Papa’s Tacos is back with 60+ menu items to-go

By Diane Armitage

After temporarily shuttering on March 22nd, Papa’s Tacos Owner Michael Skerly figured he might be able to quietly merge back into business eight weeks later…on Saturday of Memorial Weekend.

Instead, he and his crew were zambonied. 

“It was three days in an absolute blur,” he said. “Each day was equal to our busiest Fourth of July day. I closed on Wednesday this week just so we could get some rest,” he added, laughing.

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Papa’s Tacos Owner Michael Skerly is back in play in South Laguna

“It was so heartwarming to see so many of our regulars come out in support of our return,” he continued. “I had Laguna kids telling me they had posted our opening news on their social platforms, and so many people came by just to welcome us back. It’s nice to realize you’ve actually been missed.”

A 31-Year Tradition

A longtime landmark in South Laguna since 1989, Papa’s Tacos was purchased by Michael and business partner Scott Bornstein on April 15, 2010. In the business transfer, the partners made three astute decisions:

First, they chose to keep the two primary chefs, Enriqué Zaragoza Bravo and Vincent Ladislao Cruz, who have now devoted 29 and 28 years, respectively, to the 660-foot kitchen. 

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Courtesy of Papa’s Tacos

Chef Enriqué Zaragoza Bravo has devoted 29 years to cooking at Papa’s Tacos

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Courtesy of Papa’s Tacos

Chef Vincent Ladislao Cruz has devoted 28 years to cooking at Papa’s Tacos

Then, they chose to keep the original, large menu in its entirety, but upgraded to premium-quality produce and proteins. Despite the fact that they’re working in a very small kitchen space, the crew at Papa’s Tacos handles daily options that equal most large Mexican restaurant menus with more than 50 lunch and dinner items and 13 breakfast sellers. 

“We added tortilla soup, the vegetable medley line, and salads, but we haven’t messed with the core recipes because they are really solid and authentic recipes,” said Skerly. 

And, third, Skerly and Bornstein chose to cater to locals’ taste buds first. “This is a year-round restaurant, so we’re all about making sure we know what our locals like best so that those items are always available. We wouldn’t be here without our locals.”

Beef Prices Are Up, No One Seems To Care

Because of the national beef shortage, Skerly said that he had to raise prices slightly on his beef menu items such as Papa’s Tacos best-selling Asada meat, a prime round steak that arrives with no fat or gristle.

“No one seemed to care,” he said. “The Asada, our California Burrito, and the Machaca Beef flew out the door. I think they were just happy to see it all return,” said Skerly.

Another top seller, the Mahi Mahi grilled fish tacos have proven a returning crowd favorite, as have the shrimp tacos. 

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Papa’s Tacos’ best-selling grilled Mahi Mahi tacos and Asada beef tacos

“Old School” Carnitas + Daily Made Sauces

Personally, I’m the biggest fan of Papa’s Carnitas, whether served in a taco, burrito, or bowl. (Heck, they could just roll them up in their standard foil and hand them to me a la carte.) The Papa’s team chops the carnitas into rough three-inch by three-inch squares, browns the meat slowly, and does a quick douse in the deep-fat fryer for a tender inside with a crispy outside. 

“It’s an old-school method that keeps the pork super tender and flavorful,” Skerly explained. 

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Papa’s Tacos chicken and “old-school” carnitas tacos

Of course, any one of these tacos can be eaten sauce-free, but why miss out on the cornucopia of freshly made sauces? 

Michael packs up four popular sauces with my taco-tasting fare, all of which have personalities of their own. 

The chunky salsa is super-fresh with the tiniest kick of spice – absolutely one of the best I’ve tasted in a long time. I love dabs of it with my carne asada taco. 

The tomatillo salsa verde is mild with just a hint of heat in the mild peppers and a hint of cool from the cilantro. It pairs beautifully with the carnitas. 

The warm ranchero sauce is just plain heaven that I could happily slurp as a soup, while Papa’s hottest sauce announces itself in a sly (and rather rare) dose of cumin.

