My wife is now telling me she is leaning towards Italian. We want a fun atmosphere with good food. Any thoughts?

We have been to them all, Maestros, Maggianos, Flemings, Gulfstream for birthday dinners and we are looking for something new. My wife was thinking Italian but somewere nice we can celebrate her birthday too. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

P.S we live in Irvine

I asked for spicy in OC a while back and here are some of my replys http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/371803

I think when you hear so much hype about a place for years you have expectations. When I ate there I thought the food was suited for Amercian tastes and was very dissapointed. When I go to a Mexican place and it is all chubby white people it freaks me out a little. When I go to an Indian place and it is all chubby white people, it has the same effect.
When you are in Zagat as one of the top spots around for Mexican you not onl expect fresh (which it was) but you expect it to taste good. I don't like my mexican food slathered in gooey cheese, that is an American trend and when i want Mexican food I would like it to be somewhat Authentic.
LSR has it's place and I'm sure the owners are very nice and I'm sure my comments won't slow it down at all but it is NOT authentic in the least bit and in my opinion it is very overrated.

Show me one place in Mexico that slatthers it's food in montery jack cheese (American) and pico de gallo. Real mexican food has a little bit of queso fresco or Chihuaha cheese, it's not covered in cheese. I had a chile relleno that may have been the worst thing I ever ate, it was covered in cream and discusting cheese, uggghhh.

We'll probably have dinner around 10p.m on Sunday night, we'll be 14 miles south east of downtown. There will 6 of us.

Not really Mexican food but it sure does sound good.

I had La Superica for lunch and I have to say I didn't get it. I have a chile relleno in cream sauce and it was discusting. 2 pounds of cheese, no flavor in a bland cream sauce.

The #16 was good but will melted cheese all over it, I found it gooey and hard to eat. I have eaten some great Mexican in my day and La Superica was not one of them.
P.S Great salsa and tortillas

Tell me where I have to go and what to order...

I had a meal at Mariscos El Perihuete in Paramount that changed my life. Is there anywhere in OC with anywhere near the quality?

We ate at Ichibiri which was really good and fun for the kids. I live in Irvine so I knew the area decently from surfing at Salt Creek all these years. I actually didn't see the recs until sunday, I forgot to check them, LOL.

I must warn everyone, don't ever go to Olamendis! Horrible service, crap food, very bland. I have no idea why it is packed, I am losing hope day by day on the American publics eating habits. It's like if they give you alot of food people love it, even if it sucks!

We actually ended up at Taphouse because we could walk from our hotel. Sushi sampler was mediocre but not bad, the ribs were actually really good, they didn't fall off the bone, they had a good bite to them. The French fries were a hit at the table, perfectly cooked. 2 of the guys got fish and they both sucked. Way over cooked, greasy, ugh! How do you not know how to cook fish in the Northwest? Either way, cool place, good for a group of guys.

4 guys, 1 dinner, nothing romatic. Any recs?

Monday night I will be in Seattle with 3 other business associates and I want to find a good place for dinner near bellevue that isn't a chain. Somewhere with steak, seafood etc but not overly priced. We're not looking for cheap but definitly not fancy. Any thoughts?
P.S Also lunch on Monday, any recs would be awesome for casual lunch in Bellevue.

I had a shrimp taco at Mariscos El Perihuete in Paramount the other day that was hands down the best taco I have ever had. OMg!!!

I am staying at the Ritz in Dana Point this weekend over Memorial Day with my wife and 2 kids (3 1/2 & 6 1/2) and my father, his wife and his 3 1/2 year old (don't ask). The kids are pretty good when eating out, we want recs for places for lunch and dinner local to the hotel. Thank you in advance.

Poulet Du Jour on PCH close to redondo beach and in Hermosa Beach. Get the Poulet Arie salad or rotisserie chicken. It's a whole in the wall, very popular

Pizzeria Ortica In Costa Mesa has a 900 degree wood-burning oven and they say the yeast starter for the dough is over 300 years old. Anyone tried it yet?
http://www.pizzeriaortica.com

The debate rolls on but I have yet to find anything really good. Is it because our water supply has more chlorine than a swimming pool?

Poulet Du Jour, the best chicken in the South Bay.

I finally had lunch at Crow Bar today and was happy with the food, not overly blown away. I love the ambiance and the room, it had a very New York vibe to it. I was also particularly impressed with the beer and wine selection, although the beer prices were not cheap, but what is in Corona Del Mar.

We started out with the pickles, I agree with TheManning in that I could subsist on these alone, so addicting although I could have used more of it. We also had the stuffed dates which were okay except that the serrano ham was burnt on the outside so that was all I could taste.
Next my father had the fish Po Boy with Sweet potato fries and a side of Broccolini. The Po Boy was soo good, I especially loves the slivers of lemon in it and the sweet potato fries were good. The broccolini was bland and drenched in butter, yuck.

I had the fish and chips and the Rocket salad. The salad was vey good and perfectly dressed and the fish and chips were the best thing we had. The fries were very good but the fish was oustanding and the curry tarter sauce was perfect. For $11 the fish and chips were a steal.

A little heavy for lunch but all in all a good lunch.

Have you had their Red or Green Chili? The menu looks legit...

I live in Irvine and somehwere in Orange County there has to be a New Mexico Style Mexican restaurant. I need the Green and Red Chili does anyone know of one?

I would agree since I've been to a New Jersey Diner. The criticism was that the menu was not large enough. Which is false. Also Besides the real italians running the diner Harbor House is as good as any New Jersey Diner I've been to. And I'll add without all the morbidly obese people in the booth next to you.

Harbor House has a monster menu, I must be missing something...

I agree, I am an impatient reader so I didn't catch special occasion.

I Love the Ye Olde Ship an authentic English pup in downtown fullerton for real English Curry.

La Frite is really intimate with good food, I also like Nicolas on Ventura.

I must have them, where do I go?