I really wish I could go back here and explore the menu more but I was just in town for a vacation. Whoever is designing the dishes seems very creative... There were a ton of things I wanted to try, but alas.
(5)
M C.
Cool restaurant with indoor/outdoor feel next to Nordstrom at Fashion Island. Americana menu & unique signature cocktails. Today we had lunch at the bar with a great view out to Fashion Island.b we also highly recommend the brunch! Highlight of today - we mentioned it was Kelly's birthday & the when we ordered the Maple Bacon Donut the bartender brought it with 3 candles! It made her day! :) Standard Cucumber Collins = 4 Bloody Mary = 4 Mission Fig Flat Bread = 5 Caesar Salad with Chicken = 4 Maple Bacon Donut = A PERFECT 10
(4)
Melissa J.
Good, not great. I have been here a handful of times no and I've never had a bad experience, nor a great one. Food is solid. Burgers are my best suggestion. The wine list is above par, and the beer list decent as well. I'd save my money on "fancier" menu items. They make solid bar food and have a really good atmosphere. Service is mostly good as well, with some slow points for seemingly no reason. When at Fashion Island, this is a good option. You will neither be disappointed nor blown away.
(3)
Tania S.
We grabbed dinner at Great Maple before heading to the movie theater on Friday. That was our first time there and honestly we didn't visit earlier due to the Yelp Reviews. A friend of ours said he really liked the place so despite the reviews we decided to give it a try. The place was pretty busy at 6:15, we were promptly seated at the patio area. The waiter was not the nicest but he did his job. We ordered the flatbread, the beet salad and calamari as starters. We were so full from the large portions we had no room for entrees. The food was tasty but nothing to rave about. We will go back and order less starters next time so we can actually try some of their entrees and desserts!
(3)
Miriam G.
Located inside Fashion Island next to Nordstrom. Food is great, Service is great! Always is! Portion sizes are very reasonable. I love this place and will continue to go back! Outdoor seating is the best and on chilly nights there are heat lamps!
(4)
Jason A.
Don't let the fact that Great Maple is located in ritzy Fashion Island in Newport ward you away. I actually had a great time here while visiting to catch a Lakers game a couple weeks ago. Their HH runs through to 7:30pm most nights and is one the more generous around in terms of timing. They have a special menu for patrons who sit in the bar area and participate in the happy hour. Most small food items/appetizers and beers on tap are $4 through the HH. I recommend the onion rings and the sliders with a side of Allagash White. The bartenders and servers were all very helpful and constantly check on their patrons to ensure that we have what we need. (They're also big Lakers fans, thankfully). Judging from the people around me and the way they jokingly interacted with the servers, I could tell that there are many regulars and repeat-visitors here (which is always a good sign). The interior is nice and incorporates a cabin look (which I will call "Canadian-esque") with some modern elements. The bar, area, which sits on the north side of the restaurant is a bit jaggedly shaped, with sharp angles possibly causing a tight squeeze for those who may be a claustrophobic. The patio area is a big hit and, owing to our pretty nice year round climate, is usually a great place to sit and take in the scene of people walking around Fashion Island or socializing with others. I probably would have opted to sit in the patio area if it weren't for the fact that I wanted to make sure I have that constant supervision during happy hour and that the Lakers were playing and I wanted a good sight line to a television. I have to admit, I wasn't willing to try out the place initially because I figured I wanted to go someplace that I've been to before which has a good, consistent product and service. But, after dropping by the neighbors (ahem, looking at you Cheesecake Factory and CPK), and seeing they didn't have the Laker game on, I quickly turned around rather than request the servers to change the channel. It was more the principle that no one inside (patron or servers) cared to have the channel changed to the game...which meant that there weren't any Laker fans in the house. I definitely plan to come back in the near future and spread the word about the good deals that Great Maple has. If you're visiting Fashion Island, realize there's a local game you need to catch, and don't feel like paying for parking and don't feel like diving it, this is the best option you can get in the entire center.
(5)
Abe B.
I ate at Great Maple last night and enjoyed it so much I am back again tonight. The food is trendy AND tasty! The service is also top notch. They have a great selection of drinks at the bar and the food menu is comprehensive as well. If you are looking for tasty food, great drinks, and a fun atmosphere this is the place for you. I'll definitely be back to eat here again.
(5)
Sara P.
Came in on Christmas Eve for dinner with my mom and her boyfriend. I wasn't overly impressed. I do like the lighting/ambience. A good amount of seating, nicely spaced out, so you can't hear the conversation of others. The food - *Portabello Mushroom Fries Pesto Aioli & Dusted With Parmesan 11... a must if you love mushrooms as much as I do. YUMMMMM *New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass Shallots, White Wine Au Jus, Mushroom Risotto, Asparagus 28. This was ok. I was expecting better. The risotto was almost flavorless, with barely any mushrooms. The asparagus was huge and cooked perfectly. The sea bass also was lacking flavor. I would go for something else if I were you. Good luck!
(3)
Tonya S.
I went here during a visit to the LA area for lunch. Our service was excellent. We dined outside on the covered patio and it was very enjoyable. I started with the Two of a Pear cocktail, which was outstanding. I also had the club sandwich, which was one of the best club sandwiches I have ever had (the bread was amazing). This came with a side of mixed greens. Off of the children's menu, we ordered the grilled chicken that came with green beans. This was excellent as well. The grilled chicken had a terrific flavor! I highly recommend this restaurant during a visit to Fashion Island.
(5)
Ashley H.
Nothing better then brunch on Sunday's! This place was perfect for the occasion. We started off with their donuts which was AMAZING. We also ordered their mimosas which were to die for. They have different types, I had a watermelon and lemon and it was delicious. Our food was equally delicious. The service was great but the reason why I knocked a star down is our table was WAY too close to the table next to us. We minus have had them join in on our conversation. Other then that this place comes highly recommended
(4)
Kim D.
Good place to grab lunch or dinner while shopping around Fashion Island. Since we came for an early dinner, we got lucky and were seated right away. The service was great and we didn't have to wait very long for our orders to come out. They also give a bag with a warm baguette and butter to nibble on while waiting. Portions are actually quite large which made up for the prices being a bit on the steeper side. I ordered the terrific pacific sandwich which was filled with grilled mahi mahi and an avocado salsa between slices of a ciabatta roll. The fish was fresh and the salsa was light, and probably would've been fine on its own with the side salad. Also keep in mind, happy hour specials are only served at the bar or on the couches outside in the back.
I have been here a few times and my word of advice is just stick to the drinks. They have an amazing original cocktails and their wine selection is actually nice. My favorite cocktail is the N.S. Wolfhound. Not only were the flavors cohesive and inspiring, but the presentation of the cocktail made the drink even more enticing. The GM Honey Mule was great with a bite or two of their individual apple pie dessert. (The apple pie dessert is enough for 2-4 people.) The food left something to be desired. I went to dinner with a group of four people and the waiter kept recommending their pasta dishes. We finally acquiesced to his suggestions and were very dissappointed. No one at the table enjoyed their meal. In fact, none of us finished our plates and we left to go somewhere else for sustance. Maybe it was an off night, who knows, but for the price I am not sure I would take the chance to try their food again after all four dishes left something to be desired.
(3)
Linda P.
We come here for the Moules-Frites (mussels with French fries), which are really delicious. However, as delicious as they are, I wish the serving was a bit larger for the price. It seems more like an appetizer portion than a meal. Also, while the outside dining area is very pleasant, service was spotty - our water glasses stayed empty, we had to wait until we could finally attract a waiter's attention to get our check. The prices at this restaurant are high, what you'd expect for an upscale restaurant at Fashion Island, but in that case, I expect top notch service at the very least.
(3)
Heather L.
Pros- the service was very good, drinks were excellent, and apps delicious Cons- the main entrees were not that good. the looked amazing - but when it came down to it the flavor was not there. I do want to come back to try a flatbread and other apps but won't be back for an entree
(3)
Linh P.
Since I didn't make it to the San Diego location, I went here for Sunday brunch. I was reluctant with all the bad reviews on their service but gave the restaurant a chance. The restaurant was only half full and service was pretty good. Didn't have any issues and was served promptly. I ordered the French Toast with maple bacon and boyfriend ordered the popover with tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. First off, the dishes were super healthy, probably to cater to the Fashion Island crowd. My french toast was fluffy and served with a light maple syrup. For someone like me (who enjoys chocolate pancakes drenched in regular syrup and chocolate sauce at Pancake House), this was too light for my liking. Wished they had an option and had asked me first before serving me the syrup light. But for those who didn't have such a sweet tooth, this wouldn't be a problem. But then again, they wouldn't have ordered french toast to begin with. They would have ordered something more savory like the popover. The popover was more flavorful. All the flavors worked very well together. Wonder if the San Diego location served their food as light. Overall, seems like it's better to stick to their savory dishes.
(3)
Hemesh P.
there really aren't too many vegetarian options the flatbread is very very cheesy the beet salad is also...very very cheesy with coat cheese desserts are great though; get the apple pie; key lime pie. chocolate cake is ok - a little dry
(2)
Bridget S.
Always have a wonderful experience here. Food is exceptional and service is friendly and attentive. Candice is amazing, she is patient, helpful, and knowledgable. Always make it a point to come here when spending the afternoon at fashion island.
(5)
Bonkersforbananas17 ..
Great food with a great atmosphere. My girlfriend and I had the GM salad it was tasty but not a must have. Our main course though was fantastic. We had the turkey bolegnese with a side order of their ricotta mashed potatoes. They were out of this world the bolegnese with its big chunks of parm to the creaminess of the potatoes. I will definitely be back with friends and family.
(4)
Mandana B.
I visited Great Maple this past Saturday for lunch. We had a great experience. The service was wonderful and so was the food. We ordered the Hamburger, truffle fries, house salad, and bacon donut all of which were delicious! Their berry ice tea was a bit too berry for me but I'm sure others may like it. The ambiance is great for a weekend lunch, they also had live music in the courtyard mall which was really nice. Thumbs up! I'll def go back.
(5)
Kristi S.
First time here. Decided to stop in Fashion Island for dinner and found this great patio side restaurant. Great location overlooking the fountain and perfect for people watching while dining! My husband had the Beer Battered Fish and Chips, I ordered the House Pasta. Both dishes full of flavor and well portioned. Fresh ingredients and seasonal are their specialty and buy in. Well we are in! In was great. The chicken in my pasta was so tender and the portobello mushrooms and pesto just divine! The fish was perfect and flakey, and the shoestring French fries that came with it were perfect. We thought we were done after the meal, but our waiter offered us a dessert menu. We opted to take ours to go, since we were so satisfied after dinner. I ordered the seasonal Meyer Lemon Coconut Meringue pie - HEAVENLY! A must try if it is in season. My husband brought home the apple pie with caramel and pecans (added on the side). Very flavorful and enough for two! We will definitely be back to try other menu items!
(4)
Krystle G.
Calamari was great, Lobster Roll was ok, I did not like the bread that came with it. But the drinks, I loved. We ordered the TIPSY "TOPSY'S" MARGARITA and the RASPBERRY OLD FASHIONED and those were great.
(3)
Alex C.
BEST BURGER!! I came here for my birthday lunch and had not only great service, but one of the best burger I have eaten in my life. It was so delicious, and the best part was it didn't cost me my life savings!! When they found out it was my birthday they gave an ice-cream or sorbet dish.. I have to admit it wasn't really my style but the cookie that came with it was really tasty!
(5)
Jamie S.
Sunday Brunch is delightful for the whole family! Six different Bloody Mary options, and at least as many Mimosa varieties. Pigs in a blanket sounds basic but was amazing. My son ordered this and ended up sharing a bite with each of us (yes, it's that big). I ordered the Mahi tacos and they were mouth watering! My husband got the BLT and there was at least an inch of bacon on the sandwich. Deliciousness all around and the service was superb!
(5)
Rick C.
Great Maple doesn't live up to it's name. It's hardly great -- it's terrible! When you walk up, it's in a great spot in Fashion Island. it looks very inviting, But once you sit down, you start getting the feeling that this is the Newport Beach version of the Claim Jumper. Yech! That's not what I came for. Once our entrees arrived, it WAS just like the Claim Jumper. The entrees were huge and tasted terrible. They were greasy, over carbed, and under cooked. I had a few bites and decided that I couldn't do this to myself. I pushed the plate aside and decided that was it. My wife looked at me and said "this is the worst." She was right. We asked for the bill, paid the check, and left feeling like we'd just been punched in the gut. No thanks. We're done. No more Great Maple for us!
(1)
Judy G.
I think new management might have taken over? Nothing else explains why they would change things that were working. The bread use to be great, but it's now terrible. I use to be able to order a Cesar salad with chicken and it would fill me up, it's not a much smaller portion. What's going on guys? I was a weekly regular, but now I'm taking a break from this place.
(2)
David M.
Went here today for an early dinner with my mom and sister. I got the brisket sandwich, my mom got the spinach salad minus the cheese with chicken, and my sister got the Caesar salad. I was not very impressed. The brisket was very tender, but the sauce they used tasted like a generic BBQ sauce. For an $18 sandwich, I expect a bit more; the sandwich should be $10-12 at most. In addition, the sour cream horseradish sauce does not mix very well with the other sauce. The fries were nicely seasoned and crispy. My mother said the salad was ok. My sister said the Caesar was very good noting that there was a good amount of dressing and the dressing covered each leaf of romain adequately. The service was also sub par. We were there for the change of shift. Our original server (a male whose name I forget) was pleasant and took our order. Before our food came out, he notified us that he was leaving and that another server (whose name I also forget) would take care of us the rest of the way. My sister had ordered a hot tea which never came out. Unfortunately we did not realize that we were charged for it until we arrived back home. When my mothers salad came out without the candied pecans, I asked one of the busboys to call our server. She arrived and took care of the pecans issue quickly and pleasantly. However, that was the last of our interactions until we asked for the bill. I was not offered a refill on my soda. I gave 2 stars because of the salads and the tenderness of the brisket. Overall, the experience was sub par to mediocre. I don't think I will ever go back to Great Maple.
(2)
Carolyn H.
My review is slightly skewed because there are just not good veggiesaur options here...so basically my salad with pear, bleu cheese and pecans was...good. They are definitely packed on the weekends, so plan ahead for that if you don;t want ot wait ages for your table. We were luckily seated within 5 minutes, so I have no complaints there. The service was quick and friendly.
(3)
Elizabeth N.
3 stars for the uninterested waitress who didn't check in on us once. 4 stars to the food, bussers, food runner and overall experience.
(3)
Anna W.
Service at Great Maple was consistently slow today. It wasn't even full or close to a full house. Our waiter took his time bringing anything to us from our drinks to our dessert. The only time he was fast was when he brought us the bill. The excuses ranged from the drinks are being made ten minutes after we ordered, to the bread just getting out of the oven. I decided to try the beef dip, but the beef was so bland. The dip was okay, I guess. I wish I took a photo of it but it didn't look like the previous beef dip I saw on yelp. I also had the tangerine and kumquat mimosa...nothing special...for $12. The food should have been a little bit more deserving of the price. The quality was worse than Lemonade, which has cheaper menu price but better food and nonalcoholic drinks. I feel cheated. I'm only happy to try Great Maple once.
(3)
Jan E.
Last night my husband, sister-in-law visting from Virginia and I went for dinner. We arrived at 8:01 pm. We were told about 8:30. No problem, we walked around. Came back and asked are we close- Oh yes just a few more minuets. We saw tables empty on the patio and thought "oh cool we are going to sit out there". Oh no, other parties were being sat. My husband went up and asked what was going on. Our explanation was that there were tables that were not leaving and very soon. We left at 9pm to go to Cheese Cake Factory. Seated, with bread and drinks and then the text from Great Maple at 10:12 pm "your table is ready" NO THANK YOU. Now my husband and I have eaten there many times at their busy hours and never have had this problem. I was so angry and disappointed that I could not show my sister-in-law what a great place this is. I really will have to rethink if I will be eating there again!
(2)
number one l.
Must try! Salads are the bomb.com My husband had a chicken sandwich, it was also delicious can't wait to go back
(5)
Hersh C.
2 stars because the fries that came with my burger were nice and crispy. Aside from that... Everything was below average. We were very hungry, so we sat at the bar. Figured we would get our meal quicker. Well, I guess bartenders don't take food orders. 15 minutes later, someone else came and took our order. Then they got my order wrong. Once they got our food to us (which came fairly quick. So that was good), no one came to check on us... For like 40 mins!!! My burger was $20 (I added mushrooms $2, onions $1, and bacon $2 on it). I only ate half of it cus there was no seasoning of any sort. The whole time I was thinking... Damn it! I should've gone to In-N-Out!!!!
(2)
Kenny H.
Only tried the happy hour: Beers on draft $4 for a 12 ounce The fish tacos on market price ($7) was good The ceased salad was also good at $6 Well drinks are $5 for happy hour. Great deal !
(4)
Natalie C.
One of my favorite places to brunch on Sunday's! I love the egg white and avocado smash breakfast.
(5)
Tad M.
This is the third time that my wife and I visited the Great Maple. Each visit has gotten progressively dissatisfying. Our first visit was excellent. We sat at the bar, greeted warmly by bartender and he suggested food, drinks and provided excellent service. Second visit was for Sunday brunch. Food was quite tasty and drinks, while pricey, were good. The service was mediocre. Our server seemed overwhelmed with other tables and we were ignored. Our third visit came after an evening of shopping. We wanted a drink before we headed home and decided to sit at the bar. Bartender was engaged in conversations with co-workers and was eating behind the bar while working. He had an open to-go box and was using his fingers to put food in his mouth. To be honest, it was disgusting. We finished our drinks, paid the $30 bill (for two drinks), and left. In the future, our choice will be to not visit the Great Maple.
(2)
Katie C.
Went here the Saturday after thanksgiving and they were able to get us seated right away the food was great and drinks were strong! Making shopping nice! Would definitely come here again
(4)
Steph S.
This is one of my favorite brunch places! I really wish we have a Great Maple in LA. I've eaten here a total of 3 times, each time I've never been disappointed with the food. We were just there yesterday for Easter brunch, and I ordered their Egg Whites and Avocado Smash dish, which was both tasty and healthy. I also love their Poached Egg with Asparagus, which I didn't order this time around. For dessert, the four of us split their Maple Bacon Doughnuts. So I should first mention that normally, I despise the combination of savory/sweet dishes, but I have to admit, their Maple Bacon Doughnuts are a must try! The dough is so incredibly soft and the overall taste isn't as terribly sweet as I feared it would be. I personally wasn't too fond of their Pear Mimosa, I thought there was a tone of bitterness to it, but that's a very minor note. Overall, I always have a very satisfying experience here and I can't wait for my next visit!
(5)
LS H.
decent service, a little overpriced but food was great. don't miss the sweet potato chips, they're the best. i had the lobster salad and with some pleading, got the chips instead of bread. my friend had the ahi tacos, also v good nom nom
(3)
Toosha S.
We enjoyed the carrot ginger soup and great service. Flatbread was good too. Will come again
(5)
Archie L.
Came here for breakfast and left disappointed. $15 brioche French toast logs were two big pieces of white bread with powdered sugar and fake maple syrup. Must have some nice margins on this one. A lot of great breakfast places in Newport, stay away from this one. Gf's scramble melt was better but nothing special. This is a bar and dinner spot, don't waste your money on breakfast. Oh and coffee was awful. Sorry to be so harsh but at least use quality ingredients if you are going to charge those prices. Last but not least, server didn't acknowledge we barely touched our food and took one sip of coffee. I know it's a difficult situation but at least address the issue.
(1)
Kelly G.
Delicious breakfast. The Chorizo Egg Scramble was to die for. And the coffee was nice and strong. Service was attentive. Will definitely visit again when in the area.
(5)
Shawn G.
Venison chile with sliced fig grilled cheese. In cred ible! Spiced right and brilliant. Great beer selection and great service. An easy 5 stars, don't let the other namby pamby posters influence you not to come here.
(5)
Keith F.
Great place to kick back and people watch. My wife and I come here about twice a month when we are shopping, the French dip with truffle fries are the best. I can not give them a five star due to the fact they have really old paper menus with stains all over them. (replace them its cheap). Other than that great place for drinks and lunch.
(4)
Jessi G.
Best brunch. Pear mimosas and french toast with maple syrup and bacon on top. Simply amazing. They only have brunch on Sundays though. :(
(5)
Louie B.
I came to the Great Maple a few nights ago for a work function. Andy was our waiter and he was awesome. He seemed to be there just enough vs nowhere to be found or smothering you. I love this type of service. No balls were dropped either. You would think that a table of 8 would get extra service and I am sure that is the initial intent but oftentimes the orders get screwed up and just the sheer volume of requests will send it in the wrong direction. Once there it is difficult to maintain composure. Way back in the day I was a waiter at the Olive Garden. I totally remember the drill. Anyway, I digress. Andy handled the whole table perfectly. That is the point that I am trying to make here. I ordered the New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass with Risotto and Asparagus and a cup of tortilla soup. The Sea Bass was full of flavor and very yummy. Also I am not the biggest Asparagus fan in the world and I powered that down as well with no problem. Very Tasty. I washed that all down with 2 twenty oz Stella drafts. It was a good experience.
(5)
James Michael S.
Best fish and chips I have had, a must order. The environment and service can be a bit uppity at times but that's to be expected pretty much anywhere in Newport Beach. The inside is open to the outside so you might as well sit on the patio, better view and a lot less stuffy.
(4)
Tiffany M.
Great Maple was so delicious! I had the Mahi Mahi Tacos which have just recently been added to their menu and I am so glad. They have a pretty serious kick to them...not enough for my mouth to burn but I was congested before I ate and I'm not anymore! My friend had one of their grass fed burgers and it looked delicious and he assures me it was. My tacos came with kettle cooked chips and the burger can with pomme frites that were upgraded to be dusted with Parmesan and Truffle oil. Worth it. For sure. I didn't have any of their pie or libations....of which they are famed for....but the food is so good I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy whatever is on the menu.
(5)
Claire S.
It's easy to get lost in the sea of shops and restaurants in Fashion Island, and I'm always eager to avoid food-courtish-areas. Wandering near the fountain, I discovered this place on Yelp, and I'm quite glad I did! The place has a modern, off-the-beat-ish decor, but I quite liked it. All of the staff we interacted with was extremely friendly, and our waiter was really helpful in recommending specific dishes to my table. We ended up going a little overboard on food, ordering the mac and cheese, the beet salad, the kobe beef au jus, and the prosciutto di parma pizza. For two people, it ended up being way too much food (our eyes may have been bigger than our stomachs). The mac and cheese was delicious - rich and creamy, and served piping hot in a small skillet-like dish. My main complaint was the "bacon fired roof" was more a handful of chopped bacon tossed over the top. I may have had higher bacon-thatching expectations, and was a little let down after seeing that. The local beet salad was massive, a pile of arugula on top of a bed of sliced beets, with some baguette crisps, and nut-crusted goat cheese balls. It was more than enough to share with another person, although presentation-wise, I would have tried to highlight the beets more, rather than bury them under the greens. Also, more cheese, please! The prosciutto di parma pizza was AMAZING - a wood-fired pizza coated generously in truffle oil, layered with a bed of prosciutto, sour cream, and cheese, and then a topped by beautiful, runny fried egg. It was delicious, and I would definitely come back just for this beauty. The kobe beef au jus was a huge disappointment, however - I know it's an au jus, but the sandwich itself was so dry, and the bread was stale. I don't think we had more than 2 bites of the entire thing. With such excellent, attentive waiters, I guess I was hoping they would notice how unhappy we were with it, but a) they probably thought we were full and b) next time I'll say something. Otherwise, if I was in the area, I'd definitely come again!
(4)
Joe S.
Came for a quick bite while waiting for my appointment at Nordstrom next door. Delicious fish and chips. Opted for them because it was quick and simple. Many more delicious items to choose from. Wife had the fig and blue cheese flat bread. Nothing over powering but well balanced. Fish was good. Service is quick and friendly. We ordered a drink my wife was not fond of. The server (Emily) took it back and brought an espresso martini to die for We will be back.