Perfect for COVID: Breakfast All Day

While I try dabs of sauce with each taco, I find there is nothing better than a pour of the warm ranchero in the breakfast burrito. Already hearty with scrambled egg, chunk potato, the tiniest scattering of super-dice onion, house-made refried beans, and melty cheese, the breakfast burrito partners with the ranchero sauce like a vaquero to his time-worn saddle.

A mainstay even at the modified hours beginning at 11 a.m., Papa’s Tacos breakfast burritos come in eight different options. All breakfast items – including Huevos Rancheros, Machaca & Eggs, and more – are served all day until close.       

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Papa’s Tacos serves up 13 different breakfast burritos

Brave New World

The sole owner of Papa’s Tacos since January 2018, Michael Skerly says the days are long “but so worth it.”

“I have the most amazing crew. We’re all working longer shifts, and those shifts start with someone ordering at the window the minute we open. My job, above all else, is to take care of my guys so that everyone stays healthy,” said Skerly. 

“For the time being, our hours are going to be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Tuesday. We take Wednesdays off to rest and recoup. We’re not the same guys we were 10 years ago,” he continued. 

“Right now, it’s sort of like riding a bicycle but being so sore from 60 days of not riding,” he said wryly. 

“But it’s so worth getting back on that bike. The people have been amazing.”

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Photo by Diane Armitage

For the time being, Papa’s Tacos is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Tuesday

Papa’s Tacos is in South Laguna just north of Eagle Rock (the SoLag Community Garden) and Coast Highway at 31622 Coast Highway. It’s best to order in advance from their online menu at www.PapasTacosInc.com, but you can call, too, at (949) 499-982. 

The best-selling author and blogger of The Best of Laguna Beach™, Diane Armitage is on an endless quest for the most imaginative adventures in Laguna’s restaurants, events, and lifestyle. Check out chef interviews, retail and restaurant news, and favorite events at https://thebestoflagunabeach.com/ and follow on Instagram @BestofLagunaBeach (look for Diane’s smiling face).

Harvest restaurant at The Ranch to reopen on Monday

The Ranch at Laguna Beach will reopen its signature Harvest restaurant for dine-in service on Monday, June 1. The restaurant is permitted to reopen with increased safety, cleaning, and physical distancing protocols per the Orange County Variance approved by the State of California.

Harvest restaurant at The Ranch at Laguna Beach is a beloved local favorite for farm-to-table cuisine and canyon views. The restaurant will reopen with a revised menu that upholds its mission to marry the bounty of the season with the atmosphere of Laguna Beach into a vibrant blend of local ingredients and California culinary traditions. 

Created in homage to Laguna’s original Rancho homesteaders, the menu at Harvest changes with the season. Fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables are sourced from the property’s own half-acre organic garden and supplemented with ingredients from the best local producers. The result is handcrafted California comfort cuisine, locally-rooted creative cocktails, 18 craft beers on tap, and unparalleled canyon scenery.

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Submitted photo

Harvest to reopen for a safe dining experience at The Ranch

The Ranch at Laguna Beach has implemented numerous updates at Harvest to allow for a safe dining experience when it reopens on June 1. These include, but are not limited to:

--Tables and chairs removed in the dining room to further limit restaurant occupancy and allow for physical distancing without detracting from ambience

--Tables and chairs reconfigured on the Porch and patio for increased physical distancing while still offering magnificent canyon views

--Restaurant hosts will guide physical distancing at entrances, waiting areas, and queues

--All surfaces will be sanitized at least once per hour by a member of the resort’s dedicated Sani-Czar team

--Menus will be single-use, disposable, and printed on recycled paper

--Menus will be revised to allow for fewer back of house staff, while still providing the fresh, seasonal California comfort cuisine guests know and love

--Silverware will be deep sanitized and rolled in napkins, straws are individually wrapped, and plates will be covered with cloches when leaving the kitchen

--Glass barriers installed at host stand for staff and guest safety

--Table turn times will be increased to ensure proper sanitation protocols

--Hand sanitizer will be readily available to guests

--Face masks are required for staff and strongly recommended for guests

As with all dining venues at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, team members will wear gloves and masks, and have their health monitored with daily wellness checks prior to their shifts.

