And for good reason. Must order: Vanilla-bean short rib tacos. Theres an outlet in Fountain Valley as well. We recommend the Good Morning Sammie, the Hot Chick or their take on an all-plant poke bowl. Add the poached eggs, English muffin, and crispy hash browns into the mix and you get the perfect meal. Its that spicy. When you pull off the freeway and swerve down the hill toward San Juan Capistranos historic core, roll down your windows. Its impossible to overstate the importance of chopping papaya by hand, then pounding it in a mortar rather than just grating it and tossing it in a bowl the way most restaurants do. Take a deep breath and appreciate the heady aroma of meat sizzling and smoldering over the fire. Also great: shrimp aguachile and chicken enchiladas in salsa verde. 28719 Los Alisos Blvd., Mission Viejo, 949-380-7261, piccolinomv.com . Bloom now also serves brunch. 821 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim, 657-201-3043,instagram.com/tacosloscholos_(additional location in Fullerton) , The velvet banquettes, the custom wallpaper, the teak wood carvings and hand-stenciled cement floors, plus truly beautiful china and serving wares: Hanuman in Costa Mesa is easily the prettiest Thai restaurant in OC. It feels almost illegal. The BBQ Pork Buns are world-famous for a reason. Chef Atsushi Yokoyama isnt much of a talker. The Best Restaurants In Orange County, California 18798 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, 714-593-8393, tsuruhashirestaurant.com , After more than a decade as head chef at Antonello in Costa Mesa, chef Luigi Gino Buonanoce now performs a one-man show in the tiny kitchen of Mazara Trattoria, a charming 40-seat cafe tucked into a run-down strip mall in Huntington Beach. Best trendy restaurant near me in Orange County, California Sort:Recommended Offers Delivery Offers Takeout Reservations Coat Check Valet Parking 1. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Lunch offers the chance for speedier service and sides beyond ramen like karaage, furikake fries, and rice bowls. This whimsical restaurant is as elegant as Audrey Hepburn herself, offering delicate and delicious small bites that are almost too pretty to eat. What are people saying about new trendy restaurants in Orange County, CA? The 10 Best Bars In Orange County For 2022 - Van Life Wanderer Start with some smoked salmon or one of their delicious salads, followed by a delicately seared steak and finish up with a couple sinful spoonfuls of their salted caramel budino. Located in Irvine, this dining establishment is one of the best restaurants downtown that serves incredible southern coastal fare in a stylish environment. During a virus spike. What's a good place to have a birthday dinner? What are people saying about american (new) restaurants in Orange County, CA? Let me start off by saying I have never been to Catalina nor have I ever Zip linedmore, American (New)Breakfast & BrunchCocktail Bars$$, Ambiance: Casual, Hip, but not Hipster Hip, Meetings Over Whiskey Vibes - - It's like a Southernmore, The interior is hip with a center bar, patio seating and fire pits.more, A friend whose band plays here is the person who hipped me to its exisistance.more, First we noticed the music which gave it a really hip vibevery cool old school hip hop songs camemore, Best Ambiance in town, upscale hip good vibes for a nice dinner or a night out, ridiculouslymore, Trendy, outdoor seating restaurant. To be honest we didn't know what to expect and when we got to themore. The Inconvenience Store offers the curious passerby anything from dried plants to funky pottery. That being said, when I find some place that serves me a 5 star meal and I write about it, you have to know that is high praise since I seldom give them out. Meanwhile, the Chefs Table at Bello is an intimate six-seat counter overlooking the kitchen where chef Zach Scherer hosts an all-inclusive 12-course tasting menu. "Delicious wines, excellent service and comfortable outdoor seating in Laguna Beach. After all, South Coast Plaza lured this upscale dim sum restaurant from Singapore, one can assume, to alleviate pressure off Din Tai Fung (at the other end of the mall) where wait times had become unbearable. Ramen spot in in Collage at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza featuring a prawn and pork bone-based broth. Trader Sam's Anyone booked in to a vacation at Disneyland shouldn't write it off as a kids' holiday. The menu is omakase only, but there are several themes to choose from with additional la carte sushi available if youre not full after eight courses, some cooked, some raw. It is something that must be lived and breathed, and rare is the band of hardcore believers who come together to create something as special as this. Ratings continue to reflect my overall reaction to food, service and ambience, all of which inform our decisions about where to eat. Heres How Were Celebrating This Year, From Breweries to Boats, You and Your Pup Will Love These Destinations, Its Your Time to Bloom! Best trendy hipster restaurants near me in Orange County, CA Sort:Recommended Offers Delivery Offers Takeout Reservations Takes Reservations No Smoking 1. Star ratings continue to be based on multiple visits except on the very rare occasion when a single visit allows me to eat everything on the menu. Pizza, pasta, primal cutsoh my! Add the Utah-inspired bourbon fry sauce and the dish is just divine. Bonus: The wine list is so affordably priced, you would be stupid to not nab a full