Chapter One in downtown Santa Ana is a fantastic anchor in the Artists Village area, but when there's a major sporting event going on--especially during the World Cup--this place turns into an absolute party. The high ceilings, rustic exposed brick, and massive bar setup make for an electric atmosphere when it's packed out with a rowdy crowd. Even when they're slammed for game days, the kitchen holds its own. The duck fat fries are pretty much mandatory for the table--super crispy, well-seasoned, and easy to pick at while drinking. Their empanadas, lumpia, and burgers are also solid, easy crowd-pleasers to pair with a huge craft beer list or one of their whiskey cocktails. Because the energy is so high during watch parties, service can understandably take a little longer than a normal quiet lunch, but the staff handles the game-day rush really well and keeps the drinks flowing. Parking in downtown Santa Ana can be hit-or-miss with meters, but slipping into the Sycamore parking structure right across the street saves you from driving in circles. If you're looking for a dependable gastropub with great food that actually knows how to throw a hype watch party, Chapter One is hard to beat. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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You know a place is REALLY good when you're so busy enjoying your delicious mixed drinks and devouring your food that it's only when you're all done that you think - whoops I should probably take a photo for Yelp! That's what happened to me 3 drinks and some yummy snacks later. My husband and I had dinner reservations nearby but went here for some mixed drinks beforehand and to also eat their delicious cheese curds. Their cheese curds are the best! Better than Culver's for sure!! They have both high top and low tables and bar seating. I love their mixed drinks! I've tried 5 different cocktails and all 5 are outstanding! My favorite cocktails are: Frank Cilantra $14 Diplomático Planas, Pueblo Viejo Reposado, Lime, Pineapple, Agave, Orange Bitters, Cilantro Oaxacan on Sunshine $14 Los Vecinos Espadin, Averna, Passion Fruit Syrup, Lemon, Honey Mama Needs A Drink $12 Pueblo Viejo Reposoda, Ramazzotti Apertivo Rosato, Strawberry, Lime, Opera Prima Brut I am already planning my next time to return here! Delicious!! read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Inside - food & cocktails were sooo good I forgot to take a photo until they brought the check. Whoops! - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We found this place to have a good menu and I was particularly thrilled seeing Meatloaf on it. That is exactly what i got. It came wrapped in bacon and had mashed potatoes below it. Crispy fried onions were on top of the meatloaf and the side of Brussel sprouts were really tasty. My wife had the shrimp tacos and they didnt skimp on any element of her dish. She got a wedge of lime and some salsa verde to pour on top of those tacos. She also ordered a side of egg roll that came with pickled red onion and a sauce for those. We saw their fries were thin and crispy but when we got them, we werent crazy about having them seasoned in pepper. The place is nicely decorated with books, which was another reason we wanted to come visit. It looked like this place turns into a club late at night because we saw a disco ball hanging near us. Sure there are good times there so perhaps we'll have to check out what thats like. read more

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This was a great visit for OC Restaurant Week! Chapter One is located in downtown Santa Ana. The parking lot next door only lets you pay for 8 hours at a time - $7.20. There's also some metered street parking if you can find a spot. We made a reservation but it wasn't necessary on a Tuesday night. Our server, Ayda, was great! She explained all the menu options and gave great recommendations. To drink, we had a Paloma ($13) and a Banana Bread Old Fashioned ($16). For dinner, we went with the $35 3-course Restaurant Week special. Appetizer, we did beef empanada and lumpia. Both came with a homemade sauce (chimichurri for the empanada and a sweet chili for the lumpia) that were divine. Main course, my partner did the Royale With Cheese (great name!). It came with a TON of fries and was a large burger too. Really big portion. I did the bacon wrapped meatloaf. I was hesitant, but I really liked it! It was not dry like I remember other meatloafs I've had in the past being. It was also a fairly large portion, came with Brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. Finally, dessert was served! Vanilla bread pudding. It was delicious! Our server offered us coffee with our dessert and ended up not charging us for if when the wait ended up being a bit longer than expected. She didn't have to do that, but we did appreciate her thoughtfulness with that! We saw they have live jazz on Wednesday nights, so we definitely want to return for that! read more

