Never really write reviews. But on this Friday afternoon I'd be somewhat irresponsible not to. I've come to this market many times. Every time has been wonderful. The kindness, the quality, the unique offerings, all stellar, unique and spectacular. A very special establishment indeed. If you life within 100 miles (or more) of this market, put it on your list of must-to visits, you won't be disappointed. And thank you for the tostadas!!! read more

This place was very interesting to walk into. It's a small market dedicated to the love of Mexican heritage. They sell items that people grew up having at their dining room tables at home. Most people came in to try their variety of Micheladas. My wife had one and seemed to really enjoy it. They utilize a beer brewed down the street, so I love the support of local beer makers. They also ran with photos of people's dogs that they hang up in the market. We found one that looked like our dog. Pretty cool. I was very surprised to see Gustavo Arellano at the helm of the helm of the Michelada counter. The whole place is his wife's conception and I very much approve of the passion she has put into the store. They have very comfortable picnic style tables and benches and I will come back to support them 100%. read more

We always have a great experience here. Delilah and her staff are so welcoming and friendly. Even though I don't partake, I am quite impressed with their robust michelada menu. There are about 13 different options on there including spicy, savory and sweet. My wife got La Nopalita, which has prickly pear, lime and a cactus fruit candy. She loved it. I got the iced Café de Olla and it was both bold and refreshing. She got the breakfast quesadilla and I got the breakfast torta made with fluffy eggs on artisan bread. We sat comfortably and enjoyed our breakfast while people watching the Sunday passersby on 4th Street with the staff checking on us periodically and making sure we had everything we needed. There are a TON of vegan options as well. Just an awesome breakfast/brunch experience. If you're lucky, you might even spot Gustavo walking around helping or feverishly typing away on an article. read more

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My hubs and I try to eat at Alta Baja Market every time we visit my parents in SoCal because it is the kind of small business that we love to support. The owner Delilah is super nice and all the food is remarkably fresh and delicious. We've had the tuna salad, the tuna salad sandwich, the La Llorona sandwich w/carne adovada, the BLTA, and the blue cornbread. Everything was tasty and made with care. What impressed me the most was the freshness and quality of the side salads that came with the sandwiches. One time, I ordered lemon and olive oil for my dressing and received half a lemon that was literally picked fresh off someone's tree! I usually am not that into lemons but this one was so good, I squeezed it all over my salad and also into my water. Delish! What's cool about this place is it's also a specialty market so you can shop for treats, wine, cute cards while you wait for your food. Last time we were there, we picked up some red popping corn from Rancho Gordo (of Bean Club fame) and made some of the best-tasting popcorn when we got back home to Seattle. If you're ever in Santa Ana for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, you have to try Alta Baja Market. Not only will you eat some awesome food, you'll also feel good about supporting a terrific, indie business. read more

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-Staff is amazing. -Food is good and always fresh. -Great wine selection. Love this place. read more

my dear friend directed me alta baja and we enjoyed a very tasty meal in beautiful surroundings . we chose to sit at one of the long picnic tables to eat our chilaquiles and a salad. i wish i could remember the name of the salad! order is placed at the counter where there was a display of baked goods. well i tell you i saw that blue cornbread and bought 2 pieces to go! they sell for $6 and are large. our food was served to us. both meals came in a bowl. when ordering you are offered a choice of protein; i chose beans. the salad also had romaine, corn, avocado, cotija, tomato and tortilla chips. cups of lemon juice and olive oil come with. after nibbling at the various ingredients and being kind of hmmm i drizzled the salad with half the lemon and oil and mixed everything up thoroughly and enjoyed the best salad ever!!! highly recommend. i also got an iced coffee with cream and it was Real Cream that beautifully floated . what a treat. the chilaquiles had eggs and a red sauce that was very flavorful and there was a peeled tangerine served on the side. my friend said it was very well done! the space is very unique and casual; set up for browsing with unusual alcohol, cookware, foodstuffs, dishes,et al. do stop in! read more

