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Downtown Huntington Beach is
sustained by its eateries. When
Surf City Nights was launched,
the biggest applause came from
downtown restaurants. From
Beachfront 301 to Bodhi Tree
vegetarian, there are great
deals, happy hours, and food
that can't be beat.
Beach Front 301 - Happy
Hour prices and menu items
have helped this resurrected
Inka Grill transform into a hot
property. It is doing so well,
in fact, that the owners bought
out Jersey Joe's Italian bistro
in the same block and are
turning it into a wine bar! Menu
items at Beach Front 301 range
from $1 to $5 during the
evening special rates. We miss
the empanadas from Inka's but by
golly, the Beach Front is great
replacement. There's a weekend
brunch that's quite affordable
and quite delicious, serving
cocktails and breakfast
favorites such as eggs,
sausages, bacon, hash browns and
toast. Morning cocktail
favorites include mimosas,
bloody mary's, and even
margaritas, plus beers.
Bodhi Tree Cafe - When
you don't fit in on the Happy
Thanksgiving scene, go buy
yourself some faux turkey or
chicken to serve on the table
while others "pork" or "hog"
out. Bodhi Tree's food is so
authentic and mimics the real
meats so well, we had to ask,
"Is this real?" Soups are
made fresh daily, and the dishes
are so flavorful, event
carnivores won't hunger for the
hard stuff. Dining in is
upscale cafe with indoor seating
with an Asian style fountain, or
outdoor picnic table type dining
under the cement awning of the
Main Street frontage.
Chimayo's at the Beach -
Since it opened as one of the
many eclectic restaurants of
David Wilhelm, the Newport Beach
entrepreneur, Chimayo's has
served up thousands of martinis
and menu items that vary and
change often. We miss the
early corn soups and original
menu items that were removed,
but life moves on. Happy
hours are fun with the lively
"Say When" duet guitar strumming
band. Sunsets on the firepit
deck are just bitchin' (slang
some old-timer HB locals used to
say). Upstairs is Duke's
Huntington Beach. It still
remains our top choice of the
two. But Chimayo's is great for
beachfront action, especially
during the US Open of Surfing.
Coach's Mediterranean Grill
- My friends say they will
not go back which is case in
point that some like it, some
don't. Coach's is the only
downtown option for
Mediterranean cuisine. It offers
tables in a cafe style bistro
experience overlooking Main
Street. Its menu is prepared
fresh daily, and is a step up
from the meats and full meal
offerings at chain restaurants
such as Athen's West at Seacliff
Shopping Center.
Shorehouse Cafe - Big
servings. If you like food in
quantity, the meals are both
tasty and big. Shorehouse is a
local chain that you'll find in
San Clemente, Long Beach and
various beach cities throughout
the Southland (California). Cobb
salads are a gut-buster but
people who order pastas, soups,
and main dish meats all delight
in the portions.
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