New American Restaurants in Costa Mesa, CA

“We stopped by Lemon & Thyme on a whim after our daughter’s swim lesson, and I’m so glad we did. From the moment we walked in, our server, who I believe may have been the owner, was one of the most warm, vivacious people I’ve ever met. He greeted us with the biggest smile and gave us the kind of service that instantly makes you feel at home.

He made us feel so welcomed, like we were family. The level of thoughtfulness was above and beyond,he even brought out extra treats like french fries and ice cream for our toddler, which absolutely made her night. It’s rare to experience that kind of genuine hospitality.

And the food? Incredible. The spicy rigatoni was easily one of the best I’ve had in a very long time. I added shrimp to it and… chef’s kiss. It was rich, flavorful, perfectly spicy. honestly one of the best meals I’ve had since moving to SoCal. My husband ordered the salmon and that was just as delicious.

Between the amazing food and the unforgettable service, this place really left an impression. I already know I’ll be back, next time for a little bestie dinner date. This might officially be my new go to spot for rigatoni, and I can’t wait to come back and try more of the menu.“

“I love this restaurant. It's has a warm and inviting ambience. It's a favorite go-to lunch place for friends or business meetings. I mostly go there for lunch but it is also is a good place to go before attending the theater across the the street. This is not fancy French or foodie dining. The dishes are simple but always flavorful, healthy and perfectly executed. I would say it's upscale, but not a pricey, fancy restaurant. It used to be that reservations were a must, but lately that doesn't seem to be the case unless it's holiday time.“

“Have been a very satisfied regular @EatChow CM for several years. The menu varies seasonally, selections are plated attractively & are always delicious; love the fried green tomatoes😋. Eric & his crew are cordial with the right balance of attentiveness. Undoubtedly authentic, consistently never fails to please & a local, late night favorite🧘🏻‍♀️“

“Updated review, in all fairness!

So my last review was 3 stars 🌟 because it was not a positive experience, bad service etc... but giving it another chance I've gone back with friends 3-4 times in the past 2 months, had to see if it was a trend in anomaly. I'm happy to say that the service has been great, even greated at the front door, and a thank you on the way out, the food was great, came during Happy Hour and portions are the same, no games! No short order kinda deal, place was packed and food was great! Ill be back for sure and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND“

“Amazing food and atmosphere. We sat at the bar and have to give our bartender/waiter Jake a huge shout out. He was the best! Definitely going back again.“

“Stopped in at Social in Costa Mesa while spending a weekend down in Orange County, and I’m so glad we did. I’d heard great things from friends, and this place definitely didn’t disappoint. The food was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was spot-on, and the service was just as good.

It wasn’t too busy when we arrived—probably because it’s Christmas season and everyone’s out shopping—so we got in right before the lunch crowd. I heard it was packed the night before, and I can see why. Everything we tried was top-notch.“

“The Duck Confit Spliff is a great representation of the Vietnamese & French cultures “wrapped” up all in one dish. And for a more traditional & fun way to eat it, you definitely have to use your hands. My only wish was for a little more duck in the spliff.

With the Ebelskivers, the concept was again brilliant. The garlic emulsion creates an intense garlic flavor but in a light and airy way. But like takoyaki, I wish there was more escargot in the batter to remind me more of that chewy feel from the traditional dish.

The surprise star of our meal was the Royale with Cheese. The wagyu had great flavor and char. And the sesame seed bun held up well for this napkin-required burger. But those pickles were amazing nuggets of necessity to add balancing acidity to the richness of the dish.

We definitely want to try the Duck Breast, the Spanish Octopus, and the Prix Fixe Meal on future visits. A final thanks to Chef & Curtis for the friendly service and explanation of the menu.“

“Take your baddie here! I’m serious. This place is awesome for a date. There’s boba, ramen, mochinuts, K-food…and did I mention BOBA??? If you want a chance at that second date, The Collage is the place to go. Don’t trust me? Ask Tiffany and Chelsea!“

“I have been to the Sessions in Newport beach a few times and I love everything about the place, great food, great service, and the owner greeted me personally! I would 100% recommend this place for a great family meal!“

“Fantastic service with very a friendly and attentive staff.
Went for my son's birthday as he was craving shawarma. He got the lamb and his girlfriend got the beef shawarma. Both of them said it was very tasty.

I had the chicken curry stew and have leftovers. It came with a Greek green salad and basmati rice. So delicious and such deep flavors.

We'd come back again for sure and since my son and his girlfriend live in the area, they are adding it to their spots too.

