Best of 2019 – Winners

Best Acai Bowls

Banzai Bowls

With a wide variety of toppings and clean ingredients, Banzai Bowls serves up acai meals that taste too good to be healthy.

banzaibowls.com
Multiple Locations

Best Bagels

Shirley’s Bagels

This local institution has been churning out traditional boil-and-bake bagels for 33 years, which has to count for something, right? With soft, robust, chewy bagels made fresh throughout the day, customers should be prepared to wait in line, but you’ll be rewarded with a delicious everything, plus schmear.

shirleysbagels.com
270 E. 17th St.
Costa Mesa – 949.645.7877
303 S. Broadway St., Ste. 108
Laguna Beach – 949.494.6296
3601 Jamboree Rd., Ste. 19
Newport Beach – 949.851.1920

Best Bakery

It’s All About the Cake

When it comes to baking, It’s All About the Cake definitely takes the cake (pun intended). From cupcakes to petit fours to mini pies, the desserts here are uniform in perfection. But the cakes are truly showstoppers. The carrot cake especially contains the ideal balance of sweet, moist and delicate.

itsallaboutthecake.com
24921 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Ste. B100
Dana Point – 949.240.7100

Best Bar for Dancing

The Continental Room

Although this place has (rightfully) earned a reputation as one of the county’s top venues for rowdy indie-rock bands, it also hosts some equally wild dance parties. From the monthly Funk Night to hip-hop events and even Top 40 club nights, the Continental Room’s intimate dance floor is almost always packed. Its vintage atmosphere and low lighting seem to invite guests to get down like nobody’s watching. Perhaps the oldest bar in Fullerton can teach some of the county’s newer clubs a thing or two about how to throw a grade-A dance party.

Facebook
115 W. Santa Fe Ave.
Fullerton – 714.526.4529

Best Bar in Long Beach

The Bamboo Club

Opened back in March, the Bamboo Club is still the most buzzworthy bar in Long Beach. What was for years the grimy Liquid Lounge is now a kitschy, moody, even romantic tiki bar. Go early and snag one of the semi-private huts, or saddle up to the bar for a front-row seat on live-music nights. There’s a creative, smallish food menu (tea-brined fried-chicken sandwiches! Oysters of the day!), but the drinks are the star here: complex, tropical-hued craft cocktails, including painkillers and zombies as good as they come—plus, the banana daiquiris are not only tart and delicious, but also dangerously easy to knock back.

3522 Anaheim St.
Long Beach – 562.343.2534

Best Barbecue

Leadbelly’s Barbecue

This ‘cue gives the county a kick—and it’s not just the spicy homemade sauce slathered over all the hog and cow Leadbelly’s Barbecue heaps on plates! Don’t let the compact quarters fool you. Leadbelly’s is big on flavor, everything from the tender tri-tip and brisket to the sausage that emerge from its humble yet mighty smoker. The loaded pork-belly garlic fries make any other piled-on frites seem skimpy. Pair any main course with sides such as the jalapeño mac and cheese, hush puppies, and creamed corn, then prepare to call for a stretcher to wheel you out. After that, don’t feel alone in singing the Leadbelly blues until your next trip out.

Facebook
711 N. Placentia Ave.
Fullerton – 714.616.9560

Best Bartender

Luis Del Pozo at Gracias Madre

Orange County’s best-kept secret is no longer tucked away inside the AC Hotel Irvine. Having joined the soon-to-open Gracias Madre as bar manager, Luis Del Pozo has it all: a great palate, a fantastic personality, great hustle and a bow tie.

graciasmadre.co/newport_beach
Gracias Madre, 1617 Westcliff Dr., Ste. 112
Newport Beach

Best Beer Selection

The La Palma Beer Trail

From the O.G. Bruery at Dunn Way that opened 11 years ago all the way to Honey Pot Meadery, there are now almost a dozen breweries along a 6-mile stretch on La Palma Avenue in Placentia and Anaheim. Considering the average brewery contains around 20 taps, there’s easily more than 300 beers from vastly different producers, all waiting for some proper beer tasting and perhaps a crowler to go. On the trail, you’ll find the Bruery, Phantom Ales, Asylum, Bottle Logic, Brewery X, Bruery Terreux, Stereo, the Beer Co., All-American Brew Works and Honey Pot. Who will open up next?

Best Bikini Bar

Deva’s

It doesn’t get much more old-school than Deva’s, a dive bar tucked away in Tustin’s El Camino Plaza, where a friendly crew of scantily clad bartenders are ready to serve you. The relaxed ambiance draws in a humble, working-class crowd and nixes all pretensions of today’s hip, modern dives. It remains a hidden gem, with its cheap drink prices, early-morning happy hour specials and personable staff, who make great conversation and bring just the right amount of lovable sass. The shape of the bar separates the pool tables and dart boards from the bar, granting patrons ample space to enjoy their night as they’d like.

Facebook
672 El Camino Real
Tustin – 714.731.9900

Best Boba

Boba Junkie

Offering fresh boba, cold drinks, smoothies and slushies, Boba Junkie is addicting! Traditional flavors such as Thai tea and house Earl Grey make it easy for first-time customers to find something familiar. The café’s tea selection focuses on sweet floral flavors such as jasmine and lavender, both of which pair well with the warm brown sugar boba. Whether it’s rainbow jelly or horchata foam, there’s no shortage of toppings options. Boba Junkie is also an active part of the community, providing fundraising opportunities for the area’s schools and organizations.

bobajunkie.com
1200 W. Warner Ave., Ste. B
Santa Ana – 714.486.3022

Best Breakfast

Breakfast Republic

Tucked into UC Irvine-adjacent University Town Center is this hardcore morning spot. Get your eggy preferences on while sipping on an appropriately caffeinated and/or boozy drink. And contemplating Breakfast Republic’s creative monthly specials is a must.

breakfastrepublic.com
4213 Campus Dr.
Irvine – 949.379.7177

Best Breakfast Burrito

Troy’s Drive-In

Looking for a breakfast burrito larger than your forearm? Look no further than Troy’s Drive-In! The kitchen fills giant burritos with your choice of simple yet delicious breakfast ingredients. The results may seem daunting, but the awesome flavor gives you the motivation to eat yourself into a food coma. Just make sure you get there before breakfast ends at 11:30 a.m.

