The seafood paella here is out of this world good. This place is hipster trendy but nice and cozy. Service can get a bit busy but what understandable since this place gets packed. Had my birthday meal here and I absolutely loved everything about it. Highly recommended! read more

Rey and Juan were absolutely incredible. Wow. I would recommend this place to ANYONE in California. Make the drive!!! It's worth it :)

Recommend making reservations as it's a busy spot where you're lucky to find bar seating. Overall experience was great as bartender made recommendations. Some dishes were a bit salty. Highlight for me was the steak as cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Will have to come back and try other dishes read more

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The weird thing about this place is that the front door is kind of hard to find. You have to walk in through a front entrance, but it's currently hidden by tables and a bussing station, so it doesn't really feel like an entrance to the restaurant. That being said, this is only one of a few small flaws to an otherwise fairly flawless meal. We went here for a birthday dinner, and though that was mentioned upon entering to staff, they somehow did overlook that. Nonetheless, first off I was pleased with our seating. Inside the restaurant is somewhat dark and there is a bit of din going on-the back patio had great heaters, wide umbrellas, and comfortable, spacious seating with plenty of room all around. Totally uncrowded. Our waitress was very friendly and easygoing, prompt and available when needed but not at all intrusive. The paella here was described as being for 2-4 people. I would say for 2 people, it's a good dish after you've had a few tapas. A hungry person could eat the whole thing. For 3-4 you would get a pretty small serving. We ordered one paella for 3 of us and 4 tapas. All the dishes were top notch. Shrimp and garlic was delicious, the only comment we made to the waitress, the bread does not do justice to how good the rest of the dish is. Elevate the bread and this dish will move beyond just pretty good to stellar. The bread lacked heartiness and enough crumb to soak up all that yummy garlicky butter. A thicker sliced, heartier piece would bring this up a lot. The sausage was delicious too. Chicken croquettes were good and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The piquillo peppers were the star here-crispy and fried on the outside with a delicious creamy cheese filling. We also had a fennel stuffed branzino which was perfectly prepared. We also had churros with chocolate and the 3 leches bizcocho for dessert. Both portions were generous and excellent. We were well stuffed. Finally, two glasses of wine-generous pours and great wine. I would not hesitate to go back here-and even though it's pricey, it's definitely worth it. read more

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You know the place is good when you are thinking about their food the day after. Vaca has been on my radar for a long time, but with its popularity, reservations are not always the easiest to make. I was so happy to finally visit for a friend's birthday this weekend, and they surely did not disappoint! The restaurant itself is very trendy, sexy, and busy. We came on a Friday night with reservations, and waited a little to be seated. We were seated at the outside patio, which was very pleasant for a large party. The best part of the evening? Easily, the food and drinks. The vibe and menu was so tempting, I cheated on my dry January for a taste of their delicious Spanish red wine lol. As a group, we ordered a bunch of tapas, steaks and paellas. They were all SO good (wish I had snatched more pictures). I would recommend ordering to share, as it is so fun to try all their dishes. Steak and paella definitely a must. What stood out the most for me of the night, though, was their lamb dish. I don't typically like lamb, but it was so good! Melts in your mouth with the right seasoning. Overall, I definitely want to come back. I'm still thinking about their food 2 days later. Do make reservations, as the restaurant is a pretty happening place. Can't wait to go back. Cheers, Vaca! read more

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First time for this culinary adventure. Delicious tapas! You must get the dates, with blue cheese and bacon!! Amazing. Enjoyed the Paella de Vegetales, and I had never had paella before. Wonderful flavor and mushroom was creamy in texture. The salmon was excellently spiced and cooked. Loved the churros with chocolate. The service was very attentive as we never needed to ask for a refill and they wiped the table and kept it clean. You can watch the chefs doing their magic while talking with friends, but perhaps a bit closely to your neighbors. Yet it was not too loud so as to not be able to hear each other. Great place for a special occasion. Wish we had eaten out on their sunny patio. read more

