Chris Harrison doesn't seem to be holding a grudge after he was cut loose from "The Bachelor" -- if anything ... the dude's let it all go, and looks happier than ever.
We got the franchise's longtime host out Tuesday night leaving The Gallery restaurant in Westlake Village, with his GF, Lauren Zima, in tow. They were hand-in-hand ... and some congratulations were in order, 'cause CH had just turned 50 the previous day.
He tells us they were, indeed, out keeping the festivities going ... and when we asked how he was doing following his abrupt exit from 'Bachelor' nation, he seemed to have processed it and let it go.
Watch this clip ... Chris seems at peace with the way things turned out, and one reason lies in the fact that he can have one of his crucial weekdays back to himself for once in nearly 20 years. That's a good thing for him in 2021, 'cause the big 5-0 landed on said day.
After some pleasantries, our photog got right into the heavy ... namely, by asking if Chris felt any type of way now that Matt James ended up staying with Rachael Kirkconnell in the end anyway -- this after she was accused of racism and he lost his job for defending her.
It's the million-dollar question that everyone has for Chris ... but check out how he answered it with us. No harm, no foul, it would appear -- he wishes the couple all the best and says it's all water under a bridge.
Of course, we also had to ask if he was up to date with this season of 'Bachelorette' -- which has gotten terrible ratings -- and the 2 new hosts who are tag-teaming things. Chris may be gone, but he's keeping tabs.