Oceans 33

Oceans 33 in The Shops at Mission Viejo closed. The location is now occupied by a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. more

I had to write a review after I saw a single star given based on a small child being told he/she was not welcomed. I was a little confused if the parents were told this or just inferred it as they were not given proper service. Anyhow, we have been going to Oceans 33 for many years and have always taken our children. They are 5 and 7 now, but we took them when they were younger and they have always been treated well. They are well behaved at restaurants, as we take them often enough that they know what is expected of them. That is not to say the young child mentioned in the earlier review was not (esp. since he/she was only 17 months old). But if you walk into a restaurant with a crying, screaming and/or pouting child, you can hardly expect anyone to welcome you. Generally, we just opt out should that occur .... more

I have trouble understanding how restaurants become arrogant about their cooking when they are shown shiny raw fish. That is what happened to me last weekend at Oceans 33. I was amazed that the waiter had the nerve to tell me the fish was cooked properly, when I showed him the inside of my salmon.\r \r I know, sushi is raw. Well I love sushi. But the King Salmon (small piece by the way) they serve here is not sushi grade and salmon is one of the most dangerous of all sushi fishes. So anyway, here I am asking him to finish cooking my salmon, and the waiter says, (I kid you not), ""Let me see, (he looks at the inside), No that is perfect. It is cooked perfectly.""\r \r How in the world can a waiter say that to a customer. I am nearly 58 years old, I cook, I love eating out and cooking in. I know how to cook fish. I know not to over cook. I know how to select meats and fish in the store. But now I have a man who is paid to make me happy (not even 30 years old) telling me basically to shut up and eat the fish.\r \r I was fuming. My wife looked at him like he was the biggest fool on earth. And the couple we were dining with giggled at first and then spoke up for me. My business colleague asked to look at the fish, he saw the shiny raw flesh was not able to be cut with a fork unless extreme pressure was put on the fish, and even then the salmon would tear under the pressure, not separate from the itself. He told the waiter it looked raw. The waiter told him ""That is how we cook it here"". Huh? Now the waiter was taking on two customers at once with obvious raw fish in front of him.\r \r He took the fish back to have it cooked. It came back dry and who knows what else they did to it. I didn't eat it. I forgot about the whole experience until yesterday when the colleague who ate with us, told me I should put a review of the restaurant online. So here it is... my two cents on Oceans 33.\r \r Doug Pros: Pretty people Cons: Ugly attitudes more

This restaurant has no concept of service. We were told that our 17 month old son was not welcome but since we were already committed we still sat down. I guess the staff was under the impression that two parents with a chid were not worthy of their consideration. We watched for 15 minutes while at least 5 staff members socialized behind the bar twenty feet away, never once acknowledging us. As we walked out I mentioned the reason to the 19-yr old manager named Roy Cho. Young Roy could care less because he was still going to get his $7/hour wage no matter his restaurant was empty. First time I've ever written a review on a restaurant, but I feel compelled to warn others, especially parents with children. Rest assured we will never set foot in Oceans 33 ever again. Cons: Horrible service more

I had a nightmare experience at Ocean's 33. The service was very slow. We had to find somebody and bring them over to ask for anything. Water, order drinks, etc. Eventually the waiter came over and apologized. There was a mixup and both waiters thought the other was handling the table. No problem. They offered us free desert. That was nice. But when desert time came, the nightmare began. First they said that we could have only two deserts even though there were four of us there. That made no sense already. Then they said that we had to eat it at the restaurant. We couldn't take it home. That is just mean. We were full. I spoke to the manager and she was rude and said that is her decision. That is it. I spoke to the owner the next day and told him what happened. He berated me, ridiculed me, and was sarcastic. All this for no reason. If they had simply apologized for the mixup everything would have been fine. If they had offered us free tea, I would have been pleased with the token. Instead they chose to be horrible and give me the worst dining experience of my life. Don't let this happen to you. Avoid Oceans 33 and also the sister restaurant with the same owner, Oysters. more

Oceans 33 has some great food, and of course a great bar to go along. The only downfall is that it is a little too small. Pros: Food, bar Cons: Too small more

The ONLY restaurant in The Shops at MV I eat at. Besides the attractive and cozy dark booths, their Mahogany King Salmon is fabulous! Crisp, yet tender, sauced with beurre blanc that is swirled with a little maple glaze, then topped with perfectly cooked asparagus spears--all of this rests on a bed of apple-wild rice pilaf. I think this delicious combination of flavors and textures must be the best thing on the menu. It pairs especially well with a glass of crisp King Estate Oregon Pinot Gris, one of several by-the-glass choices on their interesting wine list. Their desserts are ok, but I usually pass on them. Oceans 33's a good choice when you're looking for good food between the hours of lunch and dinner, when few other quality restaurants are open and the service is attentive. more

This restaurant is located in the mall so finding parking nearby the entrance was difficult, even on a Wednesday night. Appetizers: oyster sampler and shrimp cocktail; both were very good. Entrees: Pan Seared and Roasted Sea Bass served with seafood jambalaya and Grilled Hawaiian Swordfish with honey-ginger marinade, baby bok choy, roasted shiitake mushrooms with steamed rice. The sea bass has a southern kick b/c of the spicy jambalaya while the swordfish is sweeter, Asian flair. Neither entree was ""to-die-for."" Dessert : Fallen Chocolate Soufflé with white chocolate-raspberry ice cream; very decadent & moist. Good service, but other restaurant goers were talking very, very loudly so we couldn't enjoy the music. Our bill was $105. Dinner was over by 9:30 PM and we had to walk to our car in the dark since most all of the lights in the parking lot had turned off. :( Pros: has kids' menu, visually appealing Cons: hrd 2 find gd parking, loud, not romantic more

Upon entrance the first thing to catch your eye is the beautiful decor. The ambiance is perfect for dates, or just catching up with old friends, and family. The bar has a very extensive selection of all liquors, and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. This is the perfect restaurant for any occasion big or small. Pros: valet up front, live jazz, extensive bar Cons: small patio more

Very pleased with their menu selection - including all the veggie side dishes!! more

This cosmopolitan restaurant made me feel like I was in San Francisco or New York - certainly not in a mall in Mission Viejo. Great for a date or with the family. This place has it all! Try the lobster/shrimp dumplings or the fabulous skillet roasted mussels to start - the any one of the seafood entrees. Fallen chocolate souffle for dessert! Pros: Creative menu, Good vibe, Caring service more