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Great choice for our anniversary dinner. Food, ambience and customer service were on point. Food- the Canelone was the surprise dish- the sauce itself was the star. We also enjoyed the chorizo with pear, and the patatas bravas with a juicy steak- we plan to return- read more

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Tried some more dishes. Pan Con Tomate, toasted bread with garlic oil, crushed tomatoes, and created salt was good. Butifarra, sausage with white bean puree was great. Vieiras a la Plancha, scallops were just alright according to my wife. The Verdejo wine was great and very similar to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Next time I'd like to try the Carpaccio de Carne (beef), as the table next to us got it and it looked great. read more

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How to begin. I was super hyped to try Vaca because I love Broadway. The vibe was cool, service was good, as one would expect. The food was just alright. This is Spanish inspired. All the meats and entrees are meant to be shared. The paellas and large format meats take quite a bit of time to come out of the kitchen, around 45 min, so you are encouraged to order and try many of the tapas. I felt, though good, the tapas are very very small for the price. We came in a party of 6, and with most of the tapas you need a minimum of 2 to 3 portions for everyone to try some. The same goes for the sides. We weren't sure how much to order and weren't really offered any guidance. We ordered two steaks, one paella, two sides, two desserts, and 3 tapas (single portions). We ended up spending quite a bit and when we left our 3 boys were still hungry. Is it good? Yes. Are you getting a good value? I don't think so. read more

Vaca - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Came back recently for lunch and decided that I needed to update the review just so I can recommend the seafood paella and bacon wrapped dates. I had a little ratatouille moment when nibbling on the dates they were sweet, savory, and earthy bundles of goodness!! read more

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Great menu. Loved the tapas and want to go back to try more of the menu. We had tapas, salad, shrimp, bikini sandwich and fried potatoes. Main entrée Rib Eye and filet, tasty Brussels sprouts and asparagus. Drinks were ok. We will be back for more. read more

The food here was good but not amazing. I always see this place when im walking to segerstrom to see a show so i decided to go here for my moms birthday with the family. They were doing a deal around xmas that you get 25% off giftcards so we bought some and went. Fair warning The place is pretty pricey so the deal on giftcards were clutch. We paid about $100 per person including drinks and dessert. The best thing we had was the filet mignon that was $60. The others including the paella was not mind blowingly good. Was a little disappointed considering the prices i was expecting more. All the waiters and staff are super nice and very attentive so they get bonus points for that but overall 3/5 stars read more

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My husband sat outside and we ordered the Paella that the waiter said was enough for 2-4 people. It came with over cooked rice, which was very dry and included 3 baby clams , 3 muscles and 3 jumbo shrimp. It appeared that everything except the shrimp was overcooked and dried out. The clams and muscles were like tiny little rubber pellets . It definitely was not enough food for 4 people. The ambience was good , but inside tables were very crowded and it was very loud inside. I doubt we would go back . read more

Love this restaurant so much. Have dined here numerous times and truly everything on the menu is excellent. The service is also always excellent as well. Great ambiance. Really special little vibe. Amazing cocktails! Cant go wrong with any of them. Some things id recommend trying are: rabo de toro, canelon de pollo (A MUST TRY) i get this every time i go here, piquillos rellenos (get these!!! Incredible!) Wagu meatballs Any of their proteins! They are top notch quality and always cooked perfectly, i love the wagu or prime ribeye Spicy potatoes Roasted cauliflower Churros con leche Simply, just go here. Cant go wrong. read more

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Over-priced menu and the tip is added automatically $200 The food is okay, not authentic Spanish cuisine. read more

