The OC Fair would have ended its four-week run last Sunday, and I would have been a few pounds heavier thanks to the decadent foods I consume every year at the Fair.
If you too missed out on the giant turkey legs and fried Oreos, don’t despair—Mutt Lynch’s has come to the rescue.
Now through Labor Day, the venerable restaurant near the Newport Pier is offering a special OC Fair-inspired menu featuring dishes perfectly reminiscent of the OC Fair.
Among the treats:
- Giant Turkey Legs: Jumbo smoked turkey leg fit for a king, served with your choice of dipping sauce.
- German Pretzel: Giant, pillowy pretzel served with whole grain mustard & queso two ways.
- Corn Dogs: A dozen mini corn dogs served with two types of mustard for dipping.
- Poutine: Crispy brew city fries topped with a savory brown gravy and fresh cheese curds.
- Churros: Four crispy-yet-doughy delights, double dipped in cinnamon sugar.
- Fried Oreos: A true classic. Eight of these little beauties, fried in pancake batter.
- Funnel Fries: Fried dough made more manageable for dipping with chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Street Corn: Two ears of fresh, blackened corn with a tangy aoili, queso fresco, lime & cilantro.
“We go to OC Fair every year as a family, and one of the biggest draws for us is the outrageously fun food,” said Jerilyn Lynch, VP of food & beverage and second-generation owner of Mutt Lynch’s. “The Fair signifies the peak of summer; being there creates a sense of care-free nostalgia. We think the world could use a bit of that right now, so we thought ‘If we can’t go to the OC Fair, we’ll bring the OC Fair to us!’”
And so I brought myself to Mutt Lynch’s on Tuesday to sample two of the dishes: the mini corn dogs, and the fried Oreos.
Parking near the pier is not easy, but I found a spot a couple of short blocks away. Mutt Lynch’s has created a nice outdoor dining area adjacent to the walkway in front of the restaurant. I ordered my items and five minutes later was digging into a plate full of mini corn dogs. They were about as perfect as you can get, and I liked that there were two different mustards for dipping.
And of course, I had to have the fried Oreos, a now-classic OC Fair treat made famous by Chicken Charlie. The Mutt Lynch version was excellent, complete with a light coating of powdered sugar but not enough to make it overly messy.
The OC Fair food menu dishes range from $8 to $12 each, and well worth every dollar.
For those craving Mutt Lynch classics, the restaurant is still offering its full menu, which lists over 200 items. I don’t know anyone else with such an extensive menu.
And yes, you can enjoy Mutt Lynch’s famous schooners of beer on the patio (nearly 40 different ones are available).
This year, the family-owned eatery celebrates its 45th anniversary—a challenging year to be sure, but Mutt Lynch’s is determined to keep the fun going to another 45 years. The family will soon unveil a sister concept set to open in Orange County this fall.
Mutt Lynch’s is located on the Newport Beach Boardwalk (2300 W. Oceanfront) and is currently open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for outdoor dining as well as takeout and delivery. For more information, visit https://www.muttlynchs.com.
For those curious about Mutt Lynch’s, the restaurant has made a name for itself as Newport Beach’s iconic beach bar and restaurant. Owned by Gail and Dan Lynch, the couple named Mutt Lynch’s after Dan’s father, Emmett Lynch, who served in the Army in WWI and was affectionately given the nickname ‘Mutt’ Lynch.
The original location opened on Balboa Peninsula next to the Fun Zone, but on the evening of Easter Sunday in 1982, it burned down in a fire that started in the above hotel. Later that year, the restaurant reopened in its current location, steps away from the sand on the Newport Beach Boardwalk.