(4)
Lindsy H.
Seated quickly at 7pm & had the choice of indoors or cozy, heated patio. Ordered the grilled cheese on baguette app, not starving and the mixed berry fresh lemonade. The hubby ordered the burger w/gruyere cheese & grilled onions and the IPA. The service was good. The ambiance was the typical trendy look w/butcher paper in lieu of table clothes, you know the place. The food was good. The grilled cheese was made with brie, wish I'd known as being pregnant I couldn't eat it :( ended up picking the cheese off & eating the baguette. The honey was a tasty touch. The burger was good, needed more seasoning/flavor, according to the hubs, and the onions were more pickled than grilled. Fun to try someplace new.
(4)
Tayler C.
Great food! Horrible customer waiting staff. It's like they hire high school students as waiters and waitresses. I hope they figure it out cause the food is delicious.
(2)
Jessica W.
Great Maple does salads and sandwiches very well. I really like the chicken sandwich and southwest chopped salad. It is located in Fashion Island which makes it a convenient place to grab a bite to eat while shopping. They have a nice outdoor patio and the portions are definitely large enough to split. The wine list is good and the cocktails are delicious.
(4)
Tami D.
My husband and I came here for lunch during the week. We got seated right away on the restaurant's pretty patio, and the weather was so nice outside on this beautiful California day! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… We both ordered the Wood Fired Chicken Cobb Salad. With tender chicken, pieces of blue cheese, bacon, tomato, hardboiled egg, avocado, and fresh romaine lettuce, our salads were delicious! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… The service was friendly and efficient. Our waitress got our drinks right away, and our meals came out quickly. We also came here right after lunch, so the patio was nice and quiet. yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… We were really pleased with the food and service here! For a relaxing lunch on this restaurant's patio, this is a wonderful place to take a break from shopping and grab a nice bite to eat.
(4)
Jen T.
It's about time I tried this place! Been on my bookmarks for awhile Portobello fries: it's nothing compared to Bottega Louie's in LA. Drenched in oil, very soggy. What a waste of these delicious portobellos. Turkey burger: it's good but not amazing! Bread was good but it took over the entire sandwich, got sick of it. Pommes frites was exactly how I like them! Prosciutto di Parma (woodfired pizza): favorite dish! White truffle oil.. Soo yummy! I really enjoyed the egg with the pizza... It helped to tone down the strong flavors of prosciutto, cheese and sour cream. Yes...sour cream.. I don't think it's the sour cream we put on our baked potatoes or at chipotle. But it was surprisingly delicious and complemented well with the pizza. I do want to give this place another shot.. Enjoy! :)
(3)
Risya L.
Brandon, I took your advice and came back, and boy am I happy you did! I had Evan as our waiter outside in the patio. He was just amazing! Talk about on top of his game. Every time my water was empty it was filled, he would come back numerous times to make sure we were okay and was enjoying everything. From the appetizer to the meal. From being greeted by Julia, who was just the sweetest host I had ever chit chatted with while waiting for my boyfriend to join me. This experience was just all around much much better then before. We will be back, and bringing our friends and family with us!
(5)
Candice S.
We love Great Maple and go as often as possible, especially for the maple bacon donuts with a glass of milk. The service can sometimes be spotty, there are days it's great (ask for Edward) and others where it deserves 2 stars at best (I'll refrain from naming the server). We've only had one item on the menu that we wouldn't order again - the lobster roll - but everything else we've had has been spectacular, especially the muscles and the grilled cheese with Brie and honey. My only wish is that they would recognize that CA is in a severe drought and stop serving water automatically. I hope to go back one day and see them be more responsible and only serve water when asked for it by a guest.
(4)
Ingrid V.
Ok, I'm going against the grain here and contradicting my Yelp friends as I had a phenomenal experience here... twice!! Again, it boils right down the great service and good food put together. Rewinding back to late summer, my hubs and I had a late lunch here. We had a phenomenal server whom I am totally forgetting his name. Damn the Alzheimer's! From here on out, I will refer to him as "TASD" (Totally Awesome Server Dude.) Anyway, TASD, from the start made great recommendations, was on top of refills, and was very friendly and chatty without being intrusive. He had great timing, and even brought us a complimentary Gelato for it being our first visit there! My Pan Seared Scottish Salmon was good, and my hub's East Coast Pulled Pork was tender and juicy. Pulled Pork: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Salmon: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Half eaten Gelato (sorry I wasn't fast enough lol!) yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Before we left, I decided that I wanted to host my bridesmaids luncheon here and asked TASD if he would be available on a late Saturday afternoon in October because I simply HAD to have him take care of our table. Mind you, I've done a lot of time as a restaurant manager and I knew that there was no way for TASD to predict if he would have a shift for certain on a given weekend day. TASD earnestly told me that he would certainly try to be on that shift in October. Fast Forward to a sunny October late afternoon. My bridesmaids and I walk in, and get seated. TASD walks by, remembers me from 2 months prior and goes "OH HI!!!! YOU'RE HERE!!" and subsequently asks his manager if he could take care of our table, since I had requested him. TASD takes INCREDIBLE CARE of our table, chats it up with all the bridesmaids, all the while not missing a beat with his other tables, (because, yes... i was watching. You can take the girl out of the restaurant business, but you can't take the restaurant business outta the girl.) He makes great recommendations, and even finds a way to make one of their mind-blowing cocktails non-alcoholic for my maid-of-honor who can't drink. (it makes her feel very ill.) Here's some of the menu offerings we had: Portabello Mushroom Fries. (FOODGASMIC!): yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Terrific Pacific. (Mahi Sandwich): yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Bananas Foster Sundae: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Gah! It is really bugging me that I am blanking on TASD's name. Guess I'll just have to go back. Oh man. It's rough, but someone's gotta do it. EDIT: I got OCD and ended up going through old receipts in an effort find TASD's name. I found it. It's Brett. THANK YOU BRETT!! :)
(5)
Lynn Z.
I have eaten here many times but never was I more shocked to see Bar Staff use their bare hands to pull garnishes for drinks. Even more outrageous was when one of the female servers came up to wait for drinks and while she waited she had her hand up to her knuckles into the sliced Lemons!!!
(1)
Herb B.
I had gone to Great Maple shortly after they opened in 2011 and had a bad experience as is often the case with a new restaurant. If I never went back to restaurants because of an occasional foul up, I'd be left eating my wife's crappy food at home all the time (just kidding honey, LOL). Over the last year a group of us from work have been working G.M. into the rotation for lunch and have been very pleased with both the service as well as the food. They clearly have worked out the kinks and I would recommend it to anyone. Their food is a little bit healthier than most restaurants and quite tasty. They have and excellent beer selection as well. A little bit pricey, but not over the top.
(4)
Isabella B.
According to the website, the focus of this restaurant is "Seasonal Produce, Responsible Seafood and Farm Fresh Meats". The concept seemed honest enough, so my family decided to try it after shopping in Fashion Island. Ambiance is cozy. One cool feature about the restaurant is that you can see the kitchen staff prepare the food and leave it for the waiters. The kitchen is not as transparent as other kitchens like True Foods, but you can still see people moving about. I would find myself watching the staff as I waited for the food. Service was good. My only minor complaint about the service was that we had to ask for our waters after we got our drinks (because my sister only got water). The issue was resolved quickly and waters were brought immediately afterwards by one of the bussers. My entree was the seasonal seafood, scallops with red wine sauce on the side served with roasted tomatoes and saffron risotto. The scallops were excellent - texture was a little firm but bouncy and easily sliced with a fork. The risotto, however, was not what I expected; I expected more saffron flavor and I felt it didn't complement the dish. My mom's dish was what I was going to get originally before I heard the description for the seasonal seafood - moules frites. This is my first time tasting the Belgian classical dish. I liked the presentation in the black clay pot. The mussels tasted like white wine. Texture was good, but I felt as if the taste was a bit one-dimensional. I might come here to try the libations or should my family want to go back here, but I'm not going to personally go out of my way to come here. Even if the restaurant's mission is something I would like to incorporate more often into what I eat, what's the point of spending money if it doesn't taste as good as it says it is?
(3)
David T.
Drinks are amazing here! Portobello fries, YUM! and I don't even care for mushrooms.. nice staff and great decor.
(5)
Pam P.
Cute place and nice servers. But it's supposed to be "farm fresh" and it's not. Ordered a beet salad based around heirloom tomatoes. Well, anyone that knows anything about food would never refrigerate a tomato - it makes it mealy. Well, the tomatoes in this dish were cold and mealy! Hardly farm fresh. My daughter had the grilled cheese off the kids menu and she was done with it in 10 seconds and left hungry. Cute place but the food's not great.
(2)
Raymond H.
I went here with work colleagues for a business lunch and we sat down and about passed out from heat exhaustion inside. It was a 98 degree day at the beach and this place had no fans on patio. We opted to sit inside. They do not have or did not want to use the AC and therefore it was about 99 degrees inside with kitchen heat etc. we had to walk out and eat at Nordstrom cafe. Bummer because waking by it caught our eye that the salads looked great. Would never have gone otherwise. Poor experience and manger didn't even apologize as we left. 2 stars for sheer lack of hospitality and no explanation as to what the hell was going on.
(2)
Dee A.
Today was a perfect day to dine at this place...beautiful sunny OC weather....not too warm and not too cold. It was a gorgeous day! Right when we got to the place, they immediately seated us outside the patio. It was a good size outdoor seating with a view of the beautiful fountain right outside Nordstrom. The decor was nicely done. It was casual, but with a touch of elegance. The entire ambiance was perfect to enjoy a pleasant and joyous conversation over a well-prepared meal. The servers were friendly and responsive. They took our drinks order right away, and came back with it instantly. Although, I must say that we had to flag a bus boy to give us some bread and butter. But he responded without a delay and got us some warm freshly baked bread and creamy, tasty butter. It was quite a treat. For the main entree, I ordered the New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass with Risotto and Asparagus ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ). My friend got the Terrific Pacific Grilled Mahi Sandwich with Truffle Fries ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ). The main dish I ordered was so delicious! The Sea Bass was very well prepared. It was fresh, juicy, and hardly had a taste of fishiness to it. But what made it even better was the Risotto! It was creamy, tasty, flavorful, and simply delicious! A White Wine Au Jus with shallots and mushrooms was poured around the top of the Risotto that gave a perfect balance to the heavy creamy cheesy taste of it. The Asparagus was also grilled and flavored to perfection. The entire entree was absolutely splendid! Definitely a must- try! My friend also enjoyed her Grilled Mahi Sandwich. I couldn't keep my hands off her Truffle Fries. It was really good! It was crispy, and savory! The truffle flavor was quite a delight. This place is already on my list of fave places to indulge in OC.
(4)
Brian C.
Place is amazing our waitress Rose was unbelievable would recommend this to all my friends
(5)
Jay H.
A nice location in Fashion Island. Menu and food was good but service was mediocre. Ambience-Casual, lively, and busy. Food- My wife loved the roasted pork belly sandwich; the steak was great but not for the price. My lobster roll was lacking in flavor. Service- I understand they were a little busy. But had to ask multiple times for refills and utensils because he kept forgetting them. Asked for Coke, received Diet coke. Unacceptable!
(3)
Lily Z.
Loved my classic Bloody Mary and Fries but so so on rest of food items, service and ambiance. We went Sunday so only had brunch menu but ordered from lunch items. The hamburger had too much bread to meat and bread so so. Roast chicken dish while described beautifully to be served with root vegetables turned out to be only two orange carrots. The kitchen noise and music was too loud so hard to talk. Also our food took forever. The adjacent tables who both arrived after us got there food first and one table even nearly finished before our food arrived. When I asked the waitress she just made an excuse it was because we ordered our hamburger "med-well" really??? To be hones it was pretty pink so looked more like Med. I could be wrong but the other table had over six guests and their items seemed pretty elaborate. A simple "I'm sorry and will check would have been fine".
(2)
Laina A.
I wanted to like you Great Maple, but you fell far short. Over priced and not worth it. I met up for lunch with fellow yelper Cathy S. and we decided to splurge and have a pricier lunch. Now I've heard from plenty of non-yelpers in my office that this place is okay/overrated/too expensive, and you know what, they were right! Why are there 2 pictures??? These were both my orders! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… My salad was unacceptable and had to go! Pink in my chicken, no way. Things just kept falling apart. Our waiter, who up to then had been good, did a close up stare at my food, I was surprised he didn't pick it up with his fingers to examine it. He then took it away for a conference with others, including a manager. The manager then came over to explain that in order for him to write it off he needed to know what was wrong. I guess my explanation of "not-cooked-enough" chicken wasn't enough?! I said I did not want a new one made and would go with the burger. The positives: my burger was very good, albeit overcooked, I asked for medium and it was medium well. the fries were good. the complimentary bread was fine nothing special, but the butter served with it was really delicious, flavored with sea salt, another spice I couldn't identify and some lemon zest. With prices of $14 and add $2 if you want cheese, it should have been Kobe beef in my burger. Definitely not worth the money. $3.15 for iced tea that I barely got a refill on, not worth the money. The decor is nice with all the wood, but they have these hideous red plastic-looking (probably lucite) chandeliers that look like they came from Ikea.
(2)
amir y.
Our server Eddy was great and he made the experience awesome! The flatbread appetizer and spicy chicken sandwich were awesome. I highly recommend this place for dinner or date night, I've heard the brunch is really good too I want to try it!
(4)
Sin-Yaw W.
Arrived early for some self-time reading at the bar. The cocktail was excellently made (you would think Gin tonic is an easy thing to mix? This place did it well.) Followed by the red wine of the day and the IPA beer. All were good. My seat mate and I conspired to share a burger and a rack of ribs. Both were excellent. The burger (medium) was delicious with the blue-cheese and grill onion. The meats of the ribs literally fell off the bones and were moist and flavorful. We tried apple pie, chocolate cake, and an another dessert that has peanuts in it. They were attacked and cleaned up very quickly. The whole table (14 people) all had a great time.
(5)
Matthew G.
Absolutely phenomenal. Great service. Great food. Go check it out. We just stopped by for a drink and the food looked so good we decided to have lunch. Good decision on our part. Loved it.
(5)
Kris S.
Excellent food - both our entrees (burger and the house pasta) and the appetizer (grilled cheese baguette) were delicious. Service was spot on. Will return.
(5)
Elizabeth S.
Came here for lunch after some shopping. Ordered a cheese board and a salad with two yummy cocktails ( California cooler and wise berry punch). The cheese board was awesome! The salad never came and the service was very slow and nonexistent. Three stars for the cocktails and cheese board. :)
(3)
Melissa K.
I've been meaning to write a full review for this place. Over the past year or so, I have been here 5 or more times for lunch and dinner. Their website notes they offer "seasonal produce." True to form, the menu has changed since I first started coming here. I miss the Pots and Greens salad I used to get with the potato zucchini pancake, so I hope they bring it back for the Spring. That information aside, I've always enjoyed my meals here. Tonight's early dinner was no exception. Firstly, I haven't seen the seemingly stuck-up hosts in the past couple visits, which is nice. The hosts this evening were warm and welcoming, just the way hosts should be. When seated, our server greeted us right away and took our drink orders as well as introduced himself and *shook our hands* while asking *our* names. Before I go on bragging about Andy--a handsome redhead with a colorful tattoo sleeve, a cool hairstyle and a nice personality--please allow me to indulge in elaborating my past experiences. Typically my experiences with the wait staff at Great Maple have been very lackluster. My first experience our server seemed like he wasn't mentally present, my others weren't anything to write home about, my second to last was nice but... didn't go beyond that. You'll notice that the bussers will bring you your food as well as pick up empty plates if the server does not... Which is exactly what our second to last server did. I even did the old "leave your empty plate at the table edge" trick and he let it sit there so long I eventually just moved it to the other side of the table. I don't know if he thought it was beneath him to clear a plate or what, but it certainly left me peeved. This evening's experience exceeded all of my expectations. Andy was patient while my mom and I took several minutes to decide what we wanted and even did some plate clearing!!! *gasp* My mom had a cup of coffee, which is brewed fresh and served with a side of warmed cream so the coffee doesn't get cold when it's added. I ordered a tangerine cosmopolitan, which has fresh citrus pulp and is shaken so cold it had a thin layer of ice on top--kudos, bartender! It is delicious. We started our meal with the creamy polenta and prosciutto small plate. It was DIVINE. The polenta was fluffy as well as creamy, so I felt as though I wasn't being sooo lush. The prosciutto was crispy on the outside and didn't even have that gamy flavor which it can sometimes have. Mom had the spinach salad with chicken added. The spinach salad has fresh, ripe strawberries, lightly candied pecans and is quite a healthy serving! I couldn't finish my heirloom and cherry tomato salad either (probably spoiled my appetite with that amazing polenta). However, it was a very satisfying salad. Every bite was perfectly ripe and the burrata on the salad was creamy and tasty. And while the food was great, Andy's genuine attentiveness is what has really changed my mind about the place, and is the primary reason I'm giving the restaurant a 5-star rating. To impress me, it's about the details...to which Andy clearly pays attention. When he carded me for the cosmo I was having a hard time getting my ID out of it's slippery covering in my wallet, so he showed me a trick to help it out! (You stick another card behind it to keep the ID from sticking to the leather.) Overall his friendly personality made my mom and I feel like welcome acquaintances in his home, not like any old diners in a restaurant. Honorable food mentions: -Warm bread -Fave small plate (before I tasted the polenta): Asparagus with shaved pecorino -fresh basil pesto flatbread -individual apple pie PS. May have to update later about my slice of cherry pie I took home!
(5)
Amy C.
Given that this place is a hit and miss by yelpers... It's leaning more toward a miss for me :( It was busy for a Sunday at 11:45 and the restaurant opens at 11. For drinks I had a cucumber Collins and my friend got a mimosa of some kind. Drinks were backed up at the bar...hmmm and when it came out, there wasn't too much alcohol in it, not worth the $12. For food I ordered the beef Wellington, came with potatoes,2 poached eggs and fruit. My friend ordered the beef dip, came w/ a salad. We told the waiter I wanted the salad and she will have my fruit. Food came out plated wrong... Fruit on my plate was 3 halves of fingerling potatoes and egg whites. My friend had the salad. It didn't look at our so we told the food delivery guy it wasn't ours. Could have been someone else's. Our waiter came back and asked if I didn't want the beef Wellington, I looked at him and said it was plated wrong and if it only came with 3 half potato fingerlings and he said yes...wow! I asked for house bread but didn't come until after out entree was delivered because it just came out of the oven... How do you not have bread 45 min into service??? I passed on the bread... What's the point?? Beef Wellington was ok, the pastry was soggy due to the sauce. I did get 6 halves of potato fingerlings... Instead of the three halves. The lady next us ordered the same and she got 5 halves of potatoes... Inconsistent! The beef in my friends beef dip ($19) didn't have any flavor. She had to soak her meat in the dip and add Siracha to it. Btw, she had a tummy ache when she got home... Decided to get the apple pie...the crust was good for not the 5 small apples that was in the pie. Not worth the $10 but it does feed 3-4 ppl. Btw, I was asked if I wanted coffee ... But the Espressos machine was down. Lol! Total bill came out to be $71... Too expensive for the quality of food and service in my opinion. Place was understaffed - if you want a restaurant this big, staff it rt and have food available!! I hate tipping 15%...waiter service was sub par, we were pretty much ignored after the food came out the 2nd time... so I didn't tip the 'normal' 15%... I tipped the drinks differently... I am hesitant to come back... Maybe if I'm not paying ha ha! I'm giving this place a rounded up 3..the SD location has better reviews, I may hit that place up nxt time I'm there...
(3)
David N.
There really is nothing good to write about this place. Our server was extremely slow and she didn't seem like she knew what she was doing. I ordered the fish and chips, and I enjoyed the presentation of the dish, however the fish was very bland. The tartar sauce didn't help as well. My friend ordered a pasta, and the pasta was just horrible. I hope they make some changes to the quality of their food, because it's much needed.
(1)
Kira M.
We are avid fans of the San Diego location. But this place is a sad imitation of the original. The cocktails were watered down and the food flavorless and unimaginative. The wait staff was underwhelming too. Bummer....
(2)
Nicole S.
A group of us attempted to have dinner here and had a mediocre to bad experience. Our server had several of our orders wrong and several meals were over or under-cooked. Also, we tried to order a few things on the menu that couldn't be served, because they were out of season. I thought this was a seasonal restaurant? The best part was having our server spill a glass of red wine on me and my white dress. After the last visit (my 3rd or 4th), I will not be returning. Ever.
(2)
Annette B.
Birthday brunch surprise - : parking is a mess when shopping is in full swing at Fashion Island; get there early enough if you have plans with friends + : friendly hostess seated us right away (no reservations); lively ambiance indoors, quieter and brighter ambiance in the patio Ordered standard American dishes which were good and filling. We enjoyed the patio setting and our waiter was welcoming.
(4)
Kathy J.
Today, i decided to try a different place. I loved the exterior and interior design! I guess that drew me in! Ok so, i read the menu but it wasn't anything "original" @ all! Just basics.. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, soup du jour..some starters. So im thinking, all this popularity & talks of the Great Maple restaurant..even the basics are most likey REALLY GOOD! I order the cobb salad & this interesting, "mini beef wellington. It was probably the grossest cobb ive had & the mini beef welling ton was very dissappointing! :( NOT GOING TO GO THERE AGAIN! Just informing! Dont waste your money there! I shouldve stuck to one of my faaavorite places, R&D cafe!!
(2)
Michele K.
Review for happy hour only which is between 4:30-6:30 every day (i believe). This place is the epitome of A-OK. My friend and I were walking around fashion island and stumbled across this place. We decided to check out their happy hour menu because they had $4 appetizers. Happy Hour is self seating at the bar, the couch outside, and this awkward little two person table that's right next to the entrance. When we walked up to the hostess and told her we wanted to try their happy hour, she seemed really clueless and kind of ignored us... totally rude. The awkward side table was open, so we sat ourselves down. The girl that brought us the menus failed to bring us all the menus and when I asked her questions about their HH & drink selections she was completely clueless and didn't know what her own restaurant had to offer. I was pretty embarrassed for her. We ordered the BLT sliders and the Onion Rings. The BLT sliders were pretty good, but wasn't anything out of the ordinary.. just your basic BLT sandwich condensed down in to a few bites and on a bun instead of sandwich bread. The onion rings were a little over-fried, but weren't terrible. The appetizers are very reasonably priced but are also very mediocre and forgettable. All in all, besides the clueless/ignorant employees, this place is all right. I would come here if I didn't want to wait for other happy hours.
(3)
Happy S.
So disappointed. Been wanting to try this place and last week after we finished a long day of shopping stopped by for dinner. The calamari appetizer was boring and flavorless and we had to ask for silverware from our not so friendly waiter in order to eat it. Unfortunately the experience continued downhill from there. My husband's fish and chips was greasy, almost burnt and lacked flavor or much fish for that matter. I ordered my grass fed beef burger to be cooked medium and it came out beyond well done....dry as a hockey puck. The truffle fries were a sad disappointment. We paid our $70 for dinner and learned a valuable lesson: skip this place.
(1)
Chris P.
May daughter and I were hungry and we do not live in the area. We had been shopping at Nordstom and thought their menu looked like it had enough of a variety. We were seated right away and then a waiter came and took our drink orders. Then a different waiter came and took our food orders. We both got the French Dip and added French Fries. We received our food very quickly. We both were really pleased. As we dined, our food waiter came and asked if we needed refills (yes) and walked away. We were watching him fill other diners glasses with water and wondering where our drinks were. Just as we were about to give up, he came with our drinks and apologies that the bar was backed up. Other than this little glitch I would dine here again. A little pricy, but I am sure it caters to the area. Next time we shop out at Fashion Island, I will visit Great Maple!
(3)
Chris E.
Very good food and very good service. Prices are in line with the OC & Fashion Island - higher than usual but it is what it is. Outdoor seating is great in typical SoCal weather.
(4)
Tamara M.
