This past Saturday was my first time coming to the Taste of Orange. I came with my brother, cousin and her husband. My cousin had told me about the event and I bought tickets in advance when they were $35. They went up to $50 a little after I bought my tickets and the event was sold out the week of the event. We could not have asked for a better day. It was beautiful, blue skies, sunshine, great food and great beer. The event opened at 3 pm and there was a very long line when we arrive but when they opened up the gates to the event the line moved quickly. If you wanted to buy drink wristbands they were $25 and it allow you to enjoy local beer and wine. The food tents were all placed around in a circle, surrounding the water fountain in the center of Old Town Orange. We tried just about everything. They had some great sandwiches, pizza, Açaí, beef short rib tostadas, deserts - they had conchas!, smoked burnt ends, lumpia & meatballs and sausage. We avoided the lasagna and other pasta dishes only because that would have filled us up too quickly and a Islands Restaurant booth, only because we had all eaten at one before and we were here to eat from local restaurants. All the local microbreweries we sampled had some really great beers. The event went on from 3 pm to 7 pm and by the time an 1 1/2 hours had past all four of us were completely stuffed. We could not eat any more. So what food item stood out the most? The burnt ends from Smoqued California BBQ. Absolutely delicious and extremely tender. We look forward to going next year but I really want to dine at Smoqued California BBQ to try more of their bbq. read more

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First time attending and I would say a good value if you had early ticket pricing of $35 but maybe expensive at $50. This year took place in the Orange Circle and even though it was sold out, it never felt too crowded and was quick to grab anything you wanted to try. Offering free parking was great too. The one disappointment would be that the event is 3-7PM and some booths were done by 5PM with food options very limited after 5:30PM. Seemed like getting beer until 7PM was easier for those who paid for alcohol wristbands. Overall the food options were good but the one thing we noticed was way too many deli style sandwiches and some portions were bigger than they needed to be so that you don't fill up before making it to every booth or throwing half the sample away. Favorite of the day was Bosscat's beef tostada which unfortunately ran out on the earlier side. Other food included: Deli style sandwiches Açaí Cake bites Cookies and conchas Pastas and pizzas Seafood boil from Kickin' Crab was another favorite Lumpia from Banger Lumpia is always a great choice Spinach and artichoke dip Bagel chips and cream cheese Chicken pot pies and fruit pies BBQ Burnt ends Sourdough Alcohol drinks were $25 and included: Paloma Pineapple rum cocktail Sangria and margarita Mai tai Beers Wine There were complimentary bottles of water and canned soda available as well as a couple booths offering cold brew. Porta potties were available but not clean so we opted to purchase from a local restaurant to use their restroom. A kids corner provided complimentary face painting which was great. Overall I'd return knowing the money goes to a good cause. read more

My favorite event of the year! It's the best food and drink you can bet for the cost an it all goes to the community. So much fun!

I came today for the taste of Orange. You pay for an armband for admission and tasting food. There is a pink armband that costs extra to drink alcohol samples. You don't have to pay for anything else except for the silent auction. The vendors gave us entrees, dessert, nonalcoholic drinks, coupons, and drink cups. The lines weren't bad in the beginning, but it got longer as time passed. One pizza booth never opened, and another opened late and had awful lines. I didn't get any pizza. A local politician gave out bottles of water. That was a good choice because you don't have to worry about allergies or intoxication. There were lots of mini cakes and desserts. I took a few home. I have been here before COVID and there were more food options. Today there weren't as many choices. Two men played guitar and sang songs. Wish there were chairs nearby. Enjoyed their music. read more

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Get there on time to enjoy the full menu of food and drinks. Been coming for the past 3 years and there is usually only food for the first 1.5-2 hours. Good community event read more

I have been going to taste of orange for as long as they have been doing them. This year has been the worst yet. The website says it was from 3-7 and 90% of tents were closed at 5. Not to mention on in particular closed after just 30 minutes! This is just unbelievable and a waste of money. Not even counting on when they closed down. The featured places felt like they were just handing out the most unpopular items on their menu. I really hope they read this and change something next year or it will go down in shambles of 2 years being absolute trash. read more

