Le Chateau Garden Bistro

I’m forced to use the cliché «hidden gem» because it really is! Ever since l read a review of it’s Monte Cristo years ago we’ve been coming here for lunch or dinner. Service, food, ambience all top notch but comfortable, not snobby.
Much is mentioned of the bread & olive tapenade. It’s all true. The combo is amazing although each stands alone. Warm, crusty bread that breaks your «no carbs» rule every time. You have to stop just because you want to eat your meal too! Recently we ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad, French Onion Soup & Shrimp Cocktail, all fresh and good even though it was late on a Friday night. Ice Tea’s good, even the water’s good. I wish all the Ayres Hotels featured a Le Château but only if they were able to keep up the quality this special place offers.

I came here because it was quiet and beautiful. I lunch with my elderly mother often and it’s tough to find a quiet place with good food. The mahi mahi fish tacos (3) were delish and served with fresh salsa, black beans, and a half avocado, beautifully sliced and displayed on the plate. The service was outstanding, and since I arrived after the lunch crowd left on a Tuesday, I had the place almost to myself. It was too hot yesterday to sit outside, but that would be excellent on a milder day. Clean, beautiful, healthy, great food, excellent service, convenient location near the airport, South Coast Plaza, UC Irvine, the beach, 405÷73÷55 freeways. Only complaint… $ 18 for lunch is a bit steep.
By the way, you can tell a lot about a place by the bathroom… it’s in the hotel, and a slice of heaven.

I ordered the crab cakes and was so happy to see that they came with a big, beautiful spinach salad. The perfect balance of slightly spicy crab cakes and sweet, fresh fruit & dressing. I will be back.

This is such a cute restaurant, a part of the Ayres Inn & Suites. Find parking and walk through the hotel to the back. There is some outdoor «garden» seating and indoor seating. It was so much cooler inside, so we opted for indoor seating.
All workers were very friendly and attentive. We got waters, which came with cucumber, and it was super refreshing! My friend got a bloody mary and my niece got a cranberry juice, and those were good. For our meal, we ordered steak & eggs, waffles, and the monte cristo. All the plates were just okay and nothing special. I only ate 1 piece of the monte cristo; the jam wasn’t appealing. The truffle fries that came with it were good though. The waffles were plain, not bad but just plain waffles with some strawberry slices. My friend said the steak was just steak, nothing to rave about. I didn’t try it, but the potatoes that came with the steak looked delicious. All in all, I enjoyed th e ambience, but the food was all in all just okay, nothing to write home about.