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Chapter One is one of my favorite spots in downtown Santa Ana for a night out. The ambiance is warm, inviting, and just the right amount of romantic, with cozy lighting that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy the evening. If you're a jazz fan, be sure to check out their Wednesday night jazz sessions--they add a great vibe to an already charming space. The food is consistently delicious, the beer selection is solid, and everything is served cold and refreshing. Whether you're meeting friends for drinks, enjoying date night, or just looking for a relaxed place to unwind, Chapter One is definitely worth a visit. read more

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Dined in on a Wednesday night and they have Jazz night which was cool to sit in and watch- the band and singer were good! We dined at the bar top and started off with water and a Paloma but the taste nowhere near a decent one. The water had an off metal-like taste, so drinks weren't off to a good start. For my entree, I had the bacon wrapped meatloaf- it was a bit dry but looked nice aesthetically. Maybe just overcooked a bit. My bf enjoyed his burger, that came along with duck fries. We just moved close by so we're willing to try again, possibly for their happy hour or during brunch. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Bacon wrapped Meatloaf - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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We came here on a late sunday afternoon with my family (2 adults and 2 kids) and was sat immediately. We ordered from the brunch menu and OC restaurant week. The kids split the chicken and waffles, the adults got the breakfast burger and open faced sandwich and also bottomless mimosas. Service was attentive and decorations in the place was cute. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Bottomless mimosas with juice flight - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Came here with a group. They had live music playing on a Wednesday night. We were seated in the private room which has a cool speakeasy vibe. The staff was very nice and accommodating. Our water glasses were filled promotly. I ordered a cocktail and pepperoni flatbread. Cocktail- This was a recommendation from the server. I wanted sweet and fruity and this delivered! It had a blend of citrus flavors with cucumber which was refreshing. Pepperoni Flatbread- The dough is soft with a crisp edge. Pepperoni was plentiful and the cheese was nice and gooey. Pretty generous portion too. Great place for dinner, especially with a group. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Pepperoni Flatbread - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Food is bomb yesss, however, you'll most likely get a Gen Z rude little kid as your server. Setting has changed in the last 6 years. No one greeted us upon entrance. No vibe, nada. Because of her customer service, I will ensure to never eat here , suggest this spot as a consideration on a night downtown, or recommend again. read more

First time here and we'd for sure go back! If I could rate it more specifically for this visit it would be a 4.5. The food and atmosphere were solid. Staff were super nice and food came out fresh and hot. The vanilla bread pudding was a stand out as were the shrimp tacos and the Side Chick sandwich. If you are going on a match day for The Arsenal, just know it's going to be crowded and a lot of fun! ... especially with this year's squad! Let's Go Gooners! North London Forever! read more

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I've been here multiple times and it's so good! The food is super flavorful and well-seasoned. Some of my favorites are the chilaquiles, the burrito, the fries, and the Brussels sprouts. I also come here for brunch often, and I've been wanting to try their dinner menu next. The vibe is a cool bar setting, and they're always showing the games. As a soccer/football fan, that's a huge plus and makes for fun game days. Their beers on tap are great; I usually gravitate toward those and their brunch drinks like the Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee. The staff is chill and friendly, and even though it's usually pretty busy, they stay on top of everything. read more

My daughter owns a wonderful local pet grooming shop Bubble Up Dog Wash and we were celebrating the shops 2nd Christmas holiday, as we did last year's first, and we were not disappointed. The food is delicious, the ambiance is very casual and comfortable, and the service is terrific! There wasn't a moment where we were looking for someone or something that we weren't accommodated with right away. All to say if ever they start having comedy night, as they had in previous times, or any other events, this would be the local place to attend. Highly recommend to try Chapter One when you've got the time. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Delicious Empanadas and Flautas! - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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I got to give this place a try, went to celebrate my sister in laws bday. We had reservations for brunch and staff was super nice and loved that they did accommodations for our large group. Now for the food wow! We all pretty much had different dishes and I know everyone loved their food, I went with the chilaquiles w/ chicken and my kids went with breakfast burger and the pancake and cream cheese. Kids loved their food specially those thin fries. I had an amazing experience. Will definitely go back. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Chilaquiles w/ Chicken - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

