JP and I lived together in Anaheim for about 8 years and he had lived there his entire life.
So we had plenty of time to explore all the restaurants.
We’ve tried restaurants all over Orange County at every price range and from every cuisine.
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Best Restaurants In Orange County
This list consists of over 50 restaurants that we love in Orange County and would visit over and over.
These are the restaurants we would always take visitors to.
The list is in no particular order, but it is sorted by cuisines and occasions, so you can always use the table of contents above to skip to the specific section you’re searching for.
Best Birthday Restaurants
1. The Wild Artichoke
Location: 4973 Yorba Ranch Road, Unit A, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
The Wild Artichoke is a French bistro with an East Asian twist.
The dish below that looks like it’s just a bunch of rocks actually has several pieces of cheesy bread in it.
Some other appetizers we enjoyed were these little crab cake nests and cheese stuffed zucchini.
We thought maybe they were cheese stuffed jalapenos, but they weren’t spicy at all and someone said it was actually zucchini.
For entrees, I highly recommend the Croque Monsieur, which is an elevated ham and cheese sandwich and the Lobster Pasta.
All of these foods pair great with a glass of their Monchiero Langhe Arneis, an Italian white wine.
After our first visit, which was part of a company lunch JP was doing, we went back on our own for another meal and had an entirely different menu.
We started off our meal sharing the Maryland Crab Cake appetizer.
For our entrees, we each got a bowl of pasta.
I tried the Puttanesca E Arrabiata and JP had the Clam Pasta – Pasta Alle Vongole.
Before we moved on to dessert, the chef brought out a special dish for us to try.
It was a crispy sea scallop in a sweet-ish sauce.
Lastly, we finished off our meal with a dessert.
We tried the Fondant Au Chocolat & Baies, which is a chocolate molten lava cake.
2. Bosscat Kitchen and Libations
Location: (Old Towne Orange) 118 W Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA 92866 and 18169 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92612
This upscale but casual restaurant is known for it’s whiskey selection and American comfort food.
I personally love the Old Towne Orange location since it’s in a historic district, which gives you more options for things to do before and after your birthday dinner.
In addition to their whiskey selection, they also have an excellent craft cocktail menu.
I recommend trying the “Wouldn’t You” which is gin, citrus, elderflower, and cucumber.
For an appetizer, I recommend trying the Pulled Pork Hushpuppies which is made up of cornbread battered pork, deep fried and served with Carolina barbecue mustard.
Now for the entree.
I recommend getting the Bosscat Burger and ordering it “the chefs way“.
This burger is made up of in-house ground beef, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, house made pickles, and comeback sauce.
The burger also comes with fries, which are not going to be what you’re expecting.
The fries are massive potato wedges, but they are so good!
When JP and I go out to eat we usually order just one entree and try a couple appetizers or sides.
At Bosscat you can get a side of Mac n Cheese, which is a creamy 4 cheese blend.
3. Citrus City Grille
Citrus City Grille is celebrating their 27th anniversary in Old Towne Orange.
When you come here, your meal will start with their complimentary bread service and specialty dipping oil.
On their signature cocktail menu, I recommend trying the Watermelon Pineapple Martini and the “Penicillin”.
The Penicillin is made up of Chivas 12 year Blended Scotch Whiskey, Lemon, Ginger, Honey, and Laphroaig 10 year Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Float.
It has a very smoky flavor, which brings out more unique flavor in the drink.
For appetizers, I recommend the Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates and the Saganaki.
Be prepared for the Saganaki to be set on fire as it’s presented!
This gives it the perfect texture and mix of soft cheese with a crispy shell.
For entrees, they’re offering seasonal specials this Summer in celebration of their 27th anniversary.
The Seared Ahi Tuna is perfect for Summer.
Another great, light meal is the Chicken Caesar Wrap with fresh fruit.
4. Mimosas Kitchen & Bar
Location: 8150 E Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim, CA 92808
Mimosas is a great restaurant for a birthday celebration with friends, family, or even just your significant other.
Of course they’re known for their Mimosas.
I love the Lavender Mimosa the most, but the Blue Curacao is the prettiest with the flower and the Hibiscus Mimosa is also good.
Your meal will come with a complimentary bread service too.
Not a single entree is a miss here.
They’re known for their Mimosa’s Carbonara served on linguini pasta with bacon, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, green peas, cream, and parmesan.
Another phenomenal dish is their Braised Short Ribs.
It’s an elevated version of a dish my grandparents served regularly when I stayed with them as a kid.
It’s served with red wine braised short rib, creamy pappardelle egg noodles, roasted baby carrots, and mushrooms.
Then for dessert, I recommend Chad’s Birthday Cake.
It’s simple, it’s delicious, and it’s birthday cake for your birthday celebration!
5. Seabirds Kitchen
Location: 2930 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92606
Seabirds Kitchen is a vegan restaurant at The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa.