Tried this place for dinner. I had the spicy chicken sandwich with a side of truffle fries. I'm not a big french fry eater, but I will say that the truffle fries were really good. The sandwich was pretty big. Chicken breast was seasoned well, but the ciabatta bread was so hard it was difficult to eat it. Don't order this one unless you are OK with getting messy. There was no saving that white napkin after I was finished with it. The banana split dessert is amazing. Definitely recommend getting this! It is really big so you can definitely split it. The two of us didn't even finish the whole thing. The drinks are pricey. $12-$14 each. We didn't have any, but there are some really exotic sounding drinks on the menu. They have a happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30, so we may go check it out and try a couple drinks then when they are less expensive. It was very busy when we were dining, but service was not awful like some people have said in their reviews. Our waiter was busy the entire time and our food came out quickly.
(4)
Carlyn T.
I went there for lunch and I already want to come back. I had their house pasta and every bite was yummy, I didn't want it to end. They have a wide variety of flatbreads, sandwhiches, and seafood. They also have a Sunday brunch and a great dessert menu. We had the delicious apple pie. Service was up to par.
(5)
Cryssy M.
Ok food. Ok drinks. Service was ok. Pretty vanilla in such an amazing local. I do have to say the paper they have on their tables is annoying. Why not leave them bare? Also, they allow other food to be brought in and eaten. If you ask me it cheapens the establishment. When I'm paying $70 for lunch with only two glasses of Rosè for a party of 3, I don't want to watch you eat your carls jr salad!! Just sayin...
(2)
JF T.
They have a good wine selection and the food is good too. We like to sit at the bar though and service has gone way downhill. The bartenders used to be super interactive and speedy. The last few times we've been in, it takes awhile to be acknowledged even though they aren't busy. They seem to be more interested in chatting with each other and watching TV than paying attention to customers that come in. This used to be one of our favorite places, but it's dropped down the list considerably.
(3)
Julie D.
Stopped in for a cheese plate appetizer before a movie. It was good. Ambiance is fun. Fashion island always is.
(4)
Irene D.
You'll never find a bargain eatery at Fashion Island but this place has good food & a nice atmosphere. We enjoyed a BLT type sandwich, a burger with delicious fries & a baby greens salad. The specialty cocktail was good too. Service was friendly & efficient. We'd go back.
(4)
J M.
I couldn't resist they had English popovers and I had to try them. Neither my friend or myself had ever had them and they were YUMMY! I should probably have started with the fact that I'd never eaten there before. There was a little bit of confusion with the menu because we thought our sandwiches also came with a salad. I didn't want to argue the point but I am not sure how both of us with our own menu agendas could have both missed it. That aside we both ended up ordering the very same sandwich but different sides. The lobster roll was mostly awesome, fresh roll, fresh lobster, fresh greens.... needed a little salt and pepper. My truffle fries were perfect and even the ketchup had a little bite to it that went well (I should mention I usually ONLY eat ketchup if there is something wrong with the fries but I thought it warranted trying). My friend had the mashed potatoes and those were also very good. We shared the apple pie for dessert and the crust was perfectly flaky and the apples were just right. Our main complaint was that they gave us spoons to eat it with instead of forks. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Renata A.
Yesterday was my first time in this amazing place. Food tastes amazing, beautiful people and excellent service. Even thought it was a busy night we didn't have to wait to get a table. Food and drink kept coming really fast. Best of all, we got there minutes before happy hour ended but our host offered the deal for us. I will definitely come back!! My truffles fries was amazing ....
(5)
Bradley F.
I had the Mahi Mahi tacos. Wow, they were spicy. Had a great kick to it. It's something worth trying. Service was good and the waiter was friendly. I will be back!
(5)
Joe I.
More like 3.5 stars. Friendly service. Nice patio to eat and people watch. I had the pig and fig sandwich. It was very good. Salty and sweet components. Had the banana split and coffee.
(3)
Felicity K.
Looked like a fun place to try while shopping. Stopped in and tried a plate of orange glazed ribs. Big serving on account of most places dont serve you many. Great mashes potatoes. Great service. Nice ambience and atmosphere.
(3)
Nine S.
Came here for lunch for the first time, since I never think of dining here when I am always frequenting Fashion Island. Glad I finally tried it today. We sat in outside patio dining area where it is great to people watch - with shoppers and foot traffic going back and forth from Nordstrom & Fashion Island. Wonderful service from Hannah. She helped to suggest delicious sandwich choices since we were both wavering back and forth.. We enjoyed our lamb burger with truffle fries, and pastrami Reuben. After I also noticed that many around us had ordered French dip - it looked quite delicious. The key lime pie dessert was very tasty! Their complimentary bead is served in a bread bag, very interesting and different, served with salted butter and just a sprinkle of herbs. Will definitely come back to try the delicious looking beef French dip sandwich with the onion rings on top, looks very tasty...
(4)
Rebecca D.
Best restaurant at Fashion Island! I come here at least once a month and everything from the libations to the menu items are delicious.
(5)
Ellie D.
How this place doesn't have 5 stars? It's absolutely perfect! The food is amazing the ambiance is perfect and we love the staff! My boyfriend and I have turned this into our regular date night restaurant. We're tried many different food items from small plates, pasta, sandwiches and the flat iron steak. They always leave us speechless! If its your first time definitely try the grilled cheese small plate with clover honey and rosemary oil. Their take on the French dip kept me coming back. One last thing... Their bartenders, Grant and Rachel in particular, are amazing!
(5)
Sid A.
Nice location, simple menu with great options! Everything is made with fresh ingredients and is well portioned. Took my family here and all 8 of us had a great time. Priced a few dollars high per entree more than I'd like for lunch, but overall we had a great time. Looking forward to trying the brunch sometime.
(4)
Susan R.
Just got back from The Great Maple for my daughter's 18th birthday -- a nice, casual dinner with family. Our group came in a few at a time, and our waitress, Hadyn, was so patient, checking in every time another person got there. We ordered a few orders of popovers--DELISH, and then our meals were perfect. Sandwiches, salads, pasta, hamburgers, polenta, cake -- everything was fresh and flavorful. Hadyn was good natured and happily took a bunch of family photos for us. We never felt rushed and had a very relaxed, happy evening with family.
(5)
Brendon D.
Sat at the bar during happy hour and loved it. It was relaxed with a good mix of folks around the bar. The happy hour menu is better than I thought it would be since I was at Fashion Island. We had the truffle fries and they were killer. My buddy tried the grilled cheese and loved it. The cocktails are good/strong. Don't half step. Bar is small, so if you come and it's crowded sit outside on the patio and people watch.
(4)
jimmy n.
Just OK food server was great sweet and friendly. Corkage fee was 20.00 per bottle and i hate tipping on corkage fee so the waitress gets screwed and once again the greedy restauranteur gets the goods
(1)
Justin T.
This restaurant is placed in a great location in fashion island. Unfortunately, the prices don't equate to the quality of food here. A friend and I ate here last Friday night, and my favorite part was not the food, but the offering of Ballast Point on draft. I ordered a spicy grilled chicken sandwich that had lots of flavor and I would definitely recommend that. But, the mixed greens was a waste of space on my plate. In addition, my friend's salad was tasteless with too much dressing. That is hard to do. The lettuce was of the same type as Chipotle and the chicken was cold.
(3)
Barry P.
Outstanding cafe! My boss took us here for lunch today. I tried the fried mushroom appetizer, which was absoultely delicious. Grilled asparagus ... good. Got a cappuccino ... it was very good. Chicken tortilla soup was just okay. Had a seared ahi salad nicoise for my meal, which was nothing special at all. I was actually surprised how boring it was. The dressing was good, and the ahi was nice. But it was pretty average for an $18 salad. I liked the ambiance, service, etc. You must try the apple pie here! That may be the best I've ever had. The brown sugar-butter sauce was to die for. The ice cream was quality. I would definitely come back here!
(4)
Eagle B.
We arrive at Great Maple pretty late so we are very hungry. Me and my wife ordered Seabass and salmon. The Seabass served with Risotto which undercook. Very very surprise .... the price totally doesn't match with quality and service this restaurant. Never ever come back .... !!!
(1)
Laura C.
Let's just say Truffle fries! Omg Iove truffle fries and order them every chance I can get and shouldn't ;) but these were some of the best yet! We came here for my birthday dinner last night. I love the decor-hanging lights and open porch! We all loved our food. We had moules, newport sandwich (so fresh), burger, and blt which had such good bacon we all tried it-it is called great maple after all! Will be back soon-and maybe even for their happy hour!!
(5)
James C.
We came in on a Sunday evening and I don't know if services didn't want to be there, but I barely saw any smiles from there faces. In turn, it really translated into the food. It was just OK. Btw, ordered Fish n Chips. We had to ask all the time to have our waters and drinks filled, was nvr asked or automatically just done. Serves our food yet nvr gave us utensils to use, DUH! As far as going back, I'd be embarrassed to recommend the place to anyone. Also, not worth the price.
(2)
Gina L.
My husband and I went here for brunch and I got the French toast logs, they were so amazing, big and tasted so good! He got the bacon egg scramble and that was delicious too! I've also ate here for dinner and the service and food was very good! Oh and for brunch they have a good assortment of bloody Mary's and mimosas! Yum :)
(5)
Amy S.
The 4-star rating is for the food. The brunch menu is packed full of good choices that deliver on expectations. (Try the mini beef wellingtons with poached eggs) Equally enjoyable are the drinks - there is a wide vriety of bloody Marys and mimosas to enhance your meal. The real failing of Great Maple (and the reason why it is only an occasional destination for us) are the high prices. The meal was easily twice the price that we would have paid in a different location.
(4)
Racquel D.
LOVED the food, service and atmosphere. My friend and I ordered the Mini Beef Wellington as our appetizer. It was an appropriate amount and cooked to perfection! For our entrees, I ordered the Lobster Ravioli and she ordered the Lamb Burger, protein style. We both were extremely happy with our meals! The raviolis were rich as expected. They give you four large raviolis. We finished with the apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, as suggested by our wonderful and attentive server! Definitely returning soon.
(5)
Bryson H.
Grass-fed beef available! This place is great, and every time I vacation to California I attempt to stop here for a meal. I'm a big fan of their steaks, and their sides are always fresh and delicious. The veggies are vibrant and taste great. I'm going to be honest here: I don't remember why, at the time I visited, I marked this review in draft mode with 4 stars instead of 5. I don't remember anything negative about this place in the three times I've been. However, I'm sure there was a reason. (I hope...) When I go back here again (which I definitely will), if it's a 5-star experience I will update this review. If it's a 4-star, I'll update with the exact reason why.
(4)
Cat W.
LOVED this place. So cute inside, higher end diner feel. Had there maple donuts and coffee and was amazed by everything. Free coffee refills was a change from other places. Excited to go back soon and try other menu items!
(5)
Liv Y.
Yummy late lunch! The food was tasty with truly good-sized portions and lots of options. The atmosphere is nice--located on the interior of Fashion Island with live music right outdoors. The decor is trendy. Food: We ordered Mahi sandwich, Ahi Nicose salad, and their beef burger with truffle fries. Everything was so fresh and flavorful! The menu items were unique and satisfying. Service: Rose was very nice! She always made sure our drinks were filled and had a very genuine, warm personality. Wait a minute...got the bill and were charged an INCLUDED 20% GRATUITY? FOR A PARTY OF 6? Now we did enjoy service but I think this is going waaaay out of your limits, Great Maple. 18%? Fine. But 20? Rude.
(4)
Mari S.
I had the best cobb salad at the Great Maple! It's one of my favorite salads, and I can't remember a better rendition of this salad. It was prepared more rustic and loaded with delicious ingredients, and their buttermilk blue cheese dressing = excellent! Can't wait to return to try other dishes. BTW......the service was so friendly and professional.
(5)
Adriana R.
BEYOND DISAPPOINTING!!! My boyfriend and I love to try new restaurants when we travel. We found "The Great Maple" in San Diego. We were Amazed at their menu, presentation, drinks and all of their specialty Bloody Mary's and the BEST OF ALL TIMES 'Maple doughnuts with bacon bites' To die for. I mean this place is everything you wished for (at least for us). As we were walking out we both were saying to each other on how much we both would love a location near home. So on our way out we asked the hosts, she mentioned this one in New Port. My boyfriend and I could NOT wait to try it... Wrong, wrong, wrong choice :( this place is NOTHING like the Great Maple in SD. The food wasn't great, their menu was not like the restaurant in SD (90% change) the waiter didn't even know about the Bloody Mary's!!!!!!!!!!! And they don't make the Amazing Signature Doughnuts!!!! So sad! We both left disappointed and will NEVER return to the New Port location. COMPLETE FALSA ADVERTISEMENT! If they are going to have restaurants of the same chain, shouldn't they ALL have similarities to the extend? We can't wait to head back to SD that place will definitely be a MUST every time. And we are bringing home some of those doughnuts!
(1)
Andrew R.
I really think this place is right on to it's rating. A 3.5. I chose to give the higher rating just because It was just good enough to eat here again. Our table varied from very happy (sandwich, pasta) to send it back I can't believe you served this to me (salad). The sandwich was very good. The pasta was great, the clams and pork belly was an excellent appetizer. All had a lot of flavor. The salad, I don't know what happened with that but it really lacked dressing. Really plain and the lettuce wasn't fresh at all. It was so bad it got sent back. The service was overall average. The waiter was nice, water was constantly filled. The food did not come out all at once. That is a big annoyance for me. The waiter handled the bad salad well, he made up for it with an apple pie. This is where this place gets it's 4th star. The apple pie was something else. It isn't just a slice it's a round, small complete pie. If you are in this mall and are hungry, this is a good place to go. I wouldn't venture to here from outside 10 minutes just for this restaurant though
(4)
Adem S.
Nice lunch I was there on Saturday for lunch.The restaurant was packed and noisy. I sat at the bar.Shane is a great guy.I ordered crispy Calamari.It was too Hot & Spicy for me so I returned it.,Thanks Shane and ordered Today's salad Which was phenomenal with Lobster,mango& avocado.Then I ordered New Zealand sea bass, it was good but little dry then I ordered Signature apple pie.It was good also.thanks.Actually it deserves 4.5 Stars.I will be back
(4)
Juliana P.
Ordered the Great Maple Chopped Salad - it was huge!!! and absolutely delicious. I loved the salami, mozzarella, and wood roasted chicken combo. It was Saturday evening so we had to wait about 45 minutes without a reservation, which was not too bad. Overall, ambiance was very nice. Outside seating area was a little rowdy but c'est la vie. We also got a free slice of cherry pie. 10/10 would go again! Maybe next time to try the St. Germaine Nicoise Salad or the Lobster Bisque Ravioli!
(4)
Thu D.
Went here for brunch on a Sunday, was seated right away. The place eventually got crowded closer to noon. I ordered an iced tea and Egg whites and California Avocado Smash on grilled ciabatta bread + a side of bacon. The entree comes with a cute little cup of fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries & cantaloupe). Egg whites are egg whites, the ciabatta bread was burnt on some areas so it tasted charred - not crisply grilled. The avocado smash was sprinkled with sea salt and spread atop the bread. Bacon had a hint of maple to it. Overall, my brunch entree tasted very basic, something anyone could make which sort of defeats the purpose of going out to eat brunch. The menu description sounds a lot better than what you eat. It wasn't horrible, just basic. I'd come back and order something else. The server and hostess were friendly enough. Oh, and their online menu & in-house menu aren't the same as some items aren't listed and the prices are a bit more $.
(3)
Brett R.
Sunday afternoon, got seated right away, tables are RIGHT next to each other, i almost felt obligated to introduce myself to the couple next to us, i mean literally like 8 inches between tables, side to side. Server was super nice, but either thought i was the critic from Ratatouille, a celebrity or really thought my wife was hot and it made him nervous, so again, awkward, but super nice. I had the St. Germaine kneeshaw salad, the tuna was perfectly seared. My wife had the....... oh hell if i know, but they forgot the salad. Wasn't going to say anything, but happy pants asked, then said because we were charged extra, he'd actually have to take it to the back to PROVE to them to have it taken off the bill....... humph. Food came out super duper SUPER fast, but a tad bit pricey and way to close to other people. I guess for a $65 lunch it should be awesome.
(3)
Jackie T.
Get the seasonal salad! It's amazing. Great atmosphere and phenomenal food. We be coming back. :) Large servings, entrees and salads definitely shareable. Great service!
(5)
Jeff G.
Very good service from Andy. Knew the menu well. The food was really good. I would definitely be back
(5)
Petar S.
Their Turkey Bolognese is the best thing that happened to me today.
(4)
KAREN B.
Nice ambiance. Service and food were ok, nothing special. Prices were outrageous. I've been to many restaurants in the area and this was by far the most expensive lunch I've ever had - $80 for 2 people! Yikes! That was for a bloody mary, mimosa, chicken sandwich and spinach salad with grilled shrimp (only 3 pieces of shrimp). Yup, that's all folks. There are so many other great restaurants to dine at Fashion Island. I think I'll stick with them.
(3)
Lynn T.
Our experience was just..eh. There are probably a lot better restaurants in Fashion Island. We really wanted to love everything but the flavors just weren't there. Everything we had was super bland. It seems nobody tastes there food before sending it out, or maybe that's just the way they like to prepare it? We had the asparagus with the egg and pecorino - blah, polenta w/ pancetta - super rich and creamy (which seems like it would be a plus, but alas..bland). We had to add a good deal of salt to have some flavor. Portabello mushroom fries - these were actually pretty good. Just think of the fried mushrooms you'd get at any pub or sports bar that is usually served with a side of ranch. Their version is slices of Portabello mushroom with some kind of pesto aioli - different execution, same idea. It was probably the best thing of the night but not as "amazing" as the waitress swore it to be. Fried food + dipping sauce, you can't really go wrong there. Probably the biggest disappointment of the night was the house pasta which sounded good in theory, but again, it was just entirely flavorless. There was penne with chicken, tomatoes, some kind of cream sauce, maybe a hint of pesto? I shook the salt shaker on it about 30 - 40 shakes before it developed any flavor (the shaker was very small...i'm not a total salt fiend..I just like my food to taste like...something, anything). I had to stop shaking because it was starting to aggravate my tennis elbow. Seriously. The service was good. The waitress was nice. No complaints there. Sadly the food didn't deliver.
(2)
Rachael S.
I called in a reservation and Rachael the hostess was very helpful and accommodating, she even called us to make sure we were on our way since we were running a bit late. The table was set outside, it was absolutely perfect weather. Fashion Island had a musician just about twenty feet from the restaurant facing Nordstrom so we had great LIVE music. The restaurant provides delicious warm french bread with a fresh herb salt butter - TO DIE FOR! Our family ordered the shrimp appetizer which was delicious, a bit spicy. My husband ordered the special which consisted of lobster and beef while I ordered the house pasta. The dishes were wonderful. For dessert we ordered the banana split, it's HUGE! Be prepared to share with everyone in your party but maybe not because it's so delicious!
(4)
Tracy H.
Our server, Lauren, was excellent. She was extremely knowledgable and spent a lot of time with us on the menu. The food was very good--three of us ordered the burger and one had the vegetable sandwich. We will be back :-)
(4)
Jimmy B.
The service is mindful and polite. The bar is spacious and has TVs to watch the game. I recommend the lamb burger or flatbread. They're great... And who can say no to brunch? Definitely coming back. Over and over again.
(5)
Teriyaki S.
Amazing food, amazing service! Fried mushroom a must! Beef French dip the best we have ever had and we have traveled around the world! Lobster ravioli amazing as well! We were two and they pushed 2 tables together on Christmas eve to give us more room! They were packed! Great restaurant! Amazing staff. Highly recommended!
(5)
Ana J.
We came here on a friday night for date night. It was a very cold night and we were seated outside. At first I wasn't sure I would be able to tolerate sitting at our table, but as soon as the table next to us freed up our server, Isaac, let us move to it. We had the mac and cheese and polenta as appetizers. The mac was really tasty, the polenta too. The polenta was a little rich for my taste, as I prefer it in "cake" form. For dinner, my boyfriend ordered the moroccan spice lamb burger and I had the St Germain Nicoise. He really enjoyed his burger with caramelized onions and goat cheese. I have honestly had a better nicoise, so I would order something different next time. Overall, I would probably come back, I definitely enjoyed it although I might wait for warmer weather.
(4)
Michelle A.
Place is nice, I had the st Germaine salad, which was delicious if you like ahi tuna. And my mom had the chicken Cobb salad, which he enjoyed, the chicken was still steaming when they brought out the salad. The ladies at the table next to us told us not to order the pasta dish they decided to try because they did not care for it. They offered me a free dessert, which was great, but....personally I don't think roasted marshmallows belong on a key lime pie...chocolate, maybe.
(4)
Dan J.
Typical Fashion Island place. Kinda pretty, food is so so, drinks are whatever. Probably fine for a quick happy hour at the bar but not much else.
(2)
Vince M.
We went in for Happy Hour and although we arrive at 6:20 Grant still made us feel welcome and got us apps and drinks right away! Everything was great!
(4)
Marc K.
First let me preface by saying that I always hate reviews that give low ratings because of something unrelated to the food. However, I have to do it for this restaurant. I went there for dinner as a group of 3. One of us got an iced tea for a drink. Now, given that I eat out 100's of meals a year, I have never found a restaurant that doesn't give refills of iced tea, unless of course it's some fancy tea. So, half way through the meal the waitress comes over and says "would you like more tea" with a quick response of "Sure." So we eat our meal, the bill comes, and there's two iced teas on the bill. I thought that maybe the waitress believed that two of us got tea so I asked. Her response was "we don't give refills, that's our policy." I told her that I've never heard of another restaurant charging for a second glass of iced tea. Her response "oh really, I don't eat out that much.". Hmmm, anyway, it wasn't enough to ruin my evening, but it bothered me that she wouldn't just take it off out of courtesy, or at least acknowledge that yes indeed, it is kind of odd that they're the only restaurant to do that. Anyway, as the weeks went on, it bugged me more (ok, not like I was obsessed over it, but you know what I mean), so I went to their website and wrote the entire story in their "contact us" area. And you know the response I got? Zippo. Nada. Nothing. How's that for customer service? So, this place rates down at a zero for me, but I gave it a 1 since their food was average at best. I think they need some serious training for their employees or someone who rewrites their menu to let people know that they are indeed the only place on earth to not refill your regular iced tea during the meal without charging.
(1)
Elizabeth R.
Great food, great cocktails, great service! My friend and I made a reservation for dinner. We showed up 15 minutes early and got seated and served right away. I had: 1. Blackberry Punch cocktail: Yum!! The muddled blackberries and hint of sage made this cocktail something special, a perfect balance of sweet and tart. 2. Venison Chili with Mini Fig Grilled Cheese: Generous portion of chili (enough for leftovers, yay!) and a perfectly portioned grilled cheese sandwich with gruyere and fig jam. I loved this meal! Already planning my next visit!
(4)
Jenna D.
3.5 cool little spot. good salads. but something was a little meh..... maybe the service or the ambience. maybe i was lacking a steady buzz... i'd give it another shot tho--ahi nicoise was good...
(3)
Mrs. Emily P.
My husband and I love to come here & eat at the bar. The service is excellent. The atmosphere is casual & pleasant. They don't skimp on the linens (like that), pour a good drink (love that). Our food is delicious and always how we ordered it.
(4)
Sammy K.
I have been here twice and both times the waiters were really odd. The first time the waiter kept making bad jokes and just was annoying. I asked for a side of ketchup and he said no and smiled, then went and got it. Just really weird. Today we were met with poor service from another waiter. It took 5-7 minutes before anyone came by to offer us water. When our waiter came by with our appetizer (flat bread pizza) he asked if we wanted crushed pepper and cheese. He then went off to get the orders of three other tables. I had to ask a manager to bring it over for us. The final straw was when our waiter dropped a knife on the arm of my friends girlfriend. She was not hurt but the waiter we had today was just a total putz. The food is good here but they need to hire better staff if they want repeat customers. I might give this place another shot but not for several months, hopefully they fire a few of the odd ducks between now and then.
(2)
emma I.
Had the chop salad and Mac n Chz. Both delicious. Server was pleasant and on point! A nice Black Friday relaxing lunch!