It is located in downtown Santa Ana. Outside looks cool and feel like a historic building. Inside looks good and had a huge bar. Parking will be metered parking on the street or a parking structure across the street. We were here because of the Restaurant week. We had the pulled pork slicer with duck fat fries and the grilled shrimp taco. The duck fat fries had a unique flavor. The vegetables in the grilled shrimp taco is pickled and sweet. Attentive service. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Bar - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Great spot. Met some coworkers for dinner last night. The Lampia appetizers were awesome as was the meatloaf. Extremely friendly service. Would absolutely return. read more

The food was so amazing! We haven't been here in a while because the quality of the food was not great. They've made some amazing improvements! We went for a brunch and both had the steak and potatoes. The hollandaise sauce was amazing, and it wasn't overwhelming. Next time I'll ask for an additional side of the hollandaise. The potatoes were beautifully seasoned with lots of spices. I cleaned my plate, it was so good!! We'll be coming back more often. Our waiter was so busy but regardless, attentive. Enjoyed that lots of natural light came in from the windows. Again the food was so good! We bought the back a round of beers. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Steak & Potatoes - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

// Food: Breakfast Burrito Came to watch an Arsenal game with a friend of mine, but really stayed for the burrito. It is nothing special, but it a very decent size and fills you up while watching an early morning match. It comes with eggs, cheese, potatoes, and bacon. There is a side of green salsa that paired well with it. I'd order this again for sure. // Service & Restaurant: Having never been here before, I was pleasantly surprised. It is very cozy and well laid out. There is enough space to hang out and watch a game on the many TV's they have around. Service was top notch, both the bartender and the server were attentive and interacted well with all the customers inside. // Notes: This is an Arsenal hang out, if you are coming as a supporter of another team (like myself) be respectful of the space. The food is great and its a neat little spot that I want to come back to for lunch / dinner next. read more

The food is really good. Had the Steak and Frites, my wife had the blackened shrimp tacos. The food was great, I only have 1 complaint about this restaurant. I've been there twice now and each time they were out of the Fish and Chips. On our second visit they weee out of the Fish and Chips and the Pork Tenderloin. I would suggest, that they need to prep more of the Main Dishes. There are only 7 main plate dishes. If they only specialize in small plates, they should post that on their menu. read more

Nice and cozy place to dine on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Easy parking on streets with pay. Service is friendly and attentive and fast service too. The foods are good, nothing special but nicely prepared. read more

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Ended up at "Chapter One: the modern local" after eating dinner around the corner at Lola Gaspar. This was a random discovery while exploring the area, but upon further inspection, it appears as though this might be the most reviewed restaurant on Yelp in all of Santa Ana. Pretty cool stuff! We were actually drawn in by their live music. While we didn't order any food, we very much enjoyed grabbing a beer here. The menu had a lot of great options to choose from. Service was impeccable. I definitely want to come back sometime for a proper meal. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - "the space we leave" by "everywhere" brewing. Top notch! - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Came here for the first time and we had brunch. Wow the food was amazing, the steak and potatoes were some of the best brunch food I've ever had. The service was top notch. We had Branson as our servicer and he really made our time there great, he was a sweetheart and our kids loved him. Thank you Chapter One for a wonderful morning! We will be back. read more

Great service, great food. Cool Ambiance. Tried this place with some friends yesterday and happy we did! The steak sandwich was yummy and the cheese curds were amazing! Our server was great too! Only wish we had tried cocktails, the Sangria looked amazing! We will be back! read more

Chapter One: the modern local - We split the sandwich, so good portions! So yummy! chimichurri (don't think I spelled right) was perfect addition to steak sandwich! - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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That said - now more than ever - please support restaurants and all businesses in DTSA. It's so eerily quiet that I could swear it feels like Covid all over again. Don't buy into the fears in the press. Come on down. Plenty of parking. Excellent food. And it's quiet and safe. Please support DTSA and shop local. Your tummy will thank you and so will the local owners. And yes - Chapter One never disappoints. Amazing food at fair prices. A whiskey / bourbon list that will satisfy any fan of liquid gold. Today was the Royale - tomorrow might be the steak and feta salad. There just isn't a bad thing on the menu. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - This Royale with Cheese would have Jules and Vincent on the floor in a food coma. It is just the best burger ever. - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

