39 Best American Restaurants in Santa Ana

“Food And Service is always outstanding. One of my favorites here is the hot turkey sandwich. Everyone here is always friendly and very attentive.“

“vegetavle beef soup and house salad was good“

“great place for dining....“

“Ian came back for sure , I loved this restaurant. Grate servicios, very clean.“

“I couldn’t wait to share our experience at Benchmark restaurant in Santa Ana California. Everything about this place is perfection! It was a hot day, but the beautiful outdoor dining area was cool and breezy underneath the beautiful trees. Our waitress was knowledgeable, wonderfully friendly, and attended to all our needs. Each of us ordered a different item on the menu and I had to taste everything. I had the Spanish omelette, which was delicious, the burger seems like a very popular item understandably because that along with the delicious fries was exceptional. Enchiladas with mole were a wonderful treat, and the French toast was probably the hit of the table. This wonderful brunch dish was not exceptionally sweet, which made it so perfect. Some places just overdo it with the sweetness. We will definitely be going back many times to tryout dinners and more of the selections on all of the menus. I will also be spreading the word because this is probably my favorite place in Orange County now. Thank you Benchmark for a fantastic experience!“

“The menu shifted with the night, but standouts were the sticky pork belly and a vibrant vegetable plate that balanced richness with freshness. Service carried an easy, playful energy, and the bustling room made the dinner feel fun and spontaneous.“

“Food is delicious and service is great!“

“Great service nice servers“

“I had a great experience at Board and Brew in Santa Ana! I tried the Turkey Deluxe Rub sandwich, and it was absolutely delicious. The turkey was perfectly seasoned, and the combination of fresh ingredients and the sun flower seeds really made it stand out. It was one of the best turkey sandwiches I've had in a while.
I also couldn’t resist trying their chocolate chip cookie, and it did not disappoint. It was soft, chewy, and had just the right amount of sweetness — a perfect end to the meal.
I would definitely come here if I’m in the mood for a sub again.“

“nice well done charbroiled burgers🔥. the breakfast in also 🔥 try it one day“

“Awesome spicy chicken sandwich! Looked so good I forgot to take a picture. Tastes like an old school sandwich with a nice crunch. Tater tots were good and had a light crisp, but I like mine crunchier. One of the best vegan sandwich places in socal. Price was abou $13 a sandwich, but this seems about average nowadays. Updated from previous review on 2025-10-11“

“Found this place when looking for a lil brunch spot on a Sunday afternoon. Me and the wife swung by, great service. I got a breakfast burrito. Pretty good flavor just wished it was a bit bigger. But it was 9 bucks so I was happy about that. My wife got their basic breakfast food and she thought it was great. Similar to norms or dennys level of breakfast. Overall, we will be back soon!“

“Great food!“

“Visite este Dennys y todos los empleados fueron muy amables siempre sonriendo se sentía una atmósfera llena de alegría Alejandra fue nuestra mesera siempre sonriendo y muy atenta a nuestras necesidades el café bien calientito y sabroso no se diga los pancakes de plátano con chocolate todo estuvo muy rico el restaurante estaba muy ocupado pero todo se miraba muy limpio desde el comedor hasta los baños gracias a todos mi familia y yo regresarémos adiós y gracias“

“First time here, great service and yummy food. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful. Everyone had a warm smile to welcome us in. We will definitely be back“

“It is a lovely zoo. It is small. Perfect for small children. I loved the monkeys.“

“Good breakfast. And good service“

“Always love coming out West from the East coast and making our first stop to In-N-Out Burger!“

“Good breakfast. And good service“

“This is a nice little cafe inside the state building. The menu is quite large with lots of options. I had the Greek Gyros and really enjoyed them. I was expecting a small Greek salad with a couple slices of meat but to my surprise it was a wrap style meal with the salad and meat inside. It was very tasty and a large portion. The prices are good and the staff is very friendly. Highly recommend.“

“the owner is a beautiful Asian lady with a wonderful disposition. I think she's good wifey material. and the food there is da bomb. I did ask her out but she never gave me her number. I'm not one of those dope fiend's that hang out out side I'm a single x-ray tech and earn 100k a year. will you have dinner with me my treat?“

“During our recent 3-day weekend getaway, we stumbled upon Citra Bar & Kitchen at the newly renovated Hotel Zessa, and it quickly became our go-to spot for nearly all our meals. This place is truly a hidden gem! From the moment we walked in, we were captivated by the modern yet cozy ambiance. The highlight of our experience was undoubtedly the drinks. The Citra Margarita was refreshingly perfect, and my wife couldn't get enough of the Hibiscus Cooler. We also indulged in the Casamigos Flight, which was a delightful treat. Following our server's recommendations turned out to be the best decision. We tried nearly everything on the lunch and dinner menus, but the Chicken Taquitos stood out as our favorite appetizer—we ordered them multiple times! As for the entrees, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but our top picks were the Chicken A La Brasa, Blackened Mahi Mahi, and Salmon Salad. Each dish was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. Being gluten-free, I was thrilled to find that Citra Bar & Kitchen had plenty of options that catered to my dietary needs without compromising on taste. Overall, our experience at Citra Bar & Kitchen was outstanding. The revitalization of Hotel Zessa and the exceptional dining experience here is a testament to Santa Ana's commitment to enhancing their community. We can't wait to return, and I highly recommend this spot to anyone visiting the area. You will not be disappointed!“

“Was looking for a place near John Wayne airport. Food was delicious, and will return when in the area again.“

“Let me start out by saying the burgers were delicious! TK Burgers hosted a company lunch for us and we were not disappointed. Tristen and Saul went above and beyond to meet our needs. The fries were cooked perfectly and the vegetables were all fresh. We will definitely be using them for future events.“