Harvest restaurant at The Ranch at Laguna Beach will be open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended for breakfast and lunch, and required for dinner service.

To make a reservation, call (949) 715-1376 or visit www.theranchlb.com/dining/harvest.

The Ranch at Laguna Beach reopened for overnight stays on Friday, May 15 with The California Hotel and Lodging Association’s Clean + Safe Certification, a safety seal of approval provided to hotels which complete a rigorous 32-point checklist of protocols for guests, employees, and cleaning procedures. 

For more information about how The Ranch at Laguna Beach is working to keep guests and team members safe, visit www.theranchlb.com/wellbeing-practices or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Some Laguna restaurants open for dine-in this week while others quietly assess

By Diane Armitage

At the start of our Memorial Holiday on Saturday morning, word came down that Orange County restaurants could begin opening for dine-in service, provided they followed approved plans and health-driven protocols. 

It put our Laguna Beach restaurants in an interesting predicament. 

Do they immediately open to accommodate holiday crowds? 

Which of their furloughed employees would be picking up the phone this weekend and be agreeable to coming back to work with mere hours’ notice?   

How could they order additional produce and proteins over the holiday weekend, especially when their purveyors just received the same memo?

And who’s maintained a giant store of liquor over these many weeks?

The Weekend’s Wild, Wild West

Many of our counter service restaurants stepped up. With very little in-room dining available and no need for traditional servers, it was an easier task to configure their spaces and open their doors. 

It was the first weekend back for Papa’s Tacos Owner Michael Skerly, who enjoyed one of his most profitable days ever on his first day back. Like locusts to a corn field, the swarm came early and stayed through the entirety of the weekend.

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Photo by Diane Armitage

SoLag’s popular Papa’s Tacos reopened for takeout on Saturday and was swarmed from that minute forward

On the more formal dine-in side, Chef Pirozzi’s Alessa, Chef Cohen’s 230 Forest, the Gundogars at GG’s Bistro, and the Canyon’s Laguna Beach Beer Company stepped into patio and dine-in options on Saturday with limited menus and hours of operation. 

By Sunday, a handful more had joined the fray. From downtown’s Sushi Laguna and Rasta Taco to North Laguna’s Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill, owners reported running out of food before their advertised closing hours. 

“It was a blowout,” said Rasta Taco’s Mario Melendez. “It was beyond crazy.”

“This is not a return to normal”

Meanwhile, other restaurant peers stood back and assessed. Many have not yet set dates for reopening. 

“For us, we actually want to observe. I want to try going out myself to see what it’s all about! I also want to hear from customers that have dined out to get their take on it all, too. In the meantime, we will continue to do ‘to go’ and we’re dialing in our patio for more outdoor tables and a living wall,” said Co-Owner Chris Olsen of Wine Gallery.

“It’s not like this is a return to normal.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Wine Gallery Co-Owner Chris Olsen

 “We would rather take our time and do it right and learn from other operators as to what works and what doesn’t work,” he continued. “We want to slowly re-assimilate responsibly and cautiously. We should have a date for reopening this week,” he finished.

Logistics Issues

Popular Harley Chef Greg Daniels echoed the sentiment. “We aren’t planning to reopen our dining room in response to the guidance that was given over the weekend. My refusal is not meant to shame those who have. I believe that this can be done responsibly if the public allows; I just haven’t seen that many positive examples.

“Our priority is to do this right for the patrons who trust us, not to do it as quickly as possible. Our restaurant has an open kitchen, narrow dining room, and no patio. We don’t even have the room to expand if the city were to allow it. It just isn’t the right time for us yet.