The LAB is an outdoor boutique shopping and dining center.
Whether you’re truly vegan or just want to try some vegan food, Seabirds is a really cool restaurant to try for a birthday celebration.
My husband doesn’t love “healthy” food, but he loved everything he tried here.
A fun drink is the Shrub Soda.
You can make it yourself with the right mix of sparking water depending on how flavored you want it to be.
For food, I recommend trying the Rosemary Cheddar Biscuit, Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup, Purple Taquitos, and Mac n Cheese.
I wish they sold recipe books so I could make all of these at home!
6. HQ Gastropub
Location: 155 Fifth St, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
We decided on fruity mixed drinks to start.
For food, we decided to start with sushi.
I’m not a huge sushi fan unless it’s more on the plain side and not spicy.
We were both able to agree on a Shrimp Tempura Roll.
Each piece was really big and it was surprisingly more filling than I expected, considering we shared it 50/50.
After this, we decided on our next drinks.
Then we got Deviled Eggs because we get them pretty much everywhere we go and always love them.
JP was still in the mood for sushi.
So we went with a Spicy Tuna Roll.
After 2 drinks each and splitting 3 appetizers, we were feeling some more indulgent food and we figured this would be the last thing we ordered, so we went with a Short Rib Quesadilla.
They didn’t have Irish Coffee on the menu, but they were able to get it for me so that I could “build my own” to my own liking.
JP stuck with another mixed drink.
After this all that was left was dessert.
We always try to leave room for dessert anywhere we go because I love chocolate, especially hot, melty chocolate.
For JP’s birthday dessert we both agreed on the Chocolate Molten Lava Cake.
Last trip here we had the Fried Zucchini because that is another food we like to try as much as possible.
There’s much more on the menu I would like to try like Mac and Cheese, but I know it’s very filling and I wouldn’t have been able to eat anything else if I ordered the Mac and Cheese.
Another cool thing about HQ Gastropub is that they have a new speakeasy.
7. Biergarten at Old World Huntington Beach
Location: 7561 Center Ave, Unit 49, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Biergarten at Old World Huntington Beach is a German-style beer garden known for its extensive beer list and traditional German food.
It’s one of the only authentic German restaurants in all of Orange County now.
It’s a great place to go during Oktoberfest each Fall.
8. Calico Fish House
Location: 16600 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Calico Fish House is an oceanfront diner on the north end of Huntington Beach, up toward Seal Beach.
They specialize in using local produce, meat, seafood, and shellfish and making their own brines and seasonings.
A really great offer at this place is that all active military eat for free and vets only pay the raw cost, which is about 50% off.
Best Italian Restaurants
9. The Anaheim White House Restaurant
Address: 887 S Anaheim Blvd, Unit B, Anaheim, CA 92805
The Anaheim White House Restaurant is a fine dining Italian Steakhouse.
Chef Bruno Serato has a regular presence at the restaurant, which has a rotating menu of daily specials.
We dined here for our 5th anniversary and it was an all-around wonderful experience.
For entrees we tried one of their specialty pastas of the day, shrimp and grits, and the Osso Bucco.
I highly recommend trying the soufflรฉ for dessert.
I have a video of them pouring in the chocolate ganache, creme anglaise, and Chantilly cream, and it is my most viewed Instagram reel ever!
We were also gifted a special dessert trio and champagne for our anniversary.
10. The Old Spaghetti Factory
The decor and antique design of The Old Spaghetti Factory make it a fully immersive dining experience.
There are quite a few locations throughout the country, in at least a dozen states, so you may have been here before, but this location in particular is worth visiting.
You’ll enjoy a 3 course meal of soup or salad, an entree, and spumoni or vanilla ice cream to end your meal.
They also provide a complimentary bread service.
I highly recommend their Vanilla Italian Cream Soda to drink.
11. Marri’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant
Address: 1194 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
Marri’s Pizza has been a local and tourist favorite since 1957.
Their menu prices really can’t be beat by any other Italian restaurants in the area.
I highly recommend Marri’s if you’re visiting or staying near Disneyland and you’re looking for something off property.
They still make their meatballs, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, bread, and pizza dough homemade every day.
I love their fried zucchini as an appetizer.
My favorite entree is the fettuccine carbonara and my favorite dessert is tiramisu.
If you want some wine with your meal, their Riesling is really nice!
12. Carolina’s Italian Restaurant
Address: 12045 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92840
The very first night when I moved to California I was in a hotel and came across Carolina’s as a delivery option.
I immediately ordered one of their creamy pastas with chicken, which came with garlic breadsticks.
Ever since, it’s been our favorite local place when we want to have food delivered or pickup food to take home.
We’ve dined in a few times too, which is also a great experience.
I highly recommend their house made Sangria and their tiramisu.
You definitely can’t go wrong with any of their pastas.