If I could give Alta Baja Market más de cinco estrellas, I would--seriously, this place is puro oro. Not just for the delicious and healthy food but also for the amazing people who make it feel like home. Since switching to a sugar-free, high-protein diet, eating out has been puro sufrimiento. But Alta me salvó-Their Jamaica tea is unsweetened y rico! (¡por fin alguien que entiende!), their enchiladas are baked so I don't have to feel guilty, or bloated! And instead of sour cream, they use a healthy alternative--more proteína, menos grasa. ¡Así se hace! Tuve el honor de conocer Delilah-- she wrote a book on preserving food, and obviously, I had to get it. Ahora está en mi colección de cookbooks, listo para inspirarme. Gracias, Delilah, por inspirarme a seguir adelante en mi camino hacia recuperar mi salud! But wait, there's more--meeting author/ co-author of A People's Guide to Orange County, fue algo bien padre! Not only did they share their wisdom, but they also led a walking tour of Santa Ana, diving deep into its rich historia- La cultura, la comunidad--todo en un solo lugar! If you haven't been to Alta Baja Market, what are you waiting for? read more

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Amazing hostess. A very friendly and warm welcome from the moment we walked in. We came to Alta Baja Market to have a brunch with our besties so the ratings may be benefiting from the company we shared. This is a market so you will find beans, spices, and a fabulous selection of Mexican wines (yes Mexico has wine regions ). The food is what I call a craft. I think the cook wants you to taste the subtle flavors and freshness. Not quite farm-to-table, but very close. She did mention flying to Mexico to pick up 300 lbs of Chiles. The chilaquiles are served in a bowl with tortillas so that you can taste the corn, the beans need a bit more salt. That seemed to be a common piece of feedback among the group. The French toast ordered by wifey was very tasty, the bread seemed to be a light egg brioche type. The corn pancakes are well-covered with oats and bananas. Overall we had a very satisfying meal. read more

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We came here for brunch this morning and looooved it! Everyone is so nice and the food is great :) We ordered the Mija, french toast, and avocado toast and liked them all. I can't wait to come back for Pozole on Sundays read more

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It feels like a low key hidden gem considering their michelada & margarita prices. Customer service was amazing, the employees were attentive and answered our questions. We went early afternoon on Saturday and it was fairly chill. They have a lot of gift options available ranging from books, cocktail supplies, mushroom grow kits, etc. It's like a foodie paradise!!! I will be back next time I'm in town to swipe some gifts and another margarita! read more

Alta Baja Market - Prickly Pear Cactus Margarita ;) - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Service was good but the food was the worst. We had the red pozole which was pretty much all hominy seemed like we got the bottom of the barrel and the blue pancake was not it. Very disappointing won't be coming here ever again! read more

Alta Baja Market - Red pozole and some weird pancakes - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Always tasty & fresh ingredients! I really like the chilaquiles & esquite salad. The ladies are very friendly :) Very cute and relaxing ambiance read more

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I dropped in recently and bought some wine and had a wonderful chat with the owner. She advised me on the wine sent they had picked, how it would pair, and what she and her partner personally liked. I just love Alta Baja and the positive vibes! Get yourselves down there and show them some love! read more

Very cool cultural shop/restaurant can get food to eat in or to go Warning: it is spicy but a flavorful spice read more

Alta Baja Market - Pozole and Chilaquiles with a Tamarindo Michelada and Cactus Rose Cider - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Fantastic and authentic! Adorable Market, family owned, and the owners are hard working and KIND. Just the kind of place you want to frequent and give your business to! The food is delicious and the portions are hefty...and the adorable finds in the market are all carefully sourced and seemingly high quality. Will definitely be back!! read more

Love the atmosphere food was great the service was good I like the shop had Great things to purchase read more

The micheladas are great and very reasonably priced. The guava is my favorite. I can't believe they close so early (4PM). I wish they'd stay open at least until 6 for pre-dinner drinks. read more

