I cannot rave enough about restaurant; everything from the food, ambience and service is top notch…read more Darkroom is intimate and vibey; perfect for date night, a celebration or simply if you want to treat yourself. What makes me come back time and time again is the constantly rotating menu that changes almost daily (from what the staff told me) to feature seasonal ingredients with a few staple menu items. I absolutely love this concept as it really allows the chefs to feature ingredients that are at their peak as well as showcase creative and deliciously curated dishes. I highly recommend making reservations as it's very busy even after peak dinner times. All of the staff is incredibly friendly and the chefs themselves occasionally come out to the table to drop off the dishes themselves. You can tell how passionate they are about the food. Everything I've had here has been beyond delicious. You'll find dishes on the menu that are familiar but some with a creative twist you've never had before. I like getting multiple items and sharing them; each dish portion isn't that large and is reminiscent of tapas style plates.

Such an absolute vibe. i think it's meant to be like a vinyl bar? I unfortunately did not partake…read morein any beverages but the food alone is incredible. Very dark and moody lighting and great spot for a friend night out or a first date or whatever your heart desires. Service was attentive, patient, and super friendly. Scallop Crudo: 8/10 Bright, refreshing, light, and packed with flavour. Only wish there was more scallop :( Fish Dip: 8/10 I think it had a mixture of three different fish. Probably the best version of a fish dip I've ever had. So many different textures and flavours that paired really well with each other. Only thing that was missing was some kind of vessel to dip into the fish. Tartare: 9/10 One of the best tartares I've ever had too. Again, incredible mixtures of textures and flavours, and the potatoes it came with were honestly so good I could've ordered 10 of them just to munch on to myself. Scrambled Egg Agnolotti: 10/10 Little pillows of goodness. Pasta was al dente, the sauce was divine and honestly wished I had ordered a second serving of this Hangar Steak: 8/10 Wished some slices were a little bit more tender but overall, thought this was a very unique and pleasant dish. The serving size on the steak was huge, especially given the price point, and the sauce and creamed spinach brought everything together wonderfully. I'm usually hesitant to order steaks at restaurants cause it's always a hit-or-miss but this did not disappoint Semifreddo: 7/10 - Super unique and while I'm not a big fan of desserts in general, I found this really interesting and actually enjoyed it.

I absolutely love this place,it's one of my favorite spots in Downtown Santa Ana. I've been to many…read moreof the bars and clubs in the area, and this is by far my favorite. The drinks are exceptional, and they're always updating their menu with creative new cocktails that appeal to every taste. The staff is welcoming, friendly, and attentive, which makes the experience even better. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between relaxed and glamorous. Whether you're stopping by for a casual drink or a night out, it always feels special. I'm always excited for my next visit!

This is my 100th Yelp review and what better way to celebrate than this hidden gem of a bar! This…read moreplace is a triple threat- 5 star all around, from the food, to the service, to the ambiance! Element is a cozy bistro/bar in the heart of downtown Santa Ana that is sleek and unpretentiously good. And y'all know I don't gatekeep, so behind the door sign for the "restroom" is the speakeasy. Love love love this hidden gem. We ordered the la novela and carajillo for drankss and the jalapeño Mac and cheese as a little snacky snack. AmaZZZINGly dericious! Shoutout to our friendly host and bartenders. We had a great time!

We found this place to have a good menu and I was particularly thrilled seeing Meatloaf on it. That…read moreis 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.

This was a great visit for OC Restaurant Week! Chapter One is located in downtown Santa Ana. The…read moreparking 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!

Loved everything about this place!…read more Ambiance is casual and intimate, you're seated closely to fellow guests along a kitchen bar top where food is served family style and immediately after cooking. Wine pairings were generous and went very well with the food. Service was fantastic, you get descriptions of food from someone who genuinely loves what they do and the dishes they create.