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Courtesy of Harley Laguna Beach

Harley Laguna Beach Chef Greg Daniels

“In the meantime, we will be rolling out our new takeout menu for Laguna Beach in coming days. We want to warm up the restaurant and bring some of our people back. It’s time to get our Laguna family back together.”

Aaron Fu, General Manager at longtime local favorite Mandarin King, told me, “We’re going to wait until restaurant restrictions lift a bit more because the current protocols just don’t work for our location.

“With current social distancing, we would only be able to seat 16 patrons at a time in the restaurant, and my highest priority is to keep my parents safe and our employees safe,” he finished.

And reconfiguring…

Many restaurants are putting finishing touches on both temporary and permanent change-ups to better accommodate new requirements. 

“At The Cliff Restaurant, we’ve taken the requirement of social distancing and sanitizing very seriously,” said Co-Owner Sharon Haron. 

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Courtesy of The Cliff Laguna Beach

Along with meeting other COVID requirements, The Cliff Restaurant also refurbished its bar floor for future patron visits

“We’ve redesigned the seating, entrance, and exit and added sanitizing stations to help keep with COVID state requirements. We can’t wait to serve the Laguna Beach community again in our newly remodeled property!”

Meanwhile, South Laguna’s Coyote Grill Co-Owner Desirée Gomez said that they’ve devoted weeks to measuring spaces, removing furniture, and bringing in employees for staggered training sessions. The popular neighborhood watering hole plans to open this Tuesday, May 26th for “Taco Tuesday.”

“I’ve appointed a ‘Door Master’ for our first few weeks,” she said. “My team thought I was joking at first, but this is serious business. We’re not going to put our team or all the patrons we love at any kind of risk.”

Dine-in restaurants open this week

This is my most up-to-date compilation of all Laguna restaurants that have announced patio and/or dine-in service this week. Walk-up counter service restaurants are not included in this list because they have been, for the most part, already open. 

These have all been personally confirmed. If you don’t see your favorite listed, they have either not chosen an opening date or they haven’t gotten back to me. 

Restaurant owners, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with new updates. Readers, check my Instagram daily updates for new information, too (info below in tagline). 

North Laguna dine-in restaurants

Asada Tacos + Beer – patio and dine-in

Las Brisas – patio and dine-in

Reunion Kitchen – patio and dine-in

Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill – patio and dine-in

Zeytoon Cafe – roof deck only

Laguna Canyon dine-in restaurants

Kitchen in the Canyon – patio and dine-in

Laguna Beach Beer Company – patio and dine-in

Oliver’s Osteria – opening Friday, May 29th for patio and dine-in

Downtown & restaurant row dine-in restaurants

Broadway by Amar Santana – hoped for opening “later this week” for dine-in

GG’s Bistro – patio and dine-in

Lumberyard - opening Tuesday, May 26th, patio and dine-in

Moulin – limited patio and dine-in

Nick’s Laguna Beach – opening Wednesday, May 27th, patio and dine-in

Nirvana Grille – opening Wednesday, May 27th, patio and dine-in

Skyloft – roof deck only

Slice Pizza & Beer – opening Tuesday, May 26th, dine-in

Sushi Laguna – patio and dine-in

230 Forest - patio and dine-in

The Cliff – opening Thursday, May 28th, patio and dine-in

Zinc Cafe & Market – limited patio

Central Laguna dine-in restaurants

Avila’s El Ranchito – patio and dine-in

Driftwood Kitchen – opening Monday, June 8th, patio and dine-in

Feast Laguna – patio

Gu Ramen – patio and dine-in

Heidelberg Cafe – patio and dine-in

Mozambique Steakhouse – rooftop only

Oak Laguna Beach – patio and dine-in

Roux Laguna Beach – hoped for opening “later this week” for dine-in

Selanne Steak Tavern – opening Tuesday, May 26th, patio and dine-in

The Deck on Laguna – opening Monday, June 1st, patio 

Central South & South Laguna dine-in restaurants

Coyote Grill – opening Tuesday, May 26th for Taco Tuesday, dine-in

Dizz’s As Is – patio and dine-in

Ruby’s Auto Diner – limited dine-in, rooftop patio

Starfish Laguna – opening Friday, May 29th

The Drake – hoped for opening “later this week” for patio and dine-in

Takoutt still available at your favorites

Please note that every Laguna restaurant currently providing takeout for delivery or curbside pickup is continuing to do so as well. Please continue to support our Laguna Beach restaurants in the way you feel most comfortable and keep this community of amazing restaurateurs and chefs alive.    

