A Restaurant in Newport Beach Celebrates 100 Years of History, Hospitality and Community
- Sharon Stello
- 11 hours ago
- 8 min read
From its origins as the iconic Arches in 1926 to its modern incarnation as A Restaurant, the landmark location has remained a gathering place for generations.
Back in 1926 – the same year that Huntington Beach and Newport Beach were connected by the roadway that would eventually be called Pacific Coast Highway – The Arches was opened by John Vilelle and James Sturgeon along that iconic route in Newport.
This service station and roadside diner, with distinctive Mediterranean architecture, arches and red tile roof, was named by 10-year-old Victor Chatten, the winner of a contest advertised in the Balboa Times newspaper. The spot quickly became a gathering place, drawing area residents and notable visitors who helped to shape local culture in Newport’s early years.
Fast-forward a century and the current owners of this storied property, now called A Restaurant, are marking the landmark location’s 100th anniversary. The name was changed in 2008, when River Jetty Restaurant Group’s partners – Hollywood producer Joseph “McG” Nichol and restaurateur Jordan Otterbein – took over the property. (The Arches had relocated to Cannery Village in 2007, then, citing permit issues with the city, the longtime owner moved the establishment to Westcliff Drive, where it finally closed in 2011.)
In a nod to their restaurant’s predecessor and with deep respect for its legacy, Nichol and Otterbein preserved the signature “A” in the business name while evolving the concept into a modern steakhouse. The adjacent service station, which became a liquor store, was changed to A Market when the new team took over. Nichol and Otterbein, who both grew up in Newport, took a thoughtful approach to the transition, seeking to honor the past but adapt the menu to the taste of today’s discerning diners.
“We wanted to give a tip of the hat to the old and, yet, bring it up to date,” Otterbein said. “We wanted that old-school steakhouse feel with the red leather booths and a fireplace. It’s really an anomaly because there are no windows in that place, but people still come during the summer. It’s dark, but people still like it …. And, you know, there’s a table in there we call the John Wayne table because, supposedly, that’s where he sat way back when …. It’s next to the fireplace and it’s a special spot.”
Since taking over the eatery, River Jetty Restaurant Group (RJRG) has opened other locations including A Crystal Cove and CDM Restaurant, both also in Newport, as well as A PCH in Long Beach and began operating the recently restored Lido Theater with plans to open a restaurant next door, tentatively by year’s end.
Thinking about the centennial of the original Newport location, which will officially be in August, Otterbein said “it’s mind-blowing and rewarding all at the same time.” A Restaurant will celebrate the milestone throughout 2026 with special programming and community events to be announced in the months ahead.
A Place for the Generations
In its time as The Arches, the restaurant was the go-to spot for birthdays, anniversaries and other memorable gatherings.
“When it was The Arches, it was always that special occasion place to go for the high school dances or graduation, or, you know, a wedding or something like that,” Otterbein recalled. “(After we took over), having the Newport Beach community embrace it so much has just been incredibly rewarding …. We just feel so fortunate because it’s busy almost every night in there. Our goal was to be thought of as Newport Beach’s second living room. And it’s coming to fruition …. It’s really gratifying to see all the regulars that enjoy it so much. And now it’s the place where their kids are having their special occasions.”
Loyal customer John Wortmann, a regular at A Restaurant and chairman of the Board of Governors for the Balboa Bay Club down the road, was also a longtime diner at The Arches, starting in the late-1970s. It was a place for family dinners, with Wortmann and his wife, Anne, bringing their kids along almost as soon as they were born in the 1990s.
“It was old Hollywood style, very French, with tableside flambe everything, which was pretty unique,” he recalled. “It was quite the show.” Wortmann’s favorite dishes, he added, were the steak Diane, bananas Foster and hand-tossed Caesar salad, all prepared at the table – a rare service to find anywhere these days.
Interior views of the restaurant. Left, The Arches circa 1960, photo courtesy of the Orange County Archives; right, A Restaurant's sticks with an old school feel with red leather chairs and booths, photo courtesy of A Restaurant
Although Wortmann liked The Arches so much, he had no hesitation in trying out A Restaurant, once the establishment switched over.
“We went right away and we never stopped,” he said, adding that he appreciates the food, ambience and staff. “It’s just the culture. You know, there’s ingredients to great restaurants, I guess you would say. Clearly, food is at the top of the list. The ambience is important, but really the culture is what makes a difference, I think, in the way you’re treated … from ownership to the bus boys; they really make you feel welcome.”
Wortmann said he and his wife go a few times a month including their standing reservation every Tuesday. “We’re there a lot because we love it,” he said, noting that they live on Lido Isle, which is not far from A Restaurant. Their favorite spot is Table 64, the center table in the bar. “They save it for us. They have it set up for us before we’re there,” he said.
Wortmann’s favorite item at A Restaurant is the burger, a secret menu item that’s made from the steak trimmings and constantly sells out. “It’s off menu, but we love it,” he said. “We also love the steaks, we love the chicken piccata. All the food is great, but the spicy yellowtail tuna appetizer is probably the best appetizer anywhere in Orange County. It’s unbelievably good.”