404 Lincoln Ave.
Orange – 714.637.8631

Best Brunch

Marché Moderne

The long-standing brand finally launched the most decadent, non-hotel Sunday menu we’ve encountered in a while. If splurging is your goal, throw down for that caviar supplement, Russian king crab leg or roasted Angus beef filet add-on. Marché Moderne’s brunch is super-bougie—and we mean that in the best possible way.

marchemoderne.net
7862 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.
Newport Beach – 714.434.7900

Best Buffet

Mother India

When your lunchtime hunger pangs kick in, your best option to fill up is at a buffet. And Mother India is there to greet you with open arms and comforting foods. The cozy Costa Mesa eatery boasts a carefully curated buffet, with mildly spicy curries, tender tandoor dishes and fanciful biryanis. And don’t forget the naan; you’ll need something to mop up all the delicious sauces that pool on your plate. Somehow, they all taste great separately and together—just like they should.

motherindiaoc.com
688 Baker St.
Costa Mesa – 714.668.9661

Best Burger

Umami Burger

While all the burgers at Umami Burger are great, there’s no question its BBQ Pitmaster is not only its finest burger, but also that in all of Orange County. It starts with coating a beef patty with an exquisite espresso dry rub—let’s repeat those words for those in the back: espresso dry rub. That’s topped with slaw, salsa verde, jalapeño, okra pickles, and a generous slathering of the house barbecue sauce and miso mustard. This isn’t a burger you eat; it’s one you devour.

umamiburger.com
338 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim – 714.991.8626
2981 Bristol St.
Costa Mesa – 714.957.8626
527 Spectrum Center Dr.
Irvine – 949.396.1830

Best Burrito

Taco Adobe

Few other burrito joints in Orange County have mastered rolling together three simple ingredients so deliciously and with such generous portions. Pound for pound, Taco Adobe’s bean-and-cheese burrito is the best in Orange County thanks to its flawless execution of the fairly simple, as well as the price, coming in at just $8.95.

121 N. Lemon St.
Orange – 714.628.0633

Best Butcher Shop

Electric City Butcher

Over the past four years, Electric City Butcher has been part of a larger conversation between chefs, farmers and restaurants to create a more humane, sustainable model for meat production. It supplies quality cuts to Santa Ana eateries such as Lola Gaspar, Alta Baja, Vacation and Chapter One: the modern local, as well as the Whole30-approved delivery service Model Meals, but you can check it out in person at its 4th Street Market spot.

electriccitybutcher.com
201 E. Fourth St.
Santa Ana – 714.474.9096

Best Catering Service

Canyon Catering

Taking the social pressure out of planning events by being a full-service catering company with reasonable pricing, Canyon Catering offers a delicious menu and beautiful décor that are sure to liven up any gathering, whether it’s a small birthday party or a corporate event. Plus, its down-to-earth staff are sure to make your events special without feeling overly elite.

canyoncatering.net
540 W. Freedom Ave.
Orange – 714.970.7777

Best Chinese Restaurant

New Moon Restaurant

A new moon is usually a time for contemplation and change. But in Buena Park, New Moon is the best place to get stuffed on Chinese food. When Porto’s moved into the Entertainment Zone on Beach Boulevard, it had a bigger plot than it knew what to do with. Thankfully, it decided to share space with this contemporary-Chinese restaurant chain that leaves pretenders in the dust. Any shrimp-based dish is destined to delight, whether the insatiably plump shellfish is served garlicky on a bed of spinach or with candy-glazed walnuts. Other Americanized offerings on the menu will be familiar in name, but enjoyed with new appreciation for how tastefully they come out of the kitchen. And at the end of your meal comes a fortune cookie drizzled in chocolate. Any guiding wisdom inside it is an added bonus.

newmoonrestaurants.com
7620 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park – 714.562.9940

Best Cheese Shop

The Cellar

A large, refrigerated display case just off the Cellar’s front entrance is filled with a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, from Chällerhocker and Harbison to fromages you’ve never heard of. But the Cellar is more than rodent heaven, as it also features artisan meats, sausages, bread, crackers, condiments and just about anything you’d want pickled available for takeout. You can also dine in on a variety of gourmet (but moderately priced) breakfast, lunch and dinner meals that you can wash down with fine wines, craft beers, kombuchas, designer waters and other delightful elixirs. Make sure to check out the artwork on the constantly changing menu board.

thecellarsite.com
156 Avenida Del Mar
San Clemente – 949.492.3663

Best Churros

Don Churros

Every weekend, scores of people line up to enjoy a churro recipe that’s evolved to perfection over 50 years. Don Churros, a food stand now located at the Anaheim Indoor Marketplace’s parking lot, is where the Gomez familia continues to satisfy the sweet-toothed with snacks straight from the highlands of Jalisco. There’s el tradicional, a simple churro that’s anything but as it crinkles into its fluffy interiors upon first bite. The namesake Don Churro is a churro grueso that’s a stocky take and is best served with vanilla-bean ice cream drizzled with cajeta. And the sweets don’t stop; Don Churros added another crowd pleaser to its menu with a funnel-cake-flavored churro. Order either the tradicional or the grueso and have the treat come back covered in powdered sugar with a scoop of strawberry ice cream and a strawberry drizzle. Life’s too short not to churro!

www.donchurrosgomez.com
1440 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim – 714.717.7946

Best Coffee

Common Room Roasters

There’s a diverse selection of pour-over coffees at Common Room Roasters, but brew produced from the beans farmed by Eduin Hernandez of Colombia stands out. With notes of cinnamon and hazelnut, this balanced coffee tastes incredibly bold with spurious notes of sweetness.

commonroomroasters.com
882 Production Place
Newport Beach – 949.220.7868

Best Coffeehouse

Bear Coast Coffee

Longtime aficionado Jeff Clinard sources Bear Coast Coffee’s beans directly from farmers who use sustainable practices. Sweet Bloom of Colorado has been the company’s go-to roaster from the get-go and will now help guide Bear Coast as it develops its own roasting skills. In house, the staff already make almond milk fresh daily, as well as create all the syrups and flavorings, including lavender-infused caramel, a vanilla with nutmeg notes and a dark chocolate ganache. But it’s the coffee that makes regulars out of first-timers. Hired for their warmth and humanity, the baristas are taught to make great art on milk. And if you want to get in the game, Bear Coast holds latte-art throwdowns from time to time.