This was my first "Taste of ___" event and Yelp came through with the comped tickets so my experience was already at a four. The fact that the proceeds go toward an organization that does good for the community makes the event even more enjoyable. The entire event is in a parking lot which means you'd have to park somewhere else in the neighborhood. The lot is small so if you don't like crowds and lines (they move fast though) then this isn't the event for you. Pro tip: Bring a bag or purse to keep your hands free AND bring a hat! The pros: there were a lot of tents, there were enough tables out, and there was an indoor area where people can sit to escape the sun. There was also a photo booth in this area but it wasn't very publicized. My favorite bites were the Italian trio from Wise Guys and the waffle cone from Brew Hawg. The cons: if you didn't have an alcohol band the number of tents you could go to were cut in half, there was probably a total of ten tables that were actually in the shade, the bathrooms were severely lacking and gross, and the water stations (both inside the building and throughout the place) were empty. Some food vendor tents did not have food either which was interesting such as Raising Canes serving teas (maybe we were too early?). The verdict: I'm not sure if I'd go again but if I did, I'd suggest getting the alcohol wristband. read more

This is one of the best food tasting events. Very reasonable presale ticket prices. Not many lines at the actual event. Tons of vendors with generous tasting sizes. Great food all around. Lots of variety. Many places pass out coupons as well. There is also a photo booth at this event. Would definitely return to this event if the virus ever goes away! read more

Thanks Yelp for the tickets! The free Yelp goodie bag was thoughtful and sweet. I love it. I had a blast attending Taste of Orange. It is a big event and there is also a silent auction here. Free photo booth as well. I will def be attending this event again in the future with my friends and family :) Over 45+ restaraunts that I was able to sample and all of the food there was delicious and scrumptious. The booth vendors were all sweet with their hospitality and I was able to learn a lot about their food ingredients and businesses. Many of them were giving out coupons, business cards, and as well as free pens & pins. Taste of Orange is an outdoor event and I would recommend anyone to attend it! Don't worry you dont have to bring water! Iced water is provided there! It is fun to bring your loved ones and friends here esp if you guys love good food! -mini concert -lots of tables to sit and grub -spacious event -perfect for foodies -great to attend esp if you want to help for a good cause -event is from 3-7pm -kids friendly! Parking was not hard to find because there were lots of parking right next to the event. -event is very close to orange circle plaza -lots of different parking lots you can park in read more

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The Food was good the Service was fine and the Ambiance was great and I don't know why they permanently closed because to me they shouldn't have closed and because they had good food read more

2018 taste of orange was held in the parking lot of the Orange Blossom Auxiliary located in old town orange. What a incredible team of volunteers that dedicated months of planning and organization to create an event to bring both new and well established venues together that offer samples of food and drinks. Parking was available only on the streets and it was super packed even at 3:15PM. Tickets could be purchased in advance online or at the door. The team from the Orange Blossom Auxiliary were friendly and ready to assist with any questions or comments or concern. From the moment we checked in to the moment we left we experienced great service from all the volunteers, venue staff. Who can resist the variations of Smokey bbq with a cold beer or Ice cream served with cotton candy on top. There was a stage with a band who performed a variety of music and some Disney songs!! Out of all the food venues I ate at I mostly remember the BBQ since most of the venues were serving bbq pulled pork, brisket, etc. Overall a well planned organized event. I will definitely check this out next year. read more

Taste of Orange - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Orange, California

