When Javier’s reopened in May 2024, the beloved restaurant was met with lines out the door and a full reservation list.

“It’s great to be back! We’ve had a very warm reception since reopening,” says Javier Sosa Jr., general manager and son of the restaurant’s namesake, Javier Sosa Sr.

The refreshed space is open, bright and airy. The design team drew inspiration from Crystal Cove State Park, which lies just across the street, bringing the famed Newport Coast right inside.

“We’re right by the ocean and we wanted to take advantage of that,”

Javier’s General Manager Javier Sosa Jr.

Guests can dine in the main dining room, in one of the intimate private dining rooms or at the show-stopping bar facing Pacific Coast Highway, which boasts one of the West Coast’s largest tequila selections. The expansion has added more than 50 seats, and the patio doubled in size to 5,600 square feet.

The new interiors and expanded patio enhance what makes the restaurant one of the top dining destinations in Newport Beach: It’s a go-to destination for special gatherings and celebrations.

“We were very thoughtful in our design process,” Sosa says. “We know many of our guests come here to celebrate life milestones or simply enjoy being with friends and family. We wanted the remodel to enhance this by making the space even more memorable. “We’re right by the ocean, and we wanted to take advantage of that. Our guests often comment they feel like they’re on a resort vacation.”

While the space looks different, the menu continues to feature many of the favorite dishes that make Javier’s such an enduring Newport Beach institution, like the Trio de Enchiladas Del Mar (shrimp, lobster and Dungeness crab) and the Steak Picado.

The menu is unique because the dishes are a creative collaboration by the restaurant’s chefs, many of whom are from different parts of Mexico. Javier’s sources the highest quality seafoods and meats along with the freshest ingredients, and this commitment to quality is evident in every bite.

Javier’s has a long history in Orange County. Javier Sosa Sr. first opened his namesake restaurant in 1995 in Laguna Beach, where it operated for 13 years before moving to the Crystal Cove location. Today the family operates four Southern California locations, including Irvine Spectrum Center, in addition to one in Mexico and one in Las Vegas, but Newport Beach remains its home.

“The temporary patio that was created during COVID in partnership with Irvine Company really opened our eyes to the potential of further growth,” says Sosa, reflecting on what inspired the renovation process for the Newport Beach location. “We connected our design and development teams and began work in earnest in January 2024. Irvine Company has been a great partner in our success since our inception. We see that partnership thriving well into the future.”

Javier’s paid their staff during the closure, and Sosa says he’s happy everyone is now back together.

“We’re a family, and everyone who dines here becomes part of this family. We’re striving to learn and improve every day.”