Stone counter seating for only 18 guests. Three chefs serving the things they are proud of while…read moreputting on a three-man show. I love their passion and enthusiasm, starting with their "freshest bread". The oven-to-plate brioche is a signature starter that reflects their values, their commitment to getting you the freshest food they can. The Greenest Salad goes so well with this, and all the veggies taste like they were just picked from the field. They procure many top-notch ingredients, and most of the preparation is simple so the food can speak for itself. My favorites from that night include the Mussels Croquetas which had beautiful bits of shellfish and a cream sauce that was to die for. They also made the first Paella I've ever liked, and their Lamb is the most delicious I've ever tasted. There is a dessert that I hope they never stop serving. The Kougin Amman ice cream sandwich is a genius pairing, especially because they just might make the best pastry in the world. I love the up close and personal approach, and the ingredients are incredible. A fun little splurge if you're in the area.

Best Spanish food and tapas in the OC and LA counties…read more Great music,cold drinks and fast service. We live in the valley but we like to visit cafe Sevilla every time we're in Orange County. We usually have their paellas,valenciana and seafood,they're delicious and have that authentic Spanish flavor. Their tapas are also one of our favorite appetizers and to drink: estrella Galicia beer and a cold sangria with Alejandro Sanz music playing in the background. I hope we get to visit you guys soon again at Cafe Sevilla!

We went to Cafe Sevilla this weekend to catch the Mexico World Cup game and we had a great…read moreexperience! First, our server was so attentive even though it was a packed house! What we love about this place is they have happy hour everyday from open to I believe 7, you can't beat that! The food and drinks: we got a tamarindo margarita and we liked it a lot. Good flavor although it could have used a bit more alcohol. For tapas we got: croquetas de queso y jamon (we loved them, they were probably our favorite), calamari (it was so good!), empanadas (my boyfriend said they were good), short rib tacos (they were okay but not the greatest), patatas bravas (only thing I wasn't a fan of). Overall, really great food, service and ambiance. We will definitely be back!

Just. The. Best. Restaurant. Everrrrrr…read more The food is amazing. The wine selection is amazing. The people are amazing. I would best describe it as upscale Mexican-inspired food, with a relaxed, friendly, chill atmosphere, and super cool and eclectic decor. Everything on the menu is delicious, but I especially love the lump crab squash blossoms and the ceviche tostada. We love it here.

So good! From the food, service and DJ Love spinning on the…read moreweekend? What more do you want?

Splurge restaurant but food is very solid! My husband and I…read morecame here for date night and had a great experience~ Vaca is located next to south coast, interior has tall ceilings and have a small indoor and outdoor seating. They have Spanish menu items, several tapas and main dishes. We got 4 wines and both loved with whites and reds! La bola (8.5/10)-the meat inside was delicious wasn't overly crispy, sauce on top was too much but a classed dish Pani puri (9/10)-interesting concept scallop was delicious and sauce was rich, shell was crispy Cauliflower (7/10)-bit too salty and rich but they give you a good portion Steak (7.5/10)-we asked for medium but it was more in medium rare, good quality but small for price Churro (9/10)-cant beat a piping hot churro with chocolate sauce portion not too large Our server was friendly and vibe was classy Would love to try the paella my next visit!

Vaca is one of the best dining experiences in Orange County. The Spanish-inspired menu strikes a…read moregreat balance between traditional flavors and creative execution, and every dish we ordered felt thoughtfully prepared. The tapas are perfect for sharing, with standout flavors that make it hard to pick favorites, and the paella is worth the wait. The atmosphere is lively and energetic without feeling pretentious, making it a great spot for a date night, celebration, or dinner with friends. Service was attentive, knowledgeable, and helped guide us through the menu. Chef Amar Santana's influence is clear throughout the restaurant, and it's easy to see why Vaca has built such a strong reputation. Not the cheapest meal in Costa Mesa, but the quality, creativity, and overall experience make it well worth it. I'll definitely be back.