Tapas Restaurants near Orange, CA

“So good 😊 5 stars definitely recommend“

“One of the secret gem in Orange. Delivering the finest Spanish and Italian cuisine. The cocktails and food are out of this world. Friendly service, and always on top of their game. .“

“Best dinner of my life?? I’m too tipsy because I got the wine pairing, but as far as I can remember, yes- best dinner of my life. The sushi was impeccable. The tempura was the best I ever had. The avocado tempura?? A sensual experience. I was SO disappointed to hear they’re closing down permanently by summer. You must try this place before we lose this chef to Spain.“

“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.“

“Excellent service, flavorful dish, and an incredible wine selection. The speak easy ambiance adds sophistication. Definitely a spot worth returning too. Cheers!“

“This is a restaurant you don’t want to miss!

Celebrated a birthday at Darkroom and honestly it was one of the most distinctive dining experiences we’ve had in Orange County.

The creativity, flavors, and energy of the place feel completely different from anything else in the OC.

I also love they offer a variety of NA options and mocktails. If they keep pushing at this level, a Michelin nomination would not surprise me at all.“

“Love the Brussels sprouts!!!“

“Small plates. Nice, cozy vibes. Everything you could ask for in an izakaya. :) My friend and I made reservations in advance and came to the restaurant on a Thursday night, which was decently busy. I really liked the warm lighting and ambiance of the restaurant. Our server, Carolyn, was really nice. She apologized that several of the things we had wanted to order were not on the menu due to popular demand. We ordered a decent spread of food, including salad, sushi, udon, chicken karaage, and bulgogi. Everything was pretty good. The workers wrote my friend's name on a placard on the table and even gave us free vanilla ice cream for his birthday! The total came out to $60 for both of us, with tip. Standard food, nothing spectacular. I'd come back for the good vibes (cool anime wall murals!) and maybe to try some other dishes.“

“house made cheese cake on the house!“

“Excellent restaurant the wine was amazing in the ceviche so delish thank you we will be back“

“This is my go to place afterwork with my colleagues! We love the food, ambience and to top it off , the owner is a Dodger fan so he always has the game on. They have a great happy hour. I need a place like this closer to home but till then, love coming here.“

“First night for dinner was AMAZING!! Food was on point!!! Second night…. Both our steaks were cold“

“The owner is very sweet, attentive and so polite she is fast and always ready for you when you order with a smile and the food is awesome and she makes my experience better. Since my first experience she has been amazing I come back even by myself and she is the best I definitely recommend this place to for dinner with the fam. Or friends!“

“😃Bonito lugar,muy rica comida,y bonito ambiente,muy buena atención.“

“The food is excellent - and I'm very picky about Mexican. The 3 of us all ordered very different entrees and shared the queso fundido. So so tasty and served with homemade flour tortillas. Thervice hoever, lacked just a tiny bit. Server didn't ask us if we wanted alcohol, and our dishes were not served all together. That was an awkward 5 minute gap. Lastly, asking us if we wanted more water was not asked, and the taking away of dishes meant i could not nibble on the balance of our queso. she was friendly enough and did bring out our dessert promptly. Definitely want to go back and try more dishes.“

“VACA offers another incredible experience. Their food is simply amazing, and the service is impeccable. The atmosphere is electric, making it a perfect place for a special occasion. I highly recommend making reservations, as it gets packed on weekends. The wine list is extensive and impressive, and the drinks are always top-notch.“

“We came on a busy weekend but we found a seat at the bar and we were attended too fairly quickly. We did the recommended wine tasting and we enjoyed each glass. I like the idea of pouring it into a tube to go with the theme but I do enjoy an extra pour when it’s poured by hand to be honest lol but it was a great vibe over all I would highly recommend stopping by for a tasting if you are in the area. Very affordable. Parking can be terrible but it’s worth supporting local businesses I say.“

“I sometimes stop by this bar after work — either to grab a drink or have dinner after picking up groceries. Great atmosphere, wide selection of drinks, and it’s very convenient being right inside the same building. Always a nice spot to relax for a bit.“

“I went to Europe for two weeks and my entire time there I ate at a lot of tapas places. The only way to describe those places is that they felt like home, they felt warm and places that after a busy and stressful day of work you just want to sit there, rest, replenish and build back the courage to get back to business. Element felt just like that. In the heart of Santa Ana, the heart of Orange County, this place allows you to slow down through the business of life and recharge, laugh, connect with the local community and get right back to it. You can enjoy some incredible food that is cooked with precision and by a chief that enjoys his craft, you can drink some cocktails that have been carefully crafted to suit your needs and you can enjoy a community that cares about you and is proud of their upbringing. If you want to feel at home, if you want to feel refreshed and want to get a taste of the European fun while being close to home, Element is the place to be.“

“100/10 would recommend!’ Amazing food and selection as well!“

“amazing atmosphere! the crowd at the bar is the best in orange county. beat prices in town, great community, all the Regulars make you feel welcome!“

“great place for dining....“

“Enjoyed delicious burgers and fries. They really were exceptional, great flavor and we loved the sauces for the fries. Had their brown sugar butter cake ala mode….cleaned the plate. Delicious adult beverages too!“

“Discovered this gem while on the search for lunch! Amazing sushi 🍣 sashimi options, and the tempura was fried to perfection (very crispy)! Also tried the non alcoholic Sapporo and it was light and foamy. Miso soup was okay! Loved the restaurant ambiance, very quiet and clean/nice decor, attentive and friendly servers (more upscale than a casual place). I think we found our new sushi 🍣 spot in Irvine 🥰 highly recommend!“

“amazing as always the best“

“We had an awesome time there. The bartender was great! She really made us feel at home.“

“Such nice service and delicious sushi, udon/soba, sake, yam fries, edamame and tempura! (pictured is the Tekka naki and Unagi and California , crunchy eel roll, and spicy tuna roll!“

“Filling and well prepared!“

“Beautiful rooftop establishment. My cousin's employer celebrated her
She turned 50. The view, food ,vibe,service was on point. It gets a little chily so dress warm and bring a jacket. There's a bar too. I'm not a drinker but from what I hear it's worth your money.“