Highly recommend it.“

“Love the Brussels sprouts!!!“

“Amazingly wholesome food. I came across this local business and it was so well prepared, you could taste the love and care that goes into their meals. I spoke with the owner as I was waiting for my food and you can tell that he really cares about his customers and preparing quality food. They cater too! If you are staying at the Hilton, you must try out this place!“

“Tremendous meal, first timers. Although they had a multi course Valentines menu that evening, we wanted to explore more of the menu. Three of us, one being my 83 year old mother-in-law, had 5 appetizers and salad, and three entrees. Hit it out of the park on everything. We had the charred cabbage, broiled marinated carrots, short rib chili(killer), beet and feta cheese salad, and house made olive oil bread and whipped butter. Every dish great attention to detail, delicious and varied saucing. We could have stopped there, but we continued on to the trout, hangar steak, and 12 oz pork chop. The sauce on that baby was tremendous, and I’m currently finishing the left overs in my hotel room for breakfast covered in that remarkable sauce. Service was spot on, timing was appropriately spaced out. Definitely put Verde on your map.“

“The cheeseburger was AMAZING!!!“

“Absolutely love Fuelbar! The meals are consistently delicious, fresh, and full of flavor—and I’m genuinely shocked they’ve managed to get me to eat sweet potatoes. The rotating weekly menu is a game changer; it keeps things exciting and prevents that dreaded meal fatigue. Everything is so easy too—just heat it in the microwave and enjoy. FuelBar has made healthy eating not only convenient but something I actually look forward to. Highly recommend!“

“Great food !! Had no chance to take a picture of the food but I got the chipotle rice bowl! Delicious, big portions. Dad got the pull pork he said it was yummy ! The desserts were AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! Will definitely be back out next trip to Cali. You will also see the owner greet every table, I think that’s amazing! Makes you feel well taken care of. Thank you !“

“Absolutely amazing burritos“

“delicious food. all fresh ingredients. reasonable prices. outside dining is a beautiful courtyard with a fountain centerpiece - a tranquil oasis. the wait staff makes me feel welcome and at home. I have severe food allergies and the chef has been very accommodating.“

“I was Absolutely impressed by the tasty food here. I went with the fish tacos and the crab cake. I must say one of the best crab cakes I’ve ever had, and the fish tacos were great too. Also the price is very reasonable.Stayed for the night and what a convenient restaurant. Exited to stay again and most certainly try more of the menu.“

“Great so fun very accomidating for large parties nice on the water view and great appetizers Sara Alex amazing jeri hawkins wonderful and so many friends valet Parker didn’t want to get out of my car he was so funny“

“Enjoyed a side of breakfast sausages and bacon. Sausages were a good size and had a little spice/pepper... Just the right amount. Bacon was crispy & nice and salty.Ordered both at the aMuse restaurant inside the Marriott, but cost wise it's better to pay for the buffet (which is in a separate room). The only downside for the buffet is the sausage/bacon/ham rotates each day.Nice service, clean and bright space.“

“Hands down one of the best service experiences we’ve had in a long time—thanks to Max! From the moment we sat down, he was attentive, friendly, and genuinely cared about making our experience great. He knew the menu inside and out, gave excellent recommendations, and checked in just the right amount without ever being intrusive.

You can tell Max takes pride in what he does. His positive energy, professionalism, and attention to detail truly elevated our meal. Great service like this is hard to find, and Max absolutely nailed it. We’ll definitely be back and will be asking for him again!“

“Nice little bistro. Food was surprisingly good. Portions on the small side. Goat cheese toast was incredible. Pizzas felt slightly underbaked. Service was slow but friendly. Tap water here had a heavy chlorine taste to it. Not the cheapest menu but interesting dishes. Will be back.“

“Great place to watch the games good food“

“We always eat here before the theatre. Food is great, service is great, and very convenient. I like dining and then walking over to the theatre.“

“Okay, I thought this was one of this joints where you order “Xtra Crack” in the comments and you get some smoking crack. Imagine my disappointment when I opened my bag and all I had was delicious chicken, fries and amazing coleslaw. Honestly though, I think that chicken has smoking crack in it cause I just finished eating and I’m already itching for some more…. Maybe you could help a fella out and get me some chicken? Come on man! Please?!?!?“

“We came to conquer the giant cinnamon roll and were bested, unfortunately. My mother-in-law got the biscuits and gravy, albeit not recommended in somewhere like where Plum's Cafe does business, but she got it none-the-less. Biscuit was hard, which would've been fine if they had actually put any gravy on the plate. There was such a small amount of gravy, which also had no flavor, that it made spending more than $20 on it completely not worth it. Season your gravy and give people enough to actually make their biscuit edible, please.
The atmosphere was obviously loud since we went on a Sunday morning, we sat outside and it did seem quieter when we were in the midst of the noise, which could be great seating placement or just a happy accident.“

“Great place for a quiet lunch. Attentive service and good recommendations for wine“

“Can’t wait to come back try other things on this fantastic menu!“