This column is copyright material. 

The best-selling author and blogger on The Best of Laguna Beach™, Diane Armitage is on an endless quest for the most imaginative adventures in Laguna’s restaurants, events, and lifestyle. Check out chef interviews, retail and restaurant news, and favorite events at https://thebestoflagunabeach.com/ and follow on Instagram @BestofLagunaBeach (look for Diane’s smiling face).

Best Burgers in Laguna Beach, 2020

By Diane Armitage

Just because our world is topsy-turvy and my favorite Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast has been canceled does not mean that all traditions for the first true weekend of summer should be kicked to the curb. 

We still have our burgers. And when you have great burgers, you’ve got the world by the tail. 

Of the eight burgers I’m mentioning here, all but one are available now for takeout or delivery. 

Of course, a handful of our great chefs in town think an “old-fashioned burger” should be more of a decadent celebration, too. So, I’m updating my list of Best Hamburgers in Laguna Beach this week just in case you, dear reader, feel the tug of a summery-minded culinary venture this weekend and beyond. 

An Editorial Note: 

Permit a few caveats before we begin this slippery slope of a review: 

--I wasn’t able to try every hamburger in town. In fact, I mention two at the end of this article that came highly recommended by readers, but there just wasn’t enough time to digest eight burgers this week. 

--The burgers in this column are considered gourmet burgers from dining establishments that are well known for other foodie fare too.

--The list below is ranked alphabetically, period. 

--You might have a favorite burger in one of our fine dining establishments that’s not mentioned here. I welcome your vote and commentary on this terribly serious subject at either my BestofLagunaBeach Instagram page or Facebook page. 

Towering Edifices of Wonder

Even as Laguna Beach sports a number of great burger-centric restaurants, the chefs at our finer dining restaurants bow to the burger, too.

However, these chefs don’t make normal food, and they certainly don’t make normal hamburgers. I discovered towering edifices of wonder with unique combinations of ingredients and detailed preparation steps that would leave the ordinary backyard grill guy agog. 

Grab your dinner napkins and let’s get started.

The AhbA Burger 

AhbA is back! Chef/Owner Nick Bennett and uber-talented Chef Jayro Martinez quietly reopened for takeout and curbside pickup last week. Unassuming return and unassuming little café is where that word stops. The food at this place is some of the most memorable Laguna Beach has ever seen. Leave it to Jayro to make a burger equal to all the rest of their great menu items. 

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Photo by Diane Armitage

The AhbA Burger packs a crazy punch with caramelized onions and pickled Fresno peppers   

Creation Date: August 2019

What makes the AhbA Burger memorable: Chef starts with two prime beef patties smothered in cheese. He adds a hefty dollop of caramelized sweet onions, which prove a perfect balance to the spicy surprise of sliced, pickled Fresno pepper rings and a scant slather of secret sauce aioli that warms you all the way to your toes.   

AhbA Secrets: It’s all in the sauce, and Chef Jayro is not talking. You’re going to have to pry that one out of him yourself. 

GG’s Bistro Angus Burger

Better known for its popular Bistro Burger, GG’s was inspired in this COVID haze to add a winning newbie to its list. 

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Photo by Diane Armitage

The new Angus Burger at GG’s Bistro with all its optional add-ins

Creation Date: May 2019

What makes the GG’s Angus Burger memorable: Personally, you can do no wrong with anything that resides inside a freshly baked Brioche bun. The bun could be heavenly just on its own.

