Armando was awesome. He was as serving at the Element bar and made great cocktails. The speakeasy was in the “bathroom,” but we were prevented from experiencing it. The employee in charge of the seating in the speak easy walked me to the bathroom but wouldn’t seat my husband and I. The speakeasy had plenty of tables and bar space available but even after coming back he still wouldn’t seat us. My husband ordered a drink from Armando and then this guy said we couldn’t take the drink inside because it was two different bar tabs. Rather than recommending that we pay our tab and seat us inside, he just refused to seat us. Meanwhile he let three other couples enter. He didn’t try to rectify the situation at anytime. He needs to be retrained or fired.
Cooper Marquez
Rad experience. Great appetizers. Props to the Chef for making our night special! Best place for parking is the parking garage, but it’s $10 entrance fee….. plus, 4th street gets super packed around 6:30 pm so plan ahead.
Joe Evleth
This is a fantastic speakeasy. Food, drinks and service all exceeded expectations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jasmeer oberoi
This is a speakeasy behind their restaurant. It's amazing. We tried few drinks and steak. Our mixologist was amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Houston Nguyen
Espresso martini was great and staff were friendly and helpful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cristian Galvez
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.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tyler Peterson
I stumbled upon Element on their first day open to the public and it was perfect. I ordered a whiskey sour with egg whites and the bar tender Tyler made the perfect drink. I followed it up with a local beer that was light and refreshing. I had the citrus salad that matched the intimate feel. The flavors were spot on. I wish them all the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Merwin Barrientos
This is a fun new spot in Santa Ana. The server suggested ordering a few of the tapas-style plates for two of us to share. We ordered 4 plates and everything was delicious. Our favorites were the arancini and the beef tallow fries. Drinks were also great. Will definitely be coming back here soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bill Alvarez
Element Bistro is a hidden gem—a small yet cozy spot that delivers big on flavor. Their menu is a delightful fusion of European and Latin American cuisine, offering creative and well-executed dishes that impress with every bite. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a perfect place for a relaxed night out. What truly sets Element Bistro apart is its exceptional drink selection. With handcrafted cocktails curated by top mixologists, every sip is a treat. Whether you're there for the food, the drinks, or both, this spot is definitely worth a visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
EVE M
Hot new spot in DTSA!! Tapas amazing! Service flawless! Atmosphere dynamic! 😍 coming back asap! Oh and how can I forget the drinks 🤤
A unique spin on the laid-back Tapas culture that takes the social activity of sharing plates and cocktails to heart. The mixture of flavors and influence really come across in every sip and bite. Highlights include the arancini and seasonal greens cocktail. They got some new shoes roughs to break in but I'm excited to see where they go from here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Mark Flores
Great new spot with a cool vibe. Food consisted of small portions easy to share and quite tasty. Drinks were exceptional everything I had was well crafted. Will definitely be back and happy to find this new place in santa ana.
Armando was awesome. He was as serving at the Element bar and made great cocktails. The speakeasy was in the “bathroom,” but we were prevented from experiencing it. The employee in charge of the seating in the speak easy walked me to the bathroom but wouldn’t seat my husband and I. The speakeasy had plenty of tables and bar space available but even after coming back he still wouldn’t seat us. My husband ordered a drink from Armando and then this guy said we couldn’t take the drink inside because it was two different bar tabs. Rather than recommending that we pay our tab and seat us inside, he just refused to seat us. Meanwhile he let three other couples enter. He didn’t try to rectify the situation at anytime. He needs to be retrained or fired.
Rad experience. Great appetizers. Props to the Chef for making our night special! Best place for parking is the parking garage, but it’s $10 entrance fee….. plus, 4th street gets super packed around 6:30 pm so plan ahead.
This is a fantastic speakeasy. Food, drinks and service all exceeded expectations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is a speakeasy behind their restaurant. It's amazing. We tried few drinks and steak. Our mixologist was amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Espresso martini was great and staff were friendly and helpful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I stumbled upon Element on their first day open to the public and it was perfect. I ordered a whiskey sour with egg whites and the bar tender Tyler made the perfect drink. I followed it up with a local beer that was light and refreshing. I had the citrus salad that matched the intimate feel. The flavors were spot on. I wish them all the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is a fun new spot in Santa Ana. The server suggested ordering a few of the tapas-style plates for two of us to share. We ordered 4 plates and everything was delicious. Our favorites were the arancini and the beef tallow fries. Drinks were also great.
Will definitely be coming back here soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Element Bistro is a hidden gem—a small yet cozy spot that delivers big on flavor. Their menu is a delightful fusion of European and Latin American cuisine, offering creative and well-executed dishes that impress with every bite. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a perfect place for a relaxed night out. What truly sets Element Bistro apart is its exceptional drink selection. With handcrafted cocktails curated by top mixologists, every sip is a treat. Whether you're there for the food, the drinks, or both, this spot is definitely worth a visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hot new spot in DTSA!! Tapas amazing! Service flawless! Atmosphere dynamic! 😍 coming back asap! Oh and how can I forget the drinks 🤤
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
A unique spin on the laid-back Tapas culture that takes the social activity of sharing plates and cocktails to heart. The mixture of flavors and influence really come across in every sip and bite. Highlights include the arancini and seasonal greens cocktail. They got some new shoes roughs to break in but I'm excited to see where they go from here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Great new spot with a cool vibe. Food consisted of small portions easy to share and quite tasty. Drinks were exceptional everything I had was well crafted. Will definitely be back and happy to find this new place in santa ana.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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