Food is excellent. Service is also good, not great but the server or bartenders do a good enough job. Ambiance is nice as well. The restaurant is clean. The reason for the 3 stars is the price. They recently had a big price increase and now they are adding a surcharge to the bill on top of it all. And I am talking about a surcharge for a party of 1 or 2. So for example if you go in for lunch to get their hamburger with fries, that now costs $25 (was $20 less than a month ago) and there is a 3 percent surcharge. I know everything is more expensive now but their prices were already up there. I often brought colleagues and clients here but I think I am done. I cannot justify these prices and there are so many options around this area. read more

I actually was thinking whether I should give it 3 or 4 star, debating for a while with myself, then I ask myself would I go back anytime soon....I dont suggest going for food, go for the vibe and have small bites and cocktails then you should be good. This is not the most expensive place, but the appetizer portion is tiny, for 2 people to get full you are looking at about 150+. I like the cozy small environment, bar vibe, chill, good for dates. They have outdoor seating too. The restaurant validates parking for 2 hours in a nearby garage. For the food, everything is just so-so.. nothing stands out to me. I just remember thinking everything was extra salty.... just salty, the Erizos con Huevo is salty, the Bikini Sandwich......salty... it's not bad but it's not good. Overall, for the price I think they can do better. read more

Vaca has the appearance of a nice high end restaurant with a very beach like casual feel being in Costa Mesa. The entrance was a bit confusing to me because of how they have their front patio dining set up. Excellent bar setup which is perfect for a date night for two. The noise level was great. Not overly loud and annoying to have conversations. We were gifted a card for Vaca for a different occasion and every year we like to celebrate as a family on October 3&4 to celebrate a birthday and anniversary so it was a perfect time to try out Vaca. We ordered a variety of Tapas, a Paella dish which they are known for and a couple meat entrees. I think most of the offerings here are meant to be shared. Tip: if you are planning to try any of the paella's, place that order first while you are browsing the menu for tapas or other dishes. Tip: They tend to salt their meats heavy, however there's great flavor to it. We ordered quite an array and for five people, we racked up a bill over $300 with only two glasses of wine. It is pretty pricey here, so be aware of that. As for service, all staff were great. Very attentive, water glasses and iced teas were always full. The speed of food coming depends on what you order. Vaca is worth a try. With a lot to offer, I recommend you try a few at a time so you can have a reason to come back. read more

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Taste-Tested & Approved! Just experienced the ultimate happy hour vibes at the new VACA Spanish restaurant. Tiny plates, but HUGE flavors! Every bite was a journey through Spain - simply delish! Caught up with my BFF Jeremy (no 'medium' about our laughs, just pure joy - LMAO!). We're already planning our next feast here. The atmosphere? Pure enchantment. The service? Nothing short of extraordinary. Bookmark this spot because we'll definitely be back for dinner. Who's in? #FoodieAdventure #HappyHourHeaven #SpanishCuisine #SmallPlatesBigFlavors #VACAVibes #BFFHangout #EpicEats #AmbianceGoals #ServiceWithASmile #MustTryRestaurants #SeeYouAtVACA--- read more

Vaca - Bar selfie - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Went here to celebrate a birthday and enjoyed the dinner very much. Parking was easy with the parking structure across the street that they validate for. We ordered the brussel sprouts, patatas bravas, paella valenciana, and a New York strip. For two people this was more than enough food, and we had some leftover paella. The brussel sprouts were probably the best I've had at a restaurant. Patatas bravas were also good, but I would want to try something different next time. Steak was cooked well and the paella was delicious. Portion size was large and perfect for sharing. For dessert we had the tres leches and it was amazing, the cake was very moist and I would definitely get it again. Overall it was a great experience and I would not hesitate to return for another meal here. read more