(5)
Russell E.
Such a disappointment! And the worst part was that our waiter could have easily seen our disappointment and offered to take stuff the WE DIDNT EAT off the check. The "Wonderful salad" was anything but wonderful. Horrid green goddess dressing. My glass of rose wine was bitter. Pacific fish sandwich had a dry piece of grilled fish. My guess is unless they get a new chef this place will be closed shortly after you read this review!
(1)
Annika Jo L.
I love this place and I'm sad to have to give it one star. I've been here a lot and this is usually the place my husband and I suggest when we have a double date or a nice lunch for out of town guests. The food has always been great. The service has been great too. Hostesses can be a bit cold. Giving it one star because there was a cockroach under our table the other night. The server saw it and seemed stunned. He just stood there and didn't immediately suggest to move us until we all stood up and tried to get away from the table. That was when he suggested we sit at the neighboring table, which was in the direction where the cockroach came from. Really?? So he went to get who I assume was the manager (we wouldn't know, he never told us who he was) and they set us up at a table inside. The manager never apologized and just said they'd get a table ready for us inside. While we were waiting for the table to get set up, we were talking about just leaving and the hostess came over to see what the fuss was about. When we told her, she seemed disgusted and apologized for it. At least we had one person at the restaurant acknowledge what had just happened! The manager never spoke to us again, didn't even come by. While walking through FI, we did see another dead cockroach over by one of the fountains. I want to believe that this is an outdoor problem for FI and not a kitchen problem for Great Maple, but that doesn't make up for the manager's inability to make sure their patrons are settled. So disappointing!
(1)
Enzellie T.
My family and I frequent Fashion Island, we have gone to all the restaurants here for years and have watch this mall evolve through the years.. But this place is a sad story. Well, it started like this.. We are in an hour wait at the Cheesecake and also at PF Changs. So we decided to walk around and saw this place empty (now I know why) I had my family and a guest visiting from out of town. I said we should try and the ambience and place looks interesting, plus with some kids in strollers, it will be "ideal". So we went in and greeted right away, I said a party for eight with 2 babies, and the receptionist immediately said they can't have strollers. But I asked them politely and said but my baby is sleeping, I just can't yank her out. So she went back and re-arrange some table and said "I worked something out and you should be ok now". I felt like it was a "big deal" for them to do that for us.. I don't know if I should special but not.. And then, on top if that, the receptionist to me to remove the stroller as soon as the baby wakes up. I guess even in the middle of eating I have to, or maybe that could be more be a little accommodating with the restaurant being EMPTY! If been to many restaurants in and around Newport Beach, even the new restaurants like Fig and Olive make you feel welcomed and appreciated even with strollers! This place don't like families with strollers so beware. The food is so so, not great. Place looks nice but that was pretty much it. It's been a day now and I still feel upset, I will never go back and all my friends with strollers have been advised. Even the parents in our day care was already been advised.. What a shame, the place looked promising from the time they time they opened. Bad service.
(1)
Steve C.
I'm torn between giving this place 1 to 4 stars. I was here the other day with my grandmother. I love the french dip, and the asparagus. They are both delicious. The asparagus is so good. It's grilled and has a poached egg on it...kind of different. The service was good. The issue is the bill. I ordered the french dip, which comes with a mixed green salad. I don't like vinaigrette dressings, so I asked to replace it with caesar, but not so much dressing. Places tend to over-flood salads with way too much dressing. When the bill arrived, I was charged another $4.00 for the caesar salad. I asked a different server about the charge and she said they had to charge for it even if it's a substitute for the mixed green salad which is the same size and price, and comes with the meal. That's a rip-off. I didn't even eat the salad. It literally had close to "no" dressing on it. A little too easy for the easy on the dressing request. I don't expect to be comped at all for not eating something, considering I ordered it, but to be charged an additional $4 for a salad that's equivalent to the salad that comes with my $19.00 sandwich is unacceptable. Don't think I will be returning.
I came here with 3 girlfriends and we loved it. The service was really good and the food was delicious. We ordered the portabella mushroom fries and they were great. We ordered a chopped salad, a pastrami sandwich and a vegetable sandwich. We loved everything
(5)
Shamborska A.
Fantastic service always! Shawn at the bar is always providing us with top notch service, always feel welcome and taken care of. Thanks!!!!
(5)
Todd B.
Solid 4 star experience. My family is picky. (Sorry family) We started with onion rings. Calamari, and asparagus (yes, I questioned the last choice too). All were great. Main courses: kale and quinoa salad (excellent), Cobb salad (4 stars from my 11 year old), tortilla soup (boring choice but clean bowl), spicy grilled chicken sandwich, and roasted veggies. All eaten, all good. Top it with good draft beer selection and great service from Andrew...solid choice.
(4)
Ted D.
I like this place!! The food was phenomenal!! The Parmesan crusted portobello fries are the bees knees!! Everyone at my table loved their dishes! I had the Moroccan spiced lamb burger and it was cook perfect and well seasoned!! My wife had the Newcastle beer battered fish and chips and our friend had the pulled pork sandwich. All outstanding!! We did not have the issue with service that others mention. Pricey, but as long as my stomach and taste buds leave happy, then I cannot complain!!
(4)
Robert S.
Excellent food and service! Definitely recommend this place for a light lunch or dinner. The chili and grilled cheese combo is amazing as are the salads!
(5)
Amanda R.
Please excuse the following overused, cliche term, but this place was an EPIC FAIL. The visual presentation is very good- decor (minus those hideous red chandeliers) menu, feng shui, location- all quite attractive and fools you into thinking you'll be enjoying a delicious meal. You will not. Repeat, will not. The complimentary "artisan baguette" is gnarly, no matter how much butter you slather over its slate, store-bought characteristics. The penne with meatballs was just sad. The meatballs were a dark greyish matter, and very hard; MRE's would have been a better alternative. I was excited for the simple & fresh "wood oven-fired flatbread pizza with local organic roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil chiffonade." What I got was a frozen freaking pizza disc of flavorless yuckiness. Not happy! The hostesses were also really freaking annoying. Just had to add that. Come here to drink and look at pretty OC people, that's the best this place can offer.
(2)
Wendy K.
It was our first time visiting and the atmosphere was great. We sat outside and they turned on the heat lamps to keep us comfortable. We had a reservation which is necessary as people ahead of us could not get seated right away. We started with drinks and the NxNW Riesling was excellent. Our waiter, Isaac, was real helpful and I had trouble choosing so he recommended the Turkey Bolognese. My husband order the French Dip and we started with grilled asparagus. The food was excellent and we had people checking on us all the time. The manager, Amanda, was always checking on tables too and she had great customer service. When we finished our meal, Isaac had another recommendation for the Peanut Butter Banana Split which was a little piece of heaven. Everyone who works there really cares about the food and the customers. We couldn't ask for a better experience and Isaac and Amanda were fantastic with all their help and service. We will definitely be going back as soon as we get a chance.
(5)
Joe S.
With the new menu revision and continued too notch service over the last few years, Great Maple deserves 5 stars. Top items to try: seasonal cheese board, blue nose sea bass, beef bourguinon, whatever the soup of the day is, fennel sausage flatbread, and the Moroccan sliced lamb burger. Enjoy!
(5)
Michael P.
Aesthetically this place looks like a winner but the fare isn't up to par. This isn't really any better than a TGIFs. It just has better people watching. Libations are good. Probably the best aspect of Maple. Truffle fries are oily and over prepared. Beef Brisket sandwich is spongy. Nicosie salad didn't have the freshest ahi. The best options were the French Dip and Cheese burger. One and done for me with Maple.
(3)
Larry B.
Just ok Told a 15 minute wait but half the tables were empty. Server was polite but nothing special food was ok, a little salty.
(3)
Cory D.
The French Dip here is pretty good. So are the damn Maple donuts, so are the bloody marys. Ok, ok... I like this place. Keep up the good work! #greatmaple
(4)
Anastasia S.
I have only gone for lunch with clients and the food and atmosphere are great! I like sit on the patio and watch all the pretty people. Every time we go I get the mushroom fries as an app. .. Great place
(4)
Darcy M.
Foodies will be impressed! Great atmosphere, yummy hand crafted cocktails and nice wait staff! must go back soon, i feel like im on vacation when im there!
(5)
Bhavisha P.
Came here for a drink at the bar on a Sunday afternoon after some shopping and was very happy with my service from the bartender. My friend and I had glasses of wine and were given a small sample to decide which to chose which was very nice. The truffle fries were amazing! The Brie plate was the opposite but still no complaints as when it's happy hour prices, I would never complain. HH prices for 4 dollars with the items listed you can't beat ! I would have given this place 4 stars but seeing all the staff stand around, including the manager while the bartender helped a somewhat crowded bar by himself made me Upset. Overall still a nice place to relax for a minute.
(3)
Lisa Y.
Located in Fashion Island just outside of Nordstrom, Great Maple offers a diverse menu of burgers, seafood, sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, pasta, and more. The menu is a little pricey, but portions are also quite large. With a name like "Great Maple," I was expecting to have maple involved in some of the dishes, but that is not the case here. In fact, no dishes include maple whatsoever. Service: Our server was nice. Waters were filled often, and empty dishes were taken away promptly. Food: - The Terrific Pacific - Grilled mahi-mahi, California avocado salsa, cabbage, fresh tomato on Ciabatta Bread. Comes with a side salad, which was alright but had very little dressing. The sandwich was huge! It was a little difficult to eat without it falling apart. There was lots of crushed avocado spread on both sides of the bread, which I really enjoyed. The piece of mahi-mahi was quite large, and there was so much cabbage that it was like eating another salad! The overall taste of the sandwich was a little bland. - Great Maple Famous Beef Dip - Slow roasted ribeye beef, fresh onion au jus, with horseradish sour cream and crispy onions on the side. Comes with a small side salad. Meat was tender, and the onion au jus was delicious! Adding the horseradish sour cream, which wasn't too strong, and the crispy onions to the sandwich created a great combination of flavors. I definitely recommend this dish! - Spinach Salad - Fresh tossed spinach, strawberries, pecans, goat cheese, honey balsamic dressing, and toasted bread. There wasn't very much dressing, and nothing about this salad really stood out.
(3)
Laurent V.
Walked out of the Apple Store hungry with wife and daughter. Walked in to Great Maple greeted with a smile from a very nice hostess. We asked for a warm spot and got a nice table in the patio with a killer heat lamp overhead. My wife ordered the soup and gave it 5 stars as she licked the plate clean :) I ordered the free range chicken which was served with beautiful carrots and mash in a Le Creuset skillet, awesome meal, great presentation. Daughter got the pasta and was stoked ! Martini was strong and very well put together. Awesome Service, great menu, good atmosphere... Place delivers and we'll be back. Thank you Great Maple for a wonderful evening in your restaurant.
(5)
Jennifer P.
My family and I visited the area from out of town for the weekend and dined at Great Maple TWO nights in a row! This was an easy decision for us considering the food is fresh, service is good, the environment is fun, and the menu offers plenty of options. My favorite dish ended up being the Turkey Bolognese, which was beautifully served with fresh pappardelle pasta and creamy, chunky Bolognese sauce. For dessert, we shared the apple pie a la mode and the seasonal pie, which was lemon at the time. While I was a little disappointed that we had to pay $2 extra for a tiny scoop of ice cream to accompany our apple pie, it was still incredibly delicious and certainly not a dessert to pass up on. I will definitely be making a visit here again next time I'm in the area!
(4)
Beca P.
Absolutely delicious food! The salads here are great as well as the flatbreads. The portobello mushrooms fries here are amazing. They are definitely comparable to the ones that people love at Bottega Louie. If you come here you must try the portobello mushroom fries for sure. Also, this place has THE best banana split ! It comes with chocolate and caramel syrup and the bananas have caramelized sugar on them and delicious fresh whipped cream. The inside of the restaurant is so nice but if the weather permits you should definitely sit outside because it has such a nice view of Fashion Island.
(5)
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Address :Fashion Island,1133 Newport Ctr Dr
Newport Beach, CA, 92660
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sylvia S.
We came in a Saturday night for dinner. The service is great from hostess to bus boy. We had the grilled prawns for an appetizer.....yum! Slightly spicy sauce with a little bit of garlic mashed potatoes. We also had the poppers which were awful. Too dry, cold and overly salty. The flat bread with prosciutto and egg was delish. I would go again if it was close but probably wouldn't go out of my way.
(4)Scott C.
Got the Turkey Bolognese pasta and it was delicious. The service was pretty good. We did feel kinda rushed at the end but we understood because the restaurant was closing. Beware of the strong wood smell when you first walk in or sit near the door. We were debating to either eat here or lemonade but the prices for this place was a lot higher. I also wasn't too impressed by the 15 dollar pizza. But it was an overall good experience and a romantic seating.
(3)Miriam B.
Came to Fashion Island while visiting LA. The apps were decent-had the Italian flatbread and spicy shrimp. Then I ordered the steak and frites and the steak had so much fat and no flavor. Friend ordered the spicy chicken sandwich and it had no flavor and other friend ordered the brisket sandwich and same- lacking flavor and mashed potatoes were dry. TAble next to us waited 1.5hour to get served and waitress and manager were not considerate until we told the manager to check on the table next to us when he came and checked on how we were doing!! WTF? That table had been complaining to the waitress all night and the manager came to us! Is SF the only city with good food and service? YES!!
(2)Ayami H.
Cute little place that my gal-friend and I decided to try that was dog friendly at Fashion Island. I had the chicken sandwich with truffle fries, which was pretty good. My gf had the egg whites with chicken breast, which she really enjoyed. Only negative was when the server snatched the bill from under my friend's elbow which caused her to be in a bit of shock. When the waitress returned after we paid the check, she left us with nothing to sign, so we had to wait longer than we wished to actually leave. I would like to return but I doubt my gf does.
(4)Julie K.
Had another nice dinner here with some friends... Seems like the menu has been updated with some new additions. Mostly good additions, like some stellar appetizers - don't miss: English popovers - tastes like a cross between Yorkshire pudding and croissants Fried calamari - comes with olive coins and a nice lemon caper sauce Portabello mushroom "fries" - so savory with lots of grated Parmesan encrusted on it w/ pesto aioli Shrimp - okay, I can't recall the name of this appetizer but it was basically jumbo shrimp in a tomato sauce in a bed of mashed potatoes. Random as heck but really good. Only 4 pieces though... For my main entree, I decided to try the lobster roll w/ pomme frites (in lieu of the sweet potato chips). I gotta say, there was definitely a good amount of fresh lobster chunks in the roll; however, the flavor was spiked with so much dill? I could be wrong, but whatever the herb was, it was herb overload. Every time I took a bite, all I could taste was the seasoning. The fries were kind of forgettable. I should've just tried the sweet potato chips that comes standard with the roll instead of being up charged $2 for lame fries. Or rather, should've paid an extra $3 for their delicious truffle fries instead. Anyway... For dessert, I tried a bite of the key lime pie and the chocolate truffle cake. The key lime pie had the right amount of tartness and a good crust. The chocolate cake was very rich, as expected, and definitely can be shared! Party of four - 4 appetizers, 3 alcoholic drinks, 2 soft drinks, 4 entrees, 3 desserts = $204 before tip. Very reasonable for a nice evening out in Fashion Island. Service was a solid "B".
(4)Kelsie H.
I can't say I would rush to come back here, but I wouldn't object if someone suggested we go here. The outdoor seating/inside decor is wonderful, definitely a place you feel like you can sit and enjoy your meal. The food, however, didn't "wow" me and the menu seemed confused. I couldn't grasp the concept of the restaurant and the array of food didn't help. For a more overpriced restaurant, the only food I loved was their sliders! A pretty basic meal, right? But it was delicious- I'll stand behind that. Their fish tacos were also tasty, but weren't necessarily something I'd order again. The apple pie was disappointing. A lot of their "famous" dishes and desserts were sub-par to me. A little more vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, and cutting up those giant chunks of apple would be fantastic. You will eat good food when you come here. But it lacks being memorable in the many possibilities at Fashion Island.
(3)Michael K.
Very good selection of food. Great, attentive service and fantastic strawberry-rhubarb pie to end the meal.
(4)John B.
It was a Friday night. Christina and I spent much of the day grading papers and needed to relax so we had date night at Fashion Island. Great Maple has been on both four radars for quite some time and we decided to check it out. Our server was super helpful and gave us a list of his favorite menu items. Here is what we ordered. -Turkey burger ($17): Freshly ground turkey with brie, arugula, and visalia onion marmalade. Paired with baby pickles, fries, and choice of dipping sauce. The burger was juicier than most turkey burgers I have tried and the flavors paired fairly well but it was still not worth $17. -Smoked beef brisket sandwich ($18): Smoked beef brisket with crispy tobacco onions, horseradish sour cream, mashed potatoes (or fries), and baby pickles. I had a few bites of this and it was good. I liked the sauce they had. The brisket was cubed instead of sliced so the pieces kept falling out. I'd order it. -Portobello mushroom fries ($13): These were a hit! Slices of portobello mushroom that have been battered and fried, dusted with parmesan, and paired with a pesto aioli. We liked these so much that we actually were trying to figure out the recipe to try later on. The batter reminded us of calamari batter. And that pesto aioli was pretty good too. We'll definitely order this again if we come back. -Some sort of specialty lemonade: Christina ordered this and thought was meh. Both of us enjoyed our experience at Great Maple. However, the food and atmosphere weren't exceptional enough to really justify their prices.
(3)Cindy W.
Lunch on the outside patio. Located in the center of Fashion Island, it has a awesome vibe and a calming environment. The cool weather from the near water is a bonus. Food and service is good. Originally, my husband and I wanted a simple (late) lunch but ended up ordering 2 meal and 1 appetizer. The fried portobello fries is very delicious. I would definitely recommend. We also got pasta and round bread pizza. It was a bit pricey for a lunch but I figured based on what we ordered, it was on the expensive ingredient side.
(3)Christina Z.
My experience was mixed because there was an obnoxious diner during our experience this evening. However, our mood could not remain negative given how happy and peppy our server, Edward, was. Although my salmon was cooked well done, it was not as dry as most other places. I would have liked it to be cooked the way I ordered it (medium). But it was still fairly tasty when you dipped it in the paired sauce. Love the fries (super crispy), but wish there was more truffle oil, since I really enjoy the flavor of truffles. There was definitely more than a light dusting of parmesan, so maybe flip the ratio of truffle oil vs cheese.
(4)Lulu M.
Awful service when it comes to seating, the hostesses seriously don't know what they are doing. We've been waiting for outdoor seating over 40 mins. We were told to the wait was 20 mins. It seems that they just forgot about us. Never coming back to this joint.
(1)Barbara L.
***4.5 stars Came here for my birthday with family on a Sunday during Valentines Day weekend. We made reservations in advance. Let me just say that I think I found my new spot for brunch! Delicious food in a cozy place with beautiful flowers. Great ambience for family and friends. Plenty of street parking near by. Loved the lighting for photos as well. 0.5 stars taken off because service was extremely slow! I understand that it was busy because of V-Day but our server was not as attentive to our party. We had to ask for extra cups and utensils more than 1x. We also had a cake in the back but she forgot about it. She didn't bring it out until reminded and we had to stay behind because of this. Each entree was delivered to the wrong person because of miscommunication between our server and the kitchen. I loved how diverse the menu was. I tried the: + donuts with Maplewood bacon: absolutely delicious! The donut will melt in your mouth. Bacon was high quality too which made this donut tastier. + powered sugar beignets: your basic powered sugar pastry - nothing special. + great maple beef brisket popover: includes grilled asparagus, poached egg, fresh tomatoes, hollandaise sauce, smoked bacon, and herbed potatoes. Great presentation of the entree. Loved the Benedict with the bacon but the brisket was just "OK." Nonetheless, I'm still glad to have tried it because variation on brunch is always nice. I'll be coming back to try other stuff on the menu!
(4)Rachel M.
Great food, drink & service. Lobster cobb is the best- location and parking is very easy- park by soul cycle!
(5)Belinda O.
This is one of my new favorite places to go. It's located in fashion island, and their apple pie was phenomenal! The apples still had their shape, but was still soft enough to fall apart in your mouth. The bartender was very helpful and friendly, and made sure we were happy.
(5)Adi J.
Let it be known that I would go back in a heartbeat just to get those freaking portobello mushroom fries.. but unfortunately, everything else I've tried here has been underwhelming. The maple bacon donuts looked better than they tasted - the bacon was overly salty for being bacon and it wasn't properly balanced out by the sweetness in the maple sauce. The GM chopped salad was okay - decent portion size, but I wasn't blown away by the flavors; and the spicy chicken sandwich tasted exactly like what it sounds like.. spicy chicken. Luckily the menu is seasonal, so whenever I come back to get those fries in my tummy again hopefully there will be something new on there that wows me. All that being said, one of the huge redeeming qualities is the atmosphere/ambiance of this restaurant. It is very open/relaxed and mellow and with our beautiful southern california weather 95% of the year, you can't beat sitting out on the patio munching on those portobello mushroom fries with a refreshing drink in hand. Perfect for an afternoon shopping break at Fashion Island!
(4)Morgan H.
Not only was the food great, the service was the best. Isaac at the bar was FANTASTIC. I would honestly say that I would return just for his great service. So nice, happy and friendly. 5 stars for you Isaac.
(5)Celine A.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon and looked forward to a great meal on a beautiful day in Newport. I really wanted to like this place. Seasonal and fresh ingredients? That's a great philosophy that I totally agree with. But everything just fell a little short. Promptly seated and started off with the slender margaritas, which were nice and strong, good start. Lovely ambiance, contemporary design we settled in nicely. Decided on the hanger steak salad, steak frites and since they didn't have a burger on the kids' menu the waitress suggested two happy hour burger sliders with fries for the little one. My salad was disappointedly small with very little steak on it. Ordered the meat medium, but it was over cooked, lacked flavor and greens were not dressed properly. Hubby was pretty happy with his steak frites, it had a generous portion of meat that was well seasoned and tender but the fries could have been crispier. It came with a cup of caesar salad which was bland. The sliders were also lacking salt and fries were kinda soggy. We had a shift change during our meal and both waitresses were not really around when we needed them, but they were friendly. Finished our meal with espressos, which arrived cold, and a scoop of peanut butter gelato, which was pleasant. My underwhelming experience was topped off with a filthy bathroom. For the prices they charge, Great Maple should really deliver more. With much better options at Fashion Island I highly doubt I'll come here again.
(3)Alicia G.
This review is for service at the bar. I have sat at the bar on two separate occasions and each time I get the feeling the bartenders are either bored to tears or they are doing me a favor by serving me. I only recommend sitting at a table.
(2)Aaron E.
Great Maple offers decidedly uninspired dishes with extravagant prices at its eatery inside of Fascist Island, Newport Beach. I have dined at Great Maple more than a few times over the course of the last two years and although I rather like grabbing an ice cold beer at their bar, the food itself has always seemed lackluster when the considerable expense is factored. The small plate/tapas concept is employed here and actually magnifies the problem. The interior is quasi-upscale and they offer a very large patio for al fresco dining. The service is usually quite adept but be aware, the bar can easily become overwhelmed during Happy Hour. The Montreal Spiced Grass Fed Beef Burger is a customizable affair that has you paying for toppings a la carte. Caramelized onions alone add $1.00 to your check, Bacon? Another $2.00. This would be fine if the flavor warranted it, but it is honestly a humdrum burger with a pedestrian Montreal seasoning strewn across the face of the patty. Another issue is that they tend to overcook the patty. Another offering I have tried is the GM Trio Steak & Frites; a Ten Ounce Ribeye topped with Red Wine Demi Glace and served with a Caesar Salad and Fries. The quality of the ingredients is spot on, as was the cooked temperature of the meat. The issue was the $28.00 price of admission, a good $5.00 more than warranted when the portion size is considered. If you are going to order a Steak entree, I would suggest you opt for the Summer Hanger Steak which was much more impressive and weighs in at $21.00. I continue to patronize Great Maple as they offer Ballast Point on draught but refrain from dining there as I have yet to have anything with any real "pop" factor.
