Our Story

Black cursive text reading '21 Oceanfront' with decorative flourishes on a white background.
A vintage street scene featuring old cars parked along a sidewalk with storefronts, signs, and pedestrians, including a sign for Old Newport Realty and a Coca-Cola billboard, likely from the mid-20th century.

Evolution of
Atlantic-Era Eateries

  • Over the decades, the space at the base of the Newport Pier has hosted a succession of restaurants and bars:

    • Alley West, a San Francisco–style jazz bar (opened 1968);

    • The Ritz Restaurantunder Hans Prager (late 1970s);

    • The Rexfrom Rex Chandler;

    • And finally, 21 Oceanfront, established in 1991

Black and white photo of a building with signs reading

Mixed-Use Commerce to an Oceanside Landmark

  • In the early 20th century, the ground floor housed a variety of local businesses—confectioneries, bait shops, drugstores—while upstairs rooms served as a hotel or boarding house.

  • A 98-year lease was initiated in 1972, securing the building’s modern legacy.

Black and white photograph of Newport Beach Pier with boats on sandy beach and buildings in the background

Today: A Newport Beach Culinary Institution

  • 21 Oceanfrontembodies the elegance of a turn-of-the-century dining club, offering classic continental fare—prime steaks, fresh seafood—and sweeping oceanfront views.

  • Attached to Doryman’s Inn, it embraces the local fishermen heritage, building on nearly 130 years of waterfront tradition.

  • Frequently celebrated as Orange County’s most romantic restaurant and a prime sunset destination, we are known for our impeccable service, world-class cuisine, extensive wine selection, and live music in the bar & lounge.

Black and white vintage photo of a corner store in Newport, California with signs for soda fountain, Moore's confectionery, and Coca-Cola, featuring parked cars and pedestrians on the street.

Historic Roots:
The McFadden Building

  • The iconic brick building at 2100 West Oceanfrontbegan as the B.K. Stone Building, commissioned in 1927 by Bagasar K. Stone and designed by architect Frank Lansdown, replacing an earlier structure on the site.

  • Before that, brothers James and Robert McFaddenbuilt Newport’s first wharf here in 1888, linked by rail to Santa Ana, which catalyzed the growth of Newport Landing and shaped the future of the Balboa Peninsula.

A black and white sketch of a large, multi-story building with many windows and a wraparound porch, set in a mountainous landscape.

“21 Oceanfront is the ultimate location for fine dining in Newport Beach.”