A gem on 4th Street! Great michis, cheese boards, and service. Usually, I don't care to comment on service because I'm there for the food and drinks. However, the service here is IMMACULATE. Every server/cashier is so kind and checked up on us quite often. They all went above and beyond to make sure we had a good experience. I was not expecting this since it was a seat yourself, casual place. Onto the food and drinks that I tried: 1. La Bossana (4/5): Guava, one of my fav fruits! Don't get me wrong, it was delish, but I couldn't taste the difference between the one with beer and the one without. My friend got the non-alch version and it tasted the same. The michi mix in itself was so good though! 2. La Chiquita (5/5): This was one of my favorites. The passionfruit flavor stood out. The spice was subtle, but it complimented the passionfruit well. 3. La Malandrina (3.5/5): This was an interesting drink! I wasn't sure about it at first, but I thought it was pretty tasty. I wouldn't order it for myself. 4. La Mera Mera (5/5): A fan favorite at our table! It was super savory and delicious. I think this is one of my favorite classic michis that I've ever had. I would say top 3! Try this one!! 5. Cheese Board (5/5): The cheese board was so beautiful with the fresh fruits and veggies. The cheese provided were all good, but the Swiss had to be my favorite cheese on the plate. It was a nice snack for the 6 of us! The cheese board for 4 was more than enough for all of us. Overall, I can't wait to come back. I've been dreaming of the La Mera Mera ever since my first visit. read more

Alta Baja Market - Passion fruit and guava lime - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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First time visiting today. Had an excellent quick and healthy lunch, and will definitely come back to try out the michelada options. The shop is super cute, too! read more

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Love love love this place! Breakfast or lunch it's the best! Plus they have lots of things for cooking and more! The staff is so friendly and with every place seemingly to raise prices over and over this place seems to do the opposite! Very affordable for the whole family. I highly recommend! read more

I remember trying the vegan blue corn banana pancakes a few years ago and really enjoying them. I went back this weekend to get them again. They come topped with granola and with sides of coconut whip and jam-- Make sure to specify vegan so they don't give you honey butter! While they were tasty, this time, they came out fairly dry so I didn't end up eating everything. I had to pick them apart and not eat the most dry areas. I still want to come back here again and try their other vegan options. I'm so thankful they have so many plant-based menu items! They also have several other market items around the space including seasonings, frozen entrées, kombucha, alcoholic kombucha, beer, dips, etc. read more

Alta Baja Market - Vegan Blue banana pancakes - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

This place is a foodies lovers paradise in every sense of the word. They have groceries and they serve food. The kicker is that t everything is REASONABLY PRICED. My friend and I were shocked at the price point. Prices could have been 50% more and I wouldn't have batted an eye. My best guess is is the rents are somewhat afforded in the area and they also want to make it affordable for the neighborhood. The bluepancakes could have been eaten twice over. My friend said it was the most amazing thing she has ever eaten and would live to come again. My breakfast casserole was something I can only dream of eating again. It was absolutely delicious and that salsa was fire. It felt like eating mom's food with a twist. I appreciated that they asked everyone to wear masks inside the store as we do travel with someone who is immunocompromised. The patio was a beautiful little oasis in the city and we loved to people watch there. The store was sto ked to the walls with the most amazing groceries. There was flour, spices, wine and even seeds! They had cold wine and cheeses as well and the owner, Delilah (sp?) was an absolute gem. I dropped $150 on the groceries without batting an eye. She also didn't judge when I asked for a cheap bottle of wine (it was also epic!). Parking was free and convenient in the garage. Just be aware that the elevators don't work (despite the sign that says call for access). If you have someone who needs DP access make sure they bring their placard or drop them off at the bottom floor. The city who own the garage should be ashamed and I wouldn't be shocked if they get sued for making hard for DP hders to access such awesome businesses. read more

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What a fun event!! Encuentro exceeded our expectations!! Each course was delicious; each chef interesting to hear and the wine somm nailed the pairings!! Kudos to Delilah and her fabulous crew!! They served all of us with great cheer!! And the music was awesome! The performer had an amazing repertoire and voice range! Added great ambience! read more

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A group of 7 of us meet for lunch at Alta Baja. We had a wonderful time! The food was great, the ambiance very nice and the owner, Delliah, was charming! I discovered this wonderful place several years ago when I was hunting for Rancho Gordo heirloom beans which are hard to find. Then I discovered it was more than just a place to get beans but a lovely place to eat. You really should check it out. read more

This past weekend I enjoyed another incredible meal at Alta Baja. I've been here a few times before and each time I come the food always exceeds my expectations. I had La Bruja for my drink, the bread pudding with apricot jam and the green enchilada casserole. Each bite was so innovative and dynamic you will want to taste it for yourself! Delilah is so creative and kind. read more