“Good Friends - Good Food - Live Music - I’m in!!!“

“Trust is a restaurant that redefines all others. The concept of a pre-order and trust-us-you’ll-love-it concept for fine dining is absolutely brilliant. Love the family-dining setup where everybody sits at a L-shaped bar looking into the wonder that is the open style chef’s kitchen. The food is expertly inspired and impossibly delectable. Every dinner is different, and the variety keeps you craving more and more. The fantastic wine (and sometimes cocktail) pairing that goes with each 12+ course means you will need to Uber, because there’s no way you are leaving any of the wine in that glass. Trust’s sommelier is top-notch and paired each wine perfectly. The main draw here though is the chance to be regaled by Chef’s explanation of each course. It’s a night filled with irreverent, comedic, and incredible knowledgeable, such that you will come away feeling like you just attended a brash stand-up comedy about culinary genius. Truly a one-of-a-kind experience!“

“The food is good, huge Portion’s . Many different food options to choose from. Cool atmosphere. Very artsy ! It was worth the day trip.“

“the Chow great. the latrine clean“

“hands down best spot ik n downtown santa ana. great vibes great ppl and staff! 🙌🙌🙌“

“Holy cow. I was blown away with today’s meal. The food was all well prepared. Zero food quality issues. Every single item was spot on. The drinks were spot on. Customer Service was spot on- I just now realized I messed up the tip. I was not paying attention and there was a donation thing and then there was the tip. Omg I so messed up- so sorry! Booth was perfectly clean. Manager came by to say hello….. we ordered way too much food…. But get this. We had 4 plates of food we shared and two large glasses of wine and it was less than $60. It was actually $50 something. 2 ordered of the 2 for 25 and 2 generous pours of wine. 🍷. I do not live in the area and did a special trip to meet a friend. I think I might make Applebees the place for friends and fun! My only thing is im generous sized and the table was tight. My asthma kicked in a few times and my coughing rocked the table. Nothing big but - lol. I need a fat booth for my eating times!! FYI. I got a burger. I had no idea it would be a great - fried/smashed style with good pickles and onion and lettuce and cheese. It was very very good. Kinda like a naughty indulgence item. You know…. With melty cheese…. A bit of burger sauce…. It was very wonderful. I have to admit that the boneless wings AND fries with the burger were much LARGER than I anticipated. Truth is it was so much FOOD! If you are 1 person it’s fine but you will have lots of take -home. The fries are way better than in and out. We got a special treat and got their tartar sauce. Omg. On fries it’s delicious! ♥️♥️♥️♥️. A couple of asks. If you go in rush hours do not expect this amazing service—- and if you are a smart person- go on a weekday as an early lunch/ late lunch. If you have ever followed my elite yelp days or my Google Reviews- I’m a hard ass. So this spot is a secret gold mine. Please keep it that way- 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫“

“Games, bar and DJs are cool. Live bands aren't trialed and there's no sound guy. Bathrooms don't work.“

“Showed up with my boy who was visiting from out of town. Never been to a lounge or bar in Santa Ana before. This is definitely the neighborhood spot, but they made me and my friend feel like regulars.

Claudia hooked it up with the libations. She made it happen. I mean you won’t get Clase Azul here but you’ll get first class food and service.

I had no idea the food was going to be on point as it was and it surprised me. You expect bar food, but this food is on another level. Fresh made tortilla chips served hot with mouth watering and juicy tacos. I had the asada and al pastor. Served hot and fresh.

Claudia and the chef Josh made it real nice for the experience. I highly recommend if you’re in Santa Ana. It’s dark in there so when we came out the doors at 5p you definitely need sun shades or time to adjust.

It’s a perfect vibe in there. Lookout for the baby giraffe!“

“Love love love. Owners are super nice, prices are reasonable. I love everything I’ve ordered. I eat almost every daily special, except for Friday’s fish taco special because I don’t like fish. Otherwise, I’ve had so many of their menu items and even some of there specialty foods they randomly make in small batches that they sell as ready-to-go (like their homemade potato salad). Love it!!!

Vegetarian options: They have options like their garden burger, potato salad, regular fries and onion rings. There may be more options but those are the ones I know.

Parking: Parking lot is paid, but if you get free monthly parking because you work in the buildings next door then it’s great, because there is plenty of parking, it’s just a bit confusing.
Entry and exit are one-way. When you enter you go only through the C & D sections, & you have to keep turning left to keep going up the levels. If you ever turn right on any level toward the exit sign you’ll be forced to keep going through the A & B sections downward until you exit and have to start over.

Wheelchair accessibility: It’s on the ground floor right by the parking lot. It looks like there should be no issue for wheelchair users to access. No ramp necessary for entry as there are no steps.“

“We madea reservation through Opem Table and were seated after very short wait. We were promptly greeted by our server and had our drinks quickly delivered after our orders were taken. The entrees were perfectly cooked to order and portion size was very good. The server regularly checked into us to see how things were going, which made for a pleasant experience.“

“Love it my favorite place to eat“

“Raising Canes always delivers the goods! Excellent,Hot,and fresh every visit!“

“It was our first time coming here, and I cannot express how satisfied I am with the food and the service. Mike, the waiter, is hilarious and he made our experience a 10/10. We ordered the green chilaquiles and banana pancakes, and I highly recommend! I’ve only had amazing chilaquiles from Mexico, and these are just as delicious. The owner was very attentive and sweet. We will def be coming back!“

“me encanta muy buena comida“

“food was fresh and delicious minus missing hash browns“