This is a food festival that highlights the variety of foods in the city of Orange. From Asian to BBQ to Mexican, there is a lot to digest (literally and figuratively) when walking around the booths. You get your wristbands at will call by your first name. Near the front you will see tall signs that have the different sections for you to pick up your tickets. There is street parking all around; residential parking is a couple of streets away. Get there early because there will be a bit of a line. However, right when the doors open the line goes in quick. Out of all the foods I tried my favorite was Brew Hawg's BBQ waffle cone. I loved the tender and fatty brisket, the mashed potatoes and the delicious mac n cheese. I also liked the Wise Guys lasagna, the Edible Arrangements chocolate-covered fruit, and the Tabi-ji teriyaki chicken. The tickets are $40/person and the alcohol wristband is an additional $20/person. We didn't get an alcohol wristband and walking around the booths, there was maybe a 65-35% ratio of food booths to alcohol-only booths. That tells me that you can't really take advantage of everything at the festival unless you pay the extra $20 for an alcohol wristband. Paying $60 for this might put some people off but if you're keen on going, I'd pay the extra $20 to get the full experience. read more

Taste of Orange - Lucille's BBQ - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Orange, California

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3.5 stars rounded up to 4 only because we got a deal through the Deal of the Day for $20 instead of the regular $40. The Taste of Orange is run by the Assistance League of Orange and is an all-inclusive food & drink ticket. There is also a silent auction. The proceeds obviously go to charity. The food was plentiful and it did not take me long to walk the entire thing and get full within an hour. It was a relatively small event compared to other 'Taste' events I've been to but for what I paid it was worth it. I'm not sure it was worth full price but we walked away stuffed even though we only got soda and water. Alcohol wristbands were an extra $15 which I thought was a little excessive but all for a good cause, right? Some of the vendors gave some coupons away for happy customers and I gladly handed them off to my cousin who works in the city of Orange. read more

Taste of Orange - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Orange, California

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So here is the Good about this event. Proceeds from this event went to a great cause, the Orange Blossom Auxiliary and it was held at the lot of the Assistance League Chapter House by the Circle. Kids under 5 were free, despite other reviews from previous years, there were quite of bit of eats. Slaters 50/50, Smoqued BBQ had these burnt ends (which was awesome but they only had 500 servings), Smokey Fred (Had beans, bacon, sausage, burnt ends), Miguel's (Awesome because they brought their machacha and breakfast burritos and it was a half burrito plus they gave out coupons!), Rekindle Caffe (Thanks for the coffee), Alova (Thanks for the carbonated drink, loved the Orange), Edible Arrangments (chocolate covered pineapple/apple), Pie Hole (For their apple pie and earl gray and fresh whip cream), Raising Cane (For your fried chicken and lemonade/sweet tea, it was the Kid's favorite. We went back 3x), A la minute (For your chocolate nitrogen ice cream, that was good and better than your vanilla I thought). We didn't get the alcohol pink wristband and we had to ask someone where they got the bottled water so they told us inside and they had plenty. Thanks for the tip stranger! What We didn't like and why it was 3 stars: The will call was confusing, there were 5 different people with different packets. (I wished they had a table set up instead) One person had A-E, next had F-J...and they were all spread out. We were trying to patient and waited in line but these people kept moving so it was a bit difficult to be curteous and to try getting in at the same time. The area was really small. There were a Lot of people, never really had to wait for the food. However, it felt really cramped and there were only 4 Port -O-Potties. There were no hand washing stations and although there were plenty of food, I did wish it was wider since to get from point A-B, sometimes it took me a whole minute to walk about 10 yards. What really put a bad taste in our mouth was the silent auction. Oh wait, it was the silent silent auction. We had put in a bid last second right before they closed it. And just when you think we won their "What the Puck" auction at $210 dollars, we didn't. Why? I don't know but if Wendi is reading this, I just wanted to let you know we are honest people and we should've won this item. I am happy more money is being raised for the auction, however when the announcement saying the auction ends, the auction should end. Right? Apparently, it wasn't and if you look at the winner's board, our name was crossed out and someone else's name was on there. We were the only person that this happened to. Even though this left an extremely bad taste in our mouth, overall we did enjoy the entertainment (Thank you Kalama brothers! Yes, we still think you look like Leo and Jamal), and we left with a full belly without the alcohol. We think we would have a great time here again if we were to come here once again next time around. Congrats to the $400 raffle winner and the $250 Dave & Buster winner. read more