Best Chinese Restaurants
13. Mayflower Dumpling Express
Location: 401 S Magnolia Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804
Mayflower Dumpling Express is my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in Anaheim.
One of my favorite dishes is the XLB, which is an 8 piece pork soup dumpling.
Another favorite is the Mini Buns.
These are 6 piece pork buns that you can get pan-fried or steamed.
14. Maโs Dumpling Houseย
Location: 627 N Euclid St, Anaheim, CA 92801
Ma’s Dumpling House has a massive menu of pretty much every type of Chinese dish you could think of.
Of course they’re known for their homemade dumplings and I highly recommend their Juicy Pork Dumplings.
They have a variety of other dumpling options here too like Chinese Leek and Pork, Lamb and Onion, Shrimp and Pork, Fish, and Vegetable Dumplings.
I also highly recommend their Orange Chicken with a side of rice.
Best Burger & Sandwich Restaurants
15. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes
Location: 1540 S Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802
Black Tap is a burger spot located at Downtown Disney.
They are known for their variety of craft burgers.
The one pictured below is The All-American Burger, which comes with american cheese and special sauce for $19.50.
All burgers are served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and fries.
However, my personal favorite burger of their is The Pizza Burger.
This burger comes with marinara sauce, fried mozzarella, and shaved parmesan for $19.50.
Depending on the time of year, you may also be able to try one of their burger specials.
In the Spring, around St. Patrick’s Day, you can try their 50/50 O’Reuben Burger for $23.
This burger is a prime beef and corned beef blended patty, with Guinness braised cabbage and onions, diced pickles, swiss cheese, and Jameson mustard sauce.
16. Roscoe’s Famous Deli
Roscoe’s signature sandwich is the SoCo Sandwich.
It is made with corned beef and pastrami, with Swiss cheese between the two meats with Russian dressing.
They slow cook their corned beef and pastrami over night until it is so tender that it falls apart and balled for the sandwich.
Additionally, they slice or cut all of their meats per order for freshness.
17. YoYo Burgers & Chicken
Location: 510 N Brookhurst St. 103, Anaheim, CA 92801
You can build your own burger or try the classic Black Angus Beef Burger pictured below.
Your burger comes with 2 sides of your choice – french fries, onion rings, or coleslaw.
I also recommend trying their hand breaded chicken fingers while you’re here too!
18. The Habitย Burger & Grill
Location: 111 E Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
The Habit is popular Southern California fast food chain.
They really have amazing burgers.
It’s probably my go-to burger when I want to indulge.
They are known for their chargrilled burgers.
My personal favorite is their Santa Barbara Char which comes with 2 chargrilled beef patties, avocado, caramelized onions, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo on grilled sourdough.
This burger is $8.69.
Pictured below is the Original Charburger with grilled onions.
Some specialty burgers of their include the Original Impossible, Portabella Char, and the Teriyaki Char.
19. Farmer Boys
Location: 2800 W Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801
Farmer Boys is another popular Southern California fast food chain.
My favorite Farmer Boys burger is the 1/3 pound Natural Cheeseburger.
A new burger they have is the 1/2 pound and the 1/4 pound Parmesan Crusted-Sourdough Cheeseburger.
My husband personally prefers the Farmer’s Burger which comes with lettuce, onions, tomato, pickles, sauce, cheese, bacon, and guacamole.
Their smaller burgers start around $5.99 and their bigger burgers are closer to $10.
20. In N Out
Location: 600 S Brookhurst Street, Anaheim, CA 92804 and 1168 S State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806
In N Out is a popular fast food chain in California.
Their burgers can be customized in just about any way you could think of.
You can get 4 patties in one burger, you can get your patties wrapped in lettuce, you can get just cheese and nothing else, the options are limitless.
In N Out is one of the cheapest burger places in the area.
A regular hamburger is only $2.50, a regular cheeseburger is only $2.80, and a double double is only $3.95.
21. Paulโs Place
Location: 1040 N Magnolia Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801
Paul’s Place is a popular local Southern California chain.
I personally love to visit for breakfast because their breakfast burritos are the best, but they are also popular for their burgers.
Paul’s Place offers a variety of unique burgers like their blue cheese bacon burger, California deluxe burger, Ortega burger, turkey burger, mushroom burger, feta burger, colossal burger, and garden burger.
They also serve the classics like a cheese burger, double burger, bacon burger, chili burger, and hamburger.
Burgers range as low as $3 to as much as $7.
22. bunz
Location: 7491 Center Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Bunz is known for its delicious and affordable burgers.
And don’t forget their cheesy bacon fries!
23. Slaterโs 50/50
Slater’s 50/50 is a popular restaurant chain in Southern California with fantastic burgers.
Their burgers are made with a 50/50 blend of beef and bacon.
24. Hurricanes Bar & Grill
Location: 200 Main St, Unit 201, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Hurricanes Bar & Grill is a popular sports bar and restaurant on Huntington Beach’s Main Street.
