The 8 Best Birthday Restaurants in Orange County (2024)
Looking to find the best birthday restaurants in Orange County? We’ve got you covered with all of our favorites.
Whether you’re a local or just visiting, there are so many great ways to celebrate your birthday in Orange County.
Orange County is home to some phenomenal, award-winning restaurants and some hidden gems that we love to visit.
Every restaurant we’ve featured on this list is worthy for celebrating such a monumental occasion.
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Best Birthday Restaurants in Orange County
Here are all of our favorite restaurants in Orange County that are perfect for celebrating a birthday.
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.
Every dish is artfully prepared by the chef (and I really mean it).
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. The FIFTH Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Location: 1650 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802
The FIFTH is located just across the street from Disneyland and is a great place to enjoy nightly fireworks shows since you’re on the rooftop.
They are open only in the evenings after 5 pm.
If you want to do a little more than just a nice night out with dinner and drinks, you can even rent out portions of the rooftop for a party.
It’s a great option for 21st birthdays.
Their menu has a little bit of everything from burgers to sandwiches to pastas to flatbreads to tacos and more.
During happy hour on Tuesday-Thursday from 5-7 pm you can get drinks for $6-$8 and appetizers for $10.
3. Habana
Location: (The Lab Anti-Mall) 2930 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 and (Irvine Spectrum) 708 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618
Habana is open for lunch, dinner, and late nights, as well as brunch on weekends.
To enjoy this Cuban restaurant for your special birthday celebration, you’ll want to make a reservation.
For parties of 15+, you can book out semi-private and private dining options in the restaurant.
With this option you’ll enjoy a prix-fixe 3 course menu.
4. The Blind Rabbit
Location: 440 S Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim Packing District, Anaheim, CA
The Blind Rabbit is Anaheim’s First Speakeasy, located in the Packing House.
Reservations are required and can be made up to 14 days in advance and everyone must be 21+.
Groups are limited to 6 people or less.
There is usually a dress code and at the time of writing this it is not currently being enforced, but check back with their website to double check before you go.
The Blind Rabbit is open Sunday-Tuesday from 5-10 pm and Wednesday-Saturday from 5-11 pm.
There are a few house rules if you want to visit.
Enter through the sake barrels and exit through the book case.
No phone calls and no flash photography.
You get 90 minutes to experience this speakeasy before you have to make room for the next guest.
If your birthday is near Halloween, they do a special menu for Halloween time!
5. 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 yet 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.
6. The Cliff Restaurant
Location: 577 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Enjoy an oceanfront birthday dining experience for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Check out happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm.
The Cliff also offers seasonal menu items and regularly offers specials.
Most evenings they also have live music at the bar and fire pits.
7. 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!
8. 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!
More Amazing Dining Experiences in Orange County
I will add more to this list over time, but for now here are some of the other more unique dining experiences in Orange County.
➡️ Best Romantic Restaurants in Orange County
Going on a first date?
Celebrating an anniversary?
Just want to get out for a nice dinner?
These are the best romantic restaurants in Orange County for all of these occasions.
➡️ Best Italian Restaurants in Orange County
From super upscale fine dining to casually family restaurants, there are a ton of great Italian restaurants all over Orange County to try on your next visit.
➡️ Best Restaurants in Orange County With a View
Ocean views and mountain views can be found all over Orange County.
These are the best ones with the best restaurants.
➡️ Best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County
From road side taco trucks to upscale fine dining, Orange County has some of the best Mexican food you can find outside of Mexico.
Fun Things To Do in Orange County For Your Birthday
While you’re already in Orange County for your birthday meal, why not check out some of the fun activities in the area too!
➡️ Knott’s Berry Farm One Day Itinerary
Knott’s Berry Farm is America’s 1st Theme Park and is located in Buena Park, California.
It’s theming highlights California’s Western/Gold Mining days, beach boardwalks, and more.
➡️ Unforgettable Weekend Getaways in Orange County
Why not enjoy a whole weekend getaway in Orange County for your birthday?
These itineraries have something for everybody.
➡️ Best Night Views in Orange County
After your birthday dinner, check out some of these iconic sunset spots throughout Orange County.
➡️ Best Hidden Gems in Orange County
Spend your birthday exploring some hidden gems throughout Orange County.
From the beaches, to the mountains, to the cities, there are a ton of cool things to do here that most people don’t even know about.
What is Orange County Most Known For?
Orange County is home to the Disneyland Resort, the original Disney theme park built by Walt Disney over 65 years ago.
But that’s not the only theme park in Orange County!
Knott’s Berry Farm is also here and is known for being America’s 1st theme park.
Orange County is also known for being one of the wealthier counties in California.
South Coast Plaza is a popular mall here that generates more revenue than just about any shopping center in America.
Additionally, nearby Irvine is known as the financial and business hub of the county.
If you’re not from here, you probably first learned about this area from shows like The OC or The Real Housewives of Orange County.
However, there are also many laid back beach destinations like Huntington Beach – Surf City USA!
These beach destinations such as Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach are also great areas for dolphin and whale watching excursions.
Orange County also has some historical spots such as Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in 1776, as part of the famous California Mission Trail.
How To Get Around Orange County
Driving is really the best way to get around Orange County.
If you’re staying in the touristy areas you can get away with riding the ART (Anaheim Resort Transportation) buses between Disneyland, neighboring hotels, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the nearby Amtrak train station.
But outside of that you’ll need a car.
Uber and Lyft are very popular here if you don’t want to rent a car or are unable to rent a car.
You usually don’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for a ride.
But Orange County is pretty large, so depending on where you’re trying to go, your ride could get expensive.
Especially with traffic, it can take more than an hour to get to Dana Point from the more northern corners of Orange County like Anaheim.
Speaking of traffic, it is crazy here almost at all times.
You should definitely use a GPS even if you know where you’re going because roads are constantly being closed due to accidents, high speed chases, construction, and more.
If you’re flying in, the closest airport is SNA, also known as the Santa Ana Airport, John Wayne Airport, or Orange County Airport.
From here, you can get roundtrip transfers from and to the airport when you’re staying in the Anaheim Resort District area of Orange County.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Roundtrip Airport Transfer Today!
Conclusion: Best Birthday Restaurants in Orange County
Like I said, Orange County is a great place to celebrate a birthday whether you’re a local or you’re just in town for a getaway.
These are the best birthday restaurants in Orange County to get a unique experience.