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My first "Taste of" event, and it was so much fun. I highly recommend this event for foodies and to come hungry. There was a good amount of vendors, and after trying a bite from each, we were happily stuffed. Some food highlights for me were Brew Hawg's BBQ Waffle Cone, Katella Grill's Greek Grilled Cheese, Tabi-Ji's Teriyaki Chicken w/ Rice and Grabbagreen's juices. Parking was easy, lines for food went by fast, and overall friendly services! read more

Just came back from Taste of Orange 2018, and it did not disappoint. I've been to Taste of Santa Ana and Anaheim before, and I love how these events support charities as well as the local community. It's a great way to discover new restaurants and businesses around the area. General admission is $20 for ayce food, and an additional $20 for aycd alcoholic beverages. My favorites of the day were the patty melts from Watson's, prime rib mashed potato cones from Honeybaked Ham, fried chicken from Raising Cane's, teriyaki chicken rice from Tabi-Ji, cocktails from Old Crow, and beer from Buffalo Bill's. The event lasted from 3pm-7pm, but we ate wayyy too fast and was stuffed by 4:30pm. We were worried that they would run out of food, but all the vendors seemed pretty well stocked from what I could see. I liked how there was an indoor AC'ed area with free water and seating. The only con was the restrooms. They only had 4 porta potties which smelled grosss and were not kid-friendly. Not smart for large crowds and long hours of eating and drinking. But other than that, I would come back next year! read more

I have to do the same with Trina D for 3.5 stars rounded to 4 only because I also purchased the Deal of the day for $20 bucks. If I had to pay $40 I think this could have easily been a 2 star review. The line outside to get in was so unorganized. It wasn't very clear how we were all supposed to line up to get in. So many people stood in lines and then were told that they had to get in that other line over there after they had been waiting in this one. I know that this is technically a charity function so I happily donated my $20 to get some free food. There were a few vendors, but they all had plenty of food. Unfortunately some of them literally had 1 food option, so that was a bit of a bummer. How are you supposed to get a taste if there is only one option? I don't drink so not having to pay $15 for separate alcohol wristbands was nothing out of my pocket, but I can see how some people might complain. Just remember - this is for a good cause! Being that it was $20 for me, I definitely felt that it was worth it. If it was $40 I would have passed. read more

Taste of Orange - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Orange, California

This was a surprise for a lazy Sunday afternoon! Located in the Orange Circle, I took and uber so I didn't have to worry about parking. I suggest you do the same. Thanks to Yelp I was able to get unlimited foods at this event. My favorite station was the Gelato station and also the BBQ station where they served you food in a waffle cone! What a great concept. The reason why I gave only 3 stars is that the food and drink options were very limited. I hope next year they expand the space and add more vendors. read more

Just caught word that this event will be going on again this year on April 28. Last year was nice, there was plenty of food to try and at the end of the day it's a great way to support a group of young working women who are making an effort to give back. Lines get a little hectic but to sample (by sample I mean practically get a whole burger) Slater's 50/50, I would stand in a line twice as long. They have a nice mix of food from restaurants I did not know were so close to home. It's great to go with at least 1 or 2 other people. They sell alcohol wrist bands separate from the actual tickets, so if you don't drink you do not feel like you are getting ripped off on the ticket price. I am looking forward to the 2013 event! read more

We had a great time! The food was awesome. The event was well planned. The craft breweries were all yummy. Can't wait until next year.

Lame....... It is a charity event so cannot complain that the money went to a good cause. But..... I was expecting it to be like The Taste Of Fullerton. Expecting the vendors to be friendly. I mean they should want you to come to their restaurants as a paying customer. Most were standing around talking to each other instead of promoting their food. Also, walked around 45 minutes and could not find anything to drink other than alcohol. Left and went to a Mexican joint down the street. read more