Came here on a Monday night to celebrate my birthday. Parking was easy (garage parking, which is validated at the restaurant). When we got to the restaurant, I felt welcomed. The host wished me a happy birthday, and the waiter was kind. Service was quick, and they cleaned up after us (wiping the crumbs that we left on the table). We ordered the following dishes: Pulpo: 4/5. The pulpo had a nice, mild flavor, but could be more tender Oxtail: 4.5/5. Most pieces were really tender. The flavor of the sauce was rich and savory. Wish the meat pieces were larger! Paella: 4/5. Pretty tasty. The shrimp was large and tender. Bone marrow/beef cheek toast: 4/5. The bone marrow was solid. The beef cheek toast was so flavorful! Churros con chocolate: 4/5. Very hot and fresh. The chocolate didn't taste like fancy, high-end chocolate, but chocolate is chocolate, so it was still enjoyable! I also got a complimentary dessert (vanilla ice cream on top of this cake thing). The cake thing was a little dry, but it was a nice touch. Overall, the tapas here were pretty solid, although on the pricey side. Service today was great, and I felt welcomed and well-taken care of on my birthday. read more

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We have a soft spot for Spanish cuisine after our honeymoon so we were excited to have a date night here for tapas. We ordered way too many items but that did mean we had a bunch of leftovers. The sangria wasn't worth it so I would pass on that next time. N enjoyed his cocktail. The paella was great. Flavorful yet balanced. Good mix and ratio of rice to the meats. Service was good. They were crowded but sat us promptly. Something we really appreciate when we have hired a babysitter. Would definitely return again. read more

Very nice restaurant and service was stellar. Just didn't care for the food. Good place for families to gather on their patio.

This spot has been on my list for a while. Tried to go one night (didn't realize it was before a Wicked show) and they were packed. Easy to make a reservation and sat outside in the back which still has a cute atmosphere. If you want great food photos, the back outdoor patio has the best light. Service was great. Everyone was very attentive and the waiter always had our water glasses filled. Everything does take a little bit more time to come to your table which gives you a great space for conversation while you wait. The paella does take 45 min to cook, so if you want that, make sure you order it when you order your first drink. DRINKS: Jenever's Body is a great cocktail if you want something a little sweeter. Their vermut on draft wasn't what I expected from the vermut I had in Spain. It wasn't bad but it was different. Wouldn't order the Sherry's Cobler again (it's the one that has a bunch of ice on top). It didn't have much flavor and I didn't understand the experience I was supposed to have with the ice and the bouquet of cilantro. If you want a strong spirit-forward drink, the winner is Venus Wept. FOOD: Pulpo was great if you like octopus - light and a perfect starter. We had some extra leftovers and I threw that into my paella. Cannellon de Pollo was amazing. We liked it better than the pulpo- the sauce was so good. Perfect for 2 people. If there's more at the table, you might want to order two. Paella Valencia was the star of the night. So much flavor. I normally don't care for chicken, but their chicken was my favorite protein in this dish. Even had some as leftovers and it heat up very well the next day. WHY NOT 5 STARS? The only reason I took off one star is from the below scenario. Other than that, I would come back to Vaca. When I mentioned that I wasn't a fan of my drink. She agreed and said it was the one beverage that everyone is split down the middle. She recommended ordering a third round of drinks. However, when the woman at the table next to us said she wasn't happy with her drink, she offered to swap it out for her. read more

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I ended up luckily going here for a work luncheon. We all agreed to eat the tapas. We weren't sure what to expect, but we surely found out. The service was excellent, and everybody was attentive. There were 5 people in our party, four guys and one girl. We ordered Calamares Vierias a la plancha Ravo de toro Butifarra - like portuguese sausage w/beans Huesos al horno Camelon de pollo ahimando Gambas al ajillo Erizos con nuevos The offerings were well plated, but they lacked flavor. One dish reminded me of a Korean dish with peppers, but this version lacked flavor. The only tapa that stood out was the camelon de pollo with the sherry reduction. This dish was delicious and documented on youtube by Chef Amar. It looks like the chef does change the tapas menu frequently, so it isn't boring. The quantity didn't substantiate the price they charged. Most things were $20 or more, and like the scallop dish, you received 2 small quarter sized scallops. Let me click my heels like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, I am not in Europe somewhere in a Spanish bistro where these prices seem worth it. This location is, however, superb and catches the crowd from Segerstom theatre and Ocma. The first underwhelming quantity that set the stage was our first dish of calamares, which was the quantity of a McDonald's small fry. All in all, I felt the tapas were too expensive for the quantity of food you received, and the taste was just meh. There was no room to extend my palette or be more adventurous. We all left hungry. Restaurants should supplement quantities with cheaper items like vegetables and other seafood since quantity is what most people judge a dish by initially. read more