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Delicious food, wonderful staff, and a great time. This little gem is a market and resteraunt. If you want some of the best micheladas then come here!! Huge variety (offered virgin too), to pair with their delicious food. Will be coming back! Gluten free and vegetarian friendly read more

Second time here and we still loved it! I got the Puro pinche parri salad with creamy jalapeño dressing + vegan adovada (jackfruit) and a canned mango chili tepache. The salad was BOMB - the dressing made it spicy and the chips gave a good crunch. The tepache was not really spicy but still pretty tasty. My partner got the breakfast torta with bacon and 2 micheladas. It's not a traditional torta because it's not made with a telera or a bolillo, but it is still pretty good. Adding the bacon gave it an extra kick. The two micheladas - La Mera Mera was closest to a traditional miche and was good, but La Chiquita is passion fruit flavored and super bomb! If you like passion fruit, definitely get that one! read more

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Wonderful service and ambiance! Lots of excellent and interesting imported products to choose from.

Good food for a decent price! Got the ABM house salad with the creamy jalapeno dressing and was pretty impressed. The salad I think is iceberg which is ok haha but the toppings were SO good. Cotija cheese, melon, avocado and radish were all super fresh. The dressing was really good, it had a light kick which I liked :) great salad for the price! read more

Alta Baja Market - ABM house salad $8! - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I was craving a good torta all weekend and as I was browsing on 4th street I noticed Alta Baja is also a cafe. Since the torta I got at la vegana mexicana didn't exactly hit the spot I decided to try this one the next day.. The description sounds like you're in for a great vegan torta.. except it doesn't come on a torta bread or toasted bread roll. Just regular toasted or burned sliced bread, I got both.. toasted on top and burned on the bottom. The beans inside were pretty plain and I'm not sure if they added the vegan chipotle mayo. If they did, it was very little. Fruit salad wasn't exactly a salad either, just green melon or honeydew maybe. read more

"I loved the place! Their pozole was delicious, and the blue corn bread was really good. We also got their Chiquita michelada read more

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This is a quaint, and modern take on all things Latino! A mix between SoCal, South West & Mexi flavors all rolled into a yummy menu with vegan options! Best posole in town... offered on the last Sunday of the month!! A must eat venue! read more

Still our favorite breakfast spot two years later! Love all the staff, the owner and the food is always on point, and great value! We usually order to go but love the outside seating if we eat there. read more

Alta Baja Market - Deliciousness - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great place. Free parking 8AM to 6PM so it's not to hard to find parking to walk at round and have breakfast or lunch.

We happened upon this gem today, and were so impressed with the food and hospitality. Delilah and her husband are the owners/operators and they have created an interesting menu packed full of fresh ingredients and wonderful flavors. You must try the blue cornbread. No doubt this will become a regular and favorite eating place. * There are lots of packaged beans, spices, jarred specialty foods and gifts available for purchase. And the tables are well-spaced so that's a bonus during Covid. read more

Alta Baja Market - Lunch faire - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I went to a downtown Santa Ana tasting event and had a delicious vegan dish they were serving that day. It was a few years ago so I don't remember the name of he dish. I recently went back and was able to look around the shop. It is a long fairly large area with products, drinks and food. They have picnic type tables to sit at which can seat a large group. Their market selection looked good and they have a variety of items. The employees are super nice, friendly and helpful. read more

Alta Baja Market - Grocery Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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First thing I want to mention this place is very cute and has great vibes. The owner and the employees were amazing. Very friendly and attentive. We had my brother's & Sister in laws bby Shower here. Don't get me started on the food delicious very authentic on point. I highly recommend you guys to check out this place if your craving some good Mexican food. read more

An expertly curated market and delicious cafe! I cannot get enough of the blue cornbread and my husband loves the selection of micheladas. Great for gift shopping, too! read more

Great selection of curated items, delicious micheladas and food, and a great atmosphere. Will return!

Alta Baja is my new favorite brunch spot. The ingredients are so fresh that I always feel really good after eating here. Surprinsingly, my favorite item on the menu has got to be their tuna sandwich. I've tried to order it a couple of times, and they are usually out, but if you tell them you can wait for them to make a new batch - it usually doesn't take too long. On top of all the delicious things that alta baja market offers, they also have wine and beer tastings on certain days of the month. The market is also a great placed for curated spices and local products. read more