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Tavern House: The Facility

Newport Beach is the place to check out the latest New American cuisine, and one of Orange County's finest new offerings is the Tavern House restaurant. Located at 333 Bayside Drive, Balboa Bay, we're proud to offer a blend of proven favorites together with some of the "greatest hits" of David Wilhelm, our founding restaurateur.

David Wilhelm partnered with Gregg Solomon to acquire 3Thirty3 in May of 2019. Together, they transformed the space into Tavern House. David Wilhelm and Gregg Solomon have individually and collectively led the Orange County restaurant landscape for nearly forty years.

Our founders brought in Newport Beach's famed interior designer Lana Helda to help fundamentally reinvent the restaurant's space. The color palette was shifted from 3Thirty3's golds, greens, and browns toward a lighter, fresher array of blue, gray, and cream. Fresh flooring was installed along with all-new seating and lighting.

While Tavern House is located on Newport Harbor and boasts amazing views, our main goal is that our customers come here first and foremost to eat something great… And that’s what we do best.

Our Founders; Our Mission

David Wilhelm is one of the foremost names in Orange County cuisine. Past hit restaurants under his belt include Costa Mesa's Chat Noir and beloved Laguna Beach's French 75. Today, Orange County enjoys a sterling reputation for great upscale dining, and David deserves a fair piece of the credit for that. David's last hit venture was Jimmy's Famous American Tavern, which spread out to multiple locations across Orange County and L.A.

Now, David's got his hands on Newport Harbor's best restaurant location, the former 3Thirty3. We've updated the looks and, most importantly, the menu. We spent four months completely refreshing the facility to create Tavern House. 

Although you'll see the signs of renovation in the contemporary decor, the most important changes were in the kitchen. We had to expand the facilities and update the equipment to accommodate a signature David Wilhelm menu.

At Tavern House, the kitchen is the kingdom of Executive Chef Michael Payne, a veteran of Jimmy's who worked with David for several years before leaving to man the helm at Tavern House. 

Thanks to the cutting-edge cooking facilities, Tavern House features a notably diverse menu.

Though Tavern House does not have the same entertainment focus that 3Thirty3 had, we are currently featuring the soulful sounds of LeGrand Barre on Sundays from 2-5 and for our Supper Club Thursdays from 6-9. We have lots of holiday parties and special events already booked and will be decorating the holidays right after our first annual Thanksgiving Dinner. 

We have a beautiful banquet room complete with fireplace and harbor views that is in high demand.

Food Comes First At Tavern House

The foundation our menu is built on is a terrific selection of some of David's most popular dishes. You'll find, for example, his Honey Buttermilk Fried Chicken first introduced at Sorrento Grille, his French 75’s Onion Soup, Maple-Bacon Charred Brussels Sprouts, Snapper Veracruzana, and for all those burger lovers a Prime, half-pound Mishima Wagyu Burger, and many others. 

Our Executive Chef, Mike Payne, is also committed to innovation. He's supplementing David's classics with a creative and expanding roster of New American selections.

One of David's personal favorites on the seafood menu is the BBQ Bourbon Baked Oysters, always served sizzling fresh in-shell. The complex flavor scheme combines salty, sweet, and smoky delights. Each order boasts a half-dozen oysters, and they're accompanied by grilled Campagne Batard bread prepared for us by Santa Ana's Bread Artisan Bakery. (Bread Artisan is a tight connection to us here at the Tavern House; it's owned and operated by one of David's former servers.)

Executive Chef Mike Payne admits the superiority of the baked oysters, but his personal pick for seafood greatness is the Red Snapper Veracruzana. The spicy tomato broth that surrounds the fish in its cassoulet dish makes for a startling appearance, but the flavor is an instant crowd-pleaser.

Sustainable Deliciousness

We take great pains to source our premium ingredients as close to the table as possible while maintaining the highest possible standards for sustainability and humane animal care. Every item on our menu complies with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Seafood Watch" program to ensure we're doing our part to support environmentally-responsible fishing and aquaculture.

Some of the dishes on our menu are committed to doing simple cooking right, relying on sound preparation and high-quality ingredients. But in other cases, David has unleashed his full creative genius to create unique, bold, unforgettable food experiences.

Drinks

The best views in our main dining room can be found at the bar. Here you'll find the best and brightest in exquisitely-crafted cocktails. Juices are freshly squeezed, herbs and vegetables are locally-sourced, and only the finest liquors, wines, and beers will do. Our wine list is crafted with our cuisine in mind, featuring a range of boutique offerings that perfectly match our meals. We offer a range of micro-brews and imported beers, with bottled and tap options available to suit any palette.

Our Hours

We open at 5 p.m. for dinner every night. On Saturday and Sunday, we do brunch from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., featuring David's signature Bloody Marys and Fried Chicken and Waffles. Our bar handles weekday happy hours Monday - Thursday 4:00PM - 6:00PM and Friday 3:00PM - 6:00PM… And, starting on Black Friday, we will be serving holiday lunches throughout the month of December on Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30-3:00 PM. featuring David Wilhelm’s signature dishes, including French 75’s Onion Soup, Prime Rib Dip Sandwich, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Maine Lobster Club, Shrimp Louie Salad and our top-selling Prime Mishima Wagyu Cheeseburger.