bearcoastcoffee.com
618 1/2 Avenida Victoria
San Clemente – 949.482.0618
34052 La Plaza, Ste. 103
Dana Point – 949.388.1103
197 Avenida La Pata
San Clemente

Best Cold Brew

The Lost Bean

A good cold brew is hard to find. Many either don’t give you that desired electric jolt or are just lackluster after being watered down during the brewing process. But the Lost Bean’s refreshingly chilled cold brew has a strong flavor that provides a much-needed jumpstart after the first sip. Pair it with your milk of choice, or drink it black, and the brilliant caffeine rush will course through your veins throughout the day. The only downside? The Lost Bean prepares a limited supply, so it’s best to order it early or call ahead to inquire whether it’s in stock. If high demand isn’t a sign of quality, then what else is?

thelostbean.com
13011 Newport Ave., Ste. 104
Tustin – 714.544.2584
3335 Susan St.
Costa Mesa – 714.884.3180
4632 Barranca Pkwy.
Irvine – 949.333.2241

Best craft Beer Shop

Hollingshead’s Delicatessan

Stepping into Hollingshead’s Delicatessan is like entering a 1980s sitcom; it has a little bit of that Midwestern Happy Days vibe and a smidge of Family Ties, and it reminds one of the bar in Cheers, where everybody knows your name. You’ll find a good mix of local beer, something interesting from a recent tap takeover, or even perhaps an old forgotten favorite. And then there’s beer to go, which goes great with whatever deli selection you choose (hint: get the pickled eggs).

www.hollingsheadsdeli.com
368 S. Main St.
Orange – 714.978.9467

Best Craft Cocktails

Central Bar

If you want complex cocktails constructed with an amazing array of fresh herbs, bitters, juices and syrups, then Central Bar in Tustin is where you want to go. The Last of the Oaxacans—made with mezcal, lime, Maraschino liqueur and green chartreuse and served in a coup glass—is especially good, as is the Jam Session, which has vodka, cherry, blackberry, hibiscus and burlesque bitters. Want to go off the menu and order something real old-school, such as a Last Word or Aviation? The bar staff will gladly do that. And the drinks aren’t extravagantly priced; it’ll cost more than a gin and tonic at your usual hang, but you’re also getting so much more.

centralbaroc.com
2493 Park Ave.
Tustin – 714.258.8161

Best Cupcake

SusieCakes

If you’ve ever wondered what the right amount of fluff is for a cupcake, you’ll find the answer at SusieCakes. Made daily with fresh ingredients, the bakery offers various flavors that will soothe any sweet tooth. The red-velvet cupcake is akin to eating a cream cheese-coated cloud. And the flourless cupcakes have the same taste and consistency as the scratch-made brownies! Join SusieCakes’ reward program, and you’ll instantly get TWO free cupcakes. It’s that easy to enjoy a delicious treat—what are you waiting for?

www.susiecakes.com
3321 Hyland Ave., Ste. J
Costa Mesa – 714.265.2253
25473 Rancho Niguel Rd., Ste. B
Laguna Niguel – 949.214.2253
2043 Westcliff Dr., Ste. 104
Newport Beach – 949.646.6881

Best Date Night

Descanso

All you need to know about Descanso can be found in these three words: Benihana with tacos. And that’s more than an elevator pitch; it’s what you should tell your date when you propose to take them out. Everything they’ll expect of a teppanyaki experience is here: the showboating chef, the mountain of fried rice, the meat sizzling on the griddle. They’re guaranteed to agree to go because who wouldn’t want dinner and a show? But at Descanso, instead of bland, barely seasoned pseudo-Japanese stir-fries, you get real Mexican alambres oozing cheese as well as chicken tacos on two-toned tortillas topped with orange segments and crispy skin.

descansorestaurant.com
1555 Adams Ave., Ste. 103
Costa Mesa – 714.486.3798

Best Day-Drinking Bar

The Fling

Though some of the best day-drinking you can do takes place between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., the Fling doesn’t unlock its door until the relatively late time of 10, but we’re calling it OC’s best place for the time-honored activity because it’s the Fling. The bright-red wallpaper, naugahyde booths, old paintings, cheap drinks and creepy guys all scream day-drinking paradise. Sure, there are plenty of places where you can down a beer and a shot when the sun is still high in the sky, but none of them offers the Fling’s style.

2370 Tustin Ave.
Santa Ana – 714.547.8972

Best Deli

El Gaucho Meat Market #2

Argentines are known to be a carnivorous bunch thanks to their legendary asados, wherein a variety of meat gets tossed on a grill. El Gaucho Meat Market in Anaheim (#1 is in Manhattan Beach) does its national reputation proud. Here is where you’ll find Argentine chorizo, beef short ribs and chicken milanesa. The market also has chimichurri, Quilmes Argentinian beer and alfajores among its selection. But for those looking for a quicker bite, the sandwich counter is where it’s at. The menu resembles that of a retro burger joint, but it reads long on affordable sandwiches, such as the matambre (translation: hunger killer) and the Uruguayan chivito, a heavy hitter with beef, bacon and ham. And those aren’t even the best items! Did we mention there are empanadas, too? They’re perfect companions while watching the Albicelestes take the field on the deli’s mounted TV screens.

