The Crow Bar

The Crow Bar
2325 E Coash Highway
Corona Del Mar
949-675-0070

Want to go to a place with pretentious people, overpriced average food? Well The Crow Bar is for you. The Crow Bar opened up in Corona Del Mar about six weeks ago and since it's new and hip, it attracts a lot of pretentious people.

I looked through their menu and most stuff like th quail eggs, $9, duck confit, $16, and the crowbar cassoulet, $20 didn't appeal to me. So since I figured this was a bar I would order bar food, a burger.

I got the Crow Bar burger, $9.50. A 1/4lb burger o ciabatta, tallegio and gorgonzola, and roasted tomato marmalade. When I read this I figured they were trying to come up with their own gourmet signature burger like Father's Office. The Crowbar burger leaves a lot to be desired. The burger was cooked medium rare, which how I ordered it. The ciabatta was soft, but not toasted, and chewy. But the burger was lacking. It was ok but certainly not outstanding. Maybe a little above a place like Red Robin.

Service was good. The server was fast, attentive and friendly.

I would not go back to The Crow Bar. Very average food and very high prices do not go well together.

Five Crowns

Five Crowns
3801 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Corona Del Mar
949-760-0331

Memories. I had fond memories of Five Crowns. Great food, great service. But that was back in the late 80's, early 90's. Now it's 2007 and I'm sorry to say that both the food and service was slipped to unacceptable levels. Five Crowns in a part of the Lawry's family, so they say the prime is the draw. Well if you want prime rib, go to Lawry's and get the royal treatment.

I got the Henry the VIII cut of prime rib, $40 with corn instead of mashed potatoes. The prime rib was medium rare, just as I ordered. But there was a ring of fat around the inner part. Not good. This cut is suppose to be 20oz and that includes a 4oz bone. They should add, 4oz of fat. What meat there was, was lacking in flavor and tenderness. The corn was about as good as nuking some frozen corn.

As for the service. The ending left a lot to be desired. Before paying the bill, our server was good. He was helpful, answering our questions, and prompt, we had drinks refilled, our food came out quickly and was as we ordered. But when we paid, my buddy had one of those discount cards. The card was buy one entree and get the other free, up to $24. So when we got the bill, my friend didn't give our server the discount card. So he puts the discount card into the, but we didn't pay. The server comes up and asks, will that be cash or credit card. We ask him about the discount card. He says he would take care of that. Then he had the gull to ask for payment so he wouldn't waste another trip!!!!!!! That F***ing GULL. I put the *** in there. I'm not eating at any restaurant to make it easier for the server. If the extra trip to my table is too much, get another job. What laziness of some servers.

I would not go back to Five Crowns again. The food was below average and not worth the price. The service just plain sucks.