Me enjoying strawberry cheesecake with my family.

If you’re looking for affordable and deliciously high-quality food like steak and crab legs, Savannah’s Chop House in west Laguna Niguel is a must.

When you enter the doors of Savannah Chop House, you immediately know you’re in an elegant and yet homey environment. The beautiful interior is intricately decorated with several dining areas set out to set the mood for whatever kind of evening you desire to have.

It’s main dining room is decorated in New York style and features tall intricate booths and a beautiful deer-antler chandelier. The East Dining Room, not quite as big as the Main, can seat up to 70 and can also be used for private events. This dining room is decorated in brown with a large rustic stone fireplace lit every night. This meeting hosts the Laguna Niguel Rotary Club meetings every Tuesday night, and they love the food.

The restaurant features an exhibition kitchen that people can look in from the restaurant to get a good feel for the the vibrant energy of the chefs that intricately prepare the fabulous meals. The fireplace lounge, the restaurant’s most popular room, features a bar and Mike Hamilton, the “one-man-band”, playing five nights a week. This is the room where all the locals come to socialize—there are several regulars (the bar-tender likes it that way) and the atmosphere is similar to that on Cheers.

The restaurant also features a veranda and a patio, both which feature ocean views and an intimate rustic outdoorsy setting for private events. The patio features a stone firepit and a gorgeous sunset view with heat lamps for warmth.

On the whole the restaurant’s high ceilings and nice décor make it an elegant dining spot that sets the tone for either a romantic occasion, a wholesome family event, or a classy night out with friends.

I spoke with Saul Cruz, Savannah’s general manager, quite extensively to get the low-down on what makes his restaurant unique. He mentioned their hospitality along with the ambiance, as well as something new. In honor of the restaurant’s 10-year anniversary last year, they implemented a 10-dollar menu featuring Filet Mignon, ½ pound Alaskan King Crab legs, fresh fish, and many martinis and wines. It is rare to find dishes of such quality at the price, and it’s what makes it affordable for regulars to dine often and dine well.

I asked Saul what his favorite dish on the menu is, and he gave me an account of what his ideal meal would be: the 20-oz Bone-In Rib-Eye Steak (it's juicy and the bones give flavor to the steak), the summer Heirloom Tomato Salad (featuring several cheeses and vinaigrette), and a dessert of the Chocolate Souffle Cake. He also drew attention to their Great-Wines-Under $50 menu, a full selection of wines with fantastic reviews for a reasonable price.

At the end of my tour, Saul graciously invited me and my family to spend the evening dining on the veranda, one of my favorite rooms. We all enjoyed one of the 10-dollar menu items – me, the crab legs; my brother, the Filet Mignon; and my parents, the fish; and were all very pleased with how everything turned out. The salads are fresh, the shrimp cocktail appetizer is extraordinarily tender and moist, the entrees were just fab, and the desserts were exquisite.

We’ll definitely be going back to Savannah’s again soon and for many of the special occasions we love to celebrate. While I had never been to this restaurant prior to writing the review (I was away at college for four years), now that I know it’s a local hot-spot in Laguna Niguel, I hope to see some of my readers there as well. If you notice me around, please do say hi!