(2)Nickyy S.
Love there fish tacos they are amazing, yet I would change how it comes with potato chips to tortilla chips just for tacos but over was delicious would definitely go back there anytime.
(5)Kelsey Lee H.
When you're looking for a casual, fresh option for dining out, Great Maple is a fair choice. Be prepared to endure an obnoxiously high noise volume (dinner timeframes might as well be called Club Great Maple); you will find minor relief from this by sitting outside. Their salads are hearty and warrant a positive review. The Chicken Cobb is my go-to. If you're GF for actual medical/health purposes, the Asparagus appetizer is safe, and good. The beef bourguignon is not their star entree, so spare your money and tastebuds and opt for a salad entree or seafood. I'd consider visiting for lunch to avoid the noise level issue.
(3)Rob H.
The Allagash white beer rocks!! The ahi sand was very tasty with the slaw. Great job guys!!
(5)Christina R.
A very nice, local place to eat at Fashion Island. The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Saturday night, we sat at the bar and it was our own little oasis. There were only a few people sitting there, so it wasn't as loud and a little more private. We enjoyed the Portobello mushroom fries (excellent), wine-a wonderful Malbec (awesome), and split the French Dip (absolutely delish). The bartenders were very attentive and fun, they didn't skip a beat the entire night. It was a nice place to enjoy some great food & wine after shopping at Fashion Island.
(5)Ashley N.
(More like 3.5, but I'll round up) Solid place to have lunch with friends at Fashion Island! Came here around lunch time on a Wednesday, and we had no trouble getting a table for five. My friends and I ordered a variety of burgers / salads. I personally got the Mission Fig flatbread, and I LOVED IT. Definitely enough for one person, since I couldn't even finish mine. My boyfriend got the salmon sandwich, per recommendation of our waitress. He liked it, but I thought it was a little too fishy for me (but I don't REALLY like fish). Their fries were pretty average though, in my opinion. Everyone else enjoyed their meal too, so I have to conclude that Great Maple's food is pretty good! Service was very attentive throughout our meal (but they weren't super busy). Very hip looking restaurant :) A little more on the pricey side for lunch, so I don't think I'd come here EVERY day, but I am definitely interested in coming to see what dinner is like here :) Bonus - free refills on their iced tea!
(4)jonathan s.
For some weird reason I've always wanted to try this place. Finally got the chance and I think one visit was probably enough. Everything was alright I guess. French dip was fine but $21? Shit. Wish the horseradish was spicier. Shared the sando and a chicken cobb salad. Blue cheese dressing was pretty minimal. Salad was very bland and boring. Not sure what I was expecting but I was hoping for something better. I'd walked by this place probably 1,000x without trying and I'll probably walk by it another 1,000 without going back.
(3)Denise M.
Hangar steak salad Chicken sandwich BLT Calamari BLT - so much bacon it in that my friend, who only had half of her sandwich, pulled some of it out from her half - and we had enough left over for probably 3 people from the other half. Sometimes you can have too much (gasp) bacon. No complaints, but it was a lot. The chicken sandwich was very juicy and much loved by hubby. My hangar steak salad - wonderful, but I hope they will use a bigger plate next time. Nothing worse than salad falling off your plate with each poke of the fork. Overall - applause all around. Definitely on my "go back" list.
(5)Heather B.
I had lunch here several months ago, and thought it was very good. I decided to go back for dinner (despite looking up the phone number and seeing mixed reviews). Dinner was very good. The Turkey Bolognese is excellent. The GM chopped salad was also delicious. The vanilla bean sundae infused with peanut butter was also delicious. Service was also very good. I will definitely go back.
(4)Kimberly S.
Came here with my grandmother for lunch. The service was horrendous. The food was just okay, so not worth the price. I will not be returning and wouldn't recommend anyone going here.
(1)John P.
Great Maple is a good farm-to-table American restaurant. The restaurant offers fresh salads, sandwiches and hamburgers. Located in The Fashion Island Mall next to Nordstrom. Saturdays and Sundays the mall has live concerts adjacent to or in front if the Great Maple restaurant. It's definitely a must try in my book!
(4)Gene M.
After making reservations we were seated in a very crowed area of the patio. Service was slow, the waitress does not deliver your meal and it takes a while to find her if you have any needs. Food was ok... Yes, my last visit.
(2)Ayesha K.
Like a good strong maple tree, Great Maple has made a firm foundation with its roots in my stomach and branches in my mind. What I mean by that is together with its philosophy behind using seasonal, organic, local ingredients, partnered with the ambience, and food that's tastefully and artfully brought together, great maple has made a firm impression on myself. The seared ahi tuna sandwich paired with the truffle butter fries were a perfect, healthy combo that left me feeling just right. Not too full and not still hungry. I couldn't break myself away from eating the fries, they were sooo delicious. My friend decided to go with their fish tacos and sweet potato chips. I'm not a fan of sweet potato by any means but these were by far the best sweet potato anything I've ever eaten! Seasoned and crisp to perfection. I highly recommend trying out great maple at fashion island for a different, healthy, alternative restaurant offering something new and creative to your food experience.
(4)David E.
The ambiance is casual yet fanciER. The depression era red-colored chandeliers are pretty cool. Also, the framed "animal art" is fun. The FRIED CALAMARI pieces had a moderately thick batter at most. The pieces were a bit too tiny for my liking, especially on the rings. The tentacles were a little better with more meat and pretty tender overall. The mayo sauce had some chopped peppers or something but can't recall. I likely wouldn't order it again as I've had much better. The ENGLISH POPOVERS are definitely a miniature version of Yorkshire Pudding Bread with more zest via cheeses and seasonings. These were airy and delicious. The BRISKET SANDIE had sauce which was moderately applied and definitely on the sweet side. Regardless, the meat was pretty tender and the quality brioche roll added to the effect. A pretty good rendition. The RIBEYE DIP SANDIE was tender, juicy and flavorful. A definite crowd pleaser at the table. The SIDE SALADS had some shredded cheese and a tasty BALSAMIC VINEGAR dressing which was lightly applied but pretty sufficient. It was a nice companion to our less healthy entrees. The DESSERT MENU didn't speak to us so we gave it the "pocket veto". All in all, a nice establishment with some really good food.
(4)Michelle K.
Food is 4 stars, Service is 2 stars at best. Came for a nice Saturday brunch after Skin Laundry (review to come) with my twin and we were blown away by how tummy everything was. Mimosas - best hangover cure...cause I was definitely hurting Grilled cheese with salted rosemary and clover honey - AMAZING. This was my favorite dish and I don't even like cheese. Mini beef wellingtons - so yummy and so cute! The beef was tender and juicy Portabello fries - they were good but Bottega Louie's are definitely better Ahi poke - really yummy and fresh. Not enough accouterments Blueberry pie - wasn't a big fan The food was really good but the service was ridiculous. Our server neglected us and couldn't even get the bill right - split in HALF..not that difficult. The manager seemed like he was doing damage control. He was attentive and made sure our food and orders were being input promptly and correctly. I'll be back...but not anytime soon.
(3)Sherri G.
Our party of 6 walked in 30 minutes before our reservation time and they were happy to prepare a table and seat us. Great service at the hostess stand. They were all very friendly. We sat down at our table and were given menus but the server didn't come for quite some time. Uh oh! Is this a prelude to what will come?? The server finally came and took our orders. He wasn't the friendliest server in the world but maybe it was just me because I was irritated that it took so long for him to acknowledge us. The food came out so quickly that it shocked four of us. Was the restaurant making up for lost time? Who knows - the food looked delicious and we were all very hungry. I had the $14 BLT. It was probably one if the best I've had. Why? TONS of thick crispy bacon accompanied with fresh green leaf lettuce and tomato. The bread was delicious - so soft, it seemed to be fresh baked. I ordered the truffle fries. Some places put way too much truffle on the fries but this restaurant did you great job balancing the two. My sister ditched her regular fries and ate mine. You get a good portion of fries too. I couldn't finish mine, even with my sister's help. The hubby ordered fish and chips. He's British so he knows his stuff. He gave it two thumbs up. Good job Great Maple! For dessert I wanted to try that apple pie à la mode because I saw the pictures Yelp. I wasn't disappointed it was delicious. Food presentation is really cool. Most meals come out on wooden cutting boards. Pasta comes in big white bowls. I would recommend this restaurant. We ended up having great service, delicious food and a wonderful time. I will be back.
(4)Brigitte O.
Came to grab lunch après yoga. Tried the pecorino cheese, kale, pine nut, quinoa salad. The kale was a Dino ? Kale -- a baby kale with less bitterness than the kale I've eaten before. Added grilled chicken to the salad which made the salad a satisfying meal. Loved the ambiance on the patio. It was a wee bit chilly (65 degrees out) however the space heaters kept us toasty. The menu is extensive so we plan to come again for post yoga grubs.
(4)Dawn R.
We had a great lunch here with friends. If you eat here and it is a nice day make sure to get a table outside. The service was great, they came to our table a lot. They were nice and all, but we started to feel like they wanted us to hurry up and finish as the place got busier. The food selection is really good, we all had a hard time deciding to figure out what to have. All 4 choices we ordered were delicious. Lobster roll, burger, flat bread and fish & chips are all winners. I hope to go back to try some more of the menu items.
(4)Tina M.
This is my third time here, and for this visit we had a party of 7 to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent, as before, but I want to comment on the service for this visit. Our server Chris was excellent and very attentive. He made sure glasses were filled and took special care to have a decorative birthday plate and candle put together for the dessert cake. My daughter loved it! This place always had the freshest and most flavorful seasonal food (I recommend the blueberry pie!) and the service also rises to the occasion. Thank you so much!
(5)Dawn m.
I must have had a seasonal dish, I can't find the name on the menu or remember what it was called. It was an arugula salad with duck, plums, goat cheese, and a pomegranate dressing. If I could eat that everyday for the rest of my life, I would. I don't even like arugula but the plums and dressing made it work. The service was good. Attentive without being overly so, exactly what you'd hope for at this price point. Atmosphere was pleasant enough, pretty typical for upscale suburban resturants so no complaints there. I really wish I could go back here and explore the menu more but I was just in town for a vacation. Whoever is designing the dishes seems very creative... There were a ton of things I wanted to try, but alas.
(5)M C.
Cool restaurant with indoor/outdoor feel next to Nordstrom at Fashion Island. Americana menu & unique signature cocktails. Today we had lunch at the bar with a great view out to Fashion Island.b we also highly recommend the brunch! Highlight of today - we mentioned it was Kelly's birthday & the when we ordered the Maple Bacon Donut the bartender brought it with 3 candles! It made her day! :) Standard Cucumber Collins = 4 Bloody Mary = 4 Mission Fig Flat Bread = 5 Caesar Salad with Chicken = 4 Maple Bacon Donut = A PERFECT 10
(4)Melissa J.
Good, not great. I have been here a handful of times no and I've never had a bad experience, nor a great one. Food is solid. Burgers are my best suggestion. The wine list is above par, and the beer list decent as well. I'd save my money on "fancier" menu items. They make solid bar food and have a really good atmosphere. Service is mostly good as well, with some slow points for seemingly no reason. When at Fashion Island, this is a good option. You will neither be disappointed nor blown away.
(3)Tania S.
We grabbed dinner at Great Maple before heading to the movie theater on Friday. That was our first time there and honestly we didn't visit earlier due to the Yelp Reviews. A friend of ours said he really liked the place so despite the reviews we decided to give it a try. The place was pretty busy at 6:15, we were promptly seated at the patio area. The waiter was not the nicest but he did his job. We ordered the flatbread, the beet salad and calamari as starters. We were so full from the large portions we had no room for entrees. The food was tasty but nothing to rave about. We will go back and order less starters next time so we can actually try some of their entrees and desserts!
(3)Miriam G.
Located inside Fashion Island next to Nordstrom. Food is great, Service is great! Always is! Portion sizes are very reasonable. I love this place and will continue to go back! Outdoor seating is the best and on chilly nights there are heat lamps!
(4)Jason A.
Don't let the fact that Great Maple is located in ritzy Fashion Island in Newport ward you away. I actually had a great time here while visiting to catch a Lakers game a couple weeks ago. Their HH runs through to 7:30pm most nights and is one the more generous around in terms of timing. They have a special menu for patrons who sit in the bar area and participate in the happy hour. Most small food items/appetizers and beers on tap are $4 through the HH. I recommend the onion rings and the sliders with a side of Allagash White. The bartenders and servers were all very helpful and constantly check on their patrons to ensure that we have what we need. (They're also big Lakers fans, thankfully). Judging from the people around me and the way they jokingly interacted with the servers, I could tell that there are many regulars and repeat-visitors here (which is always a good sign). The interior is nice and incorporates a cabin look (which I will call "Canadian-esque") with some modern elements. The bar, area, which sits on the north side of the restaurant is a bit jaggedly shaped, with sharp angles possibly causing a tight squeeze for those who may be a claustrophobic. The patio area is a big hit and, owing to our pretty nice year round climate, is usually a great place to sit and take in the scene of people walking around Fashion Island or socializing with others. I probably would have opted to sit in the patio area if it weren't for the fact that I wanted to make sure I have that constant supervision during happy hour and that the Lakers were playing and I wanted a good sight line to a television. I have to admit, I wasn't willing to try out the place initially because I figured I wanted to go someplace that I've been to before which has a good, consistent product and service. But, after dropping by the neighbors (ahem, looking at you Cheesecake Factory and CPK), and seeing they didn't have the Laker game on, I quickly turned around rather than request the servers to change the channel. It was more the principle that no one inside (patron or servers) cared to have the channel changed to the game...which meant that there weren't any Laker fans in the house. I definitely plan to come back in the near future and spread the word about the good deals that Great Maple has. If you're visiting Fashion Island, realize there's a local game you need to catch, and don't feel like paying for parking and don't feel like diving it, this is the best option you can get in the entire center.
(5)Abe B.
I ate at Great Maple last night and enjoyed it so much I am back again tonight. The food is trendy AND tasty! The service is also top notch. They have a great selection of drinks at the bar and the food menu is comprehensive as well. If you are looking for tasty food, great drinks, and a fun atmosphere this is the place for you. I'll definitely be back to eat here again.
(5)Sara P.
Came in on Christmas Eve for dinner with my mom and her boyfriend. I wasn't overly impressed. I do like the lighting/ambience. A good amount of seating, nicely spaced out, so you can't hear the conversation of others. The food - *Portabello Mushroom Fries Pesto Aioli & Dusted With Parmesan 11... a must if you love mushrooms as much as I do. YUMMMMM *New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass Shallots, White Wine Au Jus, Mushroom Risotto, Asparagus 28. This was ok. I was expecting better. The risotto was almost flavorless, with barely any mushrooms. The asparagus was huge and cooked perfectly. The sea bass also was lacking flavor. I would go for something else if I were you. Good luck!
(3)Tonya S.
I went here during a visit to the LA area for lunch. Our service was excellent. We dined outside on the covered patio and it was very enjoyable. I started with the Two of a Pear cocktail, which was outstanding. I also had the club sandwich, which was one of the best club sandwiches I have ever had (the bread was amazing). This came with a side of mixed greens. Off of the children's menu, we ordered the grilled chicken that came with green beans. This was excellent as well. The grilled chicken had a terrific flavor! I highly recommend this restaurant during a visit to Fashion Island.
(5)Ashley H.
Nothing better then brunch on Sunday's! This place was perfect for the occasion. We started off with their donuts which was AMAZING. We also ordered their mimosas which were to die for. They have different types, I had a watermelon and lemon and it was delicious. Our food was equally delicious. The service was great but the reason why I knocked a star down is our table was WAY too close to the table next to us. We minus have had them join in on our conversation. Other then that this place comes highly recommended
(4)Kim D.
Good place to grab lunch or dinner while shopping around Fashion Island. Since we came for an early dinner, we got lucky and were seated right away. The service was great and we didn't have to wait very long for our orders to come out. They also give a bag with a warm baguette and butter to nibble on while waiting. Portions are actually quite large which made up for the prices being a bit on the steeper side. I ordered the terrific pacific sandwich which was filled with grilled mahi mahi and an avocado salsa between slices of a ciabatta roll. The fish was fresh and the salsa was light, and probably would've been fine on its own with the side salad. Also keep in mind, happy hour specials are only served at the bar or on the couches outside in the back.
(4)Wendy R.
My husband and I had a date night here yesterday. Atmosphere: Popular spot for Happy Hour, which can tend toward noisy and obnoxious, especially with the bad acoustics inside. Sit on the patio - it's pleasant and good for people watching, and the fountain will drown out some of the Happy Hour noise. Food: -Starter: Popovers -one order comes with four of various sizes, warm, coated in parmesan and served with "clover butter". Whatever that is, it was delicious. I think it was only $4, so not bad for something tasty, fun and shareable. -Drinks: He had iced tea, and I had lemonade. I think mine was fountain Minute Maid. Skip it. -Mains: He had a French Dip with side salad and enjoyed it. He noted that the side salads change nicely with the seasons. I had the GM Chopped Salad- a satisfying size, full of chicken, corn, salami, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, tomatoes, and greens (I skipped the olives). Very good. -Dessert: Get the banana split!!! We shared it, and it was plenty big. I usually do NOT like to share my dessert, but this was enough. Peanut butter ice cream, brûléed bananas, a heap of whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and pralines. Soooooooo delicious.
(4)Deborah H.
I have been here a few times and my word of advice is just stick to the drinks. They have an amazing original cocktails and their wine selection is actually nice. My favorite cocktail is the N.S. Wolfhound. Not only were the flavors cohesive and inspiring, but the presentation of the cocktail made the drink even more enticing. The GM Honey Mule was great with a bite or two of their individual apple pie dessert. (The apple pie dessert is enough for 2-4 people.) The food left something to be desired. I went to dinner with a group of four people and the waiter kept recommending their pasta dishes. We finally acquiesced to his suggestions and were very dissappointed. No one at the table enjoyed their meal. In fact, none of us finished our plates and we left to go somewhere else for sustance. Maybe it was an off night, who knows, but for the price I am not sure I would take the chance to try their food again after all four dishes left something to be desired.
(3)Linda P.
We come here for the Moules-Frites (mussels with French fries), which are really delicious. However, as delicious as they are, I wish the serving was a bit larger for the price. It seems more like an appetizer portion than a meal. Also, while the outside dining area is very pleasant, service was spotty - our water glasses stayed empty, we had to wait until we could finally attract a waiter's attention to get our check. The prices at this restaurant are high, what you'd expect for an upscale restaurant at Fashion Island, but in that case, I expect top notch service at the very least.
(3)Heather L.
Pros- the service was very good, drinks were excellent, and apps delicious Cons- the main entrees were not that good. the looked amazing - but when it came down to it the flavor was not there. I do want to come back to try a flatbread and other apps but won't be back for an entree
(3)Linh P.
Since I didn't make it to the San Diego location, I went here for Sunday brunch. I was reluctant with all the bad reviews on their service but gave the restaurant a chance. The restaurant was only half full and service was pretty good. Didn't have any issues and was served promptly. I ordered the French Toast with maple bacon and boyfriend ordered the popover with tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. First off, the dishes were super healthy, probably to cater to the Fashion Island crowd. My french toast was fluffy and served with a light maple syrup. For someone like me (who enjoys chocolate pancakes drenched in regular syrup and chocolate sauce at Pancake House), this was too light for my liking. Wished they had an option and had asked me first before serving me the syrup light. But for those who didn't have such a sweet tooth, this wouldn't be a problem. But then again, they wouldn't have ordered french toast to begin with. They would have ordered something more savory like the popover. The popover was more flavorful. All the flavors worked very well together. Wonder if the San Diego location served their food as light. Overall, seems like it's better to stick to their savory dishes.
(3)Hemesh P.
there really aren't too many vegetarian options the flatbread is very very cheesy the beet salad is also...very very cheesy with coat cheese desserts are great though; get the apple pie; key lime pie. chocolate cake is ok - a little dry
(2)Bridget S.
Always have a wonderful experience here. Food is exceptional and service is friendly and attentive. Candice is amazing, she is patient, helpful, and knowledgable. Always make it a point to come here when spending the afternoon at fashion island.
(5)Bonkersforbananas17 ..
Great food with a great atmosphere. My girlfriend and I had the GM salad it was tasty but not a must have. Our main course though was fantastic. We had the turkey bolegnese with a side order of their ricotta mashed potatoes. They were out of this world the bolegnese with its big chunks of parm to the creaminess of the potatoes. I will definitely be back with friends and family.
(4)Mandana B.
I visited Great Maple this past Saturday for lunch. We had a great experience. The service was wonderful and so was the food. We ordered the Hamburger, truffle fries, house salad, and bacon donut all of which were delicious! Their berry ice tea was a bit too berry for me but I'm sure others may like it. The ambiance is great for a weekend lunch, they also had live music in the courtyard mall which was really nice. Thumbs up! I'll def go back.
(5)Kristi S.
First time here. Decided to stop in Fashion Island for dinner and found this great patio side restaurant. Great location overlooking the fountain and perfect for people watching while dining! My husband had the Beer Battered Fish and Chips, I ordered the House Pasta. Both dishes full of flavor and well portioned. Fresh ingredients and seasonal are their specialty and buy in. Well we are in! In was great. The chicken in my pasta was so tender and the portobello mushrooms and pesto just divine! The fish was perfect and flakey, and the shoestring French fries that came with it were perfect. We thought we were done after the meal, but our waiter offered us a dessert menu. We opted to take ours to go, since we were so satisfied after dinner. I ordered the seasonal Meyer Lemon Coconut Meringue pie - HEAVENLY! A must try if it is in season. My husband brought home the apple pie with caramel and pecans (added on the side). Very flavorful and enough for two! We will definitely be back to try other menu items!
(4)Krystle G.
Calamari was great, Lobster Roll was ok, I did not like the bread that came with it. But the drinks, I loved. We ordered the TIPSY "TOPSY'S" MARGARITA and the RASPBERRY OLD FASHIONED and those were great.
(3)Alex C.
BEST BURGER!! I came here for my birthday lunch and had not only great service, but one of the best burger I have eaten in my life. It was so delicious, and the best part was it didn't cost me my life savings!! When they found out it was my birthday they gave an ice-cream or sorbet dish.. I have to admit it wasn't really my style but the cookie that came with it was really tasty!
(5)Jamie S.
Sunday Brunch is delightful for the whole family! Six different Bloody Mary options, and at least as many Mimosa varieties. Pigs in a blanket sounds basic but was amazing. My son ordered this and ended up sharing a bite with each of us (yes, it's that big). I ordered the Mahi tacos and they were mouth watering! My husband got the BLT and there was at least an inch of bacon on the sandwich. Deliciousness all around and the service was superb!
(5)Rick C.
Great Maple doesn't live up to it's name. It's hardly great -- it's terrible! When you walk up, it's in a great spot in Fashion Island. it looks very inviting, But once you sit down, you start getting the feeling that this is the Newport Beach version of the Claim Jumper. Yech! That's not what I came for. Once our entrees arrived, it WAS just like the Claim Jumper. The entrees were huge and tasted terrible. They were greasy, over carbed, and under cooked. I had a few bites and decided that I couldn't do this to myself. I pushed the plate aside and decided that was it. My wife looked at me and said "this is the worst." She was right. We asked for the bill, paid the check, and left feeling like we'd just been punched in the gut. No thanks. We're done. No more Great Maple for us!
(1)Judy G.
I think new management might have taken over? Nothing else explains why they would change things that were working. The bread use to be great, but it's now terrible. I use to be able to order a Cesar salad with chicken and it would fill me up, it's not a much smaller portion. What's going on guys? I was a weekly regular, but now I'm taking a break from this place.
(2)David M.