847 State College
Anaheim – 714.776.6400

Best Dessert

CUCINA Enoteca

Although best known for giving classic Italian dishes a twist, what CUCINA Enoteca also does perfectly is desserts. The decadent chocolate semifreddo feuilletine is any sweet tooth’s dream; its rich, mousse-y base has a slight bitter tang at the end that complements the overall sweetness. Cocoa nibs and vanilla cream top off the dish, adding texture and a new flavor to the traditional dessert.

urbankitchengroup.com
951 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach – 949.706.1416
532 Spectrum Center Dr.
Irvine – 949.861.2222

Best Dim Sum

Capital Seafood Restaurant

For the entire dim sum and brunch experience, with all the best Chinese dishes, platters and desserts, head straight to Capital Seafood Restaurant at the Irvine Spectrum. The fast-paced eatery buzzes with energy from the moment it opens its doors. Brunch features dozens of waiters pushing carts filled to the brim with a myriad of Chinese dishes and platters, including such best-sellers as shumai, pork dumplings, sticky rice and kai-lan. Among the crowd-pleasing traditional Chinese desserts are mango pudding and pineapple custard buns; served fresh out of the oven, they offer the perfect balance of sweet, tangy and fluffy dough in each bite.

spectrum.capital-seafood.com
770 Spectrum Center Dr.
Irvine – 949.788.9218

Best Diner

Woody’s Diner

Though it has just six locations, Woody’s Diner is an Orange County institution. It’s not some new hip or retro joint that will probably disappear in six months or maybe after two years, but rather it’s a classic diner that continues to reinvest in itself and reinvent its offerings without sacrificing its mission. All it wants to do is serve you some quintessentially Californian cuisine at a decent price point in a bright, comfortable, surf-themed setting. And it does that well, from the Woody omelet (fluffy eggs holding bacon, ham, sausage, green onions, and jack and Cheddar cheeses, then topped with slices of avocado and a dollop of sour cream) to the Ole Burger (with a patty topped with not only pepper jack cheese, but also grilled jalapeños), not to mention the crispiest onion rings around.

woodysdiners.com
Multiple Locations

Best Distillery

Blinking Owl Distillery

Husband-and-wife team Robin and Brian Christenson have created a tasting room where the drinks are as beautiful as the gleaming copper stills. Blinking Owl’s boutique spirits inhabit serious cocktails all over town, but there’s no better place to sample them than at the distillery’s own marble bar, which simply evokes swanky cocktail culture.

blinkingowldistillery.com
802 E. Washington Ave.
Santa Ana – 714.852.3947

Best Dive Bar

Cassidy’s

Cassidy’s is great in all the ways a dive bar can be. The restrooms suck. The seats are old. The walls are covered in photos, many yellowed from decades of exposure to the salt air. Fights sometimes happen outside. The video games are dull. The pool tables are okay. You go there to drink beer or hard alcohol—or a combination of both. Really tall bros named Chad and Steve love the place. They sell crazy-good burgers, but there are no fries (you can get chips, though). Even if you live close and go here often, people will sometimes get all surly with you. There is nothing hip or cool about Cassidy’s, but it’s the hippest, coolest joint in all of OC.

2603 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach – 949.675.8949

Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant

Lazy Dog Cafe

Founded in 2003, Lazy Dog Cafe has become the go-to place for dog owners. On the wide patio, you can relax by the fire or at a table with your pup, who can order (with your help) from a special menu. Brown rice accompanies a grilled beef patty or chicken breast in a special bowl. And there’s plenty to keep you satisfied, too, including a pork belly BLT and indigo cornbread fries, plus extensive happy hour deals. Don’t forget to grab a bone-shaped mint on the way out!

lazydogrestaurants.com
Multiple Locations

Best Doughnut Shop

Oliboli Doughnuts

Hands down one of the best places populating Old Town Tustin is this delicious pastry shop. Go classic with a light and airy sugar flavor, or opt for one of the more labor-intensive selections such as the oeuf (egg), Oliboli’s riff on a Benny.

oliboli.com
135 W. First St., Ste. B
Tustin – 714.760.4876

Best Family-Friendly Restaurant

Kareem’s Restaurant

With the warmth of Arab hospitality, Kareem’s Restaurant in Anaheim’s Little Arabia District easily feels like home. Patrons don’t even have to be regulars to be treated like family. Nesrine Omari, the falafel queen who has been with the restaurant since the beginning, makes every meal taste as if it were home-cooked. And her congeniality and attentiveness are legendary. Two of Omari’s children who are around the same age as the restaurant itself have taken the initiative to help keep Kareem’s going after their father passed away a few years go. Boasting the best falafels and hummus in Little Arabia, the food is so good no child would want to order chicken strips and fries. But don’t take our word for it: Folks can read all the endearing messages scrawled in permanent marker on a banner inside the restaurant or watch Yallah Habibi, a hilarious web-series pilot based on the family business!

kareemsfalafel.com
1208 S. Brookhurst St.
Anaheim – 714.215.4035

Best Farmers’ Market

Orange Home Grown Farmers & Artisans Market

While it may appear modest compared to other markets in the area, the folks here are a tight community of established vendors who have a rapport with their customers as well as the Old Towne community. The Handmade Marketplace kicked off earlier this year, allowing those specializing in crafts to also sell their wares. A free parking structure, live entertainment and even free dog-sitting make this weekly jaunt worth a visit.

orangehomegrown.org
303 W. Palm Ave.
Orange

Best Filipino Restaurant

Maria’s Kusina

Nestled next to El Superior in a Buena Park strip mall, Maria’s Kusina is easy—but not advisable—to miss. The panciteria de Manila near Knott’s Berry Farm is the best place to pack on the Pinoy pounds after a day of walking all over the theme park. The pork sisig seasoned with the sour, citrus taste of calamansi sauce and topped with a fried egg is a great place to begin this decadent dining experience. The extensive menu also offers a variety of pancit; we recommend the pancit canton, a stir-fry of thin egg noodles, vegetables, pork and chicken. Maria’s savory chicken lives up to its name, and the siopaos are as bulging as patrons will feel after retiring their plates. Word to the wise: Bring your kuyas, as portions are big enough to share.

