Tapas Restaurants near Santa Ana, CA

“Celebrated my friend’s birthday here and everyone loved it. Service was excellent, the atmosphere was vibey and not too loud even with the music playing (vinyls-only is a nice touch!). The food was creative and delicious and my NA drink was excellent too. I’ll mention standout dishes even though the menu is constantly changing—my group really loved the maitake mushroom dish that was smoky and full of umami that it was surprisingly reminiscent of steak?! We guarded the hamachi crudo sauce after the fish was finished to dip their perfectly fluffy and crunchy focaccia into after. Same with the scrambled egg agnolotti, the sauce was incredible and the agnolottis themselves truly surprised us. The ricotta donuts were chef’s kiss as well. I really appreciated the warm welcome and introduction made at the beginning of our meal. I spent a long time looking for creative restaurants doing something different and interesting to celebrate my friend’s birthday in OC and DARKROOM nailed it. I also loved the creative touch with the bill trays :) What a gem!“

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

“Delicious food and drinks. I’m appreciative that they also offer a beer selection, and though they’re were all canned/bottled, they’re fresh (recently canned/bottled), and they offer a top notch selection. The atmosphere was intimate yet energetic. The staff were friendly, attentive and seemed genuine. 10/10“

“great place for dining....“

“We had such a great experience! I ordered the chicken enchiladas, and my friend had the chicken enchiladas Michoacanas. Both dishes were full of flavor, perfectly cooked, and served fresh. We also had two margarita flights, and every flavor was delicious. The food, drinks, and overall experience were excellent. And our server Vanessa did an amazing job she was so attentive.“

“Alas, a local place with unique charm, expert staff and a creative menu. We will be back often.“

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

“This is our favorite place for dinner, cocktails and brunch! We love a date night there but it’s also great for kids too. The food, the cocktails, the atmosphere, the service, etc… I can’t say enough about how wonderful it is!“

“Can not get any better. Chef Ross and his team absolutely exceeded all expectations this past Friday. Every dish was beyond delicious with incredible flavors and impeccable presentations. We loved every bite and seriously enjoyed the maestro at his creative best. This was a seven course Omakase style dinner - virtually free (for special dinner offering) with major league portions Immaculate restaurant - seating inside or outside via an elegant and very comfortable Terrace seating. This was a special dinner which Terrace offers frequently. Service is fantastic! Great restaurant - great location with convenient parking.“

“Great service, amazing atmosphere and delicious food.“

“Love the Brussels sprouts!!!“

“Exelent servís the food is exelent“

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

“Tiny burrito joint with taco in the name, lol. Literally one of my top two burrito joints in the universe. If you are nearby, you are foolish if you don’t stop by and get a tasty meal.“

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

“Absolutely loved this place. The food was amazing, and every dish we tried was packed with flavor. I also really liked the atmosphere, it felt modern, welcoming, and thoughtfully designed.

The hidden speakeasy concept is such a fun and unique touch. It makes the experience feel much more memorable than just going out for dinner.

It also seems like it may be Asian-owned, and I’d love to see more businesses like this. Great food, creative ideas, and excellent execution. I’ll definitely be coming back and recommending it to friends!“

“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. .“

“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.“

“My wife and I came by, just as they were opening for the day. The music was pretty loud, but I appreciate the staff noticing our discomfort and turning it down.The atmosphere is interesting, reminding me more of a Japanese bar than a sushi restaurant. The decorum definitely fits with the Japanese bar vibe, with string diamonds.We ordered the Yuzu margarita, which was very flavorful. An excellent drink, combining refreshing citrus fruit Yuzu and the smoky flavor of mezcal.We ordered yellowtail and salmon sushi. The slices were pleasantly thick, giving a wonderful savory mouth feel.We asked for chicken hearts, but they had unfortunately ran out. We went for chicken thigh yakitori instead. We also had their scallops wrapped in bacon. Both were excellent and juicy.The highlight for both of us was their yellowtail collar. Pleasantly grilled with spices, and was better with the sprinkling of fresh lemon.The only downside is the price. But considering the quality of the fish and the location, I understand the pricing. It's a good place to take someone for a special occasion.“

