13741 Newport Ave. : Tustin, CA 92780 : 714-505-1800
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 After a typical two-hour wait, you?ll be ecstatic when your name is called. And when you enter a room that glows as blue as if you were boarding the Starship Enterprise, the intoxicating aroma of cooking meats hits you so thick it can be drawn apart like a curtain. Surveying a single-sheet list... More >> |
| Tustin |
Asian, Japanese, Korean |
Patio-Sidewalk Dining |
$$ |
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122 S. El Camino Real : San Clemente, CA 92672 : 949-366-8890
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| San Clemente |
Italian, Pizza |
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370 Glenneyre St. : Laguna Beach, CA 92651 : 949-494-8686
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 The best night to visit is Sunday, when the chefs toss out the regular menu and offer a rare thing for Laguna Beach: an affordable multi-course dinner. Owner/chef Ryan Adams has dubbed these family-style suppers "Sunday Socials," and they're evocative of meals at home when everyone?s at the... More >> |
| Laguna Beach |
American, Burgers, Diner, New American, Seafood, Traditional |
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816 S. Brookhurst Blvd. : Anaheim, CA 92804 : 714-635-4353
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 The bakery makes only two dishes: pita sandwiches and sphiha. Within this simplicity, though, lies culinary greatness. More than half of the sphihas are strictly veggie affairs, but not the expected roughage-heavy dishes. Instead, the main ingredients are spices-and not the spicy kind.... More >> |
| Anaheim |
Bakery, Middle Eastern, Pizza, Vegetarian |
Kid Friendly, Takeout, Vegetarian Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible |
$ |
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15681 Brookhurst St. : Westminster, CA 92683 : 714-775-9550
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 Some advice for visiting Alerto's: Get a half-order of carne asada nachos, not the full order. The only difference between the two is the price. Both have the same amount of freshly fried chips smothered in cheese, beans, tender cubes of steak, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. Only... More >> |
| Westminster |
Mexican |
Kid Friendly, Patio-Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$ |
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511 S. State College Blvd. : Anaheim, CA 92806 : 714-533-1401
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 I defy anyone to find a finer summer Friday night than the kind you get at Angelo's: a burger-fries-and-Coke combo for 6 bucks, a girl/boy by your side, nameless kids chucking pickles at one another, buxom waitresses skating without pause, and the half-Latino, half-white crowd communally... More >> |
| Anaheim |
American, Burgers |
Kid Friendly |
$$ |
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259 E. 17th St. : Costa Mesa, CA 92627 : 949-548-2224
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 While the Avanti menu is strictly vegetarian, with faux meats and cheese, the steak-and-potatoes crowd will hardly notice or care. Every entrée, appetizer and dessert springs with flavor and heftiness. Is there anything more mainstream than a morning cup of joe washing down crunchy waffles? More >> |
| Costa Mesa |
Fusion, Vegan, Vegetarian |
Business Dining, Vegetarian Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$ |
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2737 N. Grand Ave. : Santa Ana, CA 92705 : 714-532-2216
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 Located in a Big Lots parking lot, all you can hear are the clangs of a wok and the smells of good
home cooking coming from this respected Thai restaurant. More >> |
| Santa Ana |
Thai |
Takeout |
$$ |
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14520 Magnolia St. : Westminster, CA 92683 : 714-891-3718
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 You're tolerating brusque customer service here for the 10 choices of bánh mě, the foot-long sandwich that is one of the most delicious robberies in the gustatory world at $2.25 per stickup. Barbecue pork is charred to a ruddy crispness, yet it's moist. Meatballs are densely herbed and juicy, not bi... More >> |
| Westminster |
Sandwiches, Vietnamese |
Takeout |
$ |
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2905 E. Miraloma Ave. : Anaheim, CA 92806 : 714-630-8574
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 Start doing the math and you conclude that every barbecue place you've gone before Blake's has overcharged you. But apart from the reasonable rates, you marvel at how they've managed to make it look so easy. The food is served on Styrofoam plates; drinks are self-poured from a soda machine.... More >> |
| Anaheim |
American, Barbecue, Burgers, Salads, Sandwiches |
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$$ |
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13892 Brookhurst St. : Garden Grove, CA 92843 : 714-636-4885
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 Know this: wait times are routinely long and frustrating. But the payoff is
worth every minute lost to time. The hours spent thumb-twiddling outside
will eventually get you a wax-paper-draped table inside and a
bib tied around your neck. You'll then feast (with your hands!) like never before... More >> |
| Garden Grove |
Seafood |
Kid Friendly, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$ |
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10509 Valley View St. : Cypress, CA 90630 : 714-527-6090
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 A warm, inviting bistro in a forgettable mini-mall in Cypress, Café Hiro is an oasis of Japanese cooking in a desert of chain restaurants. The menu features European foods cooked to the Japanese taste, such as spaghetti with tobiko or uni and Japanese curries. Start with perfectly roasted pork in ... More >> |
| Cypress |
American, French, Fusion, Italian, Japanese |
Takeout |
$$ |
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10569 Valley View St. : Cypress, CA 90630 : 714-252-0001
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 One of those middle-class mini-chains common to Orange County-fancier than Knowlwood or Natraj but a step below Sage or the Daily Grill. The massive charbroiled fillets feature deep grill marks, and shine thanks to a powerful garlic-butter coating. Everyone should also order the grilled... More >> |
| Cypress |
American, Seafood |