6901 La Palma Ave.
Buena Park – 714.521.0108

Best Fish Taco

A’s Burgers

Easy and simple with just a few key ingredients, the fish tacos at A’s Burgers are truly hard to not love. The aioli sauce has a bit of a tang but not so overpowering that it tastes too much like mayo, and there is just the right amount of pico de gallo so you’re not getting a mouthful of lettuce and tomato. The fish itself is cooked perfectly, with savory, sweet and moist in perfect balance. And every fish-taco order is accompanied by chips and salsa to add a bit of spice to your meal.

asburgersrestaurant.com
34344 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Dana Point – 949.496.4460
28698 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano – 949.364.2099

Best Food Hall

4th Street Market

You can have a michelada, a lobster roll and a scoop of creamy ice cream at the 4th Street Market in downtown Santa Ana. This trendy food hall offers 10 stalls with tasty and delicious food offerings, plus a coffee shop and cocktail bar. The large outdoor patio is perfect for enjoying a multicultural meal with friends, and live bands are often performing there. The marketplace also hosts lots of food-themed events, so there’s no excuse to not get your grub on here.

4thstreetmarket.com
201 E. Fourth St.
Santa Ana – 714.486.0700

Best Food Stand

Naugles By the Beach

A Riverside-born fast-food chain for late-night drunks in the 1970s, Naugles Tacos & Burgers came roaring back with new owner Christian Ziebarth in 2012 and its first permanent 2.0 location in Fountain Valley three years later. Customers who’d sobered up by then discovered their old pre-hangover chow actually was not bad (who knew?), which made it all the more exciting to see a beachside stand open in a former Wahoo’s spot across from the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. Though it’s currently open only on weekends, once the hungry find parking (better to bike), they can devour tried-and-true burritos, bun tacos, Hombre Nachos, crispy shelled tacos and soft flour tortilla tacos brimming with that addicting seasoned ground beef.

nauglestacos.com
21351 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Huntington Beach

Best Food Truck

Tacos El Gringo

In case you think we’ve lost our cabezas, this food truck’s Instagram page starts with the following disclaimer: “Don’t let the GRINGO fool you! [We’re] Santa Ana-raised, taking notes from your abuelas’ favorite recipes.” Addictively delicious “straight tacos” are served with asada, pollo, carnitas, chorizo and al pastor, but even meat-lovers will dive into vegetarian tacos and burritos stuffed with potatoes, cilantro, grilled onions, soy chorizo and a plant-based queso. Tacos El Gringo often pops up around OC breweries, but if you can’t find the truck, make up an event just so you can book it.

Instagram: @tacos_el_gringo
714.618.1823

Best French Toast

Marché Moderne

This French restaurant serves a brioche HOUSE. This coconut toast is stacked, and that’s a fact—ain’t holding nothing back. It sits atop a creamy foundation of vanilla anglaise and passion fruit, with coco-mango gelato melting upon the roof for extra deliciousness. You will see a server walk by with one and immediately have to order it, so just go right ahead from the start and savor the most delightful sugar rush.

marchemoderne.net
7862 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.
Newport Beach – 714.434.7900

Best Fried Chicken

Two Birds

With chicken being such a universal food, it’s difficult to find a truly scrumptious fried-chicken place but easy to find a meal to flex on social media. No place meets both criteria like Two Birds in Irvine. Just one glance at its Instagram feed will have you drooling. Maybe its recipe for success comes from founding chef Andrew Gruel, who also happens to be a frequent judge for Food Network shows.

twobirdsrestaurant.com
2222 Michelson Dr.
Irvine – 949.932.0420

Best Fries

Taquiero Taco Patio

The authenticity of the tacos at Taquiero Taco Patio is undeniable, but the fries are a hidden gem. Crispy as hell and topped with your choice of al pastor or carne asada, then smothered in chipotle sauce, sour cream, cheese and avocado, one order will comfortably feed a large family or study group.

taquierotaco.com
4517 Campus Dr.
Irvine – 949.333.1671

Best Gay Bar

Tin Lizzie

The interior of this beloved venue boasts a gorgeous, Victorian-inspired aesthetic, plus there’s a pool table and digital jukebox to entertain guests. While the décor may be glossy, Tin Lizzie’s atmosphere is relaxed and chill, inviting you to schmooze with your friends, make new ones or enjoy one of the many events held here, including television-viewing parties and drag queen bingo. Drink specials are offered throughout the week, and the fancy cocktails will sate the more discerning, artsy drinkers who walk through the Lizzie’s fabulous doors.

tinlizziesaloon.com
752 St. Clair St.
Costa Mesa – 714.966.2029

Best Greek Restaurant

Greek Bistro

Enjoy a taste of Greece without leaving Orange County. Greek Bistro offers perfectly seasoned staples of the European country. Start your meal with the soothing hummus and tangy tzatziki dips, accompanied by delicate pita bread. The incredibly tender chicken and lamb platters are great for sharing family-style, and the side of grilled vegetables has an incredible smoky flavor. And don’t forget to save room for the decadent baklava.

greekbistro.net
25292 McIntyre St., Ste. A
Laguna Hills – 949.249.2222

Best Happy Hour

The Cauldron Spirits and Brews

Sure, the Cauldron Spirits and Brews offers seemingly normal midday happy hour drink specials, with well drinks, local craft beers and wines selected by the head witch herself shedding a dollar in price. Specialty drinks—such as the Harvest Moon, which casts a new spell on the classic screwdriver—shed two. But when the clock strikes midnight, it becomes the “witching hour” at the Cauldron. That means all those midday drink specials return until closing on select nights. And if revelers begin to feel “light as a feather, stiff as a board,” then it’s probably time to summon an Uber!

thecauldronbar.com
8028 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park – 714.484.2733

Best Hot Dogs

Joe Schmoe’s

Friends Mike Richards and Nick Harris spent years training to become “wiener-masters,” and now Joe Schmoe’s specializes in gourmet hot dogs adorned with creative yet delicious toppings. With a secret menu almost as long as the regular one, you’ll find treasures such as the Blood Hound Dog, a bacon-wrapped sausage smothered in rich Chedder cheese, caramelized onions and a dash of barbecue sauce. Of course, you can get a regular Frankfurter, too, but with 20 scrumptious options to choose from, why would you want to?

