Hyped by a friend and I understand why…read more ** Mochi waffle - first time to try one. (not a fan of mochi, sticky food) BUT THIS ONE IS SO GOOD. MUST ORDER!!! It's freshly made to order. Toasted on the outside and soft on the inside. I'm coming back for this. ** Mango Bingsu - Smooth untextured ice, check! I don't like vanilla but the the generous amount of mangoes, the syrup did not taste fake, and it was just not toppings but also sandwiched in the middle. In every bite you can take, you get everything until your last scoop. Dog friendly place!!! Servers were so nice. Spacious place to stufy and have a doggy date!! I'm coming back for more and an excuse to go with my dog.

Came here after seeing that vegan dessert options were available, but when we went to order, the…read morestaff strongly advised us not to because of significant cross-contamination concerns. As someone who is dairy-free, I appreciated their honesty, but it left me wondering what the point of offering vegan options is if they're not actually safe for people avoiding dairy. It's disappointing to advertise vegan items only for customers to be told by employees that they shouldn't order them. If cross-contamination is unavoidable, that should be clearly stated on the menu or online so customers can make informed decisions before making the trip.

Churros like no other! I usually ask for no sugar since…read moretheir choux pastry dough is just right- specially when you get the churros with the español coco- perfect nice thick dipping hot cocoa with the right amount of bitterness and sweet. Truly the only way to eat churros- enjoying the simplicity of the light and airy crunch pastry and the rich bitter-sweet chocolate. We stopped by the location at the Mercado Market- the place was amazing and truly worth a visit. The stall was located across the market's bakery. You have a view of the people cooking the churros and preparing your order. Given that the stall in inside the market, it was vibrant and lively. I would pick up lunch at the market, grab churros and hot cocoa or coffee for dessert at El Moro and then shop at the market and bring home more goodies!

The only way to have a churro is a fresh churro, so if you're not getting these churros fresh out…read moreof the fryer, are you even living? There's usually a line for these, which means they're constantly churning them out so you're basically guaranteed a hot, crispy churro the moment you order. They are decently sized too, well over a foot long, though they have minis available if you're feeling modest (no judgment). The dipping sauces are a great addition to the churros. The dark chocolate has this unexpected blueberry-ish, fruity vibe that sounds weird but somehow pairs *perfectly* with the sweetness of the churro. They also have condensed milk, caramelized milk, and caramel if chocolate isn't your thing (thought I highly recommend the chocolate!) Bonus points for the tables if waiting until you get home to enjoy the churros may be too difficult: after all, the point of these is to have them as fresh as they come. They also have hot chocolate and other treats, but the churros is what I came for. I am sure I will make a return trip though and if the dipping chocolate is any indicaiton of how the hot choclate is, it may be something I'll need to try on my return visit!

Wow the best cheesecake I've ever had probably! Light and not too sweet. Literally perfect. I dream…read moreabout this cheesecake.. seriously.

Every time I stop by I try something new from Yu Cake, but every time, I haven't been impressed by…read moremy purchase despite the steep price tag. I wouldn't say the cakes are extremely expensive, but Yu Cake's desserts have not impressed us. We got the jasmine matcha yogurt millefeuille, taro box cake, the coconut milk jelly and the black sesame latte. Jasmine matcha yogurt millefeuille - 2/5 clearly a victim of too many flavors jammed together. The only thing that we could really taste was the yogurt Taro box cake - 3.5/5 not too bad but nothing super impressive. I did like that it wasn't too sweet, but a fluffy whipped cream may have made the cake lighter vs the buttercream they used Coconut milk jelly - 4/5 not bad at all. The milk flavor was a bit stronger than the coconut flavor tho Black Sesame latte - 4.5/5 I enjoyed this latte and found it to be the perfect amt of sweet. The black Sesame paste on the side of the cup wasnt sweetened either, ensuring the latte wasn't too heavy.