This restaurant also has great ocean views.
They have a large selection of beers, cocktails, and food.
25. Johnโs Philly Grille
Location: 16061 Goldenwest St, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 and 20379 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
John’s Philly Grille is known for its Philly-style cheesesteaks and hoagies.
They will close early if they run out of their fresh baked bread, so try to visit earlier in their operating hours than later.
26. Finney’s Crafthouse
Finney’s Crafthouse is a newer restaurant chain spreading all over Southern California.
We’ve been to several locations, including their Old Towne Orange location and they all offer a great experience.
One of our favorite appetizers is the Cheesesteak Egg Rolls which are filled with prime rib, onions, peppers, and fontina.
We also love the Bacon Deviled Eggs that come with candied bacon and sriracha.
The Mini Finney Cheeseburgers are also a great appetizer.
They come with american cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and ketchup.
This next one might just be a seasonal menu item since it’s not currently listed on their menu, but we loved their chili cheese brats.
Usually when we visit we just try a few different appetizers, but they also have pizzas, tacos, wings, burgers, and more.
27. Original Clyde’s Hot Chicken
Hot Chicken (or what’s also known as Nashville hot chicken) has been blowing up in Southern California in recent years.
Clyde’s Hot Chicken in particular is also expanding rapidly.
Even if you don’t like spicy food (like me) there are still plenty of foods to try here like the mac n cheese, waffles, and mildly seasoned chicken.
My husband however will try all things spicy and enjoys the chicken sandwich with macaroni salad.
28. Cupid’s Hot Dogs
Another great quick service spot in Downtown Fullerton is Cupid’s Hot Dogs.
You can get a variety of hot dog toppings here as well as a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches and sides like fries and onion rings.
To finish off your meal with a sweet treat, they also serve milkshakes.
Best Bars
29. Trader Samโs Enchanted Tiki Bar
Location: 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim, CA 92802
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is a popular tiki bar located at the Disneyland Hotel in the Disneyland Resort.
JP’s go-to drink here is the “Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum“.
I tend to try different drinks each time I go.
30. Ogaโs Cantina
Location: 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802
Oga’s Cantina is a bar located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.
Fun Fact – did you know JP and I were on the project team for the building of Galaxy’s Edge?
We worked in attractions and tested out the rides as they were being built and programmed!
Oga’s Cantina is essentially a replica of the cantina from the Star Wars movies.
If you’ve never been, the Fuzzy Tauntaun is the drink to try.
31. Hearthstone Lounge
Location: 1600 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802
Hearthstone Lounge is located in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland.
It has a full bar and some snacks.
32. Mickey’s Irish Pub
Mickey’s is a great late night spot or a place to watch a game.
It gets pretty busy during some of the bigger games, but you’ll still always be able to get a drink at the bar.
I recommend their Irish Coffee, especially because it’s considered the best Irish Coffee in town.
33. Heroes Bar & Grill
As many times as I’ve been here over the years, I somehow don’t have any photos.
But it’s been a popular meeting spot when friends are in town wanting to get together.
Heroes has been in Downtown Fullerton for over 30 years and serves 119 beers on tap currently.
For food, you can get all your bar food favorites like loaded fries, burgers, nachos, and more.
34. Hopscotch Tavern
Hopscotch Tavern is in the converted Pacific Electric Railway station.
They are best known for their beer and whiskey selection.
It’s a popular late night spot with the college and young adult crowd for the live music that I think is only on weekends.
During normal hours though, you can get taco specials on Tuesdays and whiskey and wine specials on Wednesdays.
For food, you can enjoy small plates like bacon wrapped dates and empanadas, entrees like cacio e pepe, plus burgers, lobster rolls, and more.
35. Brewery Xย
Location: 3191 E La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806
Brewery X is a craft brewery in Anaheim that has a dog-friendly patio and live music.
They occasionally host special events and radio broadcasts, which is what we have visited for in the past.
There are food trucks out on the patio with a variety of foods and they have pizza.
36. All-American Brew Works
Location: 5120 E La Palma Ave, Unit 103, Anaheim, CA 92807
For beer, we recommend Liberty or Death, which is a brown porter with peanut butter.
For seltzer, we recommend the Boysenberry/Blackberry Bubble Trouble Seltzer.
They also have a deli with sandwiches, but on the day we happened to visit they had a special menu with burgers and tater tots.
37. SeaLegs at the Beach
Location: 17851 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92649
SeaLegs at the Beach is literally on the beach.
It’s a popular location for enjoying live music and tacos.
Time your visit to enjoy the sunset!
38. Pour Company
Pour Co is the perfect weekend brunch spot in Downtown Fullerton.
Their chicken and waffles are a best seller.
I also recommend their Doc Holliday Burger which comes with an espresso rubbed patty, house bacon, organic cheddar, onion straws, and their house bbq sauce on a toasted brioche bun.
