Top 5 Hamburgers

I'm in Newport Beach for work the next couple of days, and I can't get the guys I'm entertaining convinced we should drive to, even though I offered, to Santa Monica to Father's Office. So where should I take them, that's close to NB?

thx, SoCal-ians.

Macdad:

There are some incredible places in Newport. The Crow Bar in Corona Del Mar is a wonderful restaurant with world class bar food/American Comfort. It is on 2325 E. Coast Highway. Anjin is a combo Japanese/Korean steakhouse. 3033 Bristol in Costa Mesa; two blocks South of South Coast Plaza. You self-grill meat on small bbq's. Catalina Fish Kitchen on 670 W. 17th St in Costa mesa is hipster central. Great fresh fish. Daimon's Japanese on 16232 PCH in Huntington Beach has more eye candy per capita than any other restaurant.

Tried Mantee in Studio City tonight. Very nice garden dining area. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz ("Inglorious Basterds") was there with a friend. We were the only four people on the small patio for quite awhile.

The food was good, but not beyond the norm for Mediterranean cuisine, IMO. The chicken kabob was excellent. The tabbouleh was drowned in lemon juice nearly to point of being tortuous to eat.

Bongo, I ate at Anjin last week with some of the Japanese guys I work with, it was sublime, a great dining experience. We ended up at Javiers tonight, about the 100th time I've been there.

Going to Father's tomorrow, and the Dodgers game. I love SoCal, there's a reason it costs so much to live here, it really is great.

Macdad: also love Ikko for sushi. Right around the corner from Anjin. Also love Javiers for their mole. El Matador in Costa Mesa is a great mid-scale Mexican Restaurant and Taco Mesa is a great taco stand. I love their tacos calamari and tacos al pastor.

PS: Father's Office has a newer sister restaurant in Culver City, which is about 30 minutes closer than the Santa Monica location to OC. While at the Dodgers, go to Phillipes The Original for French Dipped Beef Grinders. A LA tradition.