joeschmoes.com
5123 Ball Rd.
Cypress – 714.527.4310

Best Ice Cream

Paradis Handcrafted

A decade ago, this Dutch company opened its first U.S. shop in LA, and luckily for us, it ventured south into OC, landing in Dana Point. Paradis Handcrafted’s chefs create each batch from scratch, adding flavorings from around the world, including bourbon vanilla from Madagascar and organic cocoa from the Dominican Republic, as well as ripe, fresh fruit. Narrowing down your selection will give you brain freeze, as you sample extremely lush, but never oversugared flavors from a metal spoon. The super-creamy speculoos with fresh-baked Belgian cookies is a party in your mouth, and the Amarena cherry chip and sweet-yet-tart raspberry peach are must-trys. But the stracciatella and sea-salted caramel are the best we’ve ever licked—a chilly paradise.

paradis-icecream.com
34255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 114
Dana Point – 949.441.7070

Best Indian Restaurant

Dosa Place

In addition to its namesake, Dosa Place offers an enormous array of Indian dishes. But standing above the rest is the aloo gobi, a cauliflower and potato curry plate that is spiced to perfection, with a kick that’s just hard enough to be satisfying.

dosaplace.com
13812 Red Hill Ave.
Tustin – 714.505.7777

Best Italian Food

Angelo’s and Vinci’s Ristorante

A visit to Angelo’s and Vinci’s Ristorante will make you feel as if you’ve traveled to Italy. Its four floors are filled with eclectic décor, including life-like Sicilian puppets. This family-owned restaurant passed down to a long-time employee, who has continued serving traditional dishes such as Lasagna Angelo’s and linguini with fresh clams, as well as a world-class, thick and doughy, cheesy pizza that may become your new favorite.

www.angelosandvincis.com
550 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton – 714.879.4022

Best Japanese Restaurant

Fukada

While you can get sushi rolls here, this is not why you go to Fukada. Instead, you want to concentrate on the traditional Japanese fare. The soba with sansai is available cold or hot; either way, you’ll get a heaping variety of Japanese mountain vegetables atop perfect noodles in a nourishing broth. You can make your own tempura combo plate; each vegetable and protein listed comes two to an order, so mix a bit of lotus root with shrimp for a party in your mouth. But definitely get a spicy tuna donburi bowl: soft tuna is mixed with a not-too-spicy mayonnaise, then scooped on top of your choice of brown or white rice and sprinkled with chopped seaweed. Mix in the accompanying dollop of wasabi, plus a dash or two of soy sauce, and you have achieved nirvana.

fukadarestaurant.com
8683 Irvine Center Dr.
Irvine – 949.341.0111

Best Juice or Smoothie

Vibe Organic Kitchen & Juice

Homemade coconut milk is the base for all the smoothies here, where your opinion of a plant-based diet may change. Plus, the smoothies come in a bowl, allowing you to slurp and chew all that cool deliciousness. The juice blends are 100 percent organic and made to order. Try the Spicy Green, with pineapple, cucumber, kale, jalapeño and lime—something that tastes this thrilling has to be a danger! Ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper come together in a shot named Fireball. If all that’s too risky, try the hand-squeezed lemonade; there’s none better—except for grandma’s version.

eatdrinkvibe.com
Instagram: @eatdrinkvibe
1000 Bristol St. N.
Newport Beach – 949.478.4118
34255 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Dana Point – 949.259.5514

Best Korean Barbecue

Cham Sut Gol Korean BBQ

It’s time to play the game show sweeping the countryside, from Big Orange to Little Saigon: BRING! MY!! MEAT!!! Contestants choose items from an all-you-can-meat—I mean, all-you-can-eat menu. We’re talking brisket, pork belly, bulgogi, chicken, spicy pork, pork chop, diamond-cut pork belly, beef belly and CSG dduk kalbi (seasoned beef and pork patty). Cook ’em on the grill in the center of your table, then finish your mound before everyone else so you can be the first one to slam the tableside buzzer. Tell the attentive server who quickly shows up, “BRING! MY!! MEAT!!!” Repeat again and again. What’s in store for the player who eats the most meat, Johnny? “It’s an all-expenses-paid trip to Hoag cardiology, Monty!”

chamsutgolkoreanbbq.com
9252 Garden Grove Blvd., Ste. 10
Garden Grove – 714.590.9292

Best Korean Restaurant

Kyung Bok Kung

Kyung Bok Kung is one of the few places (if not the only one) in the county to offer han-jeongsik, a blowout feast originally designed for royalty in imperial Korea. The defining characteristic of the meal is an overwhelming spread served all at once. At Kyung Bok Kung, your table will be blanketed with about 15 different dishes, with no expense spared on presentation. There will be rich porridge, gurgling soups, bright salads, savory pancakes, perfectly sliced sashimi, sizzling barbecue meats and whole fish. And that’s not counting the sides and sauces. By the end, you’ll think to yourself, “How am I going to finish all this?” Also: “My Instagram followers are going to be so jealous!”

kyungbokkungusa.com
7801 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park – 714.888.4948

Best Late-Night Dining

El Toro Bravo

Finding good Mexican food is always the best feeling, but it’s even better at 2 a.m. This 24-hour dining destination serves up à la carte tacos in a hurry. But if you’re absurdly hungry, order some meat to go (El Toro Bravo sells it by the pound) so you can create your own paradise for your late-night cravings.

eltorobravomexicanfood.com
562 W. 19th St.
Costa Mesa – 949.791.8183
1450 El Camino Real, Ste. B
Tustin – 714.665.1400
24012 Avenida De La Carlota
Laguna Hills – 949.652.5444

Best Lobster Roll

Slapfish

Lobster rolls are an East Coast classic, but that doesn’t mean the West Coast should make do with something makeshift. Slapfish doesn’t mess around with this crustacean. Its lobster roll is as authentic as you can get: The warm, delicately crispy bun jumps with flavor and texture, and the melt-in-your-mouth lobster meat is drenched in a mayo, butter and lemon sauce that’s just the right amount of sweet, salty and tangy.

www.slapfishrestaurant.com
Multiple Locations

Best Local Brewery, Long Beach

Beachwood Blendery

Not many California breweries make a proper Belgian-style lambic, much less a three-year blend called a gueuze. But Beachwood Blendery owner Gabe Gordon sought to demystify the magic beer quality brewers/blenders such as Brasserie Cantillon in Belgium have made for decades. Gordon and his team installed probes in that noted blendery, then set their Long Beach location to mimic that environment. What resulted is a tart, funky, complex beer called Funk Yeah!, which won gold at this year’s Great American Beer Festival.