Love Vaca!! Hubby and I have been here a number of times for special occasions. The food from here is phenomenal. RESERVATION: We recommend making reservations. The restaurant does fill up and there can be a wait at times. PARKING: You can either valet or self park. There's a parking structure available across the street. The restaurant does offer validation! AMBIANCE: Amazing! The restaurant is candlelit and very romantic. The restaurant is very cozy and the vibes are fun. They also have two patios, one in the back of the restaurant and one right in front of the restaurant. FOOD/DRINKS: Delicious. We have tried a number of dishes but have narrowed down our top favorites: + Patatas Bravas + Canelon de Pollo Ahumado + Brussel Sprouts + Vaca Tonic (this drink is a must!) + Jamon Iberico Fermin with assorted cheeses (pricey but worth a splurge) Our recent experience here was very memorable. We got patio seating and had a corner to ourselves. They also allowed our little pug to join us on our dinner. Our server was very attentive and gave us great recommendations on cheeses to get to accompany the Iberico ham. He even gave us a small complimentary dessert for our anniversary! We couldn't have asked for a better time and already looking forward to coming back. read more

The food was delicious! From the few items my wife and I ordered, the food that stood out was the supra delicious 50+ day dry-aged Prime Ribeye steak; a complete bliss of flavor (if you know steaks, you know), cooked medium rare (my preference) and perfectly seared. The steak is one of my top 2 steak's I've ever eaten. The Blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped with bacon were pleasantly delicious, they paired well with our red wine. The 3 Leches dessert was scrumptious; paired with a cappuccino, is how my wife and I put an exclamation mark on our meal. It was a good meal. Rating: 4.4 Stars! read more

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I have been coming here for years and have always had some great food and service the drinks are exceptional and the General Manager Donnie welcomes me like a good friend... the server Larry had a great attitude and does everything he can to accommodate us read more

Vaca - Vaca tonic - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

生活裡有煩惱，就有釋然，有失落，就有希望，每一次面對嶄新的一天，是一種放下，也是一種迎接~ 這家 餐廳半年前寫過，在這也算是小有名氣的餐廳，再來試試不同的菜色，這次來才知道，原來這家最有名的是放在那的豬腿？ 火腿？（也許我說錯了，不確定是什麼動物，但確定是腿）原來那是鎮店之寶，一盎司50 元，比和牛還貴，那麼那一隻應該價值幾萬美金吧？ 人生每天都是在面對不公平的事，一樣是肥肥的大腿，為何活生生的就比我們的腿貴那麼多‍‍，不過，跟比較懂吃的朋友來，果然是不一樣，真正吃貨知道該點什麼， 我們就跟著吃，反正是真不懂， 只要乖乖吃飯跟點頭認同就好！ -- at Vaca. read more