Went here today for an early dinner with my mom and sister. I got the brisket sandwich, my mom got the spinach salad minus the cheese with chicken, and my sister got the Caesar salad. I was not very impressed. The brisket was very tender, but the sauce they used tasted like a generic BBQ sauce. For an $18 sandwich, I expect a bit more; the sandwich should be $10-12 at most. In addition, the sour cream horseradish sauce does not mix very well with the other sauce. The fries were nicely seasoned and crispy. My mother said the salad was ok. My sister said the Caesar was very good noting that there was a good amount of dressing and the dressing covered each leaf of romain adequately. The service was also sub par. We were there for the change of shift. Our original server (a male whose name I forget) was pleasant and took our order. Before our food came out, he notified us that he was leaving and that another server (whose name I also forget) would take care of us the rest of the way. My sister had ordered a hot tea which never came out. Unfortunately we did not realize that we were charged for it until we arrived back home. When my mothers salad came out without the candied pecans, I asked one of the busboys to call our server. She arrived and took care of the pecans issue quickly and pleasantly. However, that was the last of our interactions until we asked for the bill. I was not offered a refill on my soda. I gave 2 stars because of the salads and the tenderness of the brisket. Overall, the experience was sub par to mediocre. I don't think I will ever go back to Great Maple.
(2)Carolyn H.
My review is slightly skewed because there are just not good veggiesaur options here...so basically my salad with pear, bleu cheese and pecans was...good. They are definitely packed on the weekends, so plan ahead for that if you don;t want ot wait ages for your table. We were luckily seated within 5 minutes, so I have no complaints there. The service was quick and friendly.
(3)Elizabeth N.
3 stars for the uninterested waitress who didn't check in on us once. 4 stars to the food, bussers, food runner and overall experience.
(3)Anna W.
Service at Great Maple was consistently slow today. It wasn't even full or close to a full house. Our waiter took his time bringing anything to us from our drinks to our dessert. The only time he was fast was when he brought us the bill. The excuses ranged from the drinks are being made ten minutes after we ordered, to the bread just getting out of the oven. I decided to try the beef dip, but the beef was so bland. The dip was okay, I guess. I wish I took a photo of it but it didn't look like the previous beef dip I saw on yelp. I also had the tangerine and kumquat mimosa...nothing special...for $12. The food should have been a little bit more deserving of the price. The quality was worse than Lemonade, which has cheaper menu price but better food and nonalcoholic drinks. I feel cheated. I'm only happy to try Great Maple once.
(3)Jan E.
Last night my husband, sister-in-law visting from Virginia and I went for dinner. We arrived at 8:01 pm. We were told about 8:30. No problem, we walked around. Came back and asked are we close- Oh yes just a few more minuets. We saw tables empty on the patio and thought "oh cool we are going to sit out there". Oh no, other parties were being sat. My husband went up and asked what was going on. Our explanation was that there were tables that were not leaving and very soon. We left at 9pm to go to Cheese Cake Factory. Seated, with bread and drinks and then the text from Great Maple at 10:12 pm "your table is ready" NO THANK YOU. Now my husband and I have eaten there many times at their busy hours and never have had this problem. I was so angry and disappointed that I could not show my sister-in-law what a great place this is. I really will have to rethink if I will be eating there again!
(2)number one l.
Must try! Salads are the bomb.com My husband had a chicken sandwich, it was also delicious can't wait to go back
(5)Hersh C.
2 stars because the fries that came with my burger were nice and crispy. Aside from that... Everything was below average. We were very hungry, so we sat at the bar. Figured we would get our meal quicker. Well, I guess bartenders don't take food orders. 15 minutes later, someone else came and took our order. Then they got my order wrong. Once they got our food to us (which came fairly quick. So that was good), no one came to check on us... For like 40 mins!!! My burger was $20 (I added mushrooms $2, onions $1, and bacon $2 on it). I only ate half of it cus there was no seasoning of any sort. The whole time I was thinking... Damn it! I should've gone to In-N-Out!!!!
(2)Kenny H.
Only tried the happy hour: Beers on draft $4 for a 12 ounce The fish tacos on market price ($7) was good The ceased salad was also good at $6 Well drinks are $5 for happy hour. Great deal !
(4)Natalie C.
One of my favorite places to brunch on Sunday's! I love the egg white and avocado smash breakfast.
(5)Tad M.
This is the third time that my wife and I visited the Great Maple. Each visit has gotten progressively dissatisfying. Our first visit was excellent. We sat at the bar, greeted warmly by bartender and he suggested food, drinks and provided excellent service. Second visit was for Sunday brunch. Food was quite tasty and drinks, while pricey, were good. The service was mediocre. Our server seemed overwhelmed with other tables and we were ignored. Our third visit came after an evening of shopping. We wanted a drink before we headed home and decided to sit at the bar. Bartender was engaged in conversations with co-workers and was eating behind the bar while working. He had an open to-go box and was using his fingers to put food in his mouth. To be honest, it was disgusting. We finished our drinks, paid the $30 bill (for two drinks), and left. In the future, our choice will be to not visit the Great Maple.
(2)Katie C.
Went here the Saturday after thanksgiving and they were able to get us seated right away the food was great and drinks were strong! Making shopping nice! Would definitely come here again
(4)Steph S.
This is one of my favorite brunch places! I really wish we have a Great Maple in LA. I've eaten here a total of 3 times, each time I've never been disappointed with the food. We were just there yesterday for Easter brunch, and I ordered their Egg Whites and Avocado Smash dish, which was both tasty and healthy. I also love their Poached Egg with Asparagus, which I didn't order this time around. For dessert, the four of us split their Maple Bacon Doughnuts. So I should first mention that normally, I despise the combination of savory/sweet dishes, but I have to admit, their Maple Bacon Doughnuts are a must try! The dough is so incredibly soft and the overall taste isn't as terribly sweet as I feared it would be. I personally wasn't too fond of their Pear Mimosa, I thought there was a tone of bitterness to it, but that's a very minor note. Overall, I always have a very satisfying experience here and I can't wait for my next visit!
(5)LS H.
decent service, a little overpriced but food was great. don't miss the sweet potato chips, they're the best. i had the lobster salad and with some pleading, got the chips instead of bread. my friend had the ahi tacos, also v good nom nom
(3)Toosha S.
We enjoyed the carrot ginger soup and great service. Flatbread was good too. Will come again
(5)Archie L.
Came here for breakfast and left disappointed. $15 brioche French toast logs were two big pieces of white bread with powdered sugar and fake maple syrup. Must have some nice margins on this one. A lot of great breakfast places in Newport, stay away from this one. Gf's scramble melt was better but nothing special. This is a bar and dinner spot, don't waste your money on breakfast. Oh and coffee was awful. Sorry to be so harsh but at least use quality ingredients if you are going to charge those prices. Last but not least, server didn't acknowledge we barely touched our food and took one sip of coffee. I know it's a difficult situation but at least address the issue.
(1)Kelly G.
Delicious breakfast. The Chorizo Egg Scramble was to die for. And the coffee was nice and strong. Service was attentive. Will definitely visit again when in the area.
(5)Shawn G.
Venison chile with sliced fig grilled cheese. In cred ible! Spiced right and brilliant. Great beer selection and great service. An easy 5 stars, don't let the other namby pamby posters influence you not to come here.
(5)Keith F.
Great place to kick back and people watch. My wife and I come here about twice a month when we are shopping, the French dip with truffle fries are the best. I can not give them a five star due to the fact they have really old paper menus with stains all over them. (replace them its cheap). Other than that great place for drinks and lunch.
(4)Jessi G.
Best brunch. Pear mimosas and french toast with maple syrup and bacon on top. Simply amazing. They only have brunch on Sundays though. :(
(5)Louie B.
I came to the Great Maple a few nights ago for a work function. Andy was our waiter and he was awesome. He seemed to be there just enough vs nowhere to be found or smothering you. I love this type of service. No balls were dropped either. You would think that a table of 8 would get extra service and I am sure that is the initial intent but oftentimes the orders get screwed up and just the sheer volume of requests will send it in the wrong direction. Once there it is difficult to maintain composure. Way back in the day I was a waiter at the Olive Garden. I totally remember the drill. Anyway, I digress. Andy handled the whole table perfectly. That is the point that I am trying to make here. I ordered the New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass with Risotto and Asparagus and a cup of tortilla soup. The Sea Bass was full of flavor and very yummy. Also I am not the biggest Asparagus fan in the world and I powered that down as well with no problem. Very Tasty. I washed that all down with 2 twenty oz Stella drafts. It was a good experience.
(5)James Michael S.
Best fish and chips I have had, a must order. The environment and service can be a bit uppity at times but that's to be expected pretty much anywhere in Newport Beach. The inside is open to the outside so you might as well sit on the patio, better view and a lot less stuffy.
(4)Tiffany M.
Great Maple was so delicious! I had the Mahi Mahi Tacos which have just recently been added to their menu and I am so glad. They have a pretty serious kick to them...not enough for my mouth to burn but I was congested before I ate and I'm not anymore! My friend had one of their grass fed burgers and it looked delicious and he assures me it was. My tacos came with kettle cooked chips and the burger can with pomme frites that were upgraded to be dusted with Parmesan and Truffle oil. Worth it. For sure. I didn't have any of their pie or libations....of which they are famed for....but the food is so good I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy whatever is on the menu.
(5)Claire S.
It's easy to get lost in the sea of shops and restaurants in Fashion Island, and I'm always eager to avoid food-courtish-areas. Wandering near the fountain, I discovered this place on Yelp, and I'm quite glad I did! The place has a modern, off-the-beat-ish decor, but I quite liked it. All of the staff we interacted with was extremely friendly, and our waiter was really helpful in recommending specific dishes to my table. We ended up going a little overboard on food, ordering the mac and cheese, the beet salad, the kobe beef au jus, and the prosciutto di parma pizza. For two people, it ended up being way too much food (our eyes may have been bigger than our stomachs). The mac and cheese was delicious - rich and creamy, and served piping hot in a small skillet-like dish. My main complaint was the "bacon fired roof" was more a handful of chopped bacon tossed over the top. I may have had higher bacon-thatching expectations, and was a little let down after seeing that. The local beet salad was massive, a pile of arugula on top of a bed of sliced beets, with some baguette crisps, and nut-crusted goat cheese balls. It was more than enough to share with another person, although presentation-wise, I would have tried to highlight the beets more, rather than bury them under the greens. Also, more cheese, please! The prosciutto di parma pizza was AMAZING - a wood-fired pizza coated generously in truffle oil, layered with a bed of prosciutto, sour cream, and cheese, and then a topped by beautiful, runny fried egg. It was delicious, and I would definitely come back just for this beauty. The kobe beef au jus was a huge disappointment, however - I know it's an au jus, but the sandwich itself was so dry, and the bread was stale. I don't think we had more than 2 bites of the entire thing. With such excellent, attentive waiters, I guess I was hoping they would notice how unhappy we were with it, but a) they probably thought we were full and b) next time I'll say something. Otherwise, if I was in the area, I'd definitely come again!
(4)Joe S.
Came for a quick bite while waiting for my appointment at Nordstrom next door. Delicious fish and chips. Opted for them because it was quick and simple. Many more delicious items to choose from. Wife had the fig and blue cheese flat bread. Nothing over powering but well balanced. Fish was good. Service is quick and friendly. We ordered a drink my wife was not fond of. The server (Emily) took it back and brought an espresso martini to die for We will be back.
(4)Lindsy H.
Seated quickly at 7pm & had the choice of indoors or cozy, heated patio. Ordered the grilled cheese on baguette app, not starving and the mixed berry fresh lemonade. The hubby ordered the burger w/gruyere cheese & grilled onions and the IPA. The service was good. The ambiance was the typical trendy look w/butcher paper in lieu of table clothes, you know the place. The food was good. The grilled cheese was made with brie, wish I'd known as being pregnant I couldn't eat it :( ended up picking the cheese off & eating the baguette. The honey was a tasty touch. The burger was good, needed more seasoning/flavor, according to the hubs, and the onions were more pickled than grilled. Fun to try someplace new.
(4)Tayler C.
Great food! Horrible customer waiting staff. It's like they hire high school students as waiters and waitresses. I hope they figure it out cause the food is delicious.
(2)Jessica W.
Great Maple does salads and sandwiches very well. I really like the chicken sandwich and southwest chopped salad. It is located in Fashion Island which makes it a convenient place to grab a bite to eat while shopping. They have a nice outdoor patio and the portions are definitely large enough to split. The wine list is good and the cocktails are delicious.
(4)Tami D.
My husband and I came here for lunch during the week. We got seated right away on the restaurant's pretty patio, and the weather was so nice outside on this beautiful California day! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… We both ordered the Wood Fired Chicken Cobb Salad. With tender chicken, pieces of blue cheese, bacon, tomato, hardboiled egg, avocado, and fresh romaine lettuce, our salads were delicious! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… The service was friendly and efficient. Our waitress got our drinks right away, and our meals came out quickly. We also came here right after lunch, so the patio was nice and quiet. yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… We were really pleased with the food and service here! For a relaxing lunch on this restaurant's patio, this is a wonderful place to take a break from shopping and grab a nice bite to eat.
(4)Jen T.
It's about time I tried this place! Been on my bookmarks for awhile Portobello fries: it's nothing compared to Bottega Louie's in LA. Drenched in oil, very soggy. What a waste of these delicious portobellos. Turkey burger: it's good but not amazing! Bread was good but it took over the entire sandwich, got sick of it. Pommes frites was exactly how I like them! Prosciutto di Parma (woodfired pizza): favorite dish! White truffle oil.. Soo yummy! I really enjoyed the egg with the pizza... It helped to tone down the strong flavors of prosciutto, cheese and sour cream. Yes...sour cream.. I don't think it's the sour cream we put on our baked potatoes or at chipotle. But it was surprisingly delicious and complemented well with the pizza. I do want to give this place another shot.. Enjoy! :)
(3)Risya L.
Brandon, I took your advice and came back, and boy am I happy you did! I had Evan as our waiter outside in the patio. He was just amazing! Talk about on top of his game. Every time my water was empty it was filled, he would come back numerous times to make sure we were okay and was enjoying everything. From the appetizer to the meal. From being greeted by Julia, who was just the sweetest host I had ever chit chatted with while waiting for my boyfriend to join me. This experience was just all around much much better then before. We will be back, and bringing our friends and family with us!
(5)Candice S.
We love Great Maple and go as often as possible, especially for the maple bacon donuts with a glass of milk. The service can sometimes be spotty, there are days it's great (ask for Edward) and others where it deserves 2 stars at best (I'll refrain from naming the server). We've only had one item on the menu that we wouldn't order again - the lobster roll - but everything else we've had has been spectacular, especially the muscles and the grilled cheese with Brie and honey. My only wish is that they would recognize that CA is in a severe drought and stop serving water automatically. I hope to go back one day and see them be more responsible and only serve water when asked for it by a guest.
(4)Ingrid V.
Ok, I'm going against the grain here and contradicting my Yelp friends as I had a phenomenal experience here... twice!! Again, it boils right down the great service and good food put together. Rewinding back to late summer, my hubs and I had a late lunch here. We had a phenomenal server whom I am totally forgetting his name. Damn the Alzheimer's! From here on out, I will refer to him as "TASD" (Totally Awesome Server Dude.) Anyway, TASD, from the start made great recommendations, was on top of refills, and was very friendly and chatty without being intrusive. He had great timing, and even brought us a complimentary Gelato for it being our first visit there! My Pan Seared Scottish Salmon was good, and my hub's East Coast Pulled Pork was tender and juicy. Pulled Pork: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Salmon: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Half eaten Gelato (sorry I wasn't fast enough lol!) yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Before we left, I decided that I wanted to host my bridesmaids luncheon here and asked TASD if he would be available on a late Saturday afternoon in October because I simply HAD to have him take care of our table. Mind you, I've done a lot of time as a restaurant manager and I knew that there was no way for TASD to predict if he would have a shift for certain on a given weekend day. TASD earnestly told me that he would certainly try to be on that shift in October. Fast Forward to a sunny October late afternoon. My bridesmaids and I walk in, and get seated. TASD walks by, remembers me from 2 months prior and goes "OH HI!!!! YOU'RE HERE!!" and subsequently asks his manager if he could take care of our table, since I had requested him. TASD takes INCREDIBLE CARE of our table, chats it up with all the bridesmaids, all the while not missing a beat with his other tables, (because, yes... i was watching. You can take the girl out of the restaurant business, but you can't take the restaurant business outta the girl.) He makes great recommendations, and even finds a way to make one of their mind-blowing cocktails non-alcoholic for my maid-of-honor who can't drink. (it makes her feel very ill.) Here's some of the menu offerings we had: Portabello Mushroom Fries. (FOODGASMIC!): yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Terrific Pacific. (Mahi Sandwich): yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Bananas Foster Sundae: yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… Gah! It is really bugging me that I am blanking on TASD's name. Guess I'll just have to go back. Oh man. It's rough, but someone's gotta do it. EDIT: I got OCD and ended up going through old receipts in an effort find TASD's name. I found it. It's Brett. THANK YOU BRETT!! :)
(5)Lynn Z.
I have eaten here many times but never was I more shocked to see Bar Staff use their bare hands to pull garnishes for drinks. Even more outrageous was when one of the female servers came up to wait for drinks and while she waited she had her hand up to her knuckles into the sliced Lemons!!!
(1)Herb B.
I had gone to Great Maple shortly after they opened in 2011 and had a bad experience as is often the case with a new restaurant. If I never went back to restaurants because of an occasional foul up, I'd be left eating my wife's crappy food at home all the time (just kidding honey, LOL). Over the last year a group of us from work have been working G.M. into the rotation for lunch and have been very pleased with both the service as well as the food. They clearly have worked out the kinks and I would recommend it to anyone. Their food is a little bit healthier than most restaurants and quite tasty. They have and excellent beer selection as well. A little bit pricey, but not over the top.
(4)Isabella B.
According to the website, the focus of this restaurant is "Seasonal Produce, Responsible Seafood and Farm Fresh Meats". The concept seemed honest enough, so my family decided to try it after shopping in Fashion Island. Ambiance is cozy. One cool feature about the restaurant is that you can see the kitchen staff prepare the food and leave it for the waiters. The kitchen is not as transparent as other kitchens like True Foods, but you can still see people moving about. I would find myself watching the staff as I waited for the food. Service was good. My only minor complaint about the service was that we had to ask for our waters after we got our drinks (because my sister only got water). The issue was resolved quickly and waters were brought immediately afterwards by one of the bussers. My entree was the seasonal seafood, scallops with red wine sauce on the side served with roasted tomatoes and saffron risotto. The scallops were excellent - texture was a little firm but bouncy and easily sliced with a fork. The risotto, however, was not what I expected; I expected more saffron flavor and I felt it didn't complement the dish. My mom's dish was what I was going to get originally before I heard the description for the seasonal seafood - moules frites. This is my first time tasting the Belgian classical dish. I liked the presentation in the black clay pot. The mussels tasted like white wine. Texture was good, but I felt as if the taste was a bit one-dimensional. I might come here to try the libations or should my family want to go back here, but I'm not going to personally go out of my way to come here. Even if the restaurant's mission is something I would like to incorporate more often into what I eat, what's the point of spending money if it doesn't taste as good as it says it is?
(3)David T.
Drinks are amazing here! Portobello fries, YUM! and I don't even care for mushrooms.. nice staff and great decor.
(5)Pam P.
Cute place and nice servers. But it's supposed to be "farm fresh" and it's not. Ordered a beet salad based around heirloom tomatoes. Well, anyone that knows anything about food would never refrigerate a tomato - it makes it mealy. Well, the tomatoes in this dish were cold and mealy! Hardly farm fresh. My daughter had the grilled cheese off the kids menu and she was done with it in 10 seconds and left hungry. Cute place but the food's not great.
(2)Raymond H.
I went here with work colleagues for a business lunch and we sat down and about passed out from heat exhaustion inside. It was a 98 degree day at the beach and this place had no fans on patio. We opted to sit inside. They do not have or did not want to use the AC and therefore it was about 99 degrees inside with kitchen heat etc. we had to walk out and eat at Nordstrom cafe. Bummer because waking by it caught our eye that the salads looked great. Would never have gone otherwise. Poor experience and manger didn't even apologize as we left. 2 stars for sheer lack of hospitality and no explanation as to what the hell was going on.
(2)Dee A.
Today was a perfect day to dine at this place...beautiful sunny OC weather....not too warm and not too cold. It was a gorgeous day! Right when we got to the place, they immediately seated us outside the patio. It was a good size outdoor seating with a view of the beautiful fountain right outside Nordstrom. The decor was nicely done. It was casual, but with a touch of elegance. The entire ambiance was perfect to enjoy a pleasant and joyous conversation over a well-prepared meal. The servers were friendly and responsive. They took our drinks order right away, and came back with it instantly. Although, I must say that we had to flag a bus boy to give us some bread and butter. But he responded without a delay and got us some warm freshly baked bread and creamy, tasty butter. It was quite a treat. For the main entree, I ordered the New Zealand Blue Nose Sea Bass with Risotto and Asparagus ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ). My friend got the Terrific Pacific Grilled Mahi Sandwich with Truffle Fries ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ). The main dish I ordered was so delicious! The Sea Bass was very well prepared. It was fresh, juicy, and hardly had a taste of fishiness to it. But what made it even better was the Risotto! It was creamy, tasty, flavorful, and simply delicious! A White Wine Au Jus with shallots and mushrooms was poured around the top of the Risotto that gave a perfect balance to the heavy creamy cheesy taste of it. The Asparagus was also grilled and flavored to perfection. The entire entree was absolutely splendid! Definitely a must- try! My friend also enjoyed her Grilled Mahi Sandwich. I couldn't keep my hands off her Truffle Fries. It was really good! It was crispy, and savory! The truffle flavor was quite a delight. This place is already on my list of fave places to indulge in OC.
(4)Brian C.
Place is amazing our waitress Rose was unbelievable would recommend this to all my friends
(5)Jay H.
A nice location in Fashion Island. Menu and food was good but service was mediocre. Ambience-Casual, lively, and busy. Food- My wife loved the roasted pork belly sandwich; the steak was great but not for the price. My lobster roll was lacking in flavor. Service- I understand they were a little busy. But had to ask multiple times for refills and utensils because he kept forgetting them. Asked for Coke, received Diet coke. Unacceptable!
(3)Lily Z.
Loved my classic Bloody Mary and Fries but so so on rest of food items, service and ambiance. We went Sunday so only had brunch menu but ordered from lunch items. The hamburger had too much bread to meat and bread so so. Roast chicken dish while described beautifully to be served with root vegetables turned out to be only two orange carrots. The kitchen noise and music was too loud so hard to talk. Also our food took forever. The adjacent tables who both arrived after us got there food first and one table even nearly finished before our food arrived. When I asked the waitress she just made an excuse it was because we ordered our hamburger "med-well" really??? To be hones it was pretty pink so looked more like Med. I could be wrong but the other table had over six guests and their items seemed pretty elaborate. A simple "I'm sorry and will check would have been fine".
(2)Laina A.
I wanted to like you Great Maple, but you fell far short. Over priced and not worth it. I met up for lunch with fellow yelper Cathy S. and we decided to splurge and have a pricier lunch. Now I've heard from plenty of non-yelpers in my office that this place is okay/overrated/too expensive, and you know what, they were right! Why are there 2 pictures??? These were both my orders! yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… yelp.com/biz_photos/grea… My salad was unacceptable and had to go! Pink in my chicken, no way. Things just kept falling apart. Our waiter, who up to then had been good, did a close up stare at my food, I was surprised he didn't pick it up with his fingers to examine it. He then took it away for a conference with others, including a manager. The manager then came over to explain that in order for him to write it off he needed to know what was wrong. I guess my explanation of "not-cooked-enough" chicken wasn't enough?! I said I did not want a new one made and would go with the burger. The positives: my burger was very good, albeit overcooked, I asked for medium and it was medium well. the fries were good. the complimentary bread was fine nothing special, but the butter served with it was really delicious, flavored with sea salt, another spice I couldn't identify and some lemon zest. With prices of $14 and add $2 if you want cheese, it should have been Kobe beef in my burger. Definitely not worth the money. $3.15 for iced tea that I barely got a refill on, not worth the money. The decor is nice with all the wood, but they have these hideous red plastic-looking (probably lucite) chandeliers that look like they came from Ikea.
(2)amir y.
