The Hotel

Hotel Laguna has been a staple of the Laguna Beach community for over one hundred years. This storied hotel was once a must-visit destination for the Hollywood elite and travelers looking for a laid-back kind of luxury that catered to refined tastes without being too stuffy.

In 2017, the hotel closed its doors to begin an extensive restoration in order to bring the space back to its former glory and attract a new generation of visitors. While rooms are not yet available to book, there are two excellent restaurants, The Larsen, and Fin, that are operating while the refurbishment nears completion. 

When you first enter Hotel Laguna, you will notice that the lobby is decorated with pieces from local artists. Big floral bouquets and ornate oceanic art cover the walls. The dreamy seascape-influenced color palate is a mix of muted pinks, soft greens, and serene champagne that are both welcoming and on-trend. 

The Restaurant Atmosphere

The interior of Hotel Laguna’s Larsen restaurant is light and airy and has expansive ocean views, thanks to a massive wall of windows that face the Pacific. Some oceanfront restaurants have “good” tables and just “okay” tables. Despite being right on the water, there’s usually something blocking the view you and your guests came to enjoy. Larsen doesn’t suffer from this problem; there’s not a bad seat in this restaurant. Even if you don’t snag a seat right next to a window, all of the tables look out to the beautiful clear water.  

While the dining room is pretty spectacular, it’s the patio dining that restaurant guests flock to. Nostalgic beach umbrellas, bulb lighting is strewn overhead, and comfortable wicker furniture with plush cushions await.

The Name ‘Larsen’

In a nod to old-time Laguna Beach lore, Hotel Laguna’s Larsen restaurant is named after Dane Eiler Larsen, who was known as the unofficial “greeter” of Laguna Beach for a thirty-year period between the 1940s to the 1970s. Often described as a wanderlust vagabond, Larsen would stand on the street corner leading into town and greet every car with a “Halloo-oo-oo!” in his thick Danish accent. Larsen even lived in a free room in the Hotel Laguna towards the end of his life. 

The Experience

The Larsen serves coastal cuisine prepared with classic French cooking techniques, and they pull off this style of food with ease. This is a restaurant we always enjoy dining at. The food is fantastic, and the views are absolutely breathtaking. The weather was perfect on our most recent visit, so we opted to sit on the terrace, order a few glasses of wine, and dig into the lunch offerings.

When the sun is out, and the ocean is right in front of you, it’s hard not to start the afternoon with a glass of bubbles. To go with the Laurent-Perrier, we selected the Tuna Crudo with green apple consomme, finger limes, and myoga. Just fantastic.

There are so many great starters to choose from on Larsen’s lunch menu. Spanish octopus, crispy calamari, lamb merguez meatballs, and oysters on the half shell were all tempting options.

For the main course, we chose the Shaved Steak Sandwich with caramelized onions, provolone, pickled Fresno chilis, and fries; and the Laguna Burger served with melted cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, crispy shallots, lettuce, grain mustard aioli.

The fare at Larsen’s matches the location on the water so well. You’ve got lighter “coastal” options like the Norwegian Salmon Nicoise, the Tuna Nicoise, or the crispy Larsen Tacos, but you also have heartier meals like the juicy burger and sandwich we chose. And, if you’re a fan of Fried Chicken, the Larsen’s Fried Chicken sandwich is also supposed to be pretty good.

We created our own wine pairings on this visit from the restaurant’s by-the-glass list, but we were thrilled to learn that Larsen’s is launching a new drink menu of wine and cocktails on April 23 that is specifically crafted to pair with food. Just another way this gem of a hotel is working to create wonderful dining experiences for its guests – and the locals like us.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re looking for Laguna Beach dining with an ocean view, the Larsen fits the bill. The restaurant is perfect for hosting out-of-town guests, an ideal date night spot, or a nice dinner with friends. 

The staff is always attentive and on-point. If you like to dine at the bar, which we sometimes like to do, you will receive the same excellent service as guests dining in the dining room, or on the terrace. On that note, we want to give a shout-out to the bartender, Sean, for his always terrific service.

If you find yourself in Laguna Beach, add the Larsen at Hotel Laguna as one of your must-visit dining destinations.