Kid Friendly, Patio-Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$ |
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5675 E. La Palma Ave. : Anaheim, CA 92807 : 714-777-5710
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 One of those middle-class mini-chains common to Orange County-fancier than Knowlwood or Natraj but a step below Sage or the Daily Grill. The massive charbroiled fillets feature deep grill marks, and shine thanks to a powerful garlic-butter coating. Everyone should also order the grilled... More >> |
| Anaheim |
American, Seafood |
Kid Friendly |
$$ |
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3988 Barranca Parkway : Irvine, CA 92606 : 949-654-3838
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 One of those middle-class mini-chains common to Orange County-fancier than Knowlwood or Natraj but a step below Sage or the Daily Grill. The massive charbroiled fillets feature deep grill marks, and shine thanks to a powerful garlic-butter coating. Everyone should also order the grilled... More >> |
| Irvine |
American, Seafood |
Kid Friendly, Patio-Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$$ |
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16175 Harbor Blvd. : Fountain Valley, CA 92708 : 714-418-1333
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 The destination for hungry Vietnamese folks in search
of com tam, a dish of steamed "broken" rice with various toppings. If you
go, don't miss the cha (an egg and pork quiche) and the dau hu ky (shrimp
paste stuffed inside a tofu skin). More >> |
| Fountain Valley |
Vietnamese |
Takeout |
$$ |
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6416 Irvine Blvd. : Irvine, CA 92620 : 949-336-7272
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 When Oprah mentioned The Counter on her show, it sent sales skyward at the original Santa Monica store, paving the way for franchising. Now, with its first Orange County outlet open in Irvine, we can design our own burger towers that we can't possibly put our mouths around, just like our L.A.... More >> |
| Irvine |
American |
Kid Friendly, Patio-Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$ |
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2325 E. Pacific Coast Highway : Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 : 949-675-0070
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 The Crow Bar and Kitchen is the kind of place OC's been missing. Sure, we've
got fine dining up and down our coasts; great Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese,
and Mexican inland. But there's never been anything quite like chef Scott Brendan's new venture-a down-to-earth eatery which eschews Newport... More >> |
| Corona Del Mar |
American |
Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$$ |
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13812 Redhill Ave. Tustin, CA : Tustin, CA 92780 : 714-505-7777
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 There are so many dosas at Dosa Place?dosas crammed with goat, stuffed with cheese, oozing with curried potatoes?you?ll probably overlook the rest of the platters. Don?t. Once in a while, scan over the South India portion of the menu and devote a lunch to the idli, two rice-flour dumplings... More >> |
| Tustin |
Indian |
Delivery, Kid Friendly, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$ |
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560 W. 19th St. : Costa Mesa, CA 92626 : 949-722-8632
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 Owner Mirna Burciaga made a name for herself by publicly opposing Costa Mesa mayor Allan Mansoor's efforts to turn his city's police department into a mini-migra and selling one-dollar Minutemen tacos. But she's more comfortable patting out great pupusas, which distance themselves from the... More >> |
| Costa Mesa |
Mexican |
Kid Friendly, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$ |
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700 E. Commonwealth Ave. : Fullerton, CA 92831 : 714-773-4290
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 In a country in which each state has its unique version of the curry-like mole, Oaxaca is king, and El Fortín offers four stunning varieties of the royal family. I won't even bother describing the house mole, as my tongue cannot possibly articulate this creation-only eat. More >> |
| Fullerton |
Mexican, Oaxacan |
Catering, Kid Friendly, Takeout |
$$ |
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10444 Dale Ave. : Stanton, CA 90680 : 714-252-9120
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 In a country in which each state has its unique version of the curry-like mole, Oaxaca is king, and El Fortín offers four stunning varieties of the royal family. I won't even bother describing the house mole, as my tongue cannot possibly articulate this creation-only eat. More >> |
| Stanton |
Mexican, Oaxacan |
Kid Friendly, Takeout |
$$ |
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7458 Beverly Blvd. : Los Angeles, CA 90036 : 323-634-0700
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 Occupying what until recently housed Hatfield's, Eva is the creation of Mark Gold (no relation), a veteran of Joachim Splichal's armies of the night, who dreams of a new kind of neighborhood restaurant. Eva is an intimate bistro friendly to kids and regulars, neither too loud nor too brightly... More >> |
| Los Angeles |
American, California, New American, Small Plates, Specialties |
Patio-Sidewalk Dining |
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8851 Garden Grove Blvd. : Garden Grove, CA 92844 : 714-638-5959
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 The best part about Go Goo Ryeo is that it's a do-it-yourself Korean barbecue joint where everything is done for you. But to experience the full splendor of the service, come on a Friday, or better
yet, a weekday, during which the ratio of restaurant staff to diners will be
stacked in your... More >> |
| Garden Grove |
Asian |
Kid Friendly, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible |
$$$$ |
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556 El Camino Real : Tustin, CA 92780 : 714-832-0081
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 Slip off your shoes and sit cross-legged in the tatami room for that
authentic Richard Chamberlain-in-Shogun experience, even if your legs lose circulation before the food arrives. And then order like you've never
seen a teriyaki bowl before. The list is long and illustrious. Just about... More >> |
| Tustin |
Japanese |
Kid Friendly, Takeout |
$$$ |
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