I went to the Montecito restaurant where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had a rare public date and ate a meal fit for a celebrity

Montecito has become a celebrity playground in recent years, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex joining the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Ariana Grande, and Katy Perry.

I was curious to see what it would really be like to spend a day in the idyllic coastal town, and I wanted to make sure I hit all the hot spots.

So when it came time to decide where I was going for dinner, the only choice could be Lucky's Steakhouse.

The royals made their first Montecito outing back in October 2020, heading to Lucky's for dinner with Katherine McPhee and David Foster.

McPhee and Markle are childhood friends, while Prince Harry and Foster have become "like father and son" in recent years, McPhee told Access Hollywood in a May 2020 interview.

Markle and Harry were seen holding hands and wearing masks as they made their way to Lucky's, sitting in the outdoor dining area for the three-hour double date.

But they're not the only famous fans of the Montecito restaurant. "Iron Chef" star Cat Cora has even proclaimed that Lucky's strip steak is one of the best things she's ever eaten.

So, a few days before my trip, I booked an outdoor table at Lucky's and got ready for my own experience.

There were fairy lights wrapped around palm trees that twinkled as the sun set, which I watched from my seat in the restaurant's heated and covered outdoor patio.

The space — which is right in front of Lucky's and perfect for people watching — is huge compared to many of the other outdoor dining areas I've been to over the last year.

And for a Tuesday it was still fairly packed, with tables that ranged from families in T-shirts and shorts to a well-dressed group of friends in slick leather loafers and patent heels.

I was hoping to channel Markle and Prince Harry during my visit, so I asked my waitress if she had any idea what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ate during their date. When she said she didn't know, I asked which dishes were the most popular with Lucky's famous clientele.

"They're just regular people who enjoy food," she told me with a laugh. "It's really about what you like."

I still had Cora's recommendation for the New York strip steak, so I ordered the $56 10-ounce. I also opted for the $15 mac and cheese but was torn between the French onion soup and one of the hash brown sides for my third dish.

My waitress told me that the $18 hash browns with Gruyère cheese was her favorite potato dish, so I decided to fully commit to my carb-y sides.

"It's gonna be a cheesy night," she told me as she left to put in my order and grab me a glass of red wine.

With so many carbs on the way, I wasn't craving a lot of bread. But I still wanted to give it a try and see how Lucky's offerings compared to other steakhouses I've visited.

The bread was nice and warm and the butter was super fluffy. It far surpassed the chewy and cold bread I had been served when I visited Peter Luger in Brooklyn, New York.

The dish is made with Gruyère and cheddar cheese and features breadcrumbs on top, an addition that I loved.

The breadcrumbs acted as a crust for the mac and cheese, giving a nice contrast to all the creaminess. Breaking into the dish with my spoon reminded me of a crème brûlée.

Lucky's portion was smaller than the mac and cheese I ate at Boa's Steakhouse in Los Angeles, but it was also less heavy. The dish managed to be savory and indulgent without sticking to the stomach. It really felt like a grown-up mac and cheese.

To quote my own notes, Lucky's hash browns with Gruyère cheese were "insane."

The dish was somehow both perfectly crispy and creamy, and the potatoes were nicely cooked. Much like with the mac and cheese, everything was satisfyingly cheesy without being overwhelming. To be honest, I could've just eaten the hash browns for dinner and been perfectly content.

The small piece of steak came on its own plate, looking like the shape of Tennessee.

I tried one bite without the accompanying sauce first and was wowed at how tender the meat tasted.

While I can still tell you exactly how the steaks at BOA or Peter Luger tasted, I don't remember anything about their accompanying sauces.

But at Lucky's, almost the opposite is true. The peppercorn sauce was the standout of the dish, so much so that I wrote in my notes, "I wanna eat all my steaks with it forever."

The sauce was thicker than I expected and had a nice kick. It really gave the steak something special.

After I fawned over the sauce to my waitress, she recommended that I also try the red wine sauce — which was another knockout. Like the peppercorn offering it was surprisingly thick, and had a richness that complemented both the steak and my glass of Pinot Noir.

When the waiter came over to see how I was enjoying everything, I decided to try my luck and asked if he knew anything about Markle and Prince Harry's double date.

This waiter was more than happy to answer my questions, even pointing to the very corner spot in the outdoor dining area where they had dined with McPhee and Foster.

"They were totally normal," he added.

The waiter also revealed that there are celebrities at Lucky's all the time, and that "most are really nice."

"A few are rude after having a couple of drinks," he added.

Each dish was a standout in its own way and had great unexpected touches that really blew me away. I would happily order any of these dishes again, and I'm still dreaming about the hash browns and steak sauces.

It's easy to see why Lucky's is the most famous restaurant in Montecito. There's a laid-back charm that really fits the entire town's vibe. The dishes aren't flashy like you might think from a steakhouse frequented by celebrities almost every night. They're comforting and unpretentious, but still delicious and memorable.

At Lucky's, the focus is clearly less on fame — and more on food.