For drinks, I recommend the Road to Hana, which is a coconut pineapple margarita and the Irish Coffee.
Lastly, for dessert, you’ll want to try the Key Lime Pie.
All of these items are pictured below.
39. 212 Grill & Nightclub
UPDATE: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Enjoy a candlelit dinner with the best foods from this New York themed restaurant.
The Old Fashioned here is great and they have a few wines to enjoy as well.
One of their most popular appetizers are the boneless, fried Chicken Kickers.
For entrees, I recommend the Pollo Guisado, which is a Puerto Rican stew with white rice, red beans, and fried plantains.
If you’re a pasta lover like me, I also suggest the Penne Alla Vodka.
Lastly, you’ll want to top your meal off with a couple of Cannolis for dessert.
Later in the evening, the restaurant is transformed into the most popular nightclub in Downtown Fullerton.
Best Dessert Shops
40. 85ยฐC Bakery Cafe
This bakery has over 1000 locations worldwide and opened its first US store in Irvine back in 2008.
They have several locations all over Southern California.
We’ve been to a couple different locations and like to try different items each time.
We have yet to come across a treat we didn’t like.
They have a huge variety, so there is definitely something for everybody.
It’s not pictured, but I highly recommend their Oolong Tea.
41. Bagels & Brew
I had been following this place on Instagram since I moved to California in 2016.
For every holiday they do themed bagels.
Year round they also have their multi-colored “unicorn bagels” that they are well-known for.
Last year we went for the 4th of July to get these super pretty red, white, and blue bagels and it completely lived up to all my expectations.
They even had cream cheese filling with red and blue sprinkles!
More recently, we’ve visited for Valentine’s Day and Halloween!
They have tons of other options that aren’t holiday related, including the cheesy jalapeno bagel pictured above.
There are currently 2 locations: 1 in Lake Forest and 1 in Mission Viejo.
42. Claim Jumper
This dessert is called the “Chocolate Motherlode Cake”.
On the menu it is described as “SIX decadent layers of chocolate cake and rich fudge icing, topped with walnuts.
Featured on the Food Network as one of America’s Top 5 Most Decadent Desserts”.
This is a photo of when we ordered it to go so that we could have some dessert at home for a few nights.
It is a chocolate lover’s heaven.
Though Claim Jumper has 15 locations in California, it is not exclusive to this area.
They also have 3 restaurants in Arizona, 2 in Illinois, 1 in Louisiana, 4 in Nevada, 2 in Oregon, 1 in Tennessee, and 2 in Washington.
43. The Pie Hole
This is another place I had followed on Instagram for several years before actually visiting.
To be honest, it was a little more expensive than the other places mentioned.
They have several locations pretty spread out throughout LA and Orange County – Arts District in LA, Hollywood, Glendale, Pasadena, Orange, Rancho Cucamonga, and even 2 locations in Tokyo!
We visited the location in Orange, which is in an old historic district called Old Towne Orange.
We tried a slice of Smore’s Pie for $7.75 (a whole pie is $40!) and an iced tea that I can’t quite remember what the flavor was.
Other popular menu items are their Pie Holes, which are like donut holes, but pie, and they also have ice cream and cookies.
44. Popbar
Popbar is know for its handcrafted gelato on a stick that you can dip in practically anything!
They have over 30 gelato flavors, 5 yogurt flavors, and 26 sorbet flavors to choose from.
No matter which one you pick, you can dip each side in your choice of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla white chocolate, mint dark chocolate, or caramel dark chocolate.
Then you can choose any toppings you want, including almonds, caramel corn, chili powder, waffle cone, cinnamon pretzel, coconut, hazelnuts, pistachios, rainbow or chocolate sprinkles.
We visited their location in Huntington Beach, but they are popping up all over.
In California alone they have locations in Anaheim, Arcadia, Concord, Huntington Beach, Rancho Cucamonga, Sacramento, Long Beach, and Torrance.
They also have 2 locations in Florida at the Orlando Outlets, a location in Atlanta, Georgia, 3 locations in North Carolina, 1 in New Jersey, 1 in NYC, 6 in Texas and more coming in Elk Grove, Charleston, New Orleans, and Summerville!
45. Campitelli Cookies
Campitelli Cookies & Sandwiches has locations in Anaheim and Placentia.
They make the best chocolate chip cookies.
You can also get chocolate chip cookies with nuts, but I prefer the original.
46. Goodtown Doughnuts
Goodtown Doughnuts is at The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa.
It’s a small outdoor shopping center with boutique shops and restaurants.
They offer mini donut boxes and vegan mini donut boxes.
The boxes are pre-picked each day, so you’ll know which ones will be in the box.
There’s lots of fun flavors to try!
47. Sugarbuzz
Location: 6386 E Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim, CA 92807
Sugarbuzz is a popular dessert shop in Anaheim Hills.