bottle. Must order: costilla de res. .nevermore, This is the best Jersey Mike's! Its sometimes hard to distinguish between all the curries, and I think sometimes the cooks dont even know, but every one Ive tried has been delicious. And while the kitchen here is still very new (opened in April), it is already very good: spicy peel-and-eat shrimp, wood-grilled octopus and wagyu skirt steak, short rib barbacoa and massive slices of tres leches cake. The restaurant's down-home fare and unparalleled hospitality is definitely worth the Uber drive. Its a playground with everything from scoops to slurps and sips. Copyright Family Destinations Guide 2023. Order one of their delicious meals, like the Loco Moco Burger, for when you need something to soak up all the rum. . The drinks are average, nothing special in spite of the fancy mixology. The bar pours more than 60 wines by the glass. This OC spot will make you feel like a kid in a candy store (but the cocktails from Rodeo Bar will definitely remind you that its good to be an adult!). Working alone behind the chefs counter, he quietly, meticulously, shyly prepares an intricate 10-course omakase for no more than 10 or 12 diners at a time. Must order: Beef tartare with charred garlic salsa and smoked black-pepper aioli, and a spicy tamarind mezcal cocktail. The stylish colorful chairs and pop art here and there, however, give the place that edgy vibe your visual sense will appreciate. But 40 miles south lies a place where boardshorts and burritos thrive; a land so great that theyve made shows about it and spinoffs of those shows and spinoffs of those spinoffsa land called Orange County. Ok. I Was staying at a nearby hotel and wanted a quick dinner and drinks date night. The retrospective menu gathers all the classics: tostones (smashed, fried plantains), ropa vieja (braised beef), lechon asado (slow-roasted pork), media noche (grilled ham sandwich). 10836 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, 714-516-8121, gemdining.com , Chef Susumu Iis Osaka-inspired sushi restaurant is supremely elegant, as well it should be because its also very expensive. Drink Like Your Favorite Hollywood Icons at These 8 Boutique Hotel Bars in Palm Springs, 10 Ways to Spring Break as a 30-Something in SoCal, Noelle Dahl, Timothy Kwon and Katie Oswald. Ok. But not at chef Blake Mellgrens casual California bistro. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., 3rd floor, Costa Mesa, 714-266-3388, knifepleat.com , Bello is two restaurants in one, working out of the same kitchen, sharing the same bar and staff. The menu draws inspiration from ceremonial kaiseki, which marries centuries-old techniques with natures ever-evolving micro seasons. Thats how I feel about chef Gino Chois 10-seat, almost-impossible-to-get-into sushi bar, which has matured dramatically in very short order. Must order: Spicy Salame pizza with ricotta, green olives and pickled hot peppers. Do I want a 2-pound, 50-day-dry-aged ribeye steak cooked over the wood-burning grill? Youve been here before, havent you? shell say. 216 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, 949-429-1199, brickpizzeria.com , Its not just Sols upscale Mexican menu that draws inspiration from Los Cabos, its the atmosphere, too. Anyone who has ever looked down on chicken livers has obviously never tasted Santanas, which he sears like foie gras and serves over melted leeks and date puree. The menu is very limited, inspired by the farmhouse cooking of Campania: rigatoni with wild boar ragu, vegetable lasagna, agnolotti with ricotta and truffles, a very simple octopus salad Must order: Let the chef take charge and create a surprise five-course tasting menu. The fried calamari is exactly what youve been craving. Technically not within the city limits of Orlando, Ethos Vegan Kitchen can be found just north in the town of Winter Park. From cutesy coffee shops to cutting-edge culinary experiences, here are 10 places to take your cool friend from LA that are sure to leave a great impression. Porch & Swing 417 American (New) Cocktail Bars This is a placeholder Good for Dinner "Food is excellent but their customer service is the worse. This OC spot will make you feel like a kid in a candy store (but the cocktails from Rodeo Bar will definitely remind you that its good to be an adult!). 896 Spectrum Center Dr., Irvine, 949-800-8798, dinelittlesister.com , Hockey legend Teemu Selannes contemporary steakhouse occupies a 1930s two-story house on South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, and there are several very different places to dine on the premises. Instead of meat, the burrito has eggs as its filling. Yelp. . We made a reservation three weeks before Mother's day. Its worth the wait. Put all of that together with a small amount of your own labor and youve got the worlds most exquisite carne asada taco. Featuring a romantic candlelit vibe, this restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a fireside meal and a pitcher of sangria with friends. This strip mall ramen and izakaya specialist from the Kei Concepts team is turning out some of Orange Countys most flavorful new food especially the creamy, coconut milk-infused seafood laksa ramen. Location: 3333 Bear St #316 Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (657) 231-6447. No other restaurant in OC embodies that luxury resort lifestyle better than this newest location of Sol in Irvine. The pics looked and I overlooked the so so reviews. Didn't have dessert but would love to come back just for that!". Recommended Hotel Nearby: Ayres Hotel Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley, 3333 S Bristol StOrange County, CA 92626(714) 266-3388. Thats when pastry chef Germain Biotteau steps into the spotlight and, in lieu of lunch, the restaurant offers afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and a procession of exquisite desserts. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Balboa Bay Resort, Related: Best Things to Do in Orange County, Also See:Restaurants in Oxnard, CaliforniaRestaurants in Palm Desert, CaliforniaBest Restaurants in Paso Robles, 3441 Via LidoOrange County, CA 92663(949) 409-9913. Its hard to imagine better pancakes than the ones served here at Sunday brunch, drizzled with burnt piloncillo syrup. The filet mignon truffle soaked in exquisite peppercorn sauce will give you that amazing fusion of flavors in your mouth with every bite. Ive gotten close, but I look at restaurants here the same way I look at restaurants in Los Angeles or San Francisco, New York, London, Tokyo, Paris Ive enjoyed four-star experiences over the years at the likes of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Addison in San Diego, Lung King Heen in Hong Kong, Pujol in Mexico City, Il Palagio in Florence We have nothing like that here, but it doesnt mean we never will, so Im not going to grade on a curve. Photograph: Courtesy March Moderne. But what most dont realize is that this modern offshoot from the same family uses the same Vietnamese recipes, and the line to get in is usually much shorter, especially now that they have expanded into the adjoining space. The martinis are always cold, and the service top notch. Can't wait to visit againmore, The views are unmatched at Parkestry! Get your seafood fix with the Maine Lobster. Its a conversation without words. 1- ambiance Very trendy but loud!more, Breakfast & BrunchSeafoodAmerican (Traditional)$$, The restaurant is very trendy and cute, comfy benches with pillows around the windows, and a lovelymore, Trendy but nice. Oops. Its my job to help readers find great places to eat. 3321 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 714-714-0662, butchershouse.com , Tucked into a shoebox-sized space at The Camp, Folks has quickly become one of the best pizzerias in OC. Zagat calls it a trendy spot with . They are trying to be trendy but totally miss the mark. Best trendy dinner near me in Orange County, California, Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional), Pancakes, Desperately need quiet, upscale, "nice dinner out" suggestions. The extensive menu covers appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizza, pasta, main dishes, desserts, and . No reservations. Imagine sitting on elegant wooden chairs with stylish traditional lamps hanging from gorgeous wooden ceilings. Dont forget to taste that amazing Mozzarella Cheese Sandwich. Lunch offers the chance for speedier service and sides beyond ramen like karaage, furikake fries, and rice bowls. Itll be one of the best you drink this year. Youll want to order wine, and youll need her guidance because most of the labels on her list ring unfamiliar to even the most prolific wine drinkers. The spicy flavors of the salted and fermented vegetables mix well with the creamy taste of the meat covered in panko bread crumbs. Youll feel better immediately. My friend loved his enchiladas. The restaurant has more than doubled in size thanks to extended outdoor dining. All that, plus truly great cocktails. As most others have stated, their brussel sprouts really are a must! The gateway menu items are the Fully Loaded Lox sandwich with cured salmon, sprouts, and capers, and the O.G. "Solstice's menu is driven by nutrient-rich . With that organic strawberry filling, youll have an even sweeter experience, in the literal sense. After your meal, go dance to your hearts content during Habana Nights for the win. There is a distinct, immediate and unmissable joie de vivre that radiates from every corner of Florent and Amelia Marneaus glamorous French bistro. Whether seated on the patio surrounded by sunshine and butterflies or indoors among the velvet settees, linen chairs and freshly cut flowers, theres an ease to eating here that belies the restaurants lofty prices. Porch & Swing is it. This family-owned restaurant in Anaheim is famous among locals and tourists for its authentic Italian dishes served in rustic elegant surroundings. Look at those football-size hunks of picanha, those ribeyes as big as tennis rackets, those whole chickens strung together like Christmas garland, those racks of beef ribs the size of carry-on suitcases. 10130 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, 657-233-5859, thaiavenuegardengrove.com , Good news, bad news: The expansive tented patio, a helpful byproduct of the pandemic, is still in use and has more than tripled the capacity of this previously tiny osteria, making it much easier to get in. Delicious, hipster and spendy is Benchmark. They do not require silk cushions and crystal stemware, but comfort andprofessionalism are taken into account. Thank you Leslie for recommending your restaurant!more, Thank you Giai for the best service. Must order: Cube-cut Kobe wagyu, plus a scoop of ice cream drizzled with coconut milk. Orange County, CA 92832 (714) 853-1081 Built in 2020, this restaurant in Fullerton is one of the best places to eat in Orange County if you're looking for dishes with authentic flavors from Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy.