Review Royal Hen - Newport Beach

Nothing is better as a traveler than walking into a bar full of locals who welcome you with open arms. TY for the incredible food and ideal place to wind down from our long day of conference center life.

My wife and I have been looking for a place like this for a long time. Nowadays, it's impossible to find a truly original place where the food will be interesting and delicious at the same time. Unfortunately, such restaurants are only present in Europe and large cities in the United States. But the food here, it's a revelation. Thank you, we'll be your regular customers.

Can we just talk about how great this place is? We had great food and wonderful service! We will be back again!

This cute place became my favorite restaurant in Balboa Island last night. Nice selection of wines by the glass, delicious food, cool vibes, great service and amazing staff. We’ll definitely be back.

The food here was totally worth it and affordable for the quality! Service was wonderful and I enjoyed the experience all in all.

Went here with family for a drink and some appetizers and we all really enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly staff. If you order the bread, be sure to ask for a side of curry for dipping! It was recommended to us by a regular, and it proved to be the right move. We will be back.

Partner and I were visiting from out of town and found this place via google maps. Had several glasses of wine, the shishito peppers, zucchini blossoms, salmon, and the short rib fettuccini. Everything was delicious. Highly recommend. Owner was lovely to chat to. We’ll be back next time we’re in town.

Had an amazing night here! The food is amazing and creative and the hospitality was off the charts! 100% will recommend and go back.

This cozy bistro is like a warm hug. There is a positive vibe that resonates. The three of us had different entrees; pasta, fish and juicy burger. All beautifully served and delicious.

The fish and chips were great. The tacos and pot pie were just okay.

Loved the visual environment. Good food. Small bar usually has Reserved placards for majority of seats. Extremely noisy - Cost & no acoustical ceiling or walls will keep us from returning

Amazing experience! It was a busy night during the holidays. They originally couldn’t accommodate our reservation but they texted a couple hours after when something freed up. It’s a level of customer engagement you never see in SoCal. It was the perfect night for our family visiting from out of town and I can’t say enough about our experience. Highly recommend.

Great food manager was a friendly guy...highly recommended

Wife and I flew out from Austin to p meet her family in Balboa area and were blessed to find this place on a lucky search. Owner is outstanding and the service is superb, wait until you eat. Mind blown. Would recommend to anyone!!! Must visit.

Let's go to Europe. No let's stay on the island. Well enjoy both, go for dinner at Royal Hen. Great food, cosy atmosphere, Cynthia is the absolute best hostess.

By far my favorite spot in all of Orange County. I’ve been coming here for a year and a half now and Cynthia and the entire staff have always treated me like I was a long lost loved one! I thought I was special but it turns out, after witnessing it over countless evenings here, that they treat everyone like that! The food and the wine is beyond expectation as well. (Don’t pass on the chicken pot pie!!) When I asked about holding a private event there, it was so easy and was a massive hit. Thank you so much Cynthia and the entire crew there at the Royal Hen! A must go for Newport and all of OC.

Very nice ambiance and food is great as well.

They have just been open for three days or so, they only have a limited bar snacks menu for now, but everything was spectacular. My friends and I shared an order of the Lamb Samosas- perfectly prepared and baked with good flavors, good spices, but nothing hot or overwhelming. We also ordered a Lobster Toastie (a mini lobster roll) which we all shared... delicious. We also got the Haggis balls, which are not too Haggis-ish, just reminiscent of it, presented more like a hush puppy, filled with potato and cheese, and haggis peeking out the background. The drink I ordered, the Old Fig, was quite tasty, mimicking an Old-Fashioned, but with more fig influence. It was great! Not too sweet, which I was a little afraid of when I ordered it, but all the flavors were balanced and the ingredients played well with each other. Their wine list is Excellent, which is refreshing to see. They carry many small production wines which are meant to be paired with food. When I see a wine listed in a restaurant that one can also find at a gas station, I feel disappointed, and that happens more often than not, but I digress. Anyway, great wine list. DONT MISS the Foie Macarons, which are light and airy in texture and weight, but very impactful on flavor. SO velvety and savory and just a bit sweet, and delicious. It all works well. We ordered that twice. Also, tops was the chicken skin (basically prepared like pork rinds) with sauces on top which were astounding. Lots of flavor in one small bite. I could have had ten of those. As my friends and I were sharing the dish, I was secretly planning, after dinner and we all said our goodbyes, to come back and order another plate of the Chicken Skins just for myself. But after dinner, we crossed the street and got dessert (doughnuts for my friends and a Balboa Bar for me)... but I'll be back!

The Hen has become our new go to place. You can have a fine dining evening or chicken pot pie and fish and chips. Atmosphere, Balboa Island, comfortable casual. You should go.

Great food, knowledgable and friendly staff... loved it with all the windows wide open, such a pretty spot to have dinner.

I love this place! Every single time I go, I love it. The food is delicious, the wine is wonderful, the ambiance is perfect!

Amazing atmosphere and great pub food! Get the cheese and meat platter

Tim and crew have put together a fantastic upscale pub. Visiting this place is a MUST! Highly recommended. Fantastic food and drinks combined with a welcoming casual atmosphere.

Great food. Great service. I loved the food. Especially the lobster sandwich. A must try.

The menu was fun and diverse! The manager was very accommodating and the service great. I felt like I was in a restaurant in Brooklyn. Great vibe.

My wife and I went there for the first time last night and it was amazing! Incredible service, amazing staff and the food is the bomb!!

Had lunch today after the parade...was terrific. Great food and great service...!

Steak Tartare fantastic! Delicate cheese crisp and quail egg are delightful.