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  5. Mission Viejo / Rancho Santa Margarita
Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge, Mission Viejo, CA

Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge

4.6
4.6
753 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for happy hour
  • Good for special occasions
Scarlet Kitchen & Lounge is a modern speakeasy with the allure of old Hollywood, offering a menu of east coast classics with west coast flavor and finesse. This chef driven, husband and wife owned restaurant provides a comfortable neighborhood dining experience. Scarlet offers local, quality ingredients carefully curated to meet every diners desires. Scarlet is a place for everyone to enjoy a date night or just a quick bite at the bar. Scarlet introduces a new menu every season courtesy of Chef-Owner Paige Riordan and Chef de Cuisine Daniel Martinez. Enjoy a taste of the season from Scarlet’s dining room or heated canyon-view patio and. Scarlet elevates the plate with a new menu of dishes brimming with bold, finessed flavor highlighting peak-of-season ingredients, humanely raised prime meats, and sustainable seafood, reflective of Riordan’s East Coast roots.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Farm-to-table
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30–14:30 Dinner Tue–Thu 16:00–20:30 Fri, Sat 16:00–21:30 Bar Tue–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–23:00 Sun 17:00–22:00 Sunday Dinner Sun 17:00–20:30
  • Phone number
    (949) 503-3086
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Paige Riordan
  • Private party facilities
    For private events please email events@ScarletKL.com
  • Area
    Mission Viejo / Rancho Santa Margarita
  • Cross Street
    Antonio/Ortega
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 753 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Orange County

    Contemporary American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge offers an "eclectic menu" with standout dishes like bacon-wrapped dates and kale Caesar salad. Guests praise the "amazing service" and creative cocktails, perfect for date nights or gatherings. The patio provides a lovely dining atmosphere, and live music adds to the "great vibe."

753 Reviews
  1. Rqyn

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The restaurant was overwhelmed with their valentines promo taking an hour to serve us our first meal (salad). Food was great overall.

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  2. Gregory

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    We had a 7:30 pm reservation but when we arrived, we were told no tables available and would be a 30 minute wait. What’s the point of a reservation? The hostess told us they were “overwhelmed.” The servers kept telling us this same thing throughout the night. We ended up having to sit at the bar all night. It was supposed to be a five course pre fixe menu for Valentines Day. Every course was terrible. Second course was hamachi, which consisted of two tiny pieces that were so small you could barely see or taste them. After our second course was over, they told my wife they had run out of her main course selection (short rib) so she would have to pick something else on the fly. My main course was scallops. It consisted of only TWO tiny, very dry and overcooked scallops on a giant bed of rice. It was awful. My wife’s substitution (filet) was equally terrible - overcooked and small. The desert (chocolate Bundt cake) was also bad - super dry and tasted like it had been sitting out for hours. On top of it all, they charged $95 per person for this joke of a pre fixe Valentines Day dinner. We are frequent patrons of Scarlett Kitchen, but will not be going back for a long time after last night’s experience.

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  3. Stephanie

    Orange County

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    We were disappointed in our valentine’s experience. It took an hour to be seated at an actual table (we were able to sit at the bar and received free champagne so we brushed it off). But then each course took forever to come out so we were starving and unfortunately the dishes were pretty lacking. It was a preset menu and I had a small starter salad, second course was a plate of carrots, third course was a small chunk of watermelon shaped like a heart, fourth course was supposed to be the “main” but it was literally two scallops and some plain, cold farro, the dessert was small but alright. My husband ordered short ribs instead of the scallops but after waiting forever, the waiter told us they had run out. They gave him another 2 options and he chose one, then after several minutes the waiter came back and told us that that one had run out too, so he was forced to have whatever the last option was. It didn’t seem like they were prepared to do such a big event and I was surprised we didn’t get something comped for him not getting the food he wanted and for how long we had to wait before sitting and between each course. The portions were so small and simple, the drinks were the only good part and I feel kind of sick about spending $300 on a meal like this, especially when we don’t go out often. Also, I never complain which is how you know it was bad.

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  4. Stanton

    Orange County

    6 reviews

    3.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
     it was Valentine’s Day and they didn’t seem well prepared for it. The service was very slow. It felt like the kitchen was overwhelmed. A couple next to us sat for over two hours and only got halfway through their fixed price meal before they decided to leave. Ours wasn’t as long, but it definitely took a long time.

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  5. Guy

    Los Angeles

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great time! We went for Valentine’s Day! The prefix menu and wine pairing was perfect! We will definitely!

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  6. Jacqueline

    Orange County

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service is great, and the food is good, but the prices are way too high.

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  7. Cindy

    Los Angeles

    96 reviews

    5.0

    96 reviews

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Super excited they brought back the kale Caesar salad. Always pair it with their delicious Salmon. It's the perfect combination. Crave worthy

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  8. Susan

    VIP

    Orange County

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 26 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The burger was a bit mushy. Reuben tacos were great. Good drinks and fun atmosphere. Inside is loud. Everything seemed a bit pricy but food everywhere is these days.

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  9. Heidi

    Los Angeles

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 18 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love the eclectic menu…something for everyone. The Outerbound Chardonnay was fantastic with the oysters & lobster salad! I can’t wait to go back.

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  10. Ken

    VIP

    Orange County

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 10 January 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great service. Kind, friendly and attentive staff. Creative menu, but poorly executed. Their Ribeye steak was comparable to what I imagine is a Denny’s or a hospital cafeteria steak would taste like. It was loaded it up with a glaze, puree and other oily fluff. Imagine your Denny’s ribeye was served slathered in ketchup. At this point, the restaurant is nothing more than watering hole and burger lounge masquerading as something more. You’ll get more satisfaction and value dining at the In-N-Out nearby.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 503-3086.

Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge is rated 4.6 stars by 753 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
Booked 5 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge

30865 Gateway Pl Rancho, Mission Viejo, CA 92694

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Antonio/Ortega
  • Area
    Mission Viejo / Rancho Santa Margarita
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30–14:30 Dinner Tue–Thu 16:00–20:30 Fri, Sat 16:00–21:30 Bar Tue–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–23:00 Sun 17:00–22:00 Sunday Dinner Sun 17:00–20:30
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Farm-to-table
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Paige Riordan
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (949) 503-3086
  • Private party facilities
    For private events please email events@ScarletKL.com
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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