Noguchi gardens is a gorgeous spot to just relax for a little, enjoy a break from the hustle and…read morebustle of the world. It's a small space but the artwork is nice and instills a sense of calm that is appreciated

Fun and interesting little place to visit if you are in the area by South Coast Plaza mall…read more Not the easiest place to find since you can't see it from the street. It is behind the Mastros restaurant. There is a parking structure nearby that is like $3 or $4 for 15 minutes and you can probably run through in 15 minutes, but 30 minutes to be safe. You can also walk from the mall parking lot, it is a little bit of a stroll but manageable. There are plenty of pictures so you can see what you are getting into before you make the drive, pay for parking, and walk over. When we went there on a Sunday morning, there were only 2 or 3 other people, so it was very quiet and zen. I enjoyed the write-ups and the exhibits. If I worked right there I would probably visit all the time.

Small place, but BIG options to choose from…read more Pretty cool space here in the OC to get some unique gifts for yourself or others. A good amount of stuff comes from Japan too ! The owner is cool too, nice guy to talk to Prices are what you'd expect, a little high but not impossible to afford if you choose to purchase. Especially if there's some hard to get Japanese goods there. Definitely coming back !

What a cute little place for gift shopping. This place has a great selection of just odd stuff. it…read moreis cute and clean and the service is very nice. Most of the items are from Japan and they have stuff I had not seen before. They had a little Toto lighter which I loved as I have a Toto at home (it is a toilet, made in Japan and has a washlet.) They also have stickers and tee shirts and hats, they have lots of hats. I bought one for my son in law. The prices are fair for the area. We really did love the service. It is not a place I would go to often, but it is adorable and worth a visit. We had a great time there, just looking at all the stuff. It was not at all busy when we were there and check out was super easy. So, if you are nearby stop there. It is not a must see, but it is cute.

I had a lot of fun doing this experience. So far I've been to the Activates in Culver City,…read moreOrlando, and San Francisco. All of them were pretty good experiences! As a college student though $30 for an hour and $40 for an hour and a half is fairly reasonable. I just wish it were cheaper so I could go more often!

Great place. Had a lot of fun here even as an adult. Just a bunch of rooms with interactive mini…read moregames in them, and you can climb thru different levels of the same room so nothing really gets stale. The first few levels can feel a little silly cause they're ridiculously simple, but the higher levels get fun fast. Avoid the busiest times to avoid crowds. Each mini game is like 2 minutes tops, but if there's no one waiting, you can keep playing the next level. All the tech worked pretty seamlessly and nothing was broken. Would very much like to come back.

The location has improved. Owner was very nice and help rearrange some machines to help my kids win…read moresome prizes. Definitely like the changes so far. Adjusting review to 5 stars

TL;DR: The win rate on the machines seems to have gone down significantly, and more than half of…read morethe machines now seem to offer items in blind bags, which are close to impossible for claws or kids to grab compared to plushies and other items. The value-to-experience ratio just isn't what it used to be. We've come to Top Canvas multiple times before and always had a great experience. We've even recommended it to friends. They still have a really wide variety of machines, but unfortunately, the experience and service seem to have gone downhill. In the past, the workers were incredibly attentive and would help our daughter and her friends rearrange items to make them easier to grab. They weren't just giving things away for free, but they made sure the kids had a reasonable chance of actually winning something. The win rate on the machines was also relatively high, and the prizes were generally easy enough for kids to grab. It was a great, albeit slightly expensive, value. Our most recent visit was very different. The machines had a close-to-zero win rate, and even when a worker rearranged a couple of items for us, they basically just tossed them around in the container and walked away. They didn't actually make them any easier for a small child to grab. We left with one small item, and while we completely understand that winning isn't guaranteed (that's the nature of these games) that's not really what made Top Canvas great in the past. What made it stand out was that it felt accessible and fun for young kids. Unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case.

There are 3 parking options: Tower Plaza Parking Structure (602 Anton Boulevard), Irvine Parking…read more(3201 Avenue of the Arts), and The MET Parking (535 Anton Boulevard). I chose the Tower Plaza Parking Structure (near the Westin Hotel), which was just a short walk to the museum, while the other options are a bit farther. Parking is paid, about $6 per hour. Once you arrive, check-in is quick and no reservation is needed. Admission is free, and they provide a sticker that you'll need to wear throughout your visit. The museum is two floors, featuring a variety of sections and artists. The architecture itself is beautiful and perfect for photos, and the artwork is unique and enjoyable to explore. Overall, it's a great experience, especially since it's free. Tip(s): - Park at Tower Plaza Parking Structure (near Westin Hotel) and just walk to the museum - Free entry - Restrooms available - No appointments needed

Well any museum with a Serra sculpture outside that you can just walk into is an automatic 4 stars…read more The museum itself is wonderful to walk thru. A small modern space, very museum. The two exhibits on the main floor were nicely spaced out. There was a large group of young people with energy and enthusiasm. I asked one of the docents if they were a student group and she said no, they just showed up. So props to the young people just showing up for art.

Mission Control is a BLAST! It's a not-so-hidden gem on the second floor of a market in DTSA, which…read moreis the perfect way to spend the evening after walking around and eating in the area. There's a variety of pinball machines and classic old school arcade games to choose from (as well as some new machines which were recently added). You can exchange cash for tokens and all the games are reasonably priced, either 2 tokens (50¢) or 4 tokens ($1). They've got a DJ bumping live music to set the mood, a couple bartenders dishing out fun themed drinks, and there's even a dance floor with a disco ball if you feel like getting down. It's got a little something for everybody, even if you're bad at the games you can still have fun with friends, on a date, or even on your own! HIGHLY recommend you check this place out, it's a guaranteed good time that isn't expensive which is rare nowadays!!

