This year has been jam-packed with so many restaurant openings that it’s been hard to keep up.

Readers keep asking, “Should I go to that new seafood restaurant yet?” “Is that cute new Asian taco place any good?” “Have you tried that Mediterranean restaurant that opened recently at South Coast Plaza?” Yes, no and yes. Full reviews are coming soon for a few of these places.

In the meantime, here are some preliminary thoughts to give you a better idea of what’s up, what’s good and what to skip.

Water Grill

Quick take: The owners spent $12 million to build Water Grill from the ground up in the spot where Scott’s used to live across the street from South Coast Plaza. They got their money’s worth. Water Grill is a luxury seafood mini-chain that spun out of the original location in downtown Los Angeles.

The elegant, vaguely nautical-themed dining room wraps around a spectacular modern kitchen. And with a huge retractable roof over the patio, plus a wall of windows in the dining room that fully slides open, it’s hard to distinguish indoors vs. outdoors. It’s a gigantic restaurant, with more than 200 seats, so it’s not surprising it’s had a hard time finding enough savvy waiters to make everything run smoothly. Most importantly, though, the seafood is terrific, especially the Dover sole and stone crab.

The verdict: Go now. The kitchen’s ready, even if not all the waiters are. 3000 Bristol St., Costa Mesa; 949-208-7060, watergrill.com

El Mercado Modern Cuisine

Quick take: Chef Danny Godinez, the guy behind two Anepalco restaurants in Orange, recently opened a new flagship in downtown Santa Ana that finally gives him the fine-dining platform he’s long needed. The chef’s artistry is sometimes breathtaking, but the presentation goes mostly unnoticed because the restaurant is so dark you can’t see what you’re eating. The cocktails are stellar.

The verdict: Go now, and bring a flashlight. 301 N. Spurgeon St.; 714-338-2446, mercadomodern.com

Bluegold and LSXO

Quick take: Chef Tin Vuong and the Blackhouse Hospitality group are responsible for a string of hot restaurants, including Little Sister in Manhattan Beach, Steak & Whisky in Redondo Beach and Wildcraft in Culver City. They describe their latest concept at Huntington Beach’s Pacific City as their “most ambitious project to date.” The bulk of it is Bluegold, a swanky American chophouse and seafood bar. Hidden at the core of Bluegold is LSXO, a 28-seat, colonial French-Vietnamese opium den and chef parlor, minus the opium. Although Bluegold and LSXO share the same kitchen, they are worlds apart in style and cuisine.

The verdict: Go now. This is about to become the hottest restaurant(s) O.C. has seen for quite some time. Pacific City, 21016 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach; 714-374-0038, dinebluegold.com

Reunion Kitchen + Drink

Quick take: Chef Scott McIntosh has opened a second outpost of his wildly successful Reunion. The new Laguna branch is smaller, more pub-like than the original in Anaheim Hills. The menu, however, looks almost identical. The fried chicken is superb. The prime rib is very good. And the Bloody Mary is already legendary.

The verdict: Go now. 610 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; 949-226-8393, reunionkitchen.net

Pango

Quick take: Just when you thought the Korean taco trend was fading, here comes Pango to keep it alive, adding Japanese and Filipino flavors to the mix. Chashu pork is a great idea for taco filling. Sadly, everything ends up being a mad jumble of flavors without much focus. The Mexican street corn tastes like it’s made with frozen kernels.

The verdict: Wait. The kitchen needs more time to mature. 16161 Brookhurst Ave., Fountain Valley; 714-418-9729, eatpango.com

Adya

Quick take: After a hugely successful debut inside Anaheim’s Packing House a couple years ago, Adya has opened a second location at Irvine’s University Center. It’s not as special as the Anaheim original. The menu here looks mostly the same – chicken tikka, lamb kebabs, that incredible keema pav – except everything here is served in cardboard takeout containers with flimsy plastic utensils, making it feel like fast food.

The verdict: Go, but don’t go out of your way. The food’s good, but the Anaheim original is superior. 4213 Campus Drive, Irvine; 949-679-2299, adyaoc.com

Mezzet

Quick take: Inside the home store wing of South Coast Plaza, this new cafe at the base of the escalators draws inspiration from a wide swath of the Mediterranean: Italy, Morocco, Greece, Lebanon, even the south of France. The kitchen got off to a slow start but has settled into a confident groove.

The verdict: Go now, and focus on the Moroccan tagines but also don’t miss the tuna crudo with pistachios and citrus. 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa; 714-540-3365, mezzetsouthcoastplaza.com

Harvest

Quick take: The restaurant at the revamped luxury resort formerly known as Aliso Creek Inn in Laguna Beach’s Aliso Canyon churned two chefs before the restaurant ever opened. A third chef (a rising star from the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles) has come onboard, but the menus are still a mess – and, frankly, some of what’s still being served at lunchtime (conceived by previous chefs) is downright awful. Service is a disaster, too. But, oh, what a spectacular setting overlooking the nine-hole golf course boxed in by the canyon. The sexy ranch-chic decor was designed by Laguna’s own Laurie Alter of Tuvalu Home.

The Verdict: Wait. Give it some time, but don’t write it off. I enjoyed this chef’s food in L.A., and I expect he will turn things around in due time. The Ranch, 31106 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; 949-715-1376, theranchlb.com

Yojie

Quick take: Adjacent to the Yost Theater in downtown Santa Ana, this Diamond Bar-based shabu-shabu chain is nicer than most, with terrific service and a full bar. The meat selection is limited but the quality is high.

The verdict: Go now. 303 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana; 714-204-0604, yojie.com

Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen & Udon

Quick take: This Los Angeles-based ramen shop has long operated a small branch in Fountain Valley, a funky, rustic, smoky dive that feels just like one of those back-alley joints in Tokyo. On the contrary, this new branch in Irvine is big, bright, sterile and impersonal. Fortunately the ramen is still great, and the vastly expanded menu here includes a wide range of udon as well. The service is stellar, too.

The verdict: Go now. 6404 Irvine Blvd., Irvine; 949-596-7036

Contact the writer: bajohnson@ocregister.com or Instagram @bradajohnson