I have lived in the OC for five years and just now found one of my favorite new Mexican gems – Rockin’ Baja Costal Cantina, located close to the Newport Pier. Their signature “Baja buckets” are an incredible deal, not to mention, delicious…They tout that their seafood is similar to the fishing villages of Puerto Nuevo, Mexico. The seafood is deliciously flashed fried in the shell, seasoned with a unique blend of Mexican spices and then brought to the table in a rustic Baja bucket.

We ordered the shrimp bucket for $17.95 per person. If that is too expensive for your wallet, then try the shrimp bowls with rice and beans for about $5 less. Buckets can be ordered with all types of combinations including shrimp, snow crabs, grilled chicken,
carne asada, BBQ ribs, lobster tails and Alaskan king crab legs.

The atmosphere is as close to a true Mexican Cantina as you are going to find in Newport Beach. It also has a small patio for outdoor dining. We will indeed be back for more of  Newport’s finest delicacies – SEAFOOD!!!