Two-dollar Oysters, $13 Martinis, and The Kind of Monday You’ll Look Forward To
Nobody tells you Monday can feel like this. The week is barely 24 hours old. Your inbox is already winning. And yet, here you are: a summer night settling in over the coast, ocean breeze coming through the sliding doors, a cold martini in hand and a freshly shucked oyster on its way to your table. At A Crystal Cove in Newport Coast, Monday nights have been rewritten. They just haven’t told everyone yet.
That changes now. Every Monday night, Executive Chef Elvis Morales shucks oysters to order for $2 each at A Crystal Cove in Newport Coast. They’re paired alongside $13 martinis that make Mondays worth celebrating. This isn’t a happy hour gimmick or a “while supplies last” footnote buried at the bottom of a menu. It’s $2 per oyster, shucked by the same hands that built one of Orange County’s most celebrated seafood-forward menus. The oysters arrive over ice with fresh accoutrements, and every shell is slid open with that satisfying pop (briny, cold, just-right) before being sent out like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Plus, the martinis are $13, and they are serious about them. “The Bell” Martini 2.0 leads with Grey Goose Vodka, blood orange syrup, Cointreau and fresh lime juice, crisp and citrus-forward. The Gilded Lily goes floral and complex with rosemary-infused Absolut Elyx Vodka, Lillet Rosé, tart berry cordial and fresh lemon juice.
The bar at A Crystal Cove is not something you walk past without stopping.
It seats 24 and anchors the entire room, crowned by a golden pillar that stretches floor-to-ceiling and catches the light just so. The bartenders ensure martinis are shaken or stirred perfectly crisp and cold. The bartenders don’t rush. They stir with Friday-night focus on a Monday, and when the frosted glass lands in front of you, the week recalibrates. Come after work, with colleagues or with the client you’ve been trying to impress for three months.
A Crystal Cove now treats Mondays like something special. The art-deco bones of the place features dark paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, red leather booths built for settling into. The atmosphere creates a room that reads intimate and electric. Guests are seated right away, either in the main dining room or at the gorgeous bar, making it a seamless start to the evening. It’s where a deal gets closed over a third oyster, where real conversations happen and where Monday stops feeling like a punishment.
Chef Morales built his reputation on a menu that treats the coast like a collaborator. Think fresh seafood, local purveyors and a rotation that shifts with the seasons. The $2 oyster special isn’t a departure from that ethos. It’s a concentrated expression of it.
And happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. This means you can ease in with $4 off specialty cocktails. Let the room warm up around you and slide right into oyster hour without breaking the spell. Whether it’s a quick, high-quality happy hour experience or a casual early dinner, it’s a Monday evening engineered so well it feels like a gift.
The crowd tends to be couples and small groups who appreciate quality ingredients and know a good thing when they find it.
Now you know the secret. Here’s the thing about a promotion this good at a restaurant this beautiful: it won’t stay quiet for long. The A Crystal Cove Saturday morning regulars of brunch and mimosas are going to find out about Mondays. And then the booths fill. Then, the bar fills. Then, you’re the person who found it first, or the person who waited too long.
Make your reservation via OpenTable, and text the group chat. And order two more oysters because Monday deserves this.
A Crystal Cove.
7864 E Coast Hwy
Newport Coast, CA 92657
949.990.4574.
M–Th, 4:30–10 p.m.; F, 4:30–11 p.m.; Sa, 10:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; Su, 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Q&A
Q: What is the $2 oyster and $13 martini promotion at A Crystal Cove?
A: A Crystal Cove in Newport Coast offers $2 oysters shucked to order by Executive Chef Elvis Morales. They’re served with $13 martinis every Monday night, making it one of the best-value dining deals in Orange County. The oysters are served over ice with fresh accoutrements, and the martinis are shaken or stirred perfectly crisp and cold.
Q: What are A Crystal Cove’s hours on Monday?
A: A Crystal Cove is open Monday from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with happy hour running from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Q: Is A Crystal Cove good for a work dinner or business gathering?
A: Absolutely. Guests are seated right away in the main dining room or at the bar, creating a smooth start to the evening. The sophisticated ambiance, central bar, private booths and elevated coastal menu make A Crystal Cove an ideal spot for after-work drinks, team gatherings or closing a deal over expertly shucked oysters.
Q: Who is Chef Elvis Morales at A Crystal Cove?
A: Elvis Morales is the Executive Chef at A Crystal Cove, known for his seasonally inspired New American menu featuring fresh seafood, local farm partnerships and refined coastal cuisine.
Q: Where is A Crystal Cove located in Newport Coast?
A: A Crystal Cove is located at 7864 E Coast Hwy in Newport Coast, CA, inside the Crystal Cove Shopping Center along Pacific Coast Highway.