It's a good place for a date. Drinks are a little watery, but whatever. The burgers are fire read more

Good service. Ok food. It's fine for your neighborhood haunt, not lots of ambiance to write about. read more

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The Hearts of Palm tacos are wonderful. I wanted to try something new. Chapter One did not disappoint me. Their French fries are fried in Duck fat. That gave the fries their own delicious taste. Then sprinkled with salt and pepper. Service was good. WATCH YOUR STEP WHEN YOU ENTER! There is a step down. read more

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My friends and I used to be regulars here, so we were excited to come back a few weeks ago on a Friday evening around 6-7pm. The restaurant wasn't busy, but our server never introduced himself. We were disappointed to see some of our staple favorites off the menu (like the shrimp taquitos and vanilla soufflé), and even more let down when our food took a long time to arrive. When it finally did, my fries were cold, and our server never checked in on us again after dropping off the plates. Sadly, as much as we've loved this place in the past, this experience makes it unlikely that we'll return. read more

This place has gone downhill. Will never come back. Wanted to show my husband downtown Santa Ana and was so excited to revisit this place...I hadn't been back in years. To my disappointment the food was akin to the yard house or denny's. Steak salad and burger were tasteless, overcooked, and abysmal, service was just okay, drinks were mediocre. They only good thing was the fries. Sad. The chapter one I once knew is no longer. Save your money and go anywhere else in DT Santa Ana. You'll thank me. read more

Been coming here for a few years. My first time here was for a Sunday brunch and it was vibrant with music and the food tasted delicious. The most times I came was early in the AM to support arsenal. They now have a select breakfast menu when watching Arsenal games, before the brunch begins. Lastly I came here for a private event where a friend of mine reserved their back room. The food has always been tasty. I think I've enjoyed their regular menu better than their Arsenal menu. The waiters and bartenders have always been great. Even when they're backed up, you can see they're trying their best. You can also tell many of the staff here has a close bond with one another, as many have worked there for years. There's a small parking lot next door and you pay on the park mobile app. There's also a giant parking structure across the street where you pay upon leaving and it's a flat rate for the day. This restaurant and parking are both not cheap. I do wish the city of Santa Ana would make parking free on Sundays to incentivize more people to go out and spend money those days. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Arsenal Menu - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Definitely 5* happy hour. Ayda served us and was very nice and attentive. The HH margarita was well-crafted, maybe one of the best HH margaritas I've had-$8. Hubby had a nice west coast IPA -$5. The Lumpia was awesome and the chimichurri steak sandwich with duck fat fries were perfect. We don't live in the area, but will make it a point to come back. Oh, BTW, they have house made ketchup that was so good! It's really a gastro-pub vibe, and the books, wooden shelves, and brick are all so nice to see. read more

GREAT First Date and any date spot. I met my future spouse here and hey maybe you can too. Ambiance is great. Menu is simple and delicious. Service is great. Restrooms could use an updated refresh but I can overlook it for now. read more

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Parking is expensive. Restrooms poorly maintained. Unsafe neighborhood. Loud venue. Unable to hear or speak to guests at my table. Inattentive wait staff. Several members of our party had to go looking for him. The waiter pulled up a chair at the end of the table to take orders and we had to shout down to him. Food poorly prepared. Burger was overdone to where it was black and so much salt it made my eyes water. They need to take the salt shaker away from the chef and tell him less is more. read more

