Unfortunately, our journey down the 133 to PCH was slowed by the Sawdust Festival traffic. Luckily, we didn’t have to stress about parking, as South of Nick's offers valet service for $10 (just remember to get it validated). I made reservations two weeks in advance, requesting a seat with a view, and the restaurant was more than accommodating. Even though it was a Sunday at 3 PM, the place was bustling with activity.
We started with the complimentary chips and salsa, which were fantastic, and we also ordered guacamole for the table—definitely worth it! To keep the meal light, I opted to share a salad and an entrée.
For the salad, we chose the Mercado, which features iceberg lettuce, roasted corn, pepitas, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, tortilla strips, radishes, cotija cheese, and chipotle ranch. For the entrée, I ordered the El Jefe Burrito filled with Chicken Tinga, refried beans, Spanish rice, jack cheese, onions, and peppers, all topped with pico de gallo and rolled wet.
The burrito was bursting with flavor, though I was surprised to find potatoes in it, which weren’t mentioned on the menu. For me, that added a bit too many carbs with the rice, beans, and potatoes. It was enormous—I ended up taking half of it home! The salad was absolutely delightful and well-dressed, although I had a hard time locating the roasted corn. This was a minor hiccup, though; the service, ambiance, food, and stunning views made the experience worthwhile.
I would return to South of Nick’s in a heartbeat! If I lived in the area, I’d definitely dine here at least once a month, if not more. The food is incredibly affordable, and the overall experience is simply fantastic!
Izahn Van Zyl
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October 26, 2024
For a group of 8 people it is usually hard to decide on a place to eat, especially with a gluten free request.
This was the perfect spot! We went on a Monday afternoon and it wasn’t too busy.
Every one in the group loved their meals and had such a great time there. They provided us with gluten free chips and 3 different dips for the chips.
Taylor Huseman
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October 28, 2024
Brought a group here for an event as
Nd could my have been happier. Parking was easy (use the back lot) and the food was fantastic. Good views, good prices and just all around a wonderful place to go. My photos don’t do it justice. The enchiladas had the best sauce I have ever had and one of our group members has Been some nice places and he too votes this way yo there
Lisa Sawin
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January 17, 2025
We had such a great happy hour at South of Nick's last night. From the moment we walked in the door and Henry helped us get a table in the bar to accommodate 4 people, to our great service from Alma, to the manager Fred treating us to a butter cake when we told him how great his entire staff was at the restaurant, what a pleasurable dining experience. The whole staff worked as a team. They all asked how we were doing or if we needed anything as they'd pass by. You could tell they all got along and that made for such a wonderful meal for us. The happy hour food portions were huge and everything we tried was delicious. We watched food going by and everything looked so good. Can't wait to go back and try one of the giant burritos we saw. The mole sauce on the enchiladas I ordered was the best I've had in years. Thanks to the entire staff at South of Nick's Laguna Beach. We will be back soon! A special thanks to Henry who made us feel so welcomed. We will come visit you at the new Nick's location in Newport Beach too.
John Liang
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August 14, 2024
The service was a little slow in the beginning but the server was attentive later on. We were not offered water but had to ask for it twice. Ordered the shrimp taquitos, seafood enchiladas, and carne nortena which were all very good. The drinks was good as well, jalapeño watermelon and tamrindo.
Unfortunately, our journey down the 133 to PCH was slowed by the Sawdust Festival traffic. Luckily, we didn’t have to stress about parking, as South of Nick's offers valet service for $10 (just remember to get it validated). I made reservations two weeks in advance, requesting a seat with a view, and the restaurant was more than accommodating. Even though it was a Sunday at 3 PM, the place was bustling with activity. We started with the complimentary chips and salsa, which were fantastic, and we also ordered guacamole for the table—definitely worth it! To keep the meal light, I opted to share a salad and an entrée. For the salad, we chose the Mercado, which features iceberg lettuce, roasted corn, pepitas, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, tortilla strips, radishes, cotija cheese, and chipotle ranch. For the entrée, I ordered the El Jefe Burrito filled with Chicken Tinga, refried beans, Spanish rice, jack cheese, onions, and peppers, all topped with pico de gallo and rolled wet. The burrito was bursting with flavor, though I was surprised to find potatoes in it, which weren’t mentioned on the menu. For me, that added a bit too many carbs with the rice, beans, and potatoes. It was enormous—I ended up taking half of it home! The salad was absolutely delightful and well-dressed, although I had a hard time locating the roasted corn. This was a minor hiccup, though; the service, ambiance, food, and stunning views made the experience worthwhile. I would return to South of Nick’s in a heartbeat! If I lived in the area, I’d definitely dine here at least once a month, if not more. The food is incredibly affordable, and the overall experience is simply fantastic!
For a group of 8 people it is usually hard to decide on a place to eat, especially with a gluten free request. This was the perfect spot! We went on a Monday afternoon and it wasn’t too busy. Every one in the group loved their meals and had such a great time there. They provided us with gluten free chips and 3 different dips for the chips.
Brought a group here for an event as Nd could my have been happier. Parking was easy (use the back lot) and the food was fantastic. Good views, good prices and just all around a wonderful place to go. My photos don’t do it justice. The enchiladas had the best sauce I have ever had and one of our group members has Been some nice places and he too votes this way yo there
We had such a great happy hour at South of Nick's last night. From the moment we walked in the door and Henry helped us get a table in the bar to accommodate 4 people, to our great service from Alma, to the manager Fred treating us to a butter cake when we told him how great his entire staff was at the restaurant, what a pleasurable dining experience. The whole staff worked as a team. They all asked how we were doing or if we needed anything as they'd pass by. You could tell they all got along and that made for such a wonderful meal for us. The happy hour food portions were huge and everything we tried was delicious. We watched food going by and everything looked so good. Can't wait to go back and try one of the giant burritos we saw. The mole sauce on the enchiladas I ordered was the best I've had in years. Thanks to the entire staff at South of Nick's Laguna Beach. We will be back soon! A special thanks to Henry who made us feel so welcomed. We will come visit you at the new Nick's location in Newport Beach too.
The service was a little slow in the beginning but the server was attentive later on. We were not offered water but had to ask for it twice. Ordered the shrimp taquitos, seafood enchiladas, and carne nortena which were all very good. The drinks was good as well, jalapeño watermelon and tamrindo.