I really enjoyed my first time at Vaca. The roasted cauliflower was incredible. I can't wait to have it again. The paellas are shareable. The restaurant gets really busy during happy hour. A lot of people stop by before walking over to Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Make sure to get there early or make a reservation.
Danielle C.
I've come here many times over the last 4 years, as recently as last month. The service, food and cocktails have consistently been EXCELLENT. My boyfriend and I are vegetarian. We've tried every veg dish and they're always amazing. Highest recommendations; pan con tomate and the vegetable paella. The cocktails are insanely good, highly recommend ordering from their signature menu. Have brought friends and family here, meat eaters and non, everyone always raves.
Dave D.
Amazing food and ambiance. Great cocktails as well. Excellent selection of aged meats and tasty seafood dishes. Perfect date night spot.
Richelle D.
Outstanding food, beverages and service. Every bite of everything we ordered was a food-gasim! We ordered the following: Red Sangria for both of us, best Sangria I have every had! Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese "bikini" sandwich (mini ham and cheese panini) Scallops - omg heaven in a bowl, with an amazing sauce Filet Mignon - cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth :) Churro's with chocolate for dessert - perfecet way to finish the meal We cant wait to come back, eerything was amazing!
David Brunette
We went to this restaurant on a recommendation from a family member. We rounded up to a 4 out of 5 but I think it was closer to 3.5 due to the flavor of the food and the atmosphere.The drinks were pretty delicious I must say. I had a royal tea which has gin and Brandy and it was absolutely amazing. The presentation was also really nice with a circular ice cube that had a flower inside of it. I also had a margarita which was very tasty as well. So the drinks were definitely on point.As far as the food, to me it was just a little disappointing for the price point they are at. We did have an appetizer of choosing three cheeses. All three cheeses didn't seem to have a lot of flavor and we're very similar to each other as well so pretty disappointing there.I had ordered the scallops and wagyu meatballs as well as a rare 8 oz filet. All of the food was cooked very well to my liking, however all three dishes lacked flavor and I had to add salt and pepper to all of them which was a little disappointing again considering the price point of all of them. The steak alone was 60 dollars and was just not seasoned at all. Even the sauces that food was laying on just didn't have flavor and tasted very bland. I will say every tapas dish did a good job of incorporating different textures which was really nice, just wish they had some flavor as well.The service was very well. Our waitress was extremely nice and was on top of everything. They brought us everything in a timely manner which was actually faster than we had thought. The food also came out very hot and seem to taste very fresh as well which was really nice to see.I do think the atmosphere was a little off as all the tables were very tight and very close to each other, just made it hard to get out sometimes to go to the bathroom or anything like that cuz you had to move the entire table and once they started filling up it got pretty loud and you just felt really close to the table next to you especially if they were talking loud or anything like that.Overall we did enjoy our experience, we were just a disappointed with the food or the lack of flavor on the food. I would definitely go back for drinks as they were unique and the bar had some really cool features and choices of drink there.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
David M.
Staff is good. Food is good. Drinks are tiny and sometimes all ice. Ambience is nice.
Naz N.
I've been to Vaca a few times. First time i went was during the its first year (2015) and was blown away. It was such an incredible experience and unique experience. Each time I've gone since the first I've become more and more disappointed. The menu is pretty much the same as it was nearly a decade ago and it's now fine but not exciting. Newer places have opened up with more exciting items at that price point so it's kind of useless going back to Vaca when I can have something more exciting elsewhere. The food quality is good. Service is good. Ambience is cool. Drinks are amazing. But is it worth going again probably not there other places I'd go. If they would spruce up the menu then I think I would go back but until then, no need to go.
Barbara S.
In my opinion, this was a five star evening. The ambience was great. Sitting outside on the back patio was lovely. Our servers Cat and Marco were excellent. My water glass was never empty. We had helped from Cat making choices on items to eat and how to spread out the meal. One tapas plate was better than the next. Hard to choose which was better. They were all amazing. There was only one glass of wine which was a Tempranillo and it was good. Now for the food, we started with five cheeses, manchego, Cabrales, Cabra, Al Romero, and Cana de Cabra. We then had the bikini sandwich, and Albondigas de Wagu which were unbelievable. Then for my favorite bone marrow. It was outstanding. We had the frisé put on the side not on top. And the brussels sprouts with the sherry. Gastreich and chorizo was excellent. It was my birthday, and they gave us a delicious butter cake, and we ordered churros with chocolate, which was great. I would recommend this to anybody!!
