Side Door (5 Crowns/Corona Del Mar)

Thanks to our Lawrys VIP card, we had a $25 gift certificate and a 200 point anniversary bonus about to expire. So we made use of a free Sunday and took the long drive up to the OC. The Lawrys VIP card is one of the more generous frequent dining cards. You earn $25 for every 250 spent meaning about every other visit is $25 off. So if it seems like you see a lot of Lawrys restaurants on this blog… You are right!

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The other thing that keeps us coming back is the casual and comfortable Side Door bar, part of the 5 Crowns restaurant. We are consistently choosing this part of the restaurant for its ambience and, let’s face it, it’s value.

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The menu at the Side Door is simple and pub-like and there’s items that both parents and kids can enjoy.

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Ms S can get her prime rib while us parents can get our meat and cheese board and then also split a French dip or a hamburger. Today we opted to split the hamburger and it was outstanding and juicy. The huge portion of fries were very crisp.

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The meat and cheese board was very good but I must say the best board award still goes to the Barrel Room in Rancho Bernardo; they are a little more generous with the meats and cheeses and their bread is top notch. Perfectly toasted and soft inside. Here at the Side Door the bread was cut from a loaf and was sliced a little too thin and we didn’t quite get enough bread with the order. I also don’t really care for the little rounds of sausage, I just didn’t think the flavor was really there. Not really the restaurant’s fault, I just prefer the hams and prosciuttos to the sausages.

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It is so cozy there in the bar with the fires roaring and the comfy couches and chairs. Mr A exclaimed more than once “I love this place!”

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We also indulged in a little bit of dessert today with the Strawberry Shortcake. It was a nice portion, not too big, the strawberries were fresh, not frozen, and the shortcake was nice and crumbly, but they really skimp on the whipped cream. There should have been a mountain of whipped cream on top. In my humble opinion. We also enjoyed listening to the young men at the next table complain about their girlfriends.

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Pro tip: to get the coveted high tables across from the bar, show up before Side Door opens at 430! 435 is just too late!

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Side Door
3801 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625

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