This burger, though, holds up to the task with its “basics” being fresh Angus patty, lettuce, tomato, perky slices of red onion, and yet another slather of secret sauce that no chef seems to want to share. 

GG’s Secrets: Avocado slices, crispy bacon, and sautéed mushrooms are offered as extras. I’d suggest getting them all. (It’s a holiday after all).   

Lumberyard Beyond Burger

At first, I was a Doubting Thomas, I’ve got to admit. Lumberyard’s Beyond Burger is a non-meat gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO solution that ranks in equal calories to a burger patty but provides as much protein and iron with less fat and saturated fat.

More important to me (the Foodie Queen) is that this burger looks, smells, and tastes like a true-blue grilled hamburger.

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Lumberyard’s Beyond Burger looks, eats, and smells like a grilled burger, but it’s pea protein all the way

Creation Date: Summer 2019

What makes the Lumberyard Beyond Burger memorable: When Owner Cary Redfearn predicted supply chain issues in the future, neither of us figured those chains would already be in trouble less than six months later. It’s part of the reason for his decision to carry the Beyond burger. 

On the chew factor, it’s a little denser than your common burger patty. It’s more like biting into a ground sirloin burger. Its taste, though, is so closely matched to a backyard grill burger that you can’t even discern where the scientists at Beyond Burger tried to get it right. (I would have loved to have been a fly on that wall.) 

Lumberyard’s Secrets: The Lumberyard serves it with a slather of tomato marmalade to keep the patty juicy, but I don’t detect the normal patty dryness that I’ve tasted in other “almost-beef” products. It even looks like a medium rare burger, compliments of a dash of beet juice in the manufacture.

Reunion Kitchen Classic Cheeseburger

Probably the highest tower of them all, Scott McIntosh’s Classic Cheeseburger is more like a national monument. Add optional avocado, bacon, or fried egg, and you have a replica of The Leaning Tower of Pisa on your hands. 

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Photo by Diane Armitage

Probably the tallest to-go burger, the Reunion Kitchen Cheeseburger

Creation Date: At his first Reunion Kitchen in Anaheim, December 2013

What makes the Reunion Classic Cheeseburger memorable: A half-pound patty of ground chuck serves as the base to sliced tomato, thick house-made pickle slices, crisp lettuce, melted cheese (type of cheese is your option), and crispy fried onion strips with house sauce (a house-made, spicier version of Thousand Island dressing with the restaurant’s own secret pickle relish combo), slathered on both halves of the potato bun. Avocado, fried egg, and bacon are optional add-ons (two of the three are pictured in my photo). 

Scott McIntosh’s Secrets: After selling many burgers at many different restaurants over the years, McIntosh learned a “French technique” while working with Restaurateur David Wilhelm at French 75. 

“We served a ‘Butter Burger’ at French 75, which was actually stuffed with about a tablespoon of butter,” says McIntosh. “I carried that idea over with about a half tablespoon in our Reunion burger. It’s just enough that, when the patty hits the grill, the butter bubbles out and over and gives it that rich flavor. 

Skyloft Cheeseburger

This popular burger harkens back to that nostalgic taste of In-N-Out. Sometimes you just want a classic burger that’s just messy enough but can still be held in your hand without falling apart everywhere. Chef says he created this burger for people who have that “‘classic burger’ heart.”

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Courtesy of Skyloft

Skyloft’s Cheeseburger pays tribute to In-N-Out

Creation Date: May 2016

What makes the Skyloft Cheeseburger memorable: Two tenderized four-ounce patties hard-seared on the griddle, two “just melty” slices of white American cheese, a rabble of small-diced fresh tomato, red onion, pickles, and crisp iceberg lettuce. It’s finished with a healthy slather of top-secret black peppercorn aioli on a cushy bun. 

Additional Burger Recommendations

My social platforms had plenty of great opinions on this matter, too, so I’m giving these burgers a shout-out. 