I usually love coming to sidecar because of their delicious donuts but I was very disappointed…read morewith the service I received today. It was 10 min before closing & idk if the girls were just rushing to close down but one girl in particular had an attitude. There was a miscommunication / misunderstanding with the girl who took my coffee order (I had assumed the seasonal banana latte came with the foam as pictured & because she didn't ask if I wanted the foam, I didn't ask for it more-so bc she asked if I wanted the brittle on top). When they handed me my drink it was a plain banana latte with no foam or brittle. I was ignored when I tried calling for the barista until another girl followed up - however this girl had an attitude. She told me that I must not have ordered it since they ask at the register if I want foam with brittle. Explained they didn't ask. Instead she just said "sorry I'll let them know for next time". And walked away leaving me with my drink as is. Didn't offer any sort of resolution. I walked in and asked they could charge me extra for the foam. The same girl with the attitude remade my drink and handed it to me. No thank you, no sorry, nothing. First time experiencing this kind of service. Not sure if the girl is new but saw someone else share a similar experience couple days ago. Wish I would have asked for her name!

Really good! I've been here many times but I realized I've never reviewed this place. Of all times…read moreI've been here, it's no question a 5 star. The donuts were really fresh and hot when we got them. My wife loves the butter and salt one and it's absolutely perfect! The saltiness balances out with the richness and sweetness. I also ordered the golden hour grey, which was the seasonal flavor, and it was really unique. It was citrusy and light. Sidecar is definitely in it's own league and its tough to find other donuts to really compete with them. The store was pretty small with very limited seating at this location so it's more of a grab and go type of location. It's not too far from the beach though. Service was really efficient. Even if there was a line, it goes by quite quickly. It's worth it anyways!

My bf and I were just walking around that area talking about dessert. We stumbled across this…read moreplace, literally had never seen or heard of it before. We came in about 10 min to close and they were still so busy! The man who helped us, Michael, was super kind and helpful. It was a cute decor, it shares a storefront with an ice cream place that you can make your pie à la mode with their ice cream! There was only one slice of Caramel Apple cake when we got there, and I'm so happy I got it because I was not expecting it to be one of the BEST apple pies I've purchased! Usually homemade all the way... This pie had a great sweetness to it! (If you like things "not too sweet" this isn't for you..) Nice big chunks of apple and topped with a cinnamon sugar / oat crumble with a healthy caramel drizzle. Definitely will return, hopefully earlier in the day so that we can grab some of the other sold out options.

I'm not a big pot pie person but decided to give it a try. We had the original & butter chicken…read more The original is really good the butter chicken was okay. I love the crust on the pies, they're a perfect size for your meal and the pricing was good. Everyone working was nice and friendly. I didn't feel rushed. Parking was a challenge but people are coming & going rapidly. I would go back.

Stella is the best ice cream. I can't believe it made it to Costa Mesa! We didn't have this before…read morewhen we use to live here. I got the seasonal flavor- banana turon. Omgoodness. Who makes these flavors. The creators really know how to have these Filipino desserts come to ice cream life. It's incredible. You can taste the crunchiness and even the jackfruit. I absolutely love it. Who could ever come up with this stuff! Ube pandesal and mango sticky rice are my classic favorite! Service was great. It's always a plus when you can taste test! Casual ambiance.

Came in for a quick ice cream treat and the options did not disappoint!! They have many flavors…read morethat rotate out and the flavors are very unique which is great. I compare it to a Salt and Straw and the price point was also similar/average. Service was friendly and patient, they allow you to try as many flavors as you want! Ambiance is aesthetic and nice, a little spot to stop by for a quick treat!

Stricklands is back! As a long time fan of their Irvine location, I was happy to know it came back…read more I've heard about the comeback for a while, but just never ventured out to Costa Mesa. Well, after dinner with some friends, we wanted to grab some ice cream - what better idea than trying Stricklands??? The ice cream is still as delicious as ever - I made the mistake of not checking that flavor calendar before we went, but we were still happy campers. And best of all, I got to introduce Strickland's to my kiddo (who ended up eating almost all the ice cream, lol). Not much in terms of seating, but there was a bench where we sat and eat the ice cream prior to leaving. Plenty of parking - location is on the edge of the mall if you have any issues finding it.

