Restaurants in Huntington Beach

Located within the Hyatt The Pike Long Beach, Bay Street Kitchen rewards guests with contemporary American cuisine that incorporates distinct regional touches, such as locally sourced seafood and California berries. Shortly after sunrise illuminates the tan- and wood-hued dining area, chefs begin whisking together orders of eggs and pancakes while baristas dole out cups of seasonal juice or organic coffee, waking up neurons more effectively than a rooster with an air raid siren.

The dinner menus encourage groups to share with an assortment of cheeses and an eclectic array of small plates, including house-made flatbread, lamb sliders, and truffled taro root chips.

Skewered cuts of sirloin, brazilian sausage, and pork ribs rotate slowly over a sweltering grill, their savory juices producing a rhythmic hiss as each drop hits the metal. This is churrasco, Xodó Grill's specialty. Once the traditional Brazilian barbecue has roasted to a tender finish, the staff slices off juicy morsels for customers to pair with 12 types of salads and a slate of hot dishes from the colorful buffet. Heaping plates of fried yucca, picanha, and cheese bread await the scales, which customers use to pay by the pound and Lady Justice uses to smuggle extra cuts of steak.

Babouch Moroccan Restaurant cradles patrons in the invigorating spirit of Morocco as vibrant tapestries and ornate ceiling canopies surround a menu of traditional North African dishes. Between the fluted edges of golden tables, skewered preparations of beef and seafood descend alongside zesty accents of couscous, honey, and prunes as eggplant and lentils adorn a range of meat-free dishes. A colorful selection of craft cocktails and international wines merges with succulent frappe blends to balance the exotic flavors. Each night, performances by male and female belly dancers suffuse the space with eye-catching movement and jingling sound, whereas tarot readings lend guests a glimpse of the future without the meticulous hemming required of ripping a hole in the space-time continuum.

The first clue that Master and Margarita’s ambiance leans toward the relaxed and lighthearted is found in the restaurant’s name, taken from Mikhail Bulgakov’s 1960s satirical novel lampooning Soviet bureaucracy. The second sign of the restaurant’s playful attitude spills forth from the bustling kitchen where chefs remain faithful to traditional Russian recipes while also whipping up fusion fare that, like John Wayne wearing a Catherine the Great costume, combines American favorites with Eastern European classics. Amid the wood-floored dining room, low lighting and well-spaced tables afford romantic meals while flat-screen TVs remain ablaze during sporting events. Master and Margarita also welcomes area artists for live musical performances on select evenings to fill the restaurant with jazz and acoustic tunes.

Executive chef Thomas Crijns of Brussels Bistro teams up with fellow Belgian Philippe De Smedt and French restaurateur Thierry Perreau to give his seasonally inspired menu of Belgian-style cuisine a French twist, earning the restaurant recognition as one of the 2012 Top 10 Orange County Bistro Restaurants in Gayot and named Best French Fries in 2008 in OC Weekly for their signature side with dipping sauces. With live jazz music each Tuesday through Thursday and DJs spinning music under pulsing colored lights Fridays and Saturdays, it is not surprising that OpenTable also took notice of the spot and awarded Brussels Bistro the Diners Choice for Late Night Find.

While known for its late night offerings, Brussels Bistro features a menu of lunch fare including quiche Lorraine packed with gruyere cheese, tomatoes, and bacon and savory ham-and-cheese crepes. Diners may opt to share their bountiful pots of mussels and Belgian-style fries on the sunny outdoor terrace while sipping one of nine Belgian beers on tap or 15 bottled varieties each served with a signature glass etched with its family tree.

Sip Lounge, inside the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, is like a city with four distinct neighborhoods. Once guests walk past the lobby's large video wall, they're greeted by rows of wine bottles in the glass-enclosed cellar bookending the bar. Behind it, curtains billow beside a water feature that cascades along the wall like the zero-gravity streams found on the moon. Over in the dining room, large tables accommodate groups for gatherings over a local shrimp cocktail or cheese plate. The living room's plush couches cradle pairs for intimate conversations that can be shared over a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a craft beer.

Outside, the large patio embraces the busy energy of Ocean Boulevard without succumbing to it. Umbrellas, heaters, and glass walls separate its confines from the street's frenzy of beeps, brakes, and Model T hand cranks, and a focal fire pit warms both the temperature and the ambiance. The typical soundtrack of upbeat pop and instrumental music supplements Sip Lounge's live series, which hosts local artists from across Southern California.