Corona del Mar, California — Tucked behind the iconic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar, SideDoor offers a dining experience that feels a world away from the typical Orange County restaurant.
With its cozy fireplaces, intimate setting, craft cocktails, extensive beer and wine selections, and menu built around seasonal small plates and hearty gastropub favorites, SideDoor has established itself as a destination for diners looking for something relaxed, distinctive, and full of character.
The restaurant is a separate operation within the historic Five Crowns property, with its entrance marked by the signature big red key on Poppy Street.
From Five Crowns to SideDoor
SideDoor's story is closely connected to the Frank family's long history in Southern California dining.
Five Crowns has been a Corona del Mar landmark since 1965, when Lawry's Restaurants purchased and remodeled the former Hurley Bell and transformed it into a restaurant inspired by an English country inn.
In 2009, three generations of the Frank family drew inspiration from England's growing gastropub movement and refurbished part of the Five Crowns property as SideDoor.
The result was Corona del Mar's first English-style gastropub—a more casual counterpart to the traditional steakhouse next door.
A Cozy Gastropub Atmosphere
Walk through the big red door and the atmosphere immediately sets SideDoor apart.
The restaurant embraces the character of a traditional pub with fireplaces, intimate seating, warm lighting, and a relaxed environment designed for lingering over food and drinks.
It's a setting that works equally well for meeting friends, enjoying cocktails at the bar, sharing plates with a group, or settling in for a casual dinner.
While the restaurant has a strong English influence, the experience is distinctly Southern Californian in its approach to seasonal ingredients, creative small plates, and an evolving beverage selection.
Small Plates Made for Sharing
One of SideDoor's defining features is its emphasis on seasonal small plates designed for sharing.
Rather than requiring everyone at the table to commit to one large entrée, the menu encourages diners to explore several flavors throughout the meal.
Cheese and charcuterie selections are prepared at the restaurant's charcuterie station, while the menu also features a variety of bites, salads, seafood, sandwiches, and other comfort-food-inspired dishes.
For groups, this makes SideDoor particularly well suited to a relaxed evening where ordering several dishes and sharing them becomes part of the experience.
Prime Rib With a Casual Twist
SideDoor also benefits from its connection to Lawry's and Five Crowns, particularly when it comes to prime rib.
The restaurant offers prime rib in several cuts, accompanied by traditional favorites including au jus, Yorkshire pudding, whipped cream horseradish, and classic sides.
For something more casual, the Prime Rib Sandwich turns the signature roasted beef into a pub-style sandwich served with au jus and horseradish.
Prime rib also makes an appearance in dishes such as Prime Rib Chili and Prime Rib Chili-Cheese Fries, bringing the steakhouse tradition into a more relaxed gastropub setting.
Burgers, Sandwiches and Comfort Food
You don't have to order prime rib to enjoy SideDoor.
The menu includes approachable choices such as the SideDoor Burger, featuring New School American cheese, SideDoor sauce, crispy onions, Bibb lettuce, and pickles.
Other casual options include a crispy chicken sandwich, lobster roll, and a selection of shareable bites and sides.
These dishes make SideDoor an easy choice for diners who want the atmosphere and beverage program of a gastropub without necessarily having a formal steakhouse dinner.
A Serious Cocktail and Beverage Program
Food is only half of the SideDoor experience.
The restaurant offers a broad selection of spirits, cocktails, wines, and craft beers, with the beverage menu continually updated to give guests new options to explore.
Whiskey enthusiasts will find plenty to explore, while the cocktail menu includes classics and contemporary combinations.
For beer lovers, rotating craft selections and English-style favorites complement the gastropub setting.
Happy Hour at SideDoor
For those looking for an early-evening stop in Corona del Mar, SideDoor's Monday through Thursday happy hour runs from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
The current happy-hour menu includes options such as oysters, Caesar salad, avocado mash, pretzels, cheesy onion fondue, Stilton chips, prime rib chili, a smash burger, French fries, and prime rib chili-cheese fries. Cocktails, wine by the glass, draft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages are also offered at special prices.
It's an opportunity to experience the SideDoor atmosphere with a selection of smaller bites and drinks before settling into the evening.
A Corona del Mar Landmark With a Different Personality
One of the most interesting things about SideDoor is its relationship with Five Crowns.
The two restaurants share the same historic property, but they offer distinctly different experiences.
Five Crowns maintains its identity as a landmark steakhouse inspired by an English country inn, while SideDoor takes the same heritage and translates it into a more casual, intimate gastropub environment.
That makes the property something of a destination within Corona del Mar for different types of dining occasions.
An Easy Place to Linger
SideDoor isn't the kind of restaurant that feels designed around rushing in and out.
Its intimate setting, fireplaces, bar, shareable plates, and extensive beverage selection naturally encourage guests to stay a little longer.
It can work for a casual dinner, an after-work drink, a date night, a celebration, or simply an evening when you want to explore something different in Corona del Mar.
The restaurant is open seven nights a week, with dinner currently served Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 PM to 11:00 PM.
The SocalEat Take
Corona del Mar has plenty of restaurants competing for attention, but SideDoor offers something that is difficult to duplicate: a genuine sense of place.
The combination of Five Crowns' long history, English gastropub inspiration, cozy fireplaces, seasonal small plates, prime rib, craft cocktails, whiskey, wine, and beer creates an experience that feels both established and distinctly its own.
Whether you're stopping in for happy hour, sharing plates with friends, enjoying a burger and a beer, or sitting down for prime rib, SideDoor offers a more relaxed way to experience the culinary legacy behind one of Corona del Mar's longtime restaurant landmarks.
Visit SideDoor
SideDoor
3801 E. Coast Highway
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Phone: (949) 760-0331
The entrance is located on Poppy Street under the big red key.
For the latest menu, hours, reservations, takeout options, and additional information, visit the official SideDoor website. SideDoor – Corona del Mar
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