NEWPORT BEACH:

Mutt Lynch’s restaurant near the Newport Pier recently celebrated 45 years of serving American comfort food along with their famous schooners of beer.

Now, a sister location called Mutt’s has opened in the former Provenance restaurant space in the Eastbluff community of Newport Beach.

They may be related in name, but Mutt’s is certainly not the runt of the litter. Owned by husband-and-wife locals Alex and Meghan Murray (Meghan is the daughter of Mutt Lynch’s owners and founders Gail and

Dan Lynch), the restaurant has been reimagined as a gathering place for the community, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a family-friendly atmosphere.

The menu focuses on what they call approachable American eclectic dishes including favorites from Mutt Lynch’s like the Pterodactyl Wings and made-to-order pizzas. The new concept also upgrades its beverage program with a full liquor license focusing on a craft cocktail menu.

The interior and patio dining areas of the restaurant has been completely revamped. Inside you can find wood tables and colorful chairs, while the plant-lined patio has numerous wood features and colorful cushioned seating. And you can’t miss the “Schoon-deliers,” which are chandeliers made out of the 32oz goblet that’s become synonymous with the Mutt Lynch’s brand.

“Because of COVID, we were not in a terrible rush to open,” Alex said. “We invented the furniture, made everything inhouse except the chairs. That gives the space a personal touch. We wanted this to be a fancier, grown-up version of Mutt Lynch’s.”

That idea can also be seen on the menu. Mutt’s is open 8 a.m. to midnight daily, making the restaurant one of the few places in the area to serve breakfast.

The Mutt’s breakfast menu includes 30 dishes, while the lunch/dinner menu has appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, tacos, and entrées ranging from shrimp diablo pasta to filet mignon.

The spot has only been open for a few weeks, but Alex said they are already planning to use the restaurant as a prototype to expand the concept to other neighborhoods.

“We are always looking for the next place,” he said.

The Review

Being a breakfast person, I had to go check out the morning menu, so I popped over a few weeks ago with a friend and split an order of Fun Buns: fried biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with maple syrup. Think beignets but more decadent.

Then we shared the Biscuits & Gravy with country gravy, two eggs and a side of hash browns, plus the Chilaquiles con Huevos with handmade corn tortilla chips, green sauce, cheddar and queso fresco, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, eggs and beans.

The portions are, like those at Mutt Lynch’s, very generous, as are the flavors.

Mutt’s: 2531 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 7190635, mutt-usa.com