70.5 F
Laguna Hills
Friday, Mar 13, 2026
-Advertisement-

From D.C. to OC, Sam & Harry’s Offers Classy Dining

Sometimes the fine restaurants in our hotels fly under the radar. That’s the case with Sam & Harry’s in the renovated Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa.

Sam & Harry’s in Washington, D.C.,the restaurant’s headquarters,is a first rate hangout for high maintenance politicos. The second Sam & Harry’s is in Fort Worth, Texas.

Then there’s the third in our Marriott hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

From the moment you enter the hotel, expanses of slate and beautiful wood meet modern furnishings and complete walls of glass. As you walk down the hallway to Sam & Harry’s, a gorgeous floor of interspersed blonde and dark wood emerges. Step into the restaurant and there’s just the right amount of sophisticated seating indoors, with plush burgundy carpet. Outside heated decks sport famed ocean views.

Pillars in the dining room have signed photos of celebrities and scenes culled from an earlier time. The walls, one of which soars to great heights in a nice splash of panache, hold modern artwork and elegant sconces. Even the ceiling manages to make a fashion statement.

The restaurant is quite different during the day and at night. During the day, the room carries an airy and more casual vibe with light streaming through the front glass. At night, things turn more dramatic and romantic with the soft lighting and upgraded linens.

Although breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served in this room,it’s the main restaurant of the hotel,I’m concentrating on lunch and dinner.

Meals begin with proper bread and pure, sweet butter. You’ll find plates of different shapes and depth hold the food. It’s extra eye-candy, even though the food is carefully displayed and finds us digging in quickly enough.

I like that this is a rather straightforward menu that doesn’t heap creative nuances, & #341; la moderne cooking, into every presentation and preparation. I actually can embrace my seafood or meat that sits centrally and proudly on the plate.

A few appetizers Patrick and I have tried: flash-fried crispy calamari is a clean tasting version, not greasy at all, and comes with a housemade tartar sauce. The crab cake is an absolute must, with lumps of crab meat barely holding together with any filler. Huge prawns appear in the classic shrimp cocktail. The gentleness of roasted peppers and the richness of crab make a fine soup.

At lunch, I really like their idea of making salads. They allow us to choose from a big list of ingredients and the salad is then made to order in the kitchen. Protein choices include duck, chicken, beef, seafood and shellfish. Lists of cheeses, grains, nuts, vegetables, greens and dressings make the ultimate salad. At dinner, choices turn to a select few composed salads.

Main courses at lunch are comprised of a few sandwiches, a wicked burger and some of Sam & Harry’s signature midday meats and fish.

Try the medallions of beef with blue cheese sauce, a pasta entree, the vegetarian Napoleon or the prime rib eye steak on the high end. Steaks from the dinner menu also are available on request.

Dinner entrees are centered on prime steaks and seafood flown in fresh daily,trademarks of all Sam & Harry’s restaurants. The menu is an & #341; la carte affair, with side dishes encompassing several vegetable and starch choices (roasted potatoes with onions and cherry peppers are great).

Each day, the fresh fish selection varies so you will encounter swimmers like halibut, sole, tuna and salmon, as well as the occasional more unique catch along the way.

I found the trio of accompaniments with my seafood impressive. In tiny ramekin-like containers were a wasabi and pickled ginger mix, some natural au jus and a masala of chopped vegetables that hinted of Indian spices.

A tad of any of those on the fork with a tender bit of fish turned each bite into a different culinary sensation. The trio of flavors might change in order to better suit the type of fish that’s served. It’s a great idea.

Shellfish like diver scallops (hand-picked by the divers) and shrimp from various international fishing territories bring their own enhancement.

Steaks are serious stuff here, prime quality and specially aged. And, this kitchen has cooked our steaks perfectly. I recently ordered the 22-ounce delmonico steak, medium rare, and it was fantastic. Tender, pinkish red, juicy and as flavorful as a steak can get. Give me that or a rib eye and I am in my own dream world. All the other popular steak cuts also are available as is an herb-crusted rack of lamb and a hefty veal chop.

Perusing the wine list reveals about 400 choices. Big names and boutique offerings mingle together. Wines are mainly sourced from Australia, Italy, France and America. There are about 25 wines by the glass.

Not to be overlooked is the marvelous looking bar and lounge with its own entrance from the hallway and glass doors connecting it to the dining room.

Don’t forget that this is a great place to have Saturday or Sunday brunch. A vast spread of quality food stations offers an opportunity to eat well at an inexpensive price. And, at $19.95 for adults, you can’t beat it.


AT A GLANCE – Sam & Harry’s






Sam & Harry’s dining room: nighttime brings dramatic, romantic feel to room

Classic American steak house

Address: 900 Newport Center Drive,

Newport Beach (in the Newport Beach

Marriott Hotel)

Phone: (949) 729-6900

Cost: Lunch: appetizers $7 to $10, salads $8 and $9, entrees $10 to $16; dinner: appetizers and first courses $11 to $16, entrees $28 to $42; Saturday and Sunday brunch is $19.95 for adults and $5.95 for children under 12 with kids under 3 free.

Want more from the best local business newspaper in the country?

Sign-up for our FREE Daily eNews update to get the latest Orange County news delivered right to your inbox!

Would you like to subscribe to Orange County Business Journal?

One-Year for Only $99

  • Unlimited access to OCBJ.com
  • Daily OCBJ Updates delivered via email each weekday morning
  • Journal issues in both print and digital format
  • The annual Book of Lists: industry of Orange County's leading companies
  • Special Features: OC's Wealthiest, OC 500, Best Places to Work, Charity Event Guide, and many more!

-Advertisement-

Featured Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-

Related Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-