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Diane Armitage

Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill’s phenomenal burger deserves a place on this list, but Chef Maro Molteni isn’t currently serving it as a to-go item

Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill’s burger is fantastic, ranking somewhere at the top of my list. It’s wood-grilled to perfection, then topped with complimentary love (and even an optional pineapple). I begged Chef Maro to put the burger back on his list for the Memorial Weekend, but he’s too busy cooking up all the other goodness you people keep ordering. 

The Oak Laguna Burger is one I’ve tried, but many moons ago. As I recall, it was a keeper. Fashioned with Wagyu beef, it boasts Jack cheese, fresh tomato, pickled onions, and house-made thousand island slather.

The new Sapphire.Cellar.Craft.Cook Pantry has been offering up an “homage” to Chef Azmin’s famous Wagyu burger since its opening day a month ago. Owner Russ Bendel tells me it’s their best-selling item, but I haven’t yet tried it personally. Their American Wagyu Beef Burger is crowned with lettuce, house-made pickles, shaved onion, hothouse tomato, Spanish cheddar cheese, and that ever-present Chef’s secret sauce. 

And, Selanne Steak Tavern’s “Flash” burger is next on my list. Also fashioned of Wagyu beef, it features arugula, tomato, white Tillamook cheddar cheese, a slather of “baconaise” and what Chef refers to as “angry onions.” 

Send Me Your Favorites!

By all means, continue to shout out your favorite burgers in Laguna Beach on either of my social platforms at BestofLagunaBeach. Feel free to DM me with photos of your favs, too, as the Memorial Holiday weekend is all about making memories happen!

Let’s get out and support our Laguna Beach restaurants and keep this community of amazing restaurateurs and chefs alive.    

The best-selling author and blogger on The Best of Laguna Beach™, Diane Armitage is on an endless quest for the most imaginative adventures in Laguna’s restaurants, events, and lifestyle. Check out chef interviews, retail and restaurant news, and favorite events at https://thebestoflagunabeach.com/ and follow on Instagram @BestofLagunaBeach (look for Diane’s smiling face).

Lost Pier Café by The Ranch reopens today for takeout

The Ranch at Laguna Beach’s oceanfront restaurant, Lost Pier Café, will reopen today (Friday, May 22) for to-go orders. The restaurant will be open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with operations in full compliance with local, state, and CDC guidelines.

For the safety of all guests and staff, Lost Pier Café will offer takeaway orders placed in-person or over the phone. All food will be served in to-go containers with individually wrapped flatware and individually packaged condiments. The Lost Pier Café Patio remains closed at this time, as dine-in service is not permitted due to health guidelines.

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Courtesy of Instagram

Lost Pier Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dessert 

Lost Pier Café will serve up a revised menu of breakfast, lunch, and dessert dishes to-go. Highlights include breakfast burritos, avocado toast, paper bag beignets, grilled chicken salad, macaroni salad, clam chowder, ceviche, fish & chips, lobster rolls, fish tacos, cheeseburgers, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, churros, and more. All ingredients are sourced locally and sustainably from top quality producers. To view the current menu, visit www.lostpiercafe.com. 

Hand sanitizer stations will be available for guests, and floor markers and decals will provide instructions for social distancing. Lost Pier Café team members will undergo temperature and wellness checks prior to their shift and wear appropriate PPE when preparing orders.

Lost Pier Café is located at 31131 South Pacific Coast Hwy. To place an order for pickup, call (949) 715-4210.

The Ranch at Laguna Beach reopened for overnight stays on Friday, May 15 with The California Hotel and Lodging Association’s Clean + Safe Certification, a safety seal of approval provided to hotels that complete a rigorous 32-point checklist of protocols for guests, employees, and cleaning procedures. Due to safety guidelines, The Ranch at Laguna Beach’s Harvest Restaurant remains closed.

To learn more about The Ranch at Laguna Beach and its COVID-19 protocols, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To make a reservation, visit www.theranchlb.com or call (949) 499-2271.