Simone P.
Fabulous!!!!!! Everything on the menu was sooooo good. Favorite restaurant in OC! The staff was also super helpful and nice.
Laurel G.
Pricey but delicious. Food is real good and service is friendly and fast. Ambiance is great.
I only go here once in a while because the menu items are a bit expensive, but when I do go, boy do I like to splurge. I enjoy how some of the menu items change seasonally, but some still remain the same due to their popularity (and rightfully so). I love to get 4-5 small plates to try and sometimes I get their seafood paella depending on who I'm with. I honestly forgot the actual names of each of the items, but I ordered a Vaca tonic, egg and uni toast, wagyu meatballs, steak and tuna tartare, albacore tataki, pork belly, and tres leches. I loved the meatballs and tartare the most. The tonic was quite strong this time around, so I'd say the way they make their drinks is inconsistent. The albacore and pork belly were a bit disappointing, as the albacore's sauce was too overwhelming and the pork belly was tough. I liked their uni and egg toast, but they skimped out on the uni this time around :/ Their tres leches was good; nothing that wowed me, but you can't go wrong with it. The waiters are always so hospitable and friendly!! I have no complaints with their service. They also seat me right away, even when I arrive earlier than my reservation times. I'm always a sucker for interior design so I really liked the layout of the restaurant. I do think it is a bit snug, as there's nowhere to really stand if you do need to wait for a table, but it only gets like that during weekend dinners. I definitely say it's worth going at least once (but don't be surprised when the bill comes out high). For the most part, their quality matches the price and I'd go back again.
Johnnie
Better than expected! So much flavor in every bite of everything!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Donatella Polizzi
Very conveniently located for when you go to the theatre. The paella con mariscos was good and beautifully presented. The jamon Serrano was not impressive and desserts need a bit more
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Taylor Tongate
I have been lucky enough to eat at Vaca a few times a year for the last few years. In that time, I’ve been able to sample a fairly large portion of their menu. Not once have I been disappointed. The amount of flavor found in each dish is amazing. There are tapas for every palate, the embutidos and quesos that are available are stunning, the paellas are perfect for sharing, and the steaks are out of this world!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trisha Markus
Excellent spot to try hidden in Costa Mesa. Lots of delicious tapas! We really like the lamb meatballs and the scallops!
I really enjoyed my first time at Vaca. The roasted cauliflower was incredible. I can't wait to have it again. The paellas are shareable. The restaurant gets really busy during happy hour. A lot of people stop by before walking over to Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Make sure to get there early or make a reservation.
I've come here many times over the last 4 years, as recently as last month. The service, food and cocktails have consistently been EXCELLENT. My boyfriend and I are vegetarian. We've tried every veg dish and they're always amazing. Highest recommendations; pan con tomate and the vegetable paella. The cocktails are insanely good, highly recommend ordering from their signature menu. Have brought friends and family here, meat eaters and non, everyone always raves.
Amazing food and ambiance. Great cocktails as well. Excellent selection of aged meats and tasty seafood dishes. Perfect date night spot.
Outstanding food, beverages and service. Every bite of everything we ordered was a food-gasim! We ordered the following: Red Sangria for both of us, best Sangria I have every had! Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese "bikini" sandwich (mini ham and cheese panini) Scallops - omg heaven in a bowl, with an amazing sauce Filet Mignon - cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth :) Churro's with chocolate for dessert - perfecet way to finish the meal We cant wait to come back, eerything was amazing!
We went to this restaurant on a recommendation from a family member. We rounded up to a 4 out of 5 but I think it was closer to 3.5 due to the flavor of the food and the atmosphere.The drinks were pretty delicious I must say. I had a royal tea which has gin and Brandy and it was absolutely amazing. The presentation was also really nice with a circular ice cube that had a flower inside of it. I also had a margarita which was very tasty as well. So the drinks were definitely on point.As far as the food, to me it was just a little disappointing for the price point they are at. We did have an appetizer of choosing three cheeses. All three cheeses didn't seem to have a lot of flavor and we're very similar to each other as well so pretty disappointing there.I had ordered the scallops and wagyu meatballs as well as a rare 8 oz filet. All of the food was cooked very well to my liking, however all three dishes lacked flavor and I had to add salt and pepper to all of them which was a little disappointing again considering the price point of all of them. The steak alone was 60 dollars and was just not seasoned at all. Even the sauces that food was laying on just didn't have flavor and tasted very bland. I will say every tapas dish did a good job of incorporating different textures which was really nice, just wish they had some flavor as well.The service was very well. Our waitress was extremely nice and was on top of everything. They brought us everything in a timely manner which was actually faster than we had thought. The food also came out very hot and seem to taste very fresh as well which was really nice to see.I do think the atmosphere was a little off as all the tables were very tight and very close to each other, just made it hard to get out sometimes to go to the bathroom or anything like that cuz you had to move the entire table and once they started filling up it got pretty loud and you just felt really close to the table next to you especially if they were talking loud or anything like that.Overall we did enjoy our experience, we were just a disappointed with the food or the lack of flavor on the food. I would definitely go back for drinks as they were unique and the bar had some really cool features and choices of drink there.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Staff is good. Food is good. Drinks are tiny and sometimes all ice. Ambience is nice.
