Harborside Grand Ballroom Reviews

The Harborside Grand Ballroom is a beautiful setting with windows that look onto the bay. Karen and Vicki are wonderful to work with. The food was fantastic and our guests loved how large the dance floor was. One of the highlights of the evening was the "Balboa Bar" bar where our guest could enjoy fresh "Balboa Bars" with the toppings of their choice. We had cigars on the patio after the cake. The Bride and Groom left for their wedding night in a water taxi with all the guests waving from the windows of the ballroom.

I haven't booked yet but i like what this place had to offer. It was looking at the water and could fit lot of people. They gave great and realistic feedback to help keep my cost down. I liked that the regular chair option wasn't chair covers.

I have had my Wedding Reception, My mothers Celebration of Life, and My High School Reunion at this Venue! As you can tell I keep returning because of many factors. The Location is top notch, the Ease in Coordinating and the impeccable service are why. Vicki Schones is professional and wonderful to work with and is a great leader when you require a much needed opinion!
Love Harborside Grand Ballroom!

Very professional in planning and explaining how a wedding event would operate. Helpful in answering questions and/or concerns. Has a good referral list of other people needed for the event, if needed (ex. A wedding day coordinator). Very friendly and knowledgeable. Beautiful room with view. We had a wonderful and fun experience all around!

I had my wedding at the Harborside. Fell in love with the beautiful views! But what sold my husband and I on where to have our wedding, was talking with Vicki! She was such a joy to work with. So helpful and accommodating! We absolutely loved her!!! She’s good at what she does, and she does it so well!! If you’re looking for a venue with amazing views of the water and to work with someone who will understand your needs and to make sure your special day perfect... Harborside is your place and Vicki is your go to person! We love her! Highly recommend harborside!!!

Our wedding was and still is the BEST DAY EVER! And Harborside venue and staff and very much responsible for that. From the very first meeting with Vicki to the day of the event everything was so seamless and stress free-i can truly say that i wouldn’t change a thing. I have been going to the grand ballroom at the pavilion for most of my life and the way they transform the space was so beautiful, the food was stellar and the vendors that were recommended were amazing. A million times thank you for making our day so special!

Could not be a more perfect venue for our reception. Staff has been very professional and available to answer any questions.

Karen and Vicki, along with the rest of the staff were amazing. The location is absolutely gorgeous with an incredible, panoramic view of the harbor. They were very accommodating with requests for advice, vendor reccomendations, and changes or alterations to the service packages. We were provided with a really terrific food tasting, and were even provided with additional items above what we requested. Overall, my wife and I couldn't have picked a better location for our reception and have received nothing but rave reviews from our guests. If you do decide to have your reception here, I highly recommend getting the Balboa Bar station. It provides a little extra local flavor and was a gigantic hit.

Thanks to Karen and Vicki and their amazing staff my daughter's wedding reception was nothing less than perfect!! Their professionalism and attention to detail made the entire process from our initial planning meeting to the day of the event such a pleasure!

Do it!!! Can't beat the location, service, food, fun. All in the most historic building in Newport Beach. Vicki and Karen are the best! Would not change a thing

Harborside was great! They respond to emails and calls quickly. The day of the wedding, everything went smoothly. They were lovely to work with, primarily because they have a no-stress, get it done vibe.

Karen and Vicky were absolutely amazing to work with! They're knowledgeable, attentive and really worked with us every step of the way. The venue is breathtaking, the food was incredible, everything was perfect!

Perfect backdrop for my dream wedding. The staff is friendly and attentive. The banquet coordinators, Vicki and Karen, were extremely helpful with everything from planning the menu to calling my vendors and getting everything set. The views are breath taking especially in the evening. It was a perfect night. Thank you Harborside!!!!

I loved working with Vicki & Karen at Harborside Grand Ballroom. They were very professional and personable throughout the entire planning process. The venue has a gorgeous view and has an open layout allowing us to create the perfect event. I would highly recommend this venue and look forward to working with them again in the future.

Talayeh Banan,
Tala Events

I have nothing but good things to say about having my Wedding at Harborside Grand Ballroom! Karen our Banquet Manager was amazing to work with! She knows her stuff and had great suggestions during my planning process. Everything was so easy from deciding on chairs to fabrics to the food tasting! She also had great suggestions for outside vendors for floral arrangements and cake bakeries. Most importantly Karen was very responsive I never had to wait or call again to get a question answered. She was very proactive during the entire process! Not only Karen , but the whole staff at Harborside goes above and beyond to make you feel special and comfortable.

I think its hard not to fall in love with this venue! From the amazing views and the charm of the historic building! Everything was perfect on my wedding day! Karen was such a doll, there to make sure everything was in order. The food was amazing, tasted great, came out hot, and looked beautiful! Chairs and linens we rented looked great! The servers and bar tenders were all so friendly and professional.