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Vaca was decorated for the xmas holidays, with some large ornaments hanging down over the bar. Service was great, we received our food pretty quickly, water refilled regularly, and we got a complimentary dessert for celebrating an occasion with them. We opted for tapas, so it was recommended to get at least two tapas per person, and I will say the portion sizes were small! Some tapas were more filling than others. Of the dishes we got, I would recommend the salmon -- it had a great crispy skin and was in a bright, tasty sauce. I also enjoyed the tartare, which came with a few small slices of bread. The oxtail with mushrooms was pretty rich/savory and salty. I wish that came with some toast to help give the dish more volume and to help with the savory-ness. Lastly, we had the chicken cannoli. It was very sweet (sherry reduction) -- sweeter than I expected a chicken dish would be. Juxtaposed with the other dishes, I didn't feel like it fit with the rest of what we ordered so personally would skip it next time around. This was the largest tapas of the 4 we ordered and given the creaminess of the duck liver sauce, it was also more filling than any of our other tapas. We debated adding another dish bc we weren't quite full, but then decided we weren't quite willing to add another small tapas dish given the size for price, nor order a full-on entree. We discussed that next time we'd share an entree and maybe get two tapas and/or sides since the entrees are sized to share! Oh, and we got a complimentary little almond cake topped with ice cream bc we were celebrating our anniversary. Such a nice thing for them to do, and it made us feel a bit fuller before we left! read more

Great location and ambience. The dishes are very good, but I feel the service makes the place stand out. Stop by before or after attending Segerstrom events. It'll make your evening! read more

Ohhhhhh... Vaca.... You melted in my mouth and made me feel all tingly inside. Your flavors bum rushed me like a tidal wave and swept me away into a puddle of nothingness. But... how could you do me wrong by requiring your steaks to cook for 45 minutes?!?!?! Y'all... I am a meat eater. I can eat that piece of meat rare if need be. But 45 minutes to cook a steak? I get it, you want the steak to rest. I cook too. But what are you doing? Y'all trying to put that steak back to sleep! 45 minutes??? Come on, that was my major disappointment for the day. I have been wanting to try Vaca for years now. I just never got around to it until today, when I received tickets to see a show next door at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. I had exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes before my booty had to be in those theater seats and I had already wasted unknown minutes deciding which cocktails to slam. I know Vaca has tapas and other things on their extensive menu but with a name like "Vaca" how could I not try the steaks? Well, I didn't cuz I had a show an hour later and the steaks take 45 minutes to cook. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT in my book. Boo!!! I wish we could have somehow gotten a heads up about this. Maybe a disclaimer on the online reservation service? Maybe I'll change my review later on when I do get to try the one item that is their NAMESAKE! I'm sorry but it's like going to Pho 76 and only being able to order eggrolls. What a waste. Pros: *The restaurant is literally steps away from the theater *They will validate your parking but you have to go into the structure and tell them you are eating at Vaca. (I didn't figure this out until it was too late) *Their tapas are really good. I ordered a lot of tapas but the one that really stood out was the Canelon De Pollo. It was fire. *The cocktails were light and refreshing Cons: *I felt so uncomfortable where I was sitting. We had a seat at the long booth. And I was literally elbow to elbow with the people on both sides of us. I wanted to take a picture but... it would have been too rude. Vaca, I know you're trying to make a buck but you need to stop it with the greed. We were basically sitting on each other's laps at this point. I heard both sides of the conversations. And I know they felt the same because everyone was awkwardly quiet. The closeness of the seats already threw me off to begin with. *The 45 minute steak that I did not get. Enough said. *$190 later and I'm still wondering what I just ate. If you want tapas, go here. If you want steaks, go to Mastros just on the other side of the street. They'll even rush order your steaks there and it comes on a sizzling plate. read more

Located across from South Coast Plaza near the theater district with free validation parking from Vaca. Indoor and outdoor seating with a rustic high ceiling decor. Tapas is the way to go and boy do they have a wide array of selection. The pork belly is a win. The oxtail red wine sauce didn't have too much flavor but the meat did easily fall off the bone. The meat paella was good and large. Our favorite is the cheeseboard and meat selection. Great service and very accommodating and super efficient. read more

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Great experience. Food was amazing and overall great vibes. The pallea was the best food I had. I was also there when it had the Eggnog drink. Phenomenal. Lucio was our server, and he was just the best. His knowledge and service really elevated our experience. Great man. read more