“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.“

“Food is great and staff is fabulous!!!“

“My brother and his family came into town for his birthday. We took him to Social for his birthday dinner. The atmosphere was fun and lively! The poor server was the only server on the floor that Saturday night because of a sick call. He was swamped and I’m sure stressed out but you couldn’t tell! He made sure the bussers and hostess checked on us throughout the evening to refill drinks, bring out food, and boxes. It really showed the teamwork between all employees that night. The teamwork alone was impressive to me! The Nutella Espresso Martini was soooo good!!! The food was amazing! As busy as our poor server was he still managed to bring out cake with a candle and sing happy birthday to my brother! I definitely plan on going back to Social!“

“If you're looking for very good Spanish food, this is the place to go. The best paella in OC. We finally found a place with paella, tapas, and drinks that take you to Spain. We really love this restaurant- the ambience, the service; everything was outstanding. Amazing.“

“Amazing food the server tonight was great he was very busy but he took great care of the whole room and was very nice. We wish we lived closer we would be here all the time. The pork and Chicken katsu are delicious as well as the ramen. Great prices too!!“

“So good 😊 5 stars definitely recommend“

“My buddies and I do a “Bros Night” every couple of weeks, and we’re always looking for a new local spot to check out. This time we cruised over to Balboa Island in a friend’s golf cart from Corona del Mar, took advantage of the ridiculously convenient golf cart parking, and headed to Snipe Island.

The restaurant has a great vibe. I love the open-air feel with the large windows and bar seating facing the street. It’s a fun place to sit, relax, people-watch, and enjoy everything that makes Balboa Island special.

The food was good. I had an ahi salad that was fresh and tasty, and one of my friends ordered a pizza that looked incredible. I was doing keto that day, so unfortunately I didn’t get a slice, but if it tasted half as good as it looked, I’m ordering it next time.

The real highlight of the night was our server, Taylor. Honestly, she was incredible. The place was busy, and it seemed like she was handling just about everything, but somehow she never missed a beat. We always had what we needed, our drinks stayed full, and she made us feel like we were her only table. Great service can make or break an experience, and Taylor absolutely crushed it.

The prices felt fair, the atmosphere was fun, and overall we had a great evening. If I had one piece of constructive feedback, I’d say the restroom could use a little attention and maybe a refresh. But as someone who owns a business, I know there are always a hundred things competing for your attention.

At the end of the day, I have a soft spot for local businesses that are out there working hard and serving the community. Snipe Island delivered a fun night with friends, great service, and a great Balboa Island atmosphere. We’ll definitely be back.“

“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!“

“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!“

“Authentic Japanese, with my favorite grilled fish like salmon kama, miso cod, and they even have great grilled red meat. The make your own, deconstructed sushi is awesome too. The kids love the tempura, my grandpa loves the seafood noodles. Everyone is happy, with fresh, big portion plates (although the price does reflect larger plates). Quiet atmosphere, great for quiet conversations with family. The little dishes that come with the meal sets are really good too.“

“Tiny burrito joint with taco in the name, lol. Literally one of my top two burrito joints in the universe. If you are nearby, you are foolish if you don’t stop by and get a tasty meal.“

“amazing as always the best“

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

“great eats cool people the beach within walking distance... what's not to love“

“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!“

“Absolutely great food and incredible music. Both rooms offer variety of music and definitely invites you to hit the dance floor to show off your moves. Overall great atmosphere either for some dancing classes, fine dining or social dancing.“

“H&H could be one of the best picks for a date night or a night out. They should have informed us that the place is undergoing some renovation while reserving though.
Also, though we had a reservation, our hostess came up to us maybe an hour in and informed us that we will need to be wrapping things up because they had a different reservation for that same table. That was very frustrating!!! But, it was resolved and we stayed for as long as we wanted. We did also find a hair in one of the appetizers; that was before we were told that we had to wrap things up.
But, the place is very nice. Would absolutely recommend for a night out. Worth mentioning; you will get zero benefits for spending money here as a Bonvoy member.“