The Place: McCormick and Schmick's, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim; (714) 535-9000.
The
Hours: 3:30-6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.-close, Monday through Friday (but see note at end).
The
Deal: Drink specials (which change often), $2-$5 bar menu.
]
The Scene: The restaurant itself tries to invoke expense account
chic, where be-tied titans of industry knock back strong, manly drinks
while dining on seafood. The effect is spoiled somewhat by the fact that
the restaurant is smack dab in the middle of the Anaheim Resort, with
casually dressed families on break from Disneyland the main customer
base. The bar is long and fairly narrow. Children are not permitted to
sit at the bar, but are permitted to sit at the high tables in the bar
area.
The Sauce: Middle of the road. Until recently, happy hour at
M&S was full price for drinks and specials on food; some drink
specials have crept in, which is a welcome change. Well drinks are
predictably hard on the palate; go for beer or wine rather than house
gin or vodka, though if you order mixed drinks they'll be made
competently. Each day has a different drink special, and they change
often; a recent Tuesday featured $7 Belvedere cocktails.
The Eats: The reason to come to McCormick & Schmick's, they
have a generous happy hour menu (available in the bar only) with prices
from $1.95 to $4.95. The best value by far is the $2.95 burger, a
half-pound monster with fries. Chicken sliders ($4.95) are good; gyoza
($3.95) were fine. Fin fish poke ($4.95) was a salty, slimy miss.
The Verdict: This isn't the place for the after-work party, and it's
hard to cut loose when there are kids in the bar. The acoustics don't lend themselves to a klatsch, either, unfortunately. For worn-out parents on vacation, though, it's a
godsend. Come here for an early dinner and a beer, though; the burger
alone is worth it.
The Grade: B-.
McCormick & Schmick's has two additional locations, not
reviewed, in Orange County: 2000 Main St., Irvine; (949) 756-0505 and 2791 N. Main St., Santa Ana; (714) 558-1963. Happy hour times, prices and menus are set by the individual restaurant, so check their website before you go.