Nothing is better than handmade seasonal ice cream. The thoughtfulness behind the owners flavors…read morefor this ice cream parlor makes each bite unique and something to look forward to for each month. Service was quick an easy, and you get to talk to the owner yourself!

I finally got the chance to checked out this matcha soft serve spot that's tucked inside Mitsuwa's…read morefood court. Since I wanted more of a chill experience, I came on a weekday around 4pm. I highly recommend if you're not into crowds. There was only one person ahead of me and ordering was super easy through the kiosk. I went with the matcha and the hokkaido milk swirl on a cone. First bite, I tried the milk side on its own, and I loved how light it was. Not overly sweet. Then I tried the matcha by itself. It tasted earthy and had that matcha flavor. When I combined the swirl together , the matcha definitely took the spotlight. It kind of overpowered the milk swirl but I didn't mind it because I'm a matcha lover. It still balanced out nicely. Just more on the earthy matcha side. Oh, and let's not forget about the waffle cone. It was perfectly crunchy and tasted so good with my soft served. Also, shoutout to the employee who handed me my order. He was super friendly, welcoming, and all smiles which always makes the experience better.

Oh no! What happened to the consistency of the Hokkaido soft serve? This place used to be SO good…read more The Hokkaido soft serve was rich, creamy, BUTTERY and just downright divine. My husband and I would go to mitsuwa just to get it and would frequently bring our out of towners here just for the Hokkaido soft serve. However, when we went today, we could immediately tell from the appearance that it seemed different. And unfortunately, taste wise, its gone completely downhill. It is no longer thick and creamy. It's bland and very icy. Reminds me of the cheap, free ayce soft serve you get for free at some bbq jpints. So disappointing. Hopefully, it's just an off day for the machine or something. But if it's a permanent change, we will no longer come back.

Food! Service! Ambiance! Cannot believe it's possible that these girls amber Malia Tamara and…read moreRachel could be SO full of love and joy!!! Definitely my favorite ice cream shop for the remainder of my eternal existence before I go to be in the presence of Yahweh

This location is wonderful! The sweet server who helped us was so incredibly patient and…read morethoughtful, suggesting so many flavors because we didn't like any of them... She helped me narrow it down to the safe lavender and honey, which is so delicious! Of course salt and straw is known for their crazy flavors, but chewing bread in chocolate ice cream was a new one for me. The inside is super clean and minimal, but there is no seating inside or outside. It's great to stop by after dinner or before an event!

Friends and I weren't craving donuts while in Newport, so we decided on Milk & Cookies to satisfy…read moreour sweet treat cravings. You could tell the cashier was ready to go home, but I found her endearing. She was very helpful and provided descriptions of some of the cookies they had displayed. My friend got the cowboy cookie and I got the M&M cookie. We both opted out of enjoying our cookies with milk, which I guess defeats the purpose.. but the cookies were warm and tasty. They were a great size for a decent price.

I've been coming to this spot since 2020 during the COVID days, and the cookies remain great. They…read moreoffer a wide variety of flavors, and the best part is that the cookies are always served warm. The Order: * My Go-To: I highly recommend the chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. * Variety: They have every flavor of milk, ice cream, and cookies you could want. Timing & Atmosphere: * Avoid Weekends: I would not recommend coming here on a weekend. The store is tiny, and because it's right next to all the bars, the area gets crowded with a lot of drunk people. If that isn't your scene, stick to a weekday visit. * Rewards: It is quite expensive, but it's a nice treat. Plus, you can sign up with your phone number to get discounts for future visits. The Parking Situation: * Virtually Non-Existent: There is no parking lot, so you are stuck looking for small spots along the side of the road. * Accessibility: There is no designated handicap parking, so keep that in mind if you aren't prepared to walk a bit from a side street. Final Verdict: It's a perfect weekday spot for a warm dessert, just be prepared for the peninsula parking struggle!