"Teemu Selänne's Laguna steakhouse in a 1934 Craftsman house — book chef Vincent Terusa's Wagyu, or the VIII tasting, for an anniversary."
Selanne Steak Tavern is the Laguna Beach steakhouse of Teemu Selänne, the NHL Hall of Fame winger, set in a restored 1934 Craftsman house at 1464 South Coast Highway. The kitchen is led by executive chef Vincent Terusa, with wine director Vito Pasquale, and the cooking is contemporary American steakhouse with coastal polish. Listed in the MICHELIN Guide, it pairs a classic chophouse register with a Laguna sense of place.
Chef Vincent Terusa builds distinctive versions of steakhouse fare around prime cuts and a Japanese Wagyu that diners single out for its marbling. Starters lean coastal — Pacific diver scallops with cauliflower purée and pickled shimeji — and the broccoli gratin with Tillamook cheddar béchamel is a signature side; the on-site b8kery, run by Michelin-trained pastry chef Camille Loecsey, closes things with a chocolate soufflé. Upstairs, VIII by Selanne runs a permanent eight-course tasting. This is a top-of-range room ($$$$) for a full chophouse dinner.
The restored Craftsman house gives the room a warmth most steakhouses can only buy: dark wood, a fireplace, intimate corners and a buzzy bar, spread across two floors. Service is polished and unhurried, sound stays conversation-easy away from the bar, and the upstairs tasting room turns formal. It reads as a special-occasion address — a place to mark an anniversary, propose or host a guest who appreciates a serious cut.
For an anniversary, a proposal or hosting a guest over a serious cut in Laguna, Selanne is the chophouse of choice: Wagyu, a Craftsman house and a Michelin-listed kitchen. A natural proposal and business-dinner table.
Not for a quick, casual or budget meal — Selanne is a top-of-range steakhouse where the Wagyu, the wine list and the bill match a special occasion.
Selanne Steak Tavern is owned by Teemu Selänne, the NHL Hall of Fame winger. The kitchen is led by executive chef Vincent Terusa, with wine director Vito Pasquale.
It is at 1464 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, set in a restored 1934 Craftsman house spread across two floors, and listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
Order the Japanese Wagyu and start with the Pacific diver scallops; the broccoli gratin is a signature side and the chocolate soufflé closes well. Upstairs, VIII by Selanne runs an eight-course tasting.
VIII by Selanne is a permanent eight-course tasting-menu experience upstairs at Selanne Steak Tavern, led by executive chef Vincent Terusa with wine pairings from Vito Pasquale.
Yes. The 1934 Craftsman house, polished service and Michelin-listed kitchen make it one of Laguna's strongest choices for an anniversary, a proposal or hosting an important guest.
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