The name of this retooled gastropub expands to Anchors & Oceans, which is fitting considering their patio overlooks a bucolic bay and passing yachts. The space features nautical knot and diver helmet chandeliers, wood tables, and rattan chairs. Executive chef Vincent Lesage and chef de cuisine Rachel Haggstrom preside over an ambitious comfort food menu, which could either deliver a fun snack or full meal, depending on whether you’d like to limit to consumption to happy hour or not. Their share-friendly menu delivers playful twists on popular dishes, along with “hangover” beer floats and “tempting” desserts. You can also keep matters simple, grabbing a bucket of wings and tantalizing craft beer on tap.

Brodard is a Little Saigon juggernaut thanks to the Dang family, who immigrated from Nha Trang in 1987. Matriarch Diane Dang founded Brodard in 1996, and led the growth from humble bakery into thriving restaurant. She still presides over the popular Mall of Fortune destination, Daughter Lisa Dang-Vo helms Brodard Chateau in Garden Grove, and daughter Chau Dang-Haller runs Bamboo Bistro in Corona del Mar, which has yellow walls, bamboo accents and Buddha imagery. Yes, there’s a varied menu of Vietnamese comfort food, but Brodard is the house that spring rolls built. They total nine types of rolls, including Soft Shell Crab Spring Rolls, Fresh Seared Fresh Ahi Spring Rolls, Roasted Duck Spring Rolls and an enduring classic, Grilled Pork Spring Rolls, which tout crunchy wonton piping and come with a magical orange dipping sauce crafted with chiles, peanuts, garlic, fish sauce, ground meat and more.

Chef Takashi Abe and business partner Ted Lee have turned this Crystal Cove Shopping Center restaurant into a destination for sushi lovers due to their often creative preparations of pristine seafood. The sleek space is also a draw, with banquette seating and a sushi bar for people who choose to be closer to the action. Chefs work out in the open, backed by a cascading  water wall. Bluefin serves a la carte sushi and progressive prepared dishes like Halibut Cheek with almond, panko, and honey mustard beet sauce. Begin your path to Bluefin understanding with Sushi Omakase, which starts at $65 during dinner service (less at lunch) and delivers 13 pieces of sushi along with a roll. The selection is dealer’s choice, but if you’re lucky, Chef Abe and his team will present golden eye snapper with sea salt, grated yuzu, and a squeeze of lemon; silky sea scallop, served the same way; uni with sea salt and lemon; and sweet Russian King crab with a nori belt.

Longtime real estate developer Steve Geary opened Crow Bar in 2008 in Corona del Mar, which is ostensibly a ritzy bridge community that connects Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. This ambitious gastropub rotates the menu seasonally, with an eye towards sustainability. The sleek space features brick walls, brown leather banquettes, pressed tin ceilings and a pair of communal tables. Crow Bar pours 24 beers on tap, which rotate frequently, and bottles help fill in any crafty gaps. Yes, they have a strong signature burger, but you can feel confident in straying from patties and buns.