Everything is colorful and flavorful and filled with sprinkles.
We tried a huge slice of confetti cake with lots of icing and sprinkles and 3 layers of cake.
Pictured below is the Unicorn Hot Chocolate, which is a pink vanilla hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles.
They also have large versions of those animal cookies with pink frosting and sprinkles that are delicious.
You really can’t go wrong with anything here.
48. The Cookie Element
Location: 18166 Imperial Highway, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
The Cookie Element has a variety of cookies, including seasonally decorated cookies, and brownies.
You can pick them each out a la carte and even build your own box.
I recommend the s’mores brownie in addition to the cookies!
49. Milk & Cookies
This Southern California chain serves a variety of warm cookies, ice cream, and even milks.
They have their regular cookies, but they also make some jumbo sized, which are considered premium cookies.
Personally, anything with chocolate is a must here.
Best Steakhouses
50. Orange County Mining Co.
Location: 10000 Crawford Canyon Rd Orange, CA 92705
Orange County Mining Co. has been a landmark restaurant since opening in 1974.
This steakhouse is rustic, cozy, and casual.
Being in the hills, there are great panoramic views looking down at the rest of Orange County.
We could even see Downtown LA from the patio until a storm rolled in.
They are known for their cheesy bread and we highly recommend their fried mac n cheese balls and their filet mignon.
Their meals come with a side salad as well.
We shared all of this and we were still too full for dessert.
51. Five Crowns
Location: 3801 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Five Crowns is part of the Lawry’s Prime Rib family and is one of my personal favorite steakhouses in Orange County.
They offer similar menus, but the difference here is that the restaurant is a replica of one of the oldest inns in England.
The signature meal here is the Prime Rib, which comes with Yorkshire Pudding, Creamed Corn, Creamed Spinach, and Au Jus.
I also recommend trying their Pride of the Crowns Salad and a side of their Mac n Cheese to complete the meal.
52. Summit House Restaurant
Location: 2000 E Bastanchury Road, Fullerton, CA 92835
Summit House is similar to Five Crowns in the English inn and tavern style design.
They are also known for their stockyards of Chicago prime ribs of beef slow roasted and carved to order.
These are served with classic Creamed Corn Au Gratin, Creamed Spinach, and an individual Yorkshire Popover.
Additionally, I recommend trying the 7 oz or 10 oz Filet Mignon which is oak wood grilled, with a roasted shallot port wine reduction and Gruyere Au Gratin Potatoes.
Or try the 22 oz bone-in rib eye USDA Prime Rib Eye Steak aged a minimum of 28 days, which is also oak wood grilled with Roasted Bone Marrow, Blue Cheese
Compound Butter, and Gruyere Au Gratin Potatoes.
53. Gulliver’s Restaurant
Location: 18482 MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, CA 92612
Gulliver’s is similar in style to Five Crowns and Summit House.
They are also best known for their Prime Rib and 18th century England is a heavy influence here.
A claim to fame of Gulliver’s is that John Wayne used to frequent this restaurant and had a favorite table.
For their Prime Rib, they offer 3 cuts: Brobdingnagian, the biggest, best and bone in; Gulliverโs Prime Cut; and the thinly sliced Traditional English Cut.
Other specialties include in-house aged Steaks, and their Chรขteaubriand.
Be sure to pair your meal with their legendary cream corn and Yorkshire pudding.
Then finish off your meal with their signature English Trifle or some Bread Pudding, Raspberry Crรจme Brรปlรฉe, or Chocolate Lava Cake.
We ate here for their special Thanksgiving dinner and all of it was so good!
54. The Capital Grille
Location: 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 at South Coast Plaza
We love to share the bread, salad, a filet mignon, and a side of mashed potatoes.
JP’s go-to drink is an Old Fashioned, so he also tries one everywhere we go.
55. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Locations: 2041 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802 or 2961 Michelson Dr, Unit A, Irvine, CA 92612
I would say that Ruth’s Chris is probably the most popular fine dining steakhouse in the entire country because they are just everywhere.
I have never had a better Filet Mignon than the one at Ruth’s Chris in Palm Springs for our first anniversary dinner, though the photo below is from when we visited the Albuquerque location.
Whenever I get a craving for it, no other restaurant even comes close to satisfying it.
Their trick is that they use their perfected broiling method and seasoning techniques, ensuring each cut of USDA Prime beef arrives cooked to perfection and sizzling on a 500ยฐ plate.
56. Mastro’s Steakhouse & Ocean Club
Locations: 633 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 or 7845 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92657
The Costa Mesa location is a Steakhouse, while the Corona Del Mar location is the Ocean Club.
The steaks here are 28 day wet-aged USDA Prime Steaks that are cooked in a 1,500-degree broiler and served sizzling hot with clarified butter on plates heated to 450 degrees.
