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C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery, Laguna Beach, CA

C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery

3.6
3.6
179 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

Make a booking

2+ people
19:00
  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for brunch
  • Charming
Established in 1982
C'est la Vie Restaurant and Bakeryoffers patrons a truly unique dining experience

Centrally located on Pacific Coast Highway in the heart of Laguna Beach, our California French Cuisine is just feets from the Pacific Ocean .


Locals and visitors alike are drawn to the ambiance and relaxed atmosphere of our indoor bistro and are delighted to discover the best outdoor patio dining in Orange County. To complete the evening, try one of our house-made desserts with a glass of 10-year-old tawny port. C'est La Vie invites you to dine with us for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends or family!
Merci et Bon Appetit
Antonio Mecheri (Restaurateur)

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, International, Contemporary European
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 08:00–21:00
  • Phone number
    (949) 497-5100
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Catering
    French, European and International Cuisine including Gluten free and Vegan cuisine. CATERING Regardless of the occasion, scale or nature of your event, the C'est la Vie Restaurant and Bakery event planning staff will work closely with you to plan the experience that meets your needs. From beach picnics to special gifts, our restaurant & bakery will help you celebrate your next occasion in the Orange County region. We offer box lunches, gift bags and an array of other options for pick-up. Call Antonio Mecheri at (949) 228-0949
  • Private party facilities
    Reserve the famous C'est La vie restaurant & let us help you make your next event special! With classic French food, fantastic service, and an unbeatable ocean view patio, C'est La Vie is the perfect venue for your next special private or professional event in Orange County. With 215 to 16,145 sq.ft
  • Area
    Laguna Beach
  • Cross Street
    PCH and Forest Street
  • Parking details
    First Come and First Serve Private Parking Lot in the Back.
  • Public transit
    PCH and Park
  • Entertainment
    George, American & European Music, Saturday Night.Mignone Profant, French Singer, Friday Night!
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Liquor, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 179 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.6
3.6 based on recent ratings
  • 3.7Food
  • 3.9Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 3.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Orange County

    Great for scenic views

  • South Orange County

    Great for brunch

  • South Orange County

    Great for scenic views

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery offers "authentic French cuisine" with "delicious desserts" and a "gorgeous ocean view." While service receives mixed reviews, the patio dining experience is often praised. The atmosphere is "great," though some find the service inconsistent. It's a "Laguna/OC Culinary Landmark" with standout escargot.

179 Reviews
  1. Blondie

    San Francisco

    33 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We dined on the patio & enjoyed a lovely sunset. My husband’s bouillabaisse was great, very large portion. I had the seafood tower, also good portion for (2). The fried Calamari was good, but for some reason much of the rest didn’t seem as fresh to me. Pastry/bakery is great. Our waiter was excellent. The restaurant needs a refresh inside.

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  2. Gary

    Kansas City

    5 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    To say we were so disappointed is an understatement! Where do I start?? It’s not the elegant restaurant that’s shown on their website. It’s not business casual. There were people in shorts, T-shirts, jeans. There were dogs on the outside patio, one was barking constantly. It took awhile for a waiter to arrive and then another waiter approached us after and was frustrated a server already greeted us. While we were waiting for our drinks the gentleman cleaning the table next to us broke a glass it shattered everywhere and the base of the glass hit my ankle. He laughed, apologized and continued cleaning. He never cleaned up all the glass and the dogs leaving walked over the glass. Our main entrees arrived, my filet was over cooked and nobody came to check on us at all. The filets were hard to cut into even with a steak knife! The desserts were stale and disappointing. Over all, we’re bummed it wasn’t anything it was being advertised as. It was our 29th wedding anniversary celebration and won’t be going back!

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  3. Nayra

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 27 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was great, food was good, desserts were amazing! I've been here twice, for brunch and dinner. I will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  4. CornellM

    Portland

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 23 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food looks good. The taste is just Okay. No salt in most egg dishes.

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  5. Masha

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 4 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Parking is not easy to find, but there's a public parking building within a few minutes walking distance. The food was wonderful.

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  6. Julia

    Orange County

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on 29 September 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    During the meal , the waiter was so impatient that he didn’t give me the fork and knife in the middle of the meal, a mandatory 22% tips for slow delivery is abhorrent!

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  7. Marlene

    Orange County

    23 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on 31 August 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Not as good as it used to be. The place is a little run-down and the service isn't great. Probably why it's not as busy either. The seafood crepes are really good, and hubby's pork chops were tasty too. The salad is not good, so get the soup! Desserts are pretty good, but didn't seem fresh. The best thing about this place is the view from the upstairs patio!

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  8. Leslie

    Central Coast

    6 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 23 August 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good atmosphere and service was fantastic . Will go there again for dinner

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  9. Linda

    Los Angeles

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on 2 August 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is an awesome French restaurant with a gorgeous ocean view. I love patio dining and the food is authentic French. The best escargot that I have ever had! Delicious desserts made by the restaurant’s bakery’s. I highly recommend it!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    West Palm Beach

    146 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    146 reviews

    Dined on 21 July 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    The waiter was a complete scum bag totally arrogant and obnoxious. He refused to split the check for our table despite asking four times. Each time he argued with us and was rude. He was playing games to get a higher tip for larger party than taking care of us. Water had a bug floating inside it. No reorder of bread ever given despite requests and everyone’s water glass was left empty entire dining time. Avoid this place horrible service!

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FAQs

C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 497-5100.

C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery is rated 3.6 stars by 179 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2+ people
19:00

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery

373 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    PCH and Forest Street
  • Area
    Laguna Beach
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 08:00–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, International, Contemporary European
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    First Come and First Serve Private Parking Lot in the Back.
  • Public transit
    PCH and Park
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    George, American & European Music, Saturday Night.Mignone Profant, French Singer, Friday Night!
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Liquor, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (949) 497-5100
  • Catering
    French, European and International Cuisine including Gluten free and Vegan cuisine. CATERING Regardless of the occasion, scale or nature of your event, the C'est la Vie Restaurant and Bakery event planning staff will work closely with you to plan the experience that meets your needs. From beach picnics to special gifts, our restaurant & bakery will help you celebrate your next occasion in the Orange County region. We offer box lunches, gift bags and an array of other options for pick-up. Call Antonio Mecheri at (949) 228-0949
  • Private party facilities
    Reserve the famous C'est La vie restaurant & let us help you make your next event special! With classic French food, fantastic service, and an unbeatable ocean view patio, C'est La Vie is the perfect venue for your next special private or professional event in Orange County. With 215 to 16,145 sq.ft
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