Choosing an entrée isn’t always easy, especially at a restaurant with an extensive menu. Many diners find it helpful to ask their server, “What’s your favorite?”, or simply, “What should I order?” Restaurant professionals, however, say those questions may not always lead to the best recommendation. Instead, they recommend asking questions that help reveal what a restaurant … Read more
A Bay Area restaurateur has gone viral for charging parents as much as $327 for failing to control their rowdy children at his Chinese eatery Chez Xue. You You Xue, who operates two restaurants south of San Francisco, says he’s slapped financial penalties on parents of spirited tots who smashed credit card readers, carved “designs” … Read more
Stop the bot-ty shaming. A diner was shocked and appalled after allegedly getting calorie-shamed by a restaurant’s order screen, per a viral Reddit post. A diner claimed that they were called out over their calorie intake by the order screen at an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant. Georgii – stock.adobe.com According to the thread, shared to the … Read more
Orange County’s fine dining scene just took another hit. The county is now down to just one Michelin-starred restaurant after French eatery Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa lost its coveted star, ending a five-year run among the culinary elite. The latest blow comes just a year after Costa Mesa sushi spot Hana re was stripped … Read more
Mark Wahlberg is bringing his growing restaurant empire to one of Orange County’s most coveted waterfront addresses. The actor’s beloved Mexican restaurant chain, Flecha Cantina, is taking over the former Whaler restaurant space at 2800 West Coast Highway in Mariner’s Mile, according to online reports. It’s not just talk, though. Flecha Cantina has was issued … Read more
Diners at Outback Steakhouse and other major restaurant chains in California are about to see a permanent shakeup on their menus — and it isn’t a new cut of beef. Starting July 1, the chain will be required to clearly disclose if each menu item contains any of the nation’s nine major food allergens, thanks … Read more
KFC is rolling out a brand overhaul that includes an expanded menu and modernized branding and restaurant designs. “The brand is set to open a new generation of spaces designed for hospitality, not just efficiency, with environments that feel more dynamic and adapt throughout the day to meet different occasions,” the fried chicken chain announced in a … Read more
A chef who left communist Cuba behind is making culinary history in South Florida. Just four months after opening its doors in West Palm Beach, Emelina recently became the first Cuban restaurant in the world to receive a Michelin star — a distinction many chefs spend decades pursuing. For chef and co-owner Osmel Gonzalez, the recognition is … Read more
An iconic West Hollywood restaurant has been taken over by a massive “slime monster” as part of the promotion for the upcoming animated movie “Minions and Monsters” from Illumination. Drivers heading down Sunset Boulevard will get more than an eyeful as they pass the 50-year-old Carney’s Train to see the whole place has been taken … Read more
Furious foodies are at tipping point. Publicly shaming patrons into leaving hefty tips for waiters is, apparently, not the slam-dunk strategy one restauranteur had hoped it would be. Now, cheesed-off chowhounds are viciously, virally blasting the boneheaded boss for bullying customers to pay his staff a decent salary. “Our servers make $3.50 [per hour]…If you can’t afford … Read more
Los Angeles County health inspectors were busy last week, temporarily shuttering a string of eateries over everything from alleged vermin infestations to sewage issues and failing inspection scores. The 13 shut downs were posted on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s food facility closure list, which tracks restaurants that are ordered to cease … Read more
Would you like a side of mice with that? Nothing can ruin a fine dining experience quite like little rodents scurrying around tables. Unfortunately, that’s supposedly what happened at one of celeb chef Gordon Ramsay‘s restaurants — and how the wait staff handled the situation is even weirder. Reportedly at Gordon Ramsay Steak in Richmond, … Read more
The East 50s have new restaurants up the wazoo. But they never saw anything like Simon Kim’s three-level spectacle, Cote 550, at 550 Madison Avenue. With more feasting and boozing options than a cruise ship, it’s making the biggest splash in Midtown’s since the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree went up in 1931. The complex is anchored by a … Read more
The fallout is only getting worse for a trendy Venice seafood restaurant that stunned diners this week by publicly admitting it had lied about where its fish came from. Just days after California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials announced that operators of Dudley Market had agreed to pay more than $100,000 in penalties and … Read more
For one Outback Steakhouse customer, the mashed potatoes came at an additional cost and were apparently best served on the floor. A Virginia woman has filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the Australian-themed restaurant chain, claiming she slipped on mashed potatoes inside a restaurant and fell face-first onto the floor, suffering serious and permanent injuries. … Read more
A beloved Orange County steakhouse known for prime rib, old-school charm and generations of family celebrations is closing its doors after more than five decades. Gulliver’s Restaurant in Irvine will permanently close on June 30 after 56 years in business, according to The Orange County Register. The longtime MacArthur Boulevard steakhouse, sitting just across from … Read more
As summer approaches, many Americans reach for a beloved seafood favorite: popcorn shrimp. With a crispy breaded coating and bite-sized shape, popcorn shrimp is often eaten dipped in sauce or paired with fries. Unlike butterfly shrimp, which uses larger split-open shrimp, popcorn shrimp is typically made with much smaller, bite-sized pieces. It’s preferred by some diners for its … Read more
A food influencer is making a splash online after she posted a jaw-dropping receipt from rooftop hotspot Poza — showing she was charged a whopping $110 “cake cutting fee” after bringing her own dessert to dinner at the luxe restaurant, perched atop L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. The influencer, who goes by the handle justinelovesushi on Instagram, … Read more
Back to the good old days. 2026 has proven to be the year of nostalgia. Youngsters are resorting to old-school tech like vintage flip phones and iPods. Others are returning to analog hobbies and activities. Even beloved restaurant chain Pizza Hut is going back in time, reverting to its retro glory — red checkered tablecloths … Read more
People aren’t ordering a bottle of wine for the table the way they used to, according to a new report. But industry experts say restaurants are making up for the revenue shortfall in other ways. “We believe habits have shifted away from a group ordering a bottle of (typically red) wine to share with dinner in favor of … Read more