The Point

The Point – Dana Point
By Shelley Hudson

Looking for a spot to meet for dinner and catch up? Well, a few weeks back, a girlfriend and I decided to do just that at The Point. Crowning Dana Point’s Blue Lantern-PCH hilltop for over three years now, this restaurant and bar is the perfect family-friendly, live music venue with fantastic food, reasonable prices and a coastal casual vibe.

My friend arrived first and scored a banquette on the patio surrounding a cozy fire pit where we could enjoy the music from Tuesday’s Open Mic Night. With the balmy evening and great company, skinny margaritas were in order. We were delighted that the cocktails arrived in icy pint glasses and were well-measured and citrus-heavy.

We took our friendly server’s recommendation and ordered the Endless Summer Vegetable Pizza along with the Lumpia, Seared Ahi and Sliders appetizers. The ahi dish was a meal unto itself with a generous portion of seared tuna rolled in Cajun spices served alongside a fresh cucumber and avocado salad. The pairing was the ideal combination of spicy and cool. The sliders were well-seasoned and tucked inside soft Hawaiian mini rolls with aged cheddar. Note: these are offered in pick-your-size portions—a fine choice for a large or small party to share.

The lumpia was a fun surprise. The Point’s Filipino chef, Ronald Canaveral, has this traditional Filipino eggroll-type food hand-rolled by his uncle, who supplies restaurants throughout Los Angeles. Made from shredded pork, shrimp, carrots, water chestnuts, green onion, and a little soy and sesame seed, these delights were crunchy, zesty and satisfying. Our brick oven-cooked pizza was piled high with fresh veggies; the menu describes this option as “the garden on a pizza,” and I have to concur with this assessment. The sooty flour on the crust’s edges from the brick oven gave the pie the street cred it deserves. My leftover slices were just as delish at lunch the following day.

The Point’s rock-solid commitment to patrons having an enjoyable experience is perhaps the most impressive part of the restaurant’s mission. Every day is a party—with daily happy hours, swing dancing and country nights, a sports fan’s dream game-watching venue, and extensive craft beer and local wine selections. The dedicated Kid Cave also offers maximum distraction for the little ones so that parents have the opportunity to dine with perhaps less interruption and a bit longer.

Check out ThePointRestaurantandBar.com for daily specials, theme nights, menus and more. Be sure to note the kids-eat-free times, too!

The Point
34085 Pacific Coast Hwy
Dana Point, CA
(949) 464-5700