Mastro’s sets itself apart from much of the other Orange County steakhouses by enforcing a strict upscale dress code.
Indulge in True A5 Kobe Beef, 100% Tajima Cattle from the Hyลgo Prefecture, known as The Most Exclusive Beef in the World.
Or enjoy Filet Mignon ranging from 6 oz to 8 oz to 12 oz, including the 12 oz Bone-In Filet Mignon.
Other steaks include the 16 oz NY Strip, 18 oz Bone-In Kansas City Strip, 22 oz Bone-In Ribeye, 33 oz Chef’s Cut Ribeye Chop, or the 24 oz Porterhouse.
57. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Locations: 1050 Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802 or 401 Newport Center Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660
We enjoy visiting Fleming’s when they have special promotional periods like their Taste of Summer 2 Course Menu, Surf & Turf Sunday 3 Course Menu, or their 3 Course For 2 Taste For “Twosday”.
Their classic cut steaks include an 11 oz Main Filet Mignon, 14 oz Certified Angus Beef Ribeye, and the 8 oz Petite Filet Mignon.
Specialty cuts include a 16 oz Prime NY Strip, 20 oz Prime Bone-In Ribeye, 16 oz Prime Dry Aged Ribeye, and the 35 oz Prime Tomahawk.
58. Morton’s The Steakhouse
Locations: 1895 Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802 or 1641 W Sunflower Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Morton’s is another Orange County steakhouse we like to visit when they have special promotional menus.
We’ve visited here for birthdays and anniversaries several times over the years.
I highly recommend joining the Landry’s Select Club when you visit so you can earn rewards and freebies on future visits here or any other Landry’s restaurant.
It’s $25 to join, but that $25 is immediately applied to your account as a welcome reward.
Then, each year on your birthday you’ll get another $25 reward to use at any Landry’s restaurant.
Whenever you dine at any of their locations you’ll earn more points that will be converted into rewards money.
59. The Cellar
Address: 305 North Harbor Boulevard, Fullerton, California 92832
The Cellar is located in Downtown Fullerton.
It’s been named OC’s Best Hidden Secret.
The restaurant may be a little hard to find, but it’s located in the basement of the former Historic Villa Del Sol.
They’ve been winning all kinds of awards for over 50 years.
The Cellar has been named OC’s Best Restaurant of the Year, Cocktail Bar, Romantic Restaurant, Ambiance, Wine Selection, Bartender, and more.
I recommend pre-gaming your dinner with some drinks and snacks at the bar.
We tried the red wine and the smoked old fashioned.
They are known for their lobster bisque and they also have a really good mac n cheese.
Once youโre seated at your table, I highly recommend the 10 oz filet mignon for dinner.
It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.
We like to share our meals, so this is what it looks like as a split plate.
Dinner also comes with a complimentary bread service.
They bring a combination of cheese bread, caramelized onion bread, and a traditional french roll.
You should definitely get the extra side of brussels sprouts, which also has bacon and maple syrup.
Now for dessert.
You have to get the chocolate soufflรฉ with the Grand Marnier sauce!
We were celebrating our anniversary when we ate here, so we also got a cute anniversary crรจme brรปlรฉe.
Best Mexican Restaurants
60. Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen
Address: 141 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866 (Old Towne Orange)
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen is one of only a few Michelin star Mexican restaurants in Southern California.
The location is perfect for a date night in Old Towne Orange.
I recommend their Chicken Mole, Enchiladas, and Sangria.
61. Ola Mexican Kitchen
Address: 21040 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit F200, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Ola Mexican Kitchen is located in the Pacific City shopping and dining center right on Huntington Beach.
Enjoy the ocean views while sipping on margaritas and eating all kinds of different tacos.
Plus enjoy the chips and salsa.
62. Pour Vida
We’ve been visiting Pour Vida since they were just a small shop in Downtown Anaheim in 2016 when I first moved here.
They are best known for their Anaheim Burger Taco which tastes like an In N Out burger was turned into a taco.
But I’ve honestly loved every taco I’ve tried because their homemade tortillas are just unlike any other.
They’ve since expanded their menu to have breakfast items, enchiladas, skillets, bowls, and more.
63. Revolucion Cantina
Revolucion Cantina has been serving authentic Mexican cuisine here for over 20 years.
This was one of the first restaurants I ever visited in Downtown Fullerton.
I highly recommend sharing one of their Wet Burritos.
Weekly specials include, CAFECITO from 8 am – 3 pm, weekday Happy Hours from 5 pm โ 7 pm, live Entertainment starting at 10 pm, Taco Tuesday, Mezcal Wednesday, Thursday EXTENDED Happy Hour from 5 pm – 9 pm and Sunday Brunch from 11 am – 3 pm.
64. Old Towne Jalapeรฑos Mexican Grille
Location: 154 N Glassell Street, Orange, CA 92866
Jalapeรฑos is a counter service restaurant in Old Towne Orange that serves all your favorite Mexican dishes.
