AVEO Table and Bar

Although our experiences at AVEO were so thoroughly disappointing that they hardly feel worthy of recounting, the fact that the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point offers such an incredibly mediocre restaurant is almost astonishing for the prices they charge. It is ostensibly a Latin-American restaurant, and does have some Latin touches, but you can do much better in Orange County, even without leaving the immediate area. Short version: If you can afford to stay or park at this hotel, you can afford to drive elsewhere to eat.

While AVEO looks nice from the outside, plain and country club-ish on the inside, and overlooks a beautiful hotel property, the food (offered either buffet-style or from a menu by day, menu-only at night) is bland, uninspired, and portioned for modest consumption despite the costs. This is the sort of place that charges $24 for a waffle, $25 for a vegetarian breakfast burrito, or $31 for a burger, then serves such basic items with as little distinction as a T.G.I. Fridays. It’s a hard pass for us going forward.