I've been to Vaca a few times. First time i went was during the its first year (2015) and was blown away. It was such an incredible experience and unique experience. Each time I've gone since the first I've become more and more disappointed. The menu is pretty much the same as it was nearly a decade ago and it's now fine but not exciting. Newer places have opened up with more exciting items at that price point so it's kind of useless going back to Vaca when I can have something more exciting elsewhere. The food quality is good. Service is good. Ambience is cool. Drinks are amazing. But is it worth going again probably not there other places I'd go. If they would spruce up the menu then I think I would go back but until then, no need to go.
In my opinion, this was a five star evening. The ambience was great. Sitting outside on the back patio was lovely. Our servers Cat and Marco were excellent. My water glass was never empty. We had helped from Cat making choices on items to eat and how to spread out the meal. One tapas plate was better than the next. Hard to choose which was better. They were all amazing. There was only one glass of wine which was a Tempranillo and it was good. Now for the food, we started with five cheeses, manchego, Cabrales, Cabra, Al Romero, and Cana de Cabra. We then had the bikini sandwich, and Albondigas de Wagu which were unbelievable. Then for my favorite bone marrow. It was outstanding. We had the frisé put on the side not on top. And the brussels sprouts with the sherry. Gastreich and chorizo was excellent. It was my birthday, and they gave us a delicious butter cake, and we ordered churros with chocolate, which was great. I would recommend this to anybody!!
Fabulous!!!!!! Everything on the menu was sooooo good. Favorite restaurant in OC! The staff was also super helpful and nice.
Pricey but delicious. Food is real good and service is friendly and fast. Ambiance is great.
Restaurantji Recommends
I only go here once in a while because the menu items are a bit expensive, but when I do go, boy do I like to splurge. I enjoy how some of the menu items change seasonally, but some still remain the same due to their popularity (and rightfully so). I love to get 4-5 small plates to try and sometimes I get their seafood paella depending on who I'm with. I honestly forgot the actual names of each of the items, but I ordered a Vaca tonic, egg and uni toast, wagyu meatballs, steak and tuna tartare, albacore tataki, pork belly, and tres leches. I loved the meatballs and tartare the most. The tonic was quite strong this time around, so I'd say the way they make their drinks is inconsistent. The albacore and pork belly were a bit disappointing, as the albacore's sauce was too overwhelming and the pork belly was tough. I liked their uni and egg toast, but they skimped out on the uni this time around :/ Their tres leches was good; nothing that wowed me, but you can't go wrong with it. The waiters are always so hospitable and friendly!! I have no complaints with their service. They also seat me right away, even when I arrive earlier than my reservation times. I'm always a sucker for interior design so I really liked the layout of the restaurant. I do think it is a bit snug, as there's nowhere to really stand if you do need to wait for a table, but it only gets like that during weekend dinners. I definitely say it's worth going at least once (but don't be surprised when the bill comes out high). For the most part, their quality matches the price and I'd go back again.
Better than expected! So much flavor in every bite of everything!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very conveniently located for when you go to the theatre. The paella con mariscos was good and beautifully presented. The jamon Serrano was not impressive and desserts need a bit more
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
I have been lucky enough to eat at Vaca a few times a year for the last few years. In that time, I’ve been able to sample a fairly large portion of their menu. Not once have I been disappointed. The amount of flavor found in each dish is amazing. There are tapas for every palate, the embutidos and quesos that are available are stunning, the paellas are perfect for sharing, and the steaks are out of this world!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent spot to try hidden in Costa Mesa. Lots of delicious tapas! We really like the lamb meatballs and the scallops!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5