I hadn't been to Mission Control in about two years, so I was really looking forward to going back…read more Unfortunately, it just wasn't the same experience I remembered. There used to be an area with around a dozen pinball machines, but that area was completely bare this time. There were still pinball machines along another wall, but I remember them being in both areas, so it felt like there were quite a few fewer machines overall. A few of the other games weren't working either, including the air hockey and basketball games. I also noticed there wasn't a DJ that night. That may have been something that simply wasn't scheduled for that evening, so I'm not going to hold that against the place. I'm just mentioning what I experienced. I did get to play Galaga, which was fun, but I was hoping to play Centipede and it wasn't there that night. I ended up playing only two games before heading downstairs to the tiki bar. Maybe it was just an off night, and I may have caught Mission Control at a bad time. I just remember it being a much more lively and fun arcade the last time I was there. I was disappointed because I had really been looking forward to coming back. I hope it was just an off night, because I'd like to see it get back to the place I remember.

626 market has great food, however it's a little expensive so be prepared for that. The drink…read moreplaces are pretty good and there are many to pick from such as boba, fruit teas, cane sugar places etc. everything is made to order and comes out hot. The service is always great the vendors are friendly and take your order in a timely manner.

So FoodieLand acquired 626 Night Market in October 2025 and this was my first time visiting since…read morethe new corporate ownership. [Parking]: $15 per vehicle for on-site parking just to enter the OC Fair & Event Center. [Admission]: Our party purchased the same-day tickets and paid a $16 per person entry fee. [What to expect]: The market was approximately half food vendors and half arts / crafts / gift vendors. There were solid craft and gift vendors, but not too many art vendors. The food was extremely overpriced ... a simple appetizer = at least $15+ & a filling meal = at least $25. The only real positive? There was a mahjong area that offered free lessons. The performance stage was alright. [Food]: Our party ended up getting only 6 pieces of soup dumplings (aka XLB) from Dumpling Dream for $14 and a cup of gelatea from Boutcha for $7.20 (one of the most affordable and best item to get at the market). [Conclusion]: If I ever come back to 626 Night Market, I would probably stick with the Arcadia location as parking is free and the admission fee is slightly cheaper. I am still having a hard time digesting the fact that getting into the market cost $30+ before even buying any food if I come here alone and I would also need to spend another $25+ just to feel like I had eaten a legit meal. I am good with this one-and-done visit.

I recommend their yuzu tonic with espresso or matcha & caramel banana coffee with added cinnamon…read more They host poetry and music open mic nights along with other fun cultural and queer events. Staff are kind and friendly. The space is fun, cute, clean.

Gremlin has been on my list for awhile and I finally got to try it this weekend and it did NOT…read moredisappoint! They collaborated with a local community organization- Lucha Costa Mesa where they were giving 10% of the processed for certain drinks and I wanted to support both. I ordered the caramel banana latte. I'm always skeptical about banana lattes cause not every coffee shop knows how to make a good banana latte, but gremlin knows how to definitely make one! It was so good, such good flavor! I loved it and want to come back and try other drinks. I had planned to stay and do work but it was a bit hot in the garage so I decided not to. They did have a DJ on Sunday playing great bops. I appreciate Gremlin connecting with great community orgs and supporting their good work. I can't wait to be back!

Arrr, mateys! Fer those who love pirates or those lookin' fer sites off the beaten path, this be a…read morejolly stop to check out. If ye be sailin' in a dinghy, a kayak, or a pedal boat, ye best cruise on by this Instagram-worthy pirate attraction. Landlubbers, beware, parking is rare. Ye without peglegs will have a nice seaside-ish stroll.

The Pirate House is a must see if you are in the neighborhood. I particularly love it at night…read morebecause this is when the pirates come to life. Not IRL but, if you use your imagination....

Situated a really nice shopping complex There are a lot of seats so if you forget to book ahead of…read moretime, you can get situated pretty easy. It's set up to host events so if you wanna commission your own event you have all that you need here. There are competitions which can be very fun and a learning experience. They take seriousness with administration, providing a fair race for all and you are driving "with equal machinery" It's also a great experience for people who never tried driving a race car or are kind of unsure about going go karting. This is a slightly step up from that as you're learning, different sports cars and race cars. You can have the option of choosing certain cars and tracks if you're a veteran looking to practice times with a close enough set up to your car if you do hot laps If you get the premium membership that they offer you could do Iracing but you need to pay for your own membership for that separately so that you can access it but if you just want to do nice half hour or more drive that's also good as well

World of Racing Tuscan is one of four locations available in the contiguous United States, offering…read moreprofessional grade racing simulation set ups for the community to enjoy. We came to celebrate for my partners birthday and was able to walk in fairly easily on a Saturday afternoon. I never experienced anything like this before, and comparing it to Mario Kart would be a disservice to the equipment available at this venue. The physics are realistic, and the specs/riding experience can be tailored to real-life cars. Be aware that turning off track or spinning out of control can cause the wheel to spin vigorously so I would say this isn't meant for younger kids. It made me really appreciate car racing more because it's another level of precision and control needed to make sharp turns while maintaining as much speed as possible. This whole experience had me gripping the steering wheel with exhilaration the whole hour of racing. 10/10 and despite being notoriously bad tolerating virtual simulations due to motion sickness, I was perfectly fine doing the esport simulation.