Our server Eddy was great and he made the experience awesome! The flatbread appetizer and spicy chicken sandwich were awesome. I highly recommend this place for dinner or date night, I've heard the brunch is really good too I want to try it!
(4)Sin-Yaw W.
Arrived early for some self-time reading at the bar. The cocktail was excellently made (you would think Gin tonic is an easy thing to mix? This place did it well.) Followed by the red wine of the day and the IPA beer. All were good. My seat mate and I conspired to share a burger and a rack of ribs. Both were excellent. The burger (medium) was delicious with the blue-cheese and grill onion. The meats of the ribs literally fell off the bones and were moist and flavorful. We tried apple pie, chocolate cake, and an another dessert that has peanuts in it. They were attacked and cleaned up very quickly. The whole table (14 people) all had a great time.
(5)Matthew G.
Absolutely phenomenal. Great service. Great food. Go check it out. We just stopped by for a drink and the food looked so good we decided to have lunch. Good decision on our part. Loved it.
(5)Kris S.
Excellent food - both our entrees (burger and the house pasta) and the appetizer (grilled cheese baguette) were delicious. Service was spot on. Will return.
(5)Elizabeth S.
Came here for lunch after some shopping. Ordered a cheese board and a salad with two yummy cocktails ( California cooler and wise berry punch). The cheese board was awesome! The salad never came and the service was very slow and nonexistent. Three stars for the cocktails and cheese board. :)
(3)Melissa K.
I've been meaning to write a full review for this place. Over the past year or so, I have been here 5 or more times for lunch and dinner. Their website notes they offer "seasonal produce." True to form, the menu has changed since I first started coming here. I miss the Pots and Greens salad I used to get with the potato zucchini pancake, so I hope they bring it back for the Spring. That information aside, I've always enjoyed my meals here. Tonight's early dinner was no exception. Firstly, I haven't seen the seemingly stuck-up hosts in the past couple visits, which is nice. The hosts this evening were warm and welcoming, just the way hosts should be. When seated, our server greeted us right away and took our drink orders as well as introduced himself and *shook our hands* while asking *our* names. Before I go on bragging about Andy--a handsome redhead with a colorful tattoo sleeve, a cool hairstyle and a nice personality--please allow me to indulge in elaborating my past experiences. Typically my experiences with the wait staff at Great Maple have been very lackluster. My first experience our server seemed like he wasn't mentally present, my others weren't anything to write home about, my second to last was nice but... didn't go beyond that. You'll notice that the bussers will bring you your food as well as pick up empty plates if the server does not... Which is exactly what our second to last server did. I even did the old "leave your empty plate at the table edge" trick and he let it sit there so long I eventually just moved it to the other side of the table. I don't know if he thought it was beneath him to clear a plate or what, but it certainly left me peeved. This evening's experience exceeded all of my expectations. Andy was patient while my mom and I took several minutes to decide what we wanted and even did some plate clearing!!! *gasp* My mom had a cup of coffee, which is brewed fresh and served with a side of warmed cream so the coffee doesn't get cold when it's added. I ordered a tangerine cosmopolitan, which has fresh citrus pulp and is shaken so cold it had a thin layer of ice on top--kudos, bartender! It is delicious. We started our meal with the creamy polenta and prosciutto small plate. It was DIVINE. The polenta was fluffy as well as creamy, so I felt as though I wasn't being sooo lush. The prosciutto was crispy on the outside and didn't even have that gamy flavor which it can sometimes have. Mom had the spinach salad with chicken added. The spinach salad has fresh, ripe strawberries, lightly candied pecans and is quite a healthy serving! I couldn't finish my heirloom and cherry tomato salad either (probably spoiled my appetite with that amazing polenta). However, it was a very satisfying salad. Every bite was perfectly ripe and the burrata on the salad was creamy and tasty. And while the food was great, Andy's genuine attentiveness is what has really changed my mind about the place, and is the primary reason I'm giving the restaurant a 5-star rating. To impress me, it's about the details...to which Andy clearly pays attention. When he carded me for the cosmo I was having a hard time getting my ID out of it's slippery covering in my wallet, so he showed me a trick to help it out! (You stick another card behind it to keep the ID from sticking to the leather.) Overall his friendly personality made my mom and I feel like welcome acquaintances in his home, not like any old diners in a restaurant. Honorable food mentions: -Warm bread -Fave small plate (before I tasted the polenta): Asparagus with shaved pecorino -fresh basil pesto flatbread -individual apple pie PS. May have to update later about my slice of cherry pie I took home!
(5)Amy C.
Given that this place is a hit and miss by yelpers... It's leaning more toward a miss for me :( It was busy for a Sunday at 11:45 and the restaurant opens at 11. For drinks I had a cucumber Collins and my friend got a mimosa of some kind. Drinks were backed up at the bar...hmmm and when it came out, there wasn't too much alcohol in it, not worth the $12. For food I ordered the beef Wellington, came with potatoes,2 poached eggs and fruit. My friend ordered the beef dip, came w/ a salad. We told the waiter I wanted the salad and she will have my fruit. Food came out plated wrong... Fruit on my plate was 3 halves of fingerling potatoes and egg whites. My friend had the salad. It didn't look at our so we told the food delivery guy it wasn't ours. Could have been someone else's. Our waiter came back and asked if I didn't want the beef Wellington, I looked at him and said it was plated wrong and if it only came with 3 half potato fingerlings and he said yes...wow! I asked for house bread but didn't come until after out entree was delivered because it just came out of the oven... How do you not have bread 45 min into service??? I passed on the bread... What's the point?? Beef Wellington was ok, the pastry was soggy due to the sauce. I did get 6 halves of potato fingerlings... Instead of the three halves. The lady next us ordered the same and she got 5 halves of potatoes... Inconsistent! The beef in my friends beef dip ($19) didn't have any flavor. She had to soak her meat in the dip and add Siracha to it. Btw, she had a tummy ache when she got home... Decided to get the apple pie...the crust was good for not the 5 small apples that was in the pie. Not worth the $10 but it does feed 3-4 ppl. Btw, I was asked if I wanted coffee ... But the Espressos machine was down. Lol! Total bill came out to be $71... Too expensive for the quality of food and service in my opinion. Place was understaffed - if you want a restaurant this big, staff it rt and have food available!! I hate tipping 15%...waiter service was sub par, we were pretty much ignored after the food came out the 2nd time... so I didn't tip the 'normal' 15%... I tipped the drinks differently... I am hesitant to come back... Maybe if I'm not paying ha ha! I'm giving this place a rounded up 3..the SD location has better reviews, I may hit that place up nxt time I'm there...
(3)David N.
There really is nothing good to write about this place. Our server was extremely slow and she didn't seem like she knew what she was doing. I ordered the fish and chips, and I enjoyed the presentation of the dish, however the fish was very bland. The tartar sauce didn't help as well. My friend ordered a pasta, and the pasta was just horrible. I hope they make some changes to the quality of their food, because it's much needed.
(1)Kira M.
We are avid fans of the San Diego location. But this place is a sad imitation of the original. The cocktails were watered down and the food flavorless and unimaginative. The wait staff was underwhelming too. Bummer....
(2)Nicole S.
A group of us attempted to have dinner here and had a mediocre to bad experience. Our server had several of our orders wrong and several meals were over or under-cooked. Also, we tried to order a few things on the menu that couldn't be served, because they were out of season. I thought this was a seasonal restaurant? The best part was having our server spill a glass of red wine on me and my white dress. After the last visit (my 3rd or 4th), I will not be returning. Ever.
(2)Annette B.
Birthday brunch surprise - : parking is a mess when shopping is in full swing at Fashion Island; get there early enough if you have plans with friends + : friendly hostess seated us right away (no reservations); lively ambiance indoors, quieter and brighter ambiance in the patio Ordered standard American dishes which were good and filling. We enjoyed the patio setting and our waiter was welcoming.
(4)Kathy J.
Today, i decided to try a different place. I loved the exterior and interior design! I guess that drew me in! Ok so, i read the menu but it wasn't anything "original" @ all! Just basics.. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, soup du jour..some starters. So im thinking, all this popularity & talks of the Great Maple restaurant..even the basics are most likey REALLY GOOD! I order the cobb salad & this interesting, "mini beef wellington. It was probably the grossest cobb ive had & the mini beef welling ton was very dissappointing! :( NOT GOING TO GO THERE AGAIN! Just informing! Dont waste your money there! I shouldve stuck to one of my faaavorite places, R&D cafe!!
(2)Michele K.
Review for happy hour only which is between 4:30-6:30 every day (i believe). This place is the epitome of A-OK. My friend and I were walking around fashion island and stumbled across this place. We decided to check out their happy hour menu because they had $4 appetizers. Happy Hour is self seating at the bar, the couch outside, and this awkward little two person table that's right next to the entrance. When we walked up to the hostess and told her we wanted to try their happy hour, she seemed really clueless and kind of ignored us... totally rude. The awkward side table was open, so we sat ourselves down. The girl that brought us the menus failed to bring us all the menus and when I asked her questions about their HH & drink selections she was completely clueless and didn't know what her own restaurant had to offer. I was pretty embarrassed for her. We ordered the BLT sliders and the Onion Rings. The BLT sliders were pretty good, but wasn't anything out of the ordinary.. just your basic BLT sandwich condensed down in to a few bites and on a bun instead of sandwich bread. The onion rings were a little over-fried, but weren't terrible. The appetizers are very reasonably priced but are also very mediocre and forgettable. All in all, besides the clueless/ignorant employees, this place is all right. I would come here if I didn't want to wait for other happy hours.
(3)Happy S.
So disappointed. Been wanting to try this place and last week after we finished a long day of shopping stopped by for dinner. The calamari appetizer was boring and flavorless and we had to ask for silverware from our not so friendly waiter in order to eat it. Unfortunately the experience continued downhill from there. My husband's fish and chips was greasy, almost burnt and lacked flavor or much fish for that matter. I ordered my grass fed beef burger to be cooked medium and it came out beyond well done....dry as a hockey puck. The truffle fries were a sad disappointment. We paid our $70 for dinner and learned a valuable lesson: skip this place.
(1)Chris P.
May daughter and I were hungry and we do not live in the area. We had been shopping at Nordstom and thought their menu looked like it had enough of a variety. We were seated right away and then a waiter came and took our drink orders. Then a different waiter came and took our food orders. We both got the French Dip and added French Fries. We received our food very quickly. We both were really pleased. As we dined, our food waiter came and asked if we needed refills (yes) and walked away. We were watching him fill other diners glasses with water and wondering where our drinks were. Just as we were about to give up, he came with our drinks and apologies that the bar was backed up. Other than this little glitch I would dine here again. A little pricy, but I am sure it caters to the area. Next time we shop out at Fashion Island, I will visit Great Maple!
(3)Chris E.
Very good food and very good service. Prices are in line with the OC & Fashion Island - higher than usual but it is what it is. Outdoor seating is great in typical SoCal weather.
(4)Tamara M.
Tried this place for dinner. I had the spicy chicken sandwich with a side of truffle fries. I'm not a big french fry eater, but I will say that the truffle fries were really good. The sandwich was pretty big. Chicken breast was seasoned well, but the ciabatta bread was so hard it was difficult to eat it. Don't order this one unless you are OK with getting messy. There was no saving that white napkin after I was finished with it. The banana split dessert is amazing. Definitely recommend getting this! It is really big so you can definitely split it. The two of us didn't even finish the whole thing. The drinks are pricey. $12-$14 each. We didn't have any, but there are some really exotic sounding drinks on the menu. They have a happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30, so we may go check it out and try a couple drinks then when they are less expensive. It was very busy when we were dining, but service was not awful like some people have said in their reviews. Our waiter was busy the entire time and our food came out quickly.
(4)Carlyn T.
I went there for lunch and I already want to come back. I had their house pasta and every bite was yummy, I didn't want it to end. They have a wide variety of flatbreads, sandwhiches, and seafood. They also have a Sunday brunch and a great dessert menu. We had the delicious apple pie. Service was up to par.
(5)Cryssy M.
Ok food. Ok drinks. Service was ok. Pretty vanilla in such an amazing local. I do have to say the paper they have on their tables is annoying. Why not leave them bare? Also, they allow other food to be brought in and eaten. If you ask me it cheapens the establishment. When I'm paying $70 for lunch with only two glasses of Rosè for a party of 3, I don't want to watch you eat your carls jr salad!! Just sayin...
(2)JF T.
They have a good wine selection and the food is good too. We like to sit at the bar though and service has gone way downhill. The bartenders used to be super interactive and speedy. The last few times we've been in, it takes awhile to be acknowledged even though they aren't busy. They seem to be more interested in chatting with each other and watching TV than paying attention to customers that come in. This used to be one of our favorite places, but it's dropped down the list considerably.
(3)Julie D.
Stopped in for a cheese plate appetizer before a movie. It was good. Ambiance is fun. Fashion island always is.
(4)Irene D.
You'll never find a bargain eatery at Fashion Island but this place has good food & a nice atmosphere. We enjoyed a BLT type sandwich, a burger with delicious fries & a baby greens salad. The specialty cocktail was good too. Service was friendly & efficient. We'd go back.
(4)J M.
I couldn't resist they had English popovers and I had to try them. Neither my friend or myself had ever had them and they were YUMMY! I should probably have started with the fact that I'd never eaten there before. There was a little bit of confusion with the menu because we thought our sandwiches also came with a salad. I didn't want to argue the point but I am not sure how both of us with our own menu agendas could have both missed it. That aside we both ended up ordering the very same sandwich but different sides. The lobster roll was mostly awesome, fresh roll, fresh lobster, fresh greens.... needed a little salt and pepper. My truffle fries were perfect and even the ketchup had a little bite to it that went well (I should mention I usually ONLY eat ketchup if there is something wrong with the fries but I thought it warranted trying). My friend had the mashed potatoes and those were also very good. We shared the apple pie for dessert and the crust was perfectly flaky and the apples were just right. Our main complaint was that they gave us spoons to eat it with instead of forks. I will definitely go back.
(4)Renata A.
Yesterday was my first time in this amazing place. Food tastes amazing, beautiful people and excellent service. Even thought it was a busy night we didn't have to wait to get a table. Food and drink kept coming really fast. Best of all, we got there minutes before happy hour ended but our host offered the deal for us. I will definitely come back!! My truffles fries was amazing ....
(5)Bradley F.
I had the Mahi Mahi tacos. Wow, they were spicy. Had a great kick to it. It's something worth trying. Service was good and the waiter was friendly. I will be back!
(5)Joe I.
More like 3.5 stars. Friendly service. Nice patio to eat and people watch. I had the pig and fig sandwich. It was very good. Salty and sweet components. Had the banana split and coffee.
(3)Felicity K.
Looked like a fun place to try while shopping. Stopped in and tried a plate of orange glazed ribs. Big serving on account of most places dont serve you many. Great mashes potatoes. Great service. Nice ambience and atmosphere.
(3)Nine S.
Came here for lunch for the first time, since I never think of dining here when I am always frequenting Fashion Island. Glad I finally tried it today. We sat in outside patio dining area where it is great to people watch - with shoppers and foot traffic going back and forth from Nordstrom & Fashion Island. Wonderful service from Hannah. She helped to suggest delicious sandwich choices since we were both wavering back and forth.. We enjoyed our lamb burger with truffle fries, and pastrami Reuben. After I also noticed that many around us had ordered French dip - it looked quite delicious. The key lime pie dessert was very tasty! Their complimentary bead is served in a bread bag, very interesting and different, served with salted butter and just a sprinkle of herbs. Will definitely come back to try the delicious looking beef French dip sandwich with the onion rings on top, looks very tasty...
(4)Rebecca D.
Best restaurant at Fashion Island! I come here at least once a month and everything from the libations to the menu items are delicious.
(5)Ellie D.
How this place doesn't have 5 stars? It's absolutely perfect! The food is amazing the ambiance is perfect and we love the staff! My boyfriend and I have turned this into our regular date night restaurant. We're tried many different food items from small plates, pasta, sandwiches and the flat iron steak. They always leave us speechless! If its your first time definitely try the grilled cheese small plate with clover honey and rosemary oil. Their take on the French dip kept me coming back. One last thing... Their bartenders, Grant and Rachel in particular, are amazing!
(5)Sid A.
Nice location, simple menu with great options! Everything is made with fresh ingredients and is well portioned. Took my family here and all 8 of us had a great time. Priced a few dollars high per entree more than I'd like for lunch, but overall we had a great time. Looking forward to trying the brunch sometime.
(4)Susan R.
Just got back from The Great Maple for my daughter's 18th birthday -- a nice, casual dinner with family. Our group came in a few at a time, and our waitress, Hadyn, was so patient, checking in every time another person got there. We ordered a few orders of popovers--DELISH, and then our meals were perfect. Sandwiches, salads, pasta, hamburgers, polenta, cake -- everything was fresh and flavorful. Hadyn was good natured and happily took a bunch of family photos for us. We never felt rushed and had a very relaxed, happy evening with family.
(5)Brendon D.
Sat at the bar during happy hour and loved it. It was relaxed with a good mix of folks around the bar. The happy hour menu is better than I thought it would be since I was at Fashion Island. We had the truffle fries and they were killer. My buddy tried the grilled cheese and loved it. The cocktails are good/strong. Don't half step. Bar is small, so if you come and it's crowded sit outside on the patio and people watch.
(4)jimmy n.
Just OK food server was great sweet and friendly. Corkage fee was 20.00 per bottle and i hate tipping on corkage fee so the waitress gets screwed and once again the greedy restauranteur gets the goods
(1)Justin T.
This restaurant is placed in a great location in fashion island. Unfortunately, the prices don't equate to the quality of food here. A friend and I ate here last Friday night, and my favorite part was not the food, but the offering of Ballast Point on draft. I ordered a spicy grilled chicken sandwich that had lots of flavor and I would definitely recommend that. But, the mixed greens was a waste of space on my plate. In addition, my friend's salad was tasteless with too much dressing. That is hard to do. The lettuce was of the same type as Chipotle and the chicken was cold.
(3)Barry P.
Outstanding cafe! My boss took us here for lunch today. I tried the fried mushroom appetizer, which was absoultely delicious. Grilled asparagus ... good. Got a cappuccino ... it was very good. Chicken tortilla soup was just okay. Had a seared ahi salad nicoise for my meal, which was nothing special at all. I was actually surprised how boring it was. The dressing was good, and the ahi was nice. But it was pretty average for an $18 salad. I liked the ambiance, service, etc. You must try the apple pie here! That may be the best I've ever had. The brown sugar-butter sauce was to die for. The ice cream was quality. I would definitely come back here!
(4)Eagle B.
We arrive at Great Maple pretty late so we are very hungry. Me and my wife ordered Seabass and salmon. The Seabass served with Risotto which undercook. Very very surprise .... the price totally doesn't match with quality and service this restaurant. Never ever come back .... !!!
(1)Laura C.
Let's just say Truffle fries! Omg Iove truffle fries and order them every chance I can get and shouldn't ;) but these were some of the best yet! We came here for my birthday dinner last night. I love the decor-hanging lights and open porch! We all loved our food. We had moules, newport sandwich (so fresh), burger, and blt which had such good bacon we all tried it-it is called great maple after all! Will be back soon-and maybe even for their happy hour!!
(5)James C.
We came in on a Sunday evening and I don't know if services didn't want to be there, but I barely saw any smiles from there faces. In turn, it really translated into the food. It was just OK. Btw, ordered Fish n Chips. We had to ask all the time to have our waters and drinks filled, was nvr asked or automatically just done. Serves our food yet nvr gave us utensils to use, DUH! As far as going back, I'd be embarrassed to recommend the place to anyone. Also, not worth the price.
(2)Gina L.
My husband and I went here for brunch and I got the French toast logs, they were so amazing, big and tasted so good! He got the bacon egg scramble and that was delicious too! I've also ate here for dinner and the service and food was very good! Oh and for brunch they have a good assortment of bloody Mary's and mimosas! Yum :)
(5)Amy S.
The 4-star rating is for the food. The brunch menu is packed full of good choices that deliver on expectations. (Try the mini beef wellingtons with poached eggs) Equally enjoyable are the drinks - there is a wide vriety of bloody Marys and mimosas to enhance your meal. The real failing of Great Maple (and the reason why it is only an occasional destination for us) are the high prices. The meal was easily twice the price that we would have paid in a different location.
(4)Racquel D.
LOVED the food, service and atmosphere. My friend and I ordered the Mini Beef Wellington as our appetizer. It was an appropriate amount and cooked to perfection! For our entrees, I ordered the Lobster Ravioli and she ordered the Lamb Burger, protein style. We both were extremely happy with our meals! The raviolis were rich as expected. They give you four large raviolis. We finished with the apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, as suggested by our wonderful and attentive server! Definitely returning soon.
(5)Bryson H.
Grass-fed beef available! This place is great, and every time I vacation to California I attempt to stop here for a meal. I'm a big fan of their steaks, and their sides are always fresh and delicious. The veggies are vibrant and taste great. I'm going to be honest here: I don't remember why, at the time I visited, I marked this review in draft mode with 4 stars instead of 5. I don't remember anything negative about this place in the three times I've been. However, I'm sure there was a reason. (I hope...) When I go back here again (which I definitely will), if it's a 5-star experience I will update this review. If it's a 4-star, I'll update with the exact reason why.
(4)Cat W.
LOVED this place. So cute inside, higher end diner feel. Had there maple donuts and coffee and was amazed by everything. Free coffee refills was a change from other places. Excited to go back soon and try other menu items!
(5)Liv Y.
Yummy late lunch! The food was tasty with truly good-sized portions and lots of options. The atmosphere is nice--located on the interior of Fashion Island with live music right outdoors. The decor is trendy. Food: We ordered Mahi sandwich, Ahi Nicose salad, and their beef burger with truffle fries. Everything was so fresh and flavorful! The menu items were unique and satisfying. Service: Rose was very nice! She always made sure our drinks were filled and had a very genuine, warm personality. Wait a minute...got the bill and were charged an INCLUDED 20% GRATUITY? FOR A PARTY OF 6? Now we did enjoy service but I think this is going waaaay out of your limits, Great Maple. 18%? Fine. But 20? Rude.
(4)Mari S.
I had the best cobb salad at the Great Maple! It's one of my favorite salads, and I can't remember a better rendition of this salad. It was prepared more rustic and loaded with delicious ingredients, and their buttermilk blue cheese dressing = excellent! Can't wait to return to try other dishes. BTW......the service was so friendly and professional.
(5)Adriana R.
BEYOND DISAPPOINTING!!! My boyfriend and I love to try new restaurants when we travel. We found "The Great Maple" in San Diego. We were Amazed at their menu, presentation, drinks and all of their specialty Bloody Mary's and the BEST OF ALL TIMES 'Maple doughnuts with bacon bites' To die for. I mean this place is everything you wished for (at least for us). As we were walking out we both were saying to each other on how much we both would love a location near home. So on our way out we asked the hosts, she mentioned this one in New Port. My boyfriend and I could NOT wait to try it... Wrong, wrong, wrong choice :( this place is NOTHING like the Great Maple in SD. The food wasn't great, their menu was not like the restaurant in SD (90% change) the waiter didn't even know about the Bloody Mary's!!!!!!!!!!! And they don't make the Amazing Signature Doughnuts!!!! So sad! We both left disappointed and will NEVER return to the New Port location. COMPLETE FALSA ADVERTISEMENT! If they are going to have restaurants of the same chain, shouldn't they ALL have similarities to the extend? We can't wait to head back to SD that place will definitely be a MUST every time. And we are bringing home some of those doughnuts!
(1)Andrew R.
I really think this place is right on to it's rating. A 3.5. I chose to give the higher rating just because It was just good enough to eat here again. Our table varied from very happy (sandwich, pasta) to send it back I can't believe you served this to me (salad). The sandwich was very good. The pasta was great, the clams and pork belly was an excellent appetizer. All had a lot of flavor. The salad, I don't know what happened with that but it really lacked dressing. Really plain and the lettuce wasn't fresh at all. It was so bad it got sent back. The service was overall average. The waiter was nice, water was constantly filled. The food did not come out all at once. That is a big annoyance for me. The waiter handled the bad salad well, he made up for it with an apple pie. This is where this place gets it's 4th star. The apple pie was something else. It isn't just a slice it's a round, small complete pie. If you are in this mall and are hungry, this is a good place to go. I wouldn't venture to here from outside 10 minutes just for this restaurant though
(4)Adem S.
