Doheny Cafe: Fresh, Organic Eats and Warm Coastal Vibes in Dana Point

Doheny Cafe is hands down one of my favorite places to eat in Dana Point. I appreciate that they prioritize high-quality ingredients, cooking with organic foods and avoiding seed oils—something that sets them apart from most other restaurants. Every single meal I’ve had here has been absolutely delicious, but my go-to favorite is the steak and eggs. I feel what really makes this place special is the incredible service and care from the owner, Chef Danielle. She is exactly what an owner should be—passionate, welcoming, and dedicated to making sure every customer has a great experience. Whenever she’s there, you can feel the warmth and attention to detail that makes this restaurant special. I also love their sister restaurant, Maison, which has the same commitment to amazing food and high-quality ingredients. Maison has a more vibrant, energetic atmosphere, while Doheny offers a laid-back, relaxed vibe, making both spots unique and worth visiting. I also love that both restaurants are so accommodating with meal customizations, allowing you to have options based on your preferences and specific dietary needs. I’ve been hyping this place up to all my friends— and I definitely plan to keep coming back as a regular. If you’re looking for great food made with superior ingredients, you’ll love it here.

Absolutely delicious food made with quality ingredients. We came for breakfast 3 days in a row while staying locally. Service was wonderful. Cool, open atmosphere. Potatoes and waffles were especially good.

Loved it here on a Saturday (Labor Day Weekend) around noon, party of four. Really busy around this time. Parking was definitely busy, cars are always pulling in and out, it can be hard to navigate the small parking lot with big vehicles, trucks! Atmosphere was pleasant, you get the nice breeze from the coast line. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Plan to wait in line around 30 minutes or so just to be safe, and plan for 5 to 10 minutes while you navigate the parking lot. Food was really good to be honest, we did enjoyed our meals, their coffees, and lattes! Definitely a worthwhile visit of you find yourself here around Dana Point!

Erin is AMAZING!!! She was friendly, attentive and her suggestions did not disappoint. My mom brought me here for brunch and it was outstanding. I had The Big Leo- a modern twist on a Ruben sandwich (pastrami, pickles, slaw). And it was the best Ruben I’ve ever had!! 100% recommend getting this if you like Ruben sandwiches. I appreciated the quality of the food. The cafe is super cute with a local feel to it. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Servers were attentive and friendly. Meals were well prepared, large portions and tasty. We were seated promptly and again, our servers were very charming. It’s worth a revisit.

After my meal here I felt so peaceful. They did such a great job with the atmosphere of their restaurant while providing easy, yet delicious food options. I'm very impressed by the biscuits and gravy. Some of the best gravy i've ever had. Very flavorful. Plus the Biscuits had a beautiful crisp on the edges so they never got soggy. One detail I admired was the chilled water glasses instead of using ice. This just leveled the experience up a few notches. I'm surprised how quickly we were seated considering it was a Saturday around 10 when we arrived. Well done! When my husband and I are back in SoCal we will be visiting again.

highly recommended! Delicious food , wonderful service and staff! Aces across the board