beachwoodbrewing.com
247 Long Beach Blvd.
Long Beach – 562.436.4020

Best Local Brewery, North OC

TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room

One of OC’s crown jewels since it opened in 1999, the company’s brewery project in Tustin suddenly set the new standard for what a beer-tasting experience can be. TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room offers exceptional brews crafted in a variety of styles, everything from classic European lagers to the pastry stouts and hazies. Add that to the comfortable indoor/outdoor seating, games, warm hospitality and tasty bites sizzling out of a perma food truck, and you’ve got yourself a win.

www.tapsbrewery.com
15501 Red Hill Ave.
Tustin – 657.247.3920

Best Local Brewery, South OC

Pizza Port San Clemente

Pizza Port is a true icon of craft brewing in the United States, and OC is blessed to be home to one of its locations. Since 2002, the beers that flow out of its San Clemente taps have been made by some of the most storied brewers in the world, including Tomme Arthur at the Lost Abbey and Jeff Bagby, who’s now at Bagby Beer Co. Where will current brewer Jon Eckelberger be in 10 years? Time will tell.

pizzaport.com/brewpubs/san-clemente
301 N El Camino Real
San Clemente – 949.940.0005

Best Local IPA

Noble Ale Works

Orange County is home to the most consistent award-winning India Pale Ales. And Nobility Double IPA from Noble Ale Works has won two back-to-back awards at the World Beer Cup, a feat no other brewery has done in the past decade. Whether it be session IPA, West Coast, or hazy, the brewers here have it dialed down to a science.

noblealeworks.com
1621 Sinclair St., Ste. B
Anaheim – 714.634.2739

Best Local Sour Beer

Bruery Terreux

Thankfully, many of the sour-beer makers have dialed back the tooth-enamel-stripping sour warheads of yesteryear. Good brewers have found that a pleasant, balanced, almost wine-like acidity is where it’s at. Bruery Terreux’s team does this best with two huge wooden barrels called foeders, in which a constant flow of delicious fruited sours are produced, not to mention a library’s worth of barrels holding beers that will be blended into what we’ll be drinking in a couple of years.

www.brueryterreux.com
1174 N. Grove St.
Anaheim – 714.905.7361

Best Local Winery

Cowboy Canyon Winery/Giracci Vineyards

Because of a recent accident involving a minifridge, you can now experience the wonders of two South Orange County wineries in one cozy tasting room. For the indefinite future, the Cowboy Canyon Winery tasting room is now located in neighbor Giracci Vineyard’s dodecagon tasting room. Now, you can sample Cowboy Canyon’s lush barbera, sangiovese and other Italian wines in the same place as Giracci’s drier zinfandels and pinots. And when the fireplace is roaring during the colder months, you’ll want to be enveloped in the room’s big, comfy chairs with a glass of wine nearby. Though six tastings for $20 sounds expensive, with the generous pours here, you’re basically getting two full glasses.

cowboycanyonwinery.com
Cowboy Canyon Winery, 16162 Jackson Ranch Rd.
Silverado – 714.202.0212
giracci.com
Giracci Vineyards, 16162 Jackson Ranch Rd.
Silverado – 714.602.1109

Best Margarita

Avila’s El Ranchito

Based on price alone, Avila’s El Ranchito’s 12 Orange County locations offer the best margaritas. They always have deals going on, whether it is Taco Tuesday or just happy hour, when you’ll choose from a number of different kinds. But the best one at which to sip these award-winning tequila-based concoctions is in Newport Beach, where the recently remodeled restaurant is within walking distance of the ocean, making the environment as relaxing as the margaritas.

avilaselranchito.com
2800 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach – 949.675.6855

Best Mexican Restaurant

La Super Birria

Even though the owners finally changed the sign outside from Dulceria Caracol to La Super Birria, you still walk in feeling as though you’ve discovered El Dorado in the jungle. The golden treasure you find at La Super Birria is the birria de res itself, a spicy, brick-red stew of beef so tender it verges on collapse. And where it isn’t falling apart, there are just enough bits of fat left behind to make you shudder with delight. The fact that it’s the kind of home-style bowl of food an abuelita would make is confirmed by the actual abuelitas tending to the huge stew pot in the kitchen. These ladies also hand-make the tortillas you eat on the side—which are the thickest, best specimens in a town with a lot of tortillas. Soft but also chewy, light but also hearty, they possess a pure corn flavor and are as perfect an accompaniment to the birria de res as oyster crackers are to clam chowder.

1041 W. First St.
Santa Ana – 657.245.3810

Best Micheladas

Alta Baja Market

Though micheladas are often considered simple beer cocktails, there’s no better place to test that theory than at Alta Baja Market in downtown Santa Ana. There’s a whole michelada menu. Sure, it includes traditional flavors such as La Mera Mera (made with savory michelada mix, Negra Modelo and a chile rim) and the La Santera (with lime juice, Modelo Especial and a chile rim), but our favorite has long been La Chiquita, a spicy passion fruit blend with Modelo Especial. There’s also the spicy La Malandrina (made with avocado, serranos and Modelo Especial) and the pineapple-coconut La Traviesa (with Negra Modelo). Oh, and during weekend brunch, try La Ultima: an extra-large La Santera or La Mera Mera served with a plate of aguachile or the vegan cucumber/radish/spicy bar mix botanas.

www.altabajamarket.com
201 E. Fourth St.
Santa Ana – 714.783.2252

Best Mediterranean Restaurant

Olive Tree Restaurant

When it comes to excelling in Arabic food, Olive Tree won’t be uprooted any time soon. Alan Abdo’s restaurant in Anaheim’s Little Arabia District remains stellar from start to finish. Appetizers set the tone, whether it’s Palestinian fries dusted with zataar seasoning or refreshing labne with pools of olive oil waiting to be scooped with pita bread. For a quick lunch, the sandwiches are as affordable as they are delicious. But do plan to make time to dine in. The lamb shanks are legendary for their fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Arayes kufta may take a bit longer for the kitchen to cook up, but the grilled beef patties stuffed inside toasted pita bread are well worth the wait. And the restaurant offers the best Iftar buffet during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, bringing out drinks such as Qamar Al-Deen, a thick, sweet apricot juice that translates to “moon of religion.” As with everything else at Olive Tree, it’s divine!