Nice lunch I was there on Saturday for lunch.The restaurant was packed and noisy. I sat at the bar.Shane is a great guy.I ordered crispy Calamari.It was too Hot & Spicy for me so I returned it.,Thanks Shane and ordered Today's salad Which was phenomenal with Lobster,mango& avocado.Then I ordered New Zealand sea bass, it was good but little dry then I ordered Signature apple pie.It was good also.thanks.Actually it deserves 4.5 Stars.I will be back
(4)Juliana P.
Ordered the Great Maple Chopped Salad - it was huge!!! and absolutely delicious. I loved the salami, mozzarella, and wood roasted chicken combo. It was Saturday evening so we had to wait about 45 minutes without a reservation, which was not too bad. Overall, ambiance was very nice. Outside seating area was a little rowdy but c'est la vie. We also got a free slice of cherry pie. 10/10 would go again! Maybe next time to try the St. Germaine Nicoise Salad or the Lobster Bisque Ravioli!
(4)Thu D.
Went here for brunch on a Sunday, was seated right away. The place eventually got crowded closer to noon. I ordered an iced tea and Egg whites and California Avocado Smash on grilled ciabatta bread + a side of bacon. The entree comes with a cute little cup of fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries & cantaloupe). Egg whites are egg whites, the ciabatta bread was burnt on some areas so it tasted charred - not crisply grilled. The avocado smash was sprinkled with sea salt and spread atop the bread. Bacon had a hint of maple to it. Overall, my brunch entree tasted very basic, something anyone could make which sort of defeats the purpose of going out to eat brunch. The menu description sounds a lot better than what you eat. It wasn't horrible, just basic. I'd come back and order something else. The server and hostess were friendly enough. Oh, and their online menu & in-house menu aren't the same as some items aren't listed and the prices are a bit more $.
(3)Brett R.
Sunday afternoon, got seated right away, tables are RIGHT next to each other, i almost felt obligated to introduce myself to the couple next to us, i mean literally like 8 inches between tables, side to side. Server was super nice, but either thought i was the critic from Ratatouille, a celebrity or really thought my wife was hot and it made him nervous, so again, awkward, but super nice. I had the St. Germaine kneeshaw salad, the tuna was perfectly seared. My wife had the....... oh hell if i know, but they forgot the salad. Wasn't going to say anything, but happy pants asked, then said because we were charged extra, he'd actually have to take it to the back to PROVE to them to have it taken off the bill....... humph. Food came out super duper SUPER fast, but a tad bit pricey and way to close to other people. I guess for a $65 lunch it should be awesome.
(3)Jackie T.
Get the seasonal salad! It's amazing. Great atmosphere and phenomenal food. We be coming back. :) Large servings, entrees and salads definitely shareable. Great service!
(5)Jeff G.
Very good service from Andy. Knew the menu well. The food was really good. I would definitely be back
(5)Petar S.
Their Turkey Bolognese is the best thing that happened to me today.
(4)KAREN B.
Nice ambiance. Service and food were ok, nothing special. Prices were outrageous. I've been to many restaurants in the area and this was by far the most expensive lunch I've ever had - $80 for 2 people! Yikes! That was for a bloody mary, mimosa, chicken sandwich and spinach salad with grilled shrimp (only 3 pieces of shrimp). Yup, that's all folks. There are so many other great restaurants to dine at Fashion Island. I think I'll stick with them.
(3)Lynn T.
Our experience was just..eh. There are probably a lot better restaurants in Fashion Island. We really wanted to love everything but the flavors just weren't there. Everything we had was super bland. It seems nobody tastes there food before sending it out, or maybe that's just the way they like to prepare it? We had the asparagus with the egg and pecorino - blah, polenta w/ pancetta - super rich and creamy (which seems like it would be a plus, but alas..bland). We had to add a good deal of salt to have some flavor. Portabello mushroom fries - these were actually pretty good. Just think of the fried mushrooms you'd get at any pub or sports bar that is usually served with a side of ranch. Their version is slices of Portabello mushroom with some kind of pesto aioli - different execution, same idea. It was probably the best thing of the night but not as "amazing" as the waitress swore it to be. Fried food + dipping sauce, you can't really go wrong there. Probably the biggest disappointment of the night was the house pasta which sounded good in theory, but again, it was just entirely flavorless. There was penne with chicken, tomatoes, some kind of cream sauce, maybe a hint of pesto? I shook the salt shaker on it about 30 - 40 shakes before it developed any flavor (the shaker was very small...i'm not a total salt fiend..I just like my food to taste like...something, anything). I had to stop shaking because it was starting to aggravate my tennis elbow. Seriously. The service was good. The waitress was nice. No complaints there. Sadly the food didn't deliver.
(2)Rachael S.
I called in a reservation and Rachael the hostess was very helpful and accommodating, she even called us to make sure we were on our way since we were running a bit late. The table was set outside, it was absolutely perfect weather. Fashion Island had a musician just about twenty feet from the restaurant facing Nordstrom so we had great LIVE music. The restaurant provides delicious warm french bread with a fresh herb salt butter - TO DIE FOR! Our family ordered the shrimp appetizer which was delicious, a bit spicy. My husband ordered the special which consisted of lobster and beef while I ordered the house pasta. The dishes were wonderful. For dessert we ordered the banana split, it's HUGE! Be prepared to share with everyone in your party but maybe not because it's so delicious!
(4)Tracy H.
Our server, Lauren, was excellent. She was extremely knowledgable and spent a lot of time with us on the menu. The food was very good--three of us ordered the burger and one had the vegetable sandwich. We will be back :-)
(4)Jimmy B.
The service is mindful and polite. The bar is spacious and has TVs to watch the game. I recommend the lamb burger or flatbread. They're great... And who can say no to brunch? Definitely coming back. Over and over again.
(5)Teriyaki S.
Amazing food, amazing service! Fried mushroom a must! Beef French dip the best we have ever had and we have traveled around the world! Lobster ravioli amazing as well! We were two and they pushed 2 tables together on Christmas eve to give us more room! They were packed! Great restaurant! Amazing staff. Highly recommended!
(5)Ana J.
We came here on a friday night for date night. It was a very cold night and we were seated outside. At first I wasn't sure I would be able to tolerate sitting at our table, but as soon as the table next to us freed up our server, Isaac, let us move to it. We had the mac and cheese and polenta as appetizers. The mac was really tasty, the polenta too. The polenta was a little rich for my taste, as I prefer it in "cake" form. For dinner, my boyfriend ordered the moroccan spice lamb burger and I had the St Germain Nicoise. He really enjoyed his burger with caramelized onions and goat cheese. I have honestly had a better nicoise, so I would order something different next time. Overall, I would probably come back, I definitely enjoyed it although I might wait for warmer weather.
(4)Michelle A.
Place is nice, I had the st Germaine salad, which was delicious if you like ahi tuna. And my mom had the chicken Cobb salad, which he enjoyed, the chicken was still steaming when they brought out the salad. The ladies at the table next to us told us not to order the pasta dish they decided to try because they did not care for it. They offered me a free dessert, which was great, but....personally I don't think roasted marshmallows belong on a key lime pie...chocolate, maybe.
(4)Dan J.
Typical Fashion Island place. Kinda pretty, food is so so, drinks are whatever. Probably fine for a quick happy hour at the bar but not much else.
(2)Vince M.
We went in for Happy Hour and although we arrive at 6:20 Grant still made us feel welcome and got us apps and drinks right away! Everything was great!
(4)Marc K.
First let me preface by saying that I always hate reviews that give low ratings because of something unrelated to the food. However, I have to do it for this restaurant. I went there for dinner as a group of 3. One of us got an iced tea for a drink. Now, given that I eat out 100's of meals a year, I have never found a restaurant that doesn't give refills of iced tea, unless of course it's some fancy tea. So, half way through the meal the waitress comes over and says "would you like more tea" with a quick response of "Sure." So we eat our meal, the bill comes, and there's two iced teas on the bill. I thought that maybe the waitress believed that two of us got tea so I asked. Her response was "we don't give refills, that's our policy." I told her that I've never heard of another restaurant charging for a second glass of iced tea. Her response "oh really, I don't eat out that much.". Hmmm, anyway, it wasn't enough to ruin my evening, but it bothered me that she wouldn't just take it off out of courtesy, or at least acknowledge that yes indeed, it is kind of odd that they're the only restaurant to do that. Anyway, as the weeks went on, it bugged me more (ok, not like I was obsessed over it, but you know what I mean), so I went to their website and wrote the entire story in their "contact us" area. And you know the response I got? Zippo. Nada. Nothing. How's that for customer service? So, this place rates down at a zero for me, but I gave it a 1 since their food was average at best. I think they need some serious training for their employees or someone who rewrites their menu to let people know that they are indeed the only place on earth to not refill your regular iced tea during the meal without charging.
(1)Elizabeth R.
Great food, great cocktails, great service! My friend and I made a reservation for dinner. We showed up 15 minutes early and got seated and served right away. I had: 1. Blackberry Punch cocktail: Yum!! The muddled blackberries and hint of sage made this cocktail something special, a perfect balance of sweet and tart. 2. Venison Chili with Mini Fig Grilled Cheese: Generous portion of chili (enough for leftovers, yay!) and a perfectly portioned grilled cheese sandwich with gruyere and fig jam. I loved this meal! Already planning my next visit!
(4)Jenna D.
3.5 cool little spot. good salads. but something was a little meh..... maybe the service or the ambience. maybe i was lacking a steady buzz... i'd give it another shot tho--ahi nicoise was good...
(3)Mrs. Emily P.
My husband and I love to come here & eat at the bar. The service is excellent. The atmosphere is casual & pleasant. They don't skimp on the linens (like that), pour a good drink (love that). Our food is delicious and always how we ordered it.
(4)Sammy K.
I have been here twice and both times the waiters were really odd. The first time the waiter kept making bad jokes and just was annoying. I asked for a side of ketchup and he said no and smiled, then went and got it. Just really weird. Today we were met with poor service from another waiter. It took 5-7 minutes before anyone came by to offer us water. When our waiter came by with our appetizer (flat bread pizza) he asked if we wanted crushed pepper and cheese. He then went off to get the orders of three other tables. I had to ask a manager to bring it over for us. The final straw was when our waiter dropped a knife on the arm of my friends girlfriend. She was not hurt but the waiter we had today was just a total putz. The food is good here but they need to hire better staff if they want repeat customers. I might give this place another shot but not for several months, hopefully they fire a few of the odd ducks between now and then.
(2)emma I.
Had the chop salad and Mac n Chz. Both delicious. Server was pleasant and on point! A nice Black Friday relaxing lunch!
(5)Russell E.
Such a disappointment! And the worst part was that our waiter could have easily seen our disappointment and offered to take stuff the WE DIDNT EAT off the check. The "Wonderful salad" was anything but wonderful. Horrid green goddess dressing. My glass of rose wine was bitter. Pacific fish sandwich had a dry piece of grilled fish. My guess is unless they get a new chef this place will be closed shortly after you read this review!
(1)Annika Jo L.
I love this place and I'm sad to have to give it one star. I've been here a lot and this is usually the place my husband and I suggest when we have a double date or a nice lunch for out of town guests. The food has always been great. The service has been great too. Hostesses can be a bit cold. Giving it one star because there was a cockroach under our table the other night. The server saw it and seemed stunned. He just stood there and didn't immediately suggest to move us until we all stood up and tried to get away from the table. That was when he suggested we sit at the neighboring table, which was in the direction where the cockroach came from. Really?? So he went to get who I assume was the manager (we wouldn't know, he never told us who he was) and they set us up at a table inside. The manager never apologized and just said they'd get a table ready for us inside. While we were waiting for the table to get set up, we were talking about just leaving and the hostess came over to see what the fuss was about. When we told her, she seemed disgusted and apologized for it. At least we had one person at the restaurant acknowledge what had just happened! The manager never spoke to us again, didn't even come by. While walking through FI, we did see another dead cockroach over by one of the fountains. I want to believe that this is an outdoor problem for FI and not a kitchen problem for Great Maple, but that doesn't make up for the manager's inability to make sure their patrons are settled. So disappointing!
(1)Enzellie T.
My family and I frequent Fashion Island, we have gone to all the restaurants here for years and have watch this mall evolve through the years.. But this place is a sad story. Well, it started like this.. We are in an hour wait at the Cheesecake and also at PF Changs. So we decided to walk around and saw this place empty (now I know why) I had my family and a guest visiting from out of town. I said we should try and the ambience and place looks interesting, plus with some kids in strollers, it will be "ideal". So we went in and greeted right away, I said a party for eight with 2 babies, and the receptionist immediately said they can't have strollers. But I asked them politely and said but my baby is sleeping, I just can't yank her out. So she went back and re-arrange some table and said "I worked something out and you should be ok now". I felt like it was a "big deal" for them to do that for us.. I don't know if I should special but not.. And then, on top if that, the receptionist to me to remove the stroller as soon as the baby wakes up. I guess even in the middle of eating I have to, or maybe that could be more be a little accommodating with the restaurant being EMPTY! If been to many restaurants in and around Newport Beach, even the new restaurants like Fig and Olive make you feel welcomed and appreciated even with strollers! This place don't like families with strollers so beware. The food is so so, not great. Place looks nice but that was pretty much it. It's been a day now and I still feel upset, I will never go back and all my friends with strollers have been advised. Even the parents in our day care was already been advised.. What a shame, the place looked promising from the time they time they opened. Bad service.
(1)Steve C.
I'm torn between giving this place 1 to 4 stars. I was here the other day with my grandmother. I love the french dip, and the asparagus. They are both delicious. The asparagus is so good. It's grilled and has a poached egg on it...kind of different. The service was good. The issue is the bill. I ordered the french dip, which comes with a mixed green salad. I don't like vinaigrette dressings, so I asked to replace it with caesar, but not so much dressing. Places tend to over-flood salads with way too much dressing. When the bill arrived, I was charged another $4.00 for the caesar salad. I asked a different server about the charge and she said they had to charge for it even if it's a substitute for the mixed green salad which is the same size and price, and comes with the meal. That's a rip-off. I didn't even eat the salad. It literally had close to "no" dressing on it. A little too easy for the easy on the dressing request. I don't expect to be comped at all for not eating something, considering I ordered it, but to be charged an additional $4 for a salad that's equivalent to the salad that comes with my $19.00 sandwich is unacceptable. Don't think I will be returning.
(3)Catherine N.
Great service from the hostesses to the waitress; not-so-great cocktails; ok food This place never looked that interesting to me, but I really wanted a happy hour cocktail. The HH pickins are slim at Fashion Island, and I definitely didn't want to fight the typical older NB snooties at Canaletto. We took a seat on the only couch/lounger on the patio where HH prices applied (at the bar, at the L-shaped lounger, and at one single 2-top high boy inside the resto only). We wound up ordering a couple cocktails from their non-HH menu, 'cos they looked interesting. $11/each for huge not so great cocktails. Oh they looked so good on paper. For the price, the volume made them a bargain. However, I don't need a lot of a bad thing. Ordered the Cucumber Collins- I've had and made my fair share of tasty cucumber cocktails, and this did not compare. It tasted of pure soda water with vodka and a hint of cucumber. It needed sugar and citrus or something to make it not nasty. Luckily our waitress was great and offered to have them fix it. I suggested adding tonic and voila - fixed to the point of making it drinkable. The watermelon cocktail was über sweet and really just tasted like viscous watermelon juice. Both cocktails came out in huge tall water glasses, so that was quite surprising. As for food, we just nibbled on truffle fries (I love fries; I don't love truffle oil - truffle fries are so passé!) 'cos I wasn't hungry enough to eat anything else. The rest of the HH food menu looked like it was good for nibbling though. $4 each so cheap. Not sure I would go here again - I guess if the weather was nice, and I really wanted a drink after a shopping workout then maybe...
(3)Gina S.
I came here with 3 girlfriends and we loved it. The service was really good and the food was delicious. We ordered the portabella mushroom fries and they were great. We ordered a chopped salad, a pastrami sandwich and a vegetable sandwich. We loved everything
(5)Shamborska A.
Fantastic service always! Shawn at the bar is always providing us with top notch service, always feel welcome and taken care of. Thanks!!!!
(5)Todd B.
Solid 4 star experience. My family is picky. (Sorry family) We started with onion rings. Calamari, and asparagus (yes, I questioned the last choice too). All were great. Main courses: kale and quinoa salad (excellent), Cobb salad (4 stars from my 11 year old), tortilla soup (boring choice but clean bowl), spicy grilled chicken sandwich, and roasted veggies. All eaten, all good. Top it with good draft beer selection and great service from Andrew...solid choice.
(4)Ted D.
I like this place!! The food was phenomenal!! The Parmesan crusted portobello fries are the bees knees!! Everyone at my table loved their dishes! I had the Moroccan spiced lamb burger and it was cook perfect and well seasoned!! My wife had the Newcastle beer battered fish and chips and our friend had the pulled pork sandwich. All outstanding!! We did not have the issue with service that others mention. Pricey, but as long as my stomach and taste buds leave happy, then I cannot complain!!
(4)Robert S.
Excellent food and service! Definitely recommend this place for a light lunch or dinner. The chili and grilled cheese combo is amazing as are the salads!
(5)Amanda R.
Please excuse the following overused, cliche term, but this place was an EPIC FAIL. The visual presentation is very good- decor (minus those hideous red chandeliers) menu, feng shui, location- all quite attractive and fools you into thinking you'll be enjoying a delicious meal. You will not. Repeat, will not. The complimentary "artisan baguette" is gnarly, no matter how much butter you slather over its slate, store-bought characteristics. The penne with meatballs was just sad. The meatballs were a dark greyish matter, and very hard; MRE's would have been a better alternative. I was excited for the simple & fresh "wood oven-fired flatbread pizza with local organic roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil chiffonade." What I got was a frozen freaking pizza disc of flavorless yuckiness. Not happy! The hostesses were also really freaking annoying. Just had to add that. Come here to drink and look at pretty OC people, that's the best this place can offer.
(2)Wendy K.
It was our first time visiting and the atmosphere was great. We sat outside and they turned on the heat lamps to keep us comfortable. We had a reservation which is necessary as people ahead of us could not get seated right away. We started with drinks and the NxNW Riesling was excellent. Our waiter, Isaac, was real helpful and I had trouble choosing so he recommended the Turkey Bolognese. My husband order the French Dip and we started with grilled asparagus. The food was excellent and we had people checking on us all the time. The manager, Amanda, was always checking on tables too and she had great customer service. When we finished our meal, Isaac had another recommendation for the Peanut Butter Banana Split which was a little piece of heaven. Everyone who works there really cares about the food and the customers. We couldn't ask for a better experience and Isaac and Amanda were fantastic with all their help and service. We will definitely be going back as soon as we get a chance.
(5)Joe S.
With the new menu revision and continued too notch service over the last few years, Great Maple deserves 5 stars. Top items to try: seasonal cheese board, blue nose sea bass, beef bourguinon, whatever the soup of the day is, fennel sausage flatbread, and the Moroccan sliced lamb burger. Enjoy!
(5)Michael P.
Aesthetically this place looks like a winner but the fare isn't up to par. This isn't really any better than a TGIFs. It just has better people watching. Libations are good. Probably the best aspect of Maple. Truffle fries are oily and over prepared. Beef Brisket sandwich is spongy. Nicosie salad didn't have the freshest ahi. The best options were the French Dip and Cheese burger. One and done for me with Maple.
(3)Larry B.
Just ok Told a 15 minute wait but half the tables were empty. Server was polite but nothing special food was ok, a little salty.
(3)Cory D.
The French Dip here is pretty good. So are the damn Maple donuts, so are the bloody marys. Ok, ok... I like this place. Keep up the good work! #greatmaple
(4)Anastasia S.
I have only gone for lunch with clients and the food and atmosphere are great! I like sit on the patio and watch all the pretty people. Every time we go I get the mushroom fries as an app. .. Great place
(4)Darcy M.
Foodies will be impressed! Great atmosphere, yummy hand crafted cocktails and nice wait staff! must go back soon, i feel like im on vacation when im there!
(5)Bhavisha P.
Came here for a drink at the bar on a Sunday afternoon after some shopping and was very happy with my service from the bartender. My friend and I had glasses of wine and were given a small sample to decide which to chose which was very nice. The truffle fries were amazing! The Brie plate was the opposite but still no complaints as when it's happy hour prices, I would never complain. HH prices for 4 dollars with the items listed you can't beat ! I would have given this place 4 stars but seeing all the staff stand around, including the manager while the bartender helped a somewhat crowded bar by himself made me Upset. Overall still a nice place to relax for a minute.
(3)Lisa Y.
Located in Fashion Island just outside of Nordstrom, Great Maple offers a diverse menu of burgers, seafood, sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, pasta, and more. The menu is a little pricey, but portions are also quite large. With a name like "Great Maple," I was expecting to have maple involved in some of the dishes, but that is not the case here. In fact, no dishes include maple whatsoever. Service: Our server was nice. Waters were filled often, and empty dishes were taken away promptly. Food: - The Terrific Pacific - Grilled mahi-mahi, California avocado salsa, cabbage, fresh tomato on Ciabatta Bread. Comes with a side salad, which was alright but had very little dressing. The sandwich was huge! It was a little difficult to eat without it falling apart. There was lots of crushed avocado spread on both sides of the bread, which I really enjoyed. The piece of mahi-mahi was quite large, and there was so much cabbage that it was like eating another salad! The overall taste of the sandwich was a little bland. - Great Maple Famous Beef Dip - Slow roasted ribeye beef, fresh onion au jus, with horseradish sour cream and crispy onions on the side. Comes with a small side salad. Meat was tender, and the onion au jus was delicious! Adding the horseradish sour cream, which wasn't too strong, and the crispy onions to the sandwich created a great combination of flavors. I definitely recommend this dish! - Spinach Salad - Fresh tossed spinach, strawberries, pecans, goat cheese, honey balsamic dressing, and toasted bread. There wasn't very much dressing, and nothing about this salad really stood out.
(3)Laurent V.
Walked out of the Apple Store hungry with wife and daughter. Walked in to Great Maple greeted with a smile from a very nice hostess. We asked for a warm spot and got a nice table in the patio with a killer heat lamp overhead. My wife ordered the soup and gave it 5 stars as she licked the plate clean :) I ordered the free range chicken which was served with beautiful carrots and mash in a Le Creuset skillet, awesome meal, great presentation. Daughter got the pasta and was stoked ! Martini was strong and very well put together. Awesome Service, great menu, good atmosphere... Place delivers and we'll be back. Thank you Great Maple for a wonderful evening in your restaurant.
(5)Jennifer P.
My family and I visited the area from out of town for the weekend and dined at Great Maple TWO nights in a row! This was an easy decision for us considering the food is fresh, service is good, the environment is fun, and the menu offers plenty of options. My favorite dish ended up being the Turkey Bolognese, which was beautifully served with fresh pappardelle pasta and creamy, chunky Bolognese sauce. For dessert, we shared the apple pie a la mode and the seasonal pie, which was lemon at the time. While I was a little disappointed that we had to pay $2 extra for a tiny scoop of ice cream to accompany our apple pie, it was still incredibly delicious and certainly not a dessert to pass up on. I will definitely be making a visit here again next time I'm in the area!
(4)Beca P.
Absolutely delicious food! The salads here are great as well as the flatbreads. The portobello mushrooms fries here are amazing. They are definitely comparable to the ones that people love at Bottega Louie. If you come here you must try the portobello mushroom fries for sure. Also, this place has THE best banana split ! It comes with chocolate and caramel syrup and the bananas have caramelized sugar on them and delicious fresh whipped cream. The inside of the restaurant is so nice but if the weather permits you should definitely sit outside because it has such a nice view of Fashion Island.
(5)