Choose from tacos, quesadillas, burritos, taquitos, enchiladas, tortas, and more.
I highly recommend their daily lunch specials from 11 am โ 4 pm that are just $10 a plate!
We recently enjoyed a lunch here where we sampled a few different menu items including the Chicken Taquito Plate, Chile Verde Bowl, and Chicken Taco Salad.
What sets this place apart from many others is the quality of the meats in all the dishes.
We didnโt get any fatty or slimy pieces, which is so common in the more affordable restaurants.
65. Los Sanchez Mexican Restaurant
Address: 11906 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843
Los Sanchez is a popular locals spot for quick service Mexican food.
It’s even been named one of the best places to eat by the OC Register.
They have all the traditional dishes you’d expect at cheap, affordable prices for the whole family.
There’s great margaritas too.
66. Fred’s Mexican Cafe
Address: 300 Pacific Coast Hwy, Unit 201, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Fred’s is a popular spot in Huntington Beach just across the street from the pier.
It has great ocean views, great fajitas, and great margaritas.
This is another one of those restaurants we’ve been to numerous times but never seemed to take any photos.
67. Palapas Tacos
Address: 133 W Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832
Palapas Tacos can be found all over Instagram.
They are known for their famous Ramen Birria and their CaliQuesadilla.
We’ve tried both, as well as their flautas and tacos.
You really can’t go wrong with anything here.
It’s counter service, so the prices are cheaper than other area dine-in restaurants.
68. La Huasteca
Address: 6940 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA, 90621 (The Source OC)
La Huasteca is new Mexican restaurant at The Source shopping center in Buena Park.
I highly recommend their Chicken Mole and JP highly recommends their tacos.
It’s a big restaurant, so it’s great for larger family gatherings or groups.
69. Matador Cantina
Address: 111 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92832 (Downtown Fullerton)
Matador Cantina is an award winning Mexican restaurant in historic Downtown Fullerton.
This was one of the first places I ever went when I first moved to California back in 2016 and I swear their burritos were the size of a newborn baby!
They offer a variety of specials each day of the week, including weekend brunches.
70. El Farolito
Address: 201 S Bradford Ave, Placentia, CA 92870
El Farolito has been serving authentic Mexican food in Placentia since 1974.
They have a huge menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink options.
It’s casual, with reasonably priced dishes, mostly in the $10-$15 range.
71. Corazon Taste of Mexico
Address: 120 S Brea Blvd, Unit 106, Brea, CA 92821
This one is in Downtown Brea, which has tons of shops and restaurants.
We were most excited about their sangria and wine margarita flights!
We couldn’t decide on one so we got both.
In the “winearita” flight you get to sample the corazon, mango, and tamarindo winearitas.
They’re all made with agave wine.
For the sangria flight, you get a red, white, and pink sangria. I seriously loved them all.
For dinner, I just had flautas since literally everything on the menu was just covered in cilantro, which I don’t eat.
JP had enchiladas and a taco plate.
72. El Zarape
Location: 4197 Ball Road, Cypress, CA 90630
This is a very popular local, family owned Mexican restaurant in Cypress.
They have unique menu items like Chicken Mole Enchiladas and Chicken Chimi Flautas.
They are also known for the foot long burritos.
For special events you can get a 2, 3, 4, or 6 feet burrito.
These feed 8-20 people!
73. Mexico Lindo Y Que Rico
Location: 10962 Magnolia Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804
This is a cute little restaurant that is great for late night bites.
You can see them cooking the food right outside on the grill and their Birria Quesadilla is huge!
It took us 2 nights for the 2 of us to eat this thing.
They serve their tacos and quesadillas on handmade tortillas and they also have freshly made dessert options too.
74. Taqueria El Poblano
Location: 1210 S State College Blvd, Unit L, Anaheim, CA 92805
Some must try menu items are the Al Pastor Quesadilla and the Beef Taco de Birria and the Carne Asada Taco.
These 3 are the perfect amount for 2 people to share.
Best Breakfast Restaurants
75. Mamaโs On 39
Location: 21022 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Mama’s On 39 is a popular breakfast and brunch spot in Huntington Beach.
76. STACKED
Location: 7490 Edinger Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
STACKED is one of our favorite places in Huntington Beach for any meal.
The day before our wedding we took my family here for breakfast since it has a lot of indulgent dishes and build your own dishes.
They have build your own burgers, mac n cheese, salads, burritos, desserts, and more.
On this day I had a stack of pancakes with bananas, Nutella, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips.
77. The Night Owl
The Night Owl is a popular independent coffee shop.
It’s a great place for remote workers, those that are self employed, or for the local students to get some work done or get a little reading in.
They have teas and coffees, as well as pastries and other baked goods.
It’s the perfect place to grab a little snack while working or catching up with friends.