Instagram: @olivetreerestaurantoc
518 S. Brookhurst St., Ste. 1
Anaheim – 714.535.2878

Best Neighborhood Bar, Long Beach

Joe Jost’s

Since 1934, Joe Jost’s has been keeping Long Beach locals nice and sudsy. (Joe’s actually opened in 1924, but you know, Prohibition.) It claims to have the coldest beer in town, which you can determine for yourself when your schooner comes with ice bits floating atop your brew. Play some pool in the back, or sit up front at the bar and indulge in what are definitely the best pickled eggs in town. And don’t skip the Joe’s Special, a slice of fresh rye bread topped with a Polish sausage made from the Jost family’s own recipe. As you can see from the hundred or so photos of patrons donning the dive bar’s famous T-shirt around the globe, Joe Jost’s is downright beloved.

joejosts.com
2803 E. Anaheim St.
Long Beach – 562.439.5446

Best Neighborhood Bar, North OC

Chapter One: the modern local

Want to go someplace where you can get cozy with a book and a drink? Everything in Chapter One: the modern local will remind you of a library, especially the books tucked into every nook and cranny. This downtown Santa Ana lounge offers 14 IPA and beer selections, as well as a comprehensive cocktail menu. But it’s famous for its flavored Moscow mule drinks, among them the schnozberry, OC and green chile. And to soak up the alcohol, the kitchen puts unusual twists on bar standards; try the Good American burger, which has pork belly and melted cheese inside the patty. And if you’re looking for a private room, check out the crimson-painted Red Room—perfect for theme nights, comedy shows, and trivia or wine-and-paint nights.

chapteronetml.com
227 N. Broadway
Santa Ana – 714.352.2225

Best Neighborhood Bar, South OC

Docent Brewing

Sure it’s bizarre to call a warehouse brewery a neighborhood bar, but that’s exactly what this tasting room feels like. While the only true residents within strolling distance are the mobile-home-dwellers, you can access Docent Brewing by bicycle along San Juan Creek, the free trolley in the summer, and Lyft and Uber year-round. Among the towering brew tanks, you’ll find plush couches and a long bar with stools, games, kids, laughter, serious ale pours, and brewers who love what they craft but don’t take themselves too seriously. These guides to all things beer are now pouring wine, so it’s creeping closer to a neighborhood bar in a more accepted sense. Maybe a partnership with a local distiller is also brewing? When you order your flight, include Docent’s award-winning Double Nickels—even get it with your second flight because it’s that good. And make your belly happy with a Mountaineer Roll because it’s cheap and delicious. But wherever you are, endeavor to follow Docent’s motto: “Have fun. Drink local. Be you, no matter what.”

docentbrewing.com
33049 Calle Aviador, Ste. C
San Juan Capistrano – 949.767.8170

Best New Local Brewery

GameCraft Brewing

As most of the breweries here are at the extreme north or south of the county, there’s strangly little competition in the middle. But that is where you’ll find GameCraft Brewing. The beer made by young Andrew Moy and his team are a good mix of German and American styles that span from light lagers to the hazy-hypey. The brewery’s gaming theme sings to the local crowd, who show up in droves to eat, drink and game.

gamecraftbrewing.com
23301 Avenida de la Carlota, Ste. C
Laguna Hills – 949.734.0910

Best New Restaurant

Gram’s Kitchen

You wouldn’t think of finding much of a nightlife in La Palma, let alone in a minimall where a printing shop, a dry cleaner and a State Farm agent close up before sundown. But as you approach Gram’s Kitchen after dark, you hear not only signs of life, but also boisterous live music pouring from the open doors. The place feels as if it were teleported from New Orleans’ Bourbon Street itself. A jazz-and-blues band rocks the house on the weekends, and the food rivals anything produced by Emeril Lagasse and the late Paul Prudhomme. The red beans and rice, a soul-food dish that’s a meal unto itself, gets topped with an oar-sized slab of succulent fried catfish cocooned in cornmeal. In the shrimp and grits, the heat of the cayenne travels from your face toward your legs, which, because of the music, will be eager to get out on the dance floor.

gramskitchenlapalma.com
12 Centerpointe Dr., Ste. 106
La Palma – 657.255.4036

Best New Restaurant in Long Beach

Little Vice

From the design (Baja-meets-LA with a dash of Miami) to the beverages (a carefully selected list of natural wines and craft beers, as well as a house-made Michelada mix) to the food (near-equal quantity of vegan or carnivorous dishes laden with authentic Mexican flavors), not to mention the dessert (the best vegan churros possibly anywhere), Little Vice is the coolest spot in town. Come for Siesta Hour and enjoy discounted menu items while lounging on the patio. Bonus: Little Vice has its own parking lot.

littlevice.com
3317 E. Seventh St.
Long Beach – 562.343.7157

Best Outdoor Dining

Deck On Laguna Beach

Pretty much exactly what it is called, Deck On Laguna Beach is on a deck with a breathtaking view right off Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. It specializes in seafood, but you’ll also find items such as cheeseburgers and chips and guacamole.

deckonlaguna.com
627 Sleepy Hollow Lane
Laguna Beach – 949.494.6700

Best Oysters

Zubies Dry Dock

Aficionados of raw oysters know the location where you consume them does not matter. The freshest, briniest slime can be served at an inexpensive sushi stand, and a five-star restaurant’s priciest oysters can go bad, forcing you to deposit your stomach contents in said five-star restroom’s porcelain rig. Assuming all good oysters are equal, let us turn to the raw ones served ceviche-style at Zubies Dry Dock. A half-dozen small, sweet, creamy oysters are buried in their shells under mounds of chopped onions, cilantro, tomatoes, green peppers and white fish. They are served on a bed of ice with six lemon wedges and little plastic containers of cocktail sauce and horseradish. Too unwieldy to pick up and slurp and too confetti-like to stay on your fork, the oysters require the accompaniment of tortilla chips to collect every last morsel.

zubiesdrydock.com
9059 