Though Orange County is home to dozens of waterfront eateries on its 45 miles of Pacific Ocean coast, the most different is found not far from the Los Angeles County line: SeaLegs at the Beach. We’ll concede our search here wasn’t for fine dining that would delight your snobby Manhattan aunt or cheap-eat deals your daddy demands—life is a series of tradeoffs, no? You’re not visiting SeaLegs to eat your last meal, though the food is decent and always improving. Singer Pharrell Williams’ line from “Happy”—”Room without a roof”—comes to mind, given this outdoor establishment is located on the sands of Bolsa Chica State Beach, where ocean and sky, both usually blue, dominate the view. Created by indomitable restaurateur (and former Weekling) Alicia Whitney, who has the pulse of the twenty- and thirtysomethings, SeaLegs lures laidback folks looking for an enjoyable time drinking, nibbling, tanning, people-watching and listening to music that, depending on the date, is delivered by live bands.
17851 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, (714) 698-4188; www.sealegsatthebeach.com.
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