Checked in tonight as a Hospitality Ninja Student and Chapter One was seriously a Cave filled with so many Exquisitely Chic Lessons on what makes a Restaurant Top Shelf Authentically Charming and Uniquely Special!! Right when we walked in I loved the fun Welcome Mat and sign that invited my Professor Sitter and I to seat ourselves. I chose a nice Cozy clean and comfortably Chic booth and delighted in all the fun and boldly Bouncy and Nerdy Vibrations of the Cave! I love the Statements showing the Restaurant's support for the Arsenal Football Team, a Server wearing a hilariously Fun colorfully lit WWF Christmas Sweater, and Bookshelves encouraging a thoroughly Well Read Lifestyle ;0) Natalie was our Server and she completely blew us away with the quality of her Hosting! I told her I was a Yelper and needed her to sell me on the Best Chapter One Experience and she slayed through her Hospitality Soccer Hustle like a Champion's League Superstar! Natalie gave us an endless barrage of highly specific terrific Cocktail, Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert Suggestions and made the whole Experience feel like a Well Engineered Disneyland Ride! Natalie playfully informed us about the interesting History of Chapter One and how it was originally a Bookstore, the Family Oriented Team Culture that Hosts insanely Fun and Classy New Years Celebration Traditions, and the Executive Chef responsible for all breathtaking Recipe Designs we got to enjoy that evening. I was curious about the Owner and Natalie pointed him out as a fully engaged and present Dining Room Guardian roaming around the Restaurant that evening! Hats off to the Owner for being so incredibly humble and being the most Intriguing and Effective Restauranteur I've seen in all my years of Yelping! The Design and Charm of Chapter One is so Tastefully Electrifying and big thanks to Natalie and Ryan for playing their Server Roles with such focused and responsible Professionally Chic Enthusiasm!!! And the Server with the NWO Throwback Christmas Sweater wins my Favorite Christmas Sweater Award for the Season ;0) You must try their Espresso Martini and Beef Empanadas and White Chocolate Souffle!!! Their Housemade Ketchup is incredible too and was my Favorite part of the Royale Cheese Gourmet Burger Entree. The Kitchen Staff and Executive Chef is seriously in top of their Professional A Game!! read more

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I love this place. It's become a local favorite of mine. The drinks are great and they make an awesome steak (get the fries). The bread pudding is so good. My friends and I come here regularly and always feel at home. Big thanks to the wonderful staff and owner. read more

Came for Succulent workshop, and had one the BEST Sangrias! Decided to try the lumpia, and it was delicious. Service was great. Our group was assigned one person to make sure everything went well, and they were on top of it. Super attentive & friendly. The parking in the area can get a little crazy, but there's a plethora of options. read more

Chapter One: the modern local - Succulent workshop & sangria - Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Super cute spot and a very tasty meal! Definitely recommend going during happy hour to save some money. The shrimp tacos are one of my new faves. Staff was super nice and spot on with their recommendations. read more

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Soooo good! The ambiance is awesome, food as amazing as I remember, and service was spot on. Love this place! It's very consistently great. read more

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Chilaquiles. That is the main reason for our brunch celebration this morning. My daughter was in search for some good chilaquiles, and we definitely found some at Chapter One. I love that we were able to find reservations right away. Our waitress was so friendly, and took the best picture for us (score!). Other than that, they offered lots of great options for brunch. I'm a healthy bean so stuck to good old egg whites, toast and potato's (their toast was BOMB!). Hubbie really enjoyed his pork belly burritos and daughter said she would come back for their chilaquiles (she is picky with her Chilaquiles). And their duck fries were SO good. Overall a very comfortable restaurant for some good grub food and drinks. Excited to come back and try more options. Thanks, Chapter One! read more

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Brought a group of 30 people here on Thursday night after dropping our kids off at a school dance and Tim did a great job organizing the space for all of us. The evening was a hit with everyone and we'll definitely be back next year for dance night! It's an old bar and truly nothing glamorous but the food was exceptional! Everyone was raving about their meals - vegan tacos, shrimp tacos, burgers, meatloaf, fries, Brussels sprouts, steak... it was truly the best bar food ever!!! And Naomi!!! Kudos to you on a job well done looking after all of us!! It was noisy and chaotic but she handled herself like a pro and made sure we all had what we needed. Thanks Chapter One for a great night for the parents of teens - we'll be back!! read more

We were looking for a mid-county breakfast location to celebrate a birthday. My friend recommended Chapter One; it was a hit with everyone in our party of 8! We had a variety of breakfast dishes - pancakes, avocado toast, breakfast sando, steak...all excellent! Even the side eggs were so good. The cold brew Old Fashion is an absolute MUST. I'm super discerning on Old Fashions and this one was it!! They even served the birthday gal a yummy cheesecake and shot. Will definitely be back, great first visit. read more