I only go here once in a while because the menu items are a bit expensive, but when I do go, boy do I like to splurge. I enjoy how some of the menu items change seasonally, but some still remain the same due to their popularity (and rightfully so). I love to get 4-5 small plates to try and sometimes I get their seafood paella depending on who I'm with. I honestly forgot the actual names of each of the items, but I ordered a Vaca tonic, egg and uni toast, wagyu meatballs, steak and tuna tartare, albacore tataki, pork belly, and tres leches. I loved the meatballs and tartare the most. The tonic was quite strong this time around, so I'd say the way they make their drinks is inconsistent. The albacore and pork belly were a bit disappointing, as the albacore's sauce was too overwhelming and the pork belly was tough. I liked their uni and egg toast, but they skimped out on the uni this time around :/ Their tres leches was good; nothing that wowed me, but you can't go wrong with it. The waiters are always so hospitable and friendly!! I have no complaints with their service. They also seat me right away, even when I arrive earlier than my reservation times. I'm always a sucker for interior design so I really liked the layout of the restaurant. I do think it is a bit snug, as there's nowhere to really stand if you do need to wait for a table, but it only gets like that during weekend dinners. I definitely say it's worth going at least once (but don't be surprised when the bill comes out high). For the most part, their quality matches the price and I'd go back again. read more

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We are finally back dining at Vaca since the pandemic outbreak. And I am so grateful that one of our favorite restaurants is still up and running. My rating will maintain at 5-stars. We came for some of our usual favorites: Canelon de Pollo Ahumado - the duck liver sauce is out of this world. Pulpo a la Gallega - octopus and potato. what a duo! Jamon de Pato - house cured duck ham - served with crackers pickles walnuts. Then we had: Callos - tosola bean stew, tomato, beef tongue, tripe, tendon - amazingly tender. served with grilled bread. Our cocteles: For him - Dark Watcher - Botanica Spiritvs Gin, Fever tree cucumber tonic, basil, coriander, lemon For her - Sleep Year - House vermouth, Vodka infused with apple, honeycomb and cinnamon, lemon, house curacao - what a mix! Wine: Tempranillo, Celeste Crianza, Miguel Torres. Ribera del Duero, Spain. Great pairing to all our tapas. We had outdoor patio seats and felt perfectly safe. Music streaming is very fitting for Vaca. Love the choice of Spanish songs. Good food digests well with good music ;) No room for dessert so we had cortadito only. Just perfect to wake us up for our food coma. Now on to the symphony at Segerstrom. Buen Provecho! read more

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Finally got a chance to visit Vaca. The seating must be very limited as we can never get a table. Instead, they offered us the bar. It was basically, take it or leave it. We decided to try the jamon serrano and a mix of 3 cheeses, good! Iberico shrimp dumplings, very good! Croquetas de pollo was "okay". Gambas al ajillo and arroz frito was good too. Mocktails for $16.xx was highway robbery. Our server was super on it so no complaints about the service. I had to subtract stars for lack of proper seating and they also add a 3% surcharge due to operational cost (give me a break!). We would come back to try again but next time, we will need a table and will order the steak! read more

Vaca - Meat and cheese - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Heaven to all the meat/cow lovers -- or maybe a heaven for cows. In either case, this place serves some of the best dishes for meat lovers. I'm usually not a heavy meat eater, but I have asked to come here twice within one year, in the same month, for my birthday celebration. It's classy yet casual and fun enough for any type of occasion. Just beware of the long waits so I highly suggest making reservations. Some memorable dishes of mine include the paella (any will do), beet salad, chicken croquette, miso butter toast, and the bone marrow! Cocktail menu is a fun list, and bartenders make great drinks. Overall, the perfect spot for any occasion with amazing food and drinks. read more

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Sarahí was amazing! Super friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience so easy. I'll definitely be coming back because of her! Food was amazing! Explained everything clearly! read more

The service is amazing! The food and drinks were delicious. Sarai made our experience even better!