I would highly recommend booking your wedding at Harborside! I have ZERO complaints!

Karen and Vickie were amazing! Very responsive and had answers for all my questions! Perfect wedding venue and people :)

I am really happy I went I went with Harborside. It was such a beautiful venue. I had so many people tell me it was one of the most beautiful weddings they had ever been to. We didn't even pay for the upgraded chairs or table cloths & the room still looked gorgeous. What was really nice about getting the venue there was we rented a beach house for rehearsal dinner, the night of the wedding & the night after. So we got to spend more time with our families & friends! The wedding is over so fast! It is in such a perfect location. The view is what sold us! You do not even need to go crazy with decorations or flowers because the view is so pretty in it's self. We timed the ceremony perfectly to where afterwards we were able to walk across the street and take pictures on the sand at sunset. My dream of a perfect wedding!

Most Excellent! We held our reception at the Balboa Pavilion which decorated itself on the harbor of Newport Beach and Balboa Island. I would not change a thing. The service provided by their consultants was so helpful and made my evening very relaxed and happy. The food was phenomenal, which many people told us they served the best they ever had for a wedding!

I would highly recommend the Balboa Pavilion / Harborside Ballroom for any reception or party event!

We searched all over Newport for a venue that we felt comfortable asking people from all over the US to travel to. While other venues were nice, we would have been in a ballroom of a hotel with no view. The view alone is worth booking at Harborside, but then you meet Vicki, Karen and Justin and it's a done deal!! They are the nicest, easiest people to work with in helping you create your special day. We could not have been happier with our choice of venue!!

Vicki and Karen, You and your entire staff are awesome!!!! Our event was beyond our expectations. Thank you so much for everything that you did. I would recommend your venue to anyone. Hope we can have another party here someday. Thank YOU!

This was the perfect Reception place for me! They were in my price range with the setting I was looking for and accommodated more than enough space for all my guests without it costing more like other places did. They were very helpful throughout the date of booking to the event. Besides that, they seemed to try NOT to bother me on my big day but still was able to take care of everything they needed. It takes quite a bit of communication with them to get everything the way you need for the event, but it's as easy as an e-mail and they respond quickly and efficiently. Thank you Harborside!

Vicki was amazing to work with and so helpful throughout the whole process! We would highly recommend Vicki and the Pavilion to anyone that is in search of a venue for a wedding or event!!!

The venue is an ideal space for a wedding. Vicki is a great coordinator and a huge asset to the venue. The staff is great all around and the views are amazing! Highly recommend!

The moment we walked into the ballroom we just knew this place was for us. From the great bay/ocean view to the happy staff we just felt right about hosting our wedding at Harborside. We had great communication with Vicki the entire time and could not have asked for a better place to share our love. We had around 150 guests and had little to no issues (only thing would be parking but that's what happens when you hold an event on the peninsula during warm weather). But the little touches that went to make our day special was worth it all. We are so thankful for the team bringing beautiful ambiance, AMAZING food (which we had the pleasure of tasting before and during) and making guests feel comfortable. My mom was obsessed with the fact that Balboa Bars were part of the package and sure enough, they were a hit. The little outside patio off the reception area was a great bonus! It allowed guests to take a quick break, if needed, without leaving the reception. I was not sure how to plan a wedding but Vicki sure did give great advice and options. Thank you for taking the time to understand our wants and needs. The day was perfect and received so many compliments on how the staff served the day with a smile.

This place is amazing! I was married here 4/4/14. If I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing, I would do it again here in an instant! i worked with Vicki and Karen and used one of their packages which included the venue, delicious food and upgraded linens All overlooking the water. The view is incredible.

Everything was great from the initial contact, the flexibility in dates (if they weren't booked yet) and the food and of course, the big day .I was amazed at how perfect everything was. They are very organized. They showed me the layout prior to the event and all the details ( colors, uplights, food tasting, linens- everything.) The best part is it was so easy. (i work 50 hours a week and took a new promotion while planning a wedding). They literally saved me. :)

The food was delicious and the view breathtaking. I received so many compliments on how great the food was and how beautiful and classy the reception was. All the staff the evening of my reception were very professional, attentive and kind. (Hard to find these days.)

They were flexible with the food items in terms of upgrading appetizer items and for the bar. We went with premium open bar and they accommodated extra hours and making my reception longer by an hour as well. They are very easy to deal with.

I am recommending the Harborside to my friends who are getting married next year and recommend them to you if you want an ocean/beach venue that gives great views, food, and organization within your budget. Thank you everyone at Harborside!!!