Classic Cuisine
A Restaurant strives to provide high-quality food as well as friendly, engaging staff and a cool vibe, Otterbein said. “Knock on wood, we feel like we have those,” he said. “Our chef, who’s been with us since the beginning, is spectacular.”
Executive Chef Roberto Gomez has worked his way up through the ranks, from broil cook when A Restaurant opened in 2008 to sous chef, chef de cuisine and now helming the kitchen. A passion for cooking has guided his journey, beginning in Zacatecas, Mexico, where he grew up cooking with his mother.
“I feel like a dream came true,” Gomez said of becoming executive chef at such a fine restaurant. And yet, even though he has reached this top position, he’s never satisfied with the status quo. “I’m always trying to improve in my skills and techniques and … keep using the best ingredients that I can find and also working with our local growers,” he said.
Longstanding relationships with local farms and purveyors lead to seasonally inspired dishes from the land and sea, all starring premium ingredients. And the elevated cuisine is paired with an expertly curated wine program.
Asked which dish he likes making the most at A Restaurant, Gomez said they’re all his favorite.
“I love every single dish, but if I have to (choose) … one, probably it will be the (roasted) chicken dish, believe it or not,” he said. “Even though chicken is a very simple thing, with the ingredients that we use here and when we put it together, the flavors are amazing … like an explosion on your palate.”
For spring, he suggests trying the roasted half rack of Australian lamb with a red wine and black peppercorn reduction, served with roasted herbed baby Yukon potatoes and sauteed broccolini. And, he said, the Spanish octopus appetizer is another good choice for the season: It’s served fried with sliced red onion, fried chickpeas, chipotle-lime aioli and both espelette and calabrian chile peppers.
Aside from the main menu of steak and seafood, these seasonal items and daily specials also bring diners in.
Tuesday nights, Otterbein said, are popular with the regulars because it’s half-off wine night and the special is the crowd-pleasing chicken piccata. “We do crazy business on Tuesdays and it’s filled with regulars. Someone will walk in and the bartender gets out from behind the bar, brings the guy the martini that he likes without him even needing to place his order. It’s family …. It really is symbiotic. Our regulars and the guests love our staff and it’s returned.”
From left, chicken piccata is the popular Tuesday special at A Restaurant, and fried calamari is among the appetizers. Photos courtesy of A Restaurant
In addition to the chicken piccata, another favorite is the Friday special: the chicken pot pie, which went viral after a food critic posted a video of this beloved dish, Otterbein said. Meanwhile, the spicy tuna appetizer is the No. 1 selling item at every location. Those three dishes, along with the burger and fries, are the most popular, he said.
“We try to do things at each location that replicate what we’ve done at A and, yet, we want each one to have its own feel,” Otterbein said. “We have probably five dishes that are identical at each location: the burger and fries, the chicken piccata, the chicken pot pie, the Caesar salad, and we have a dessert, which is the chocolate silk pie …. We just feel like they’re so good, we shouldn’t (change anything).
“Then each individual chef has creative leeway to present his best iteration of the other dishes. For example, there’s always two fish dishes on each menu, and they are different. So the salmon is different in Long Beach than it is in Crystal Cove, and the halibut, or the sea bass, is going to be different at each location. They have that creative freedom to express their culinary vision.”
Making a Difference
Even as the owners expand to new locations, Wortmann appreciates what they have done with the original A Restaurant and he’s grateful that this special place endures.
“I could not be more proud of Jordan and McG and the entire team,” Wortmann said. “They literally saved that restaurant from the wrecking ball and made it into one of the real centers of hospitality in Newport Beach, but they also give a lot back to the community, and they do it quietly. They’re just good people.”
Philanthropy has always been part of the company’s DNA. With a legacy of giving back, River Jetty Restaurant Group has supported many organizations at the local and national level, from Newport Beach schools to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Bike MS fundraiser: a staff-organized team participates in the annual 100-mile ride from Orange County to San Diego.
Otterbein noted that he and Nichol especially like helping local schools because they grew up in Newport, both attending Corona del Mar High School.
RJRG is also a minor sponsor of the annual Hoag Classic golf tournament and hosted a sold-out Chris Isaak concert – a Hoag Hospital Foundation fundraiser – at the Lido Theater earlier this year. And the company’s partnership with Hoag has continued to grow. As part of that effort, RJRG will help support Hoag Summer Fest, which brings together seasonal bites and handcrafted drinks from more than 40 local restaurants on June 18 at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina.
In fact, Hoag has a special place in their hearts. “All four of my kids were born there,” Otterbein said. “There’s all sorts of local tie-ins.”
And, so, A Restaurant continues to be not only a place for area residents to gather with great food and hospitality, but also an integral part of Newport Beach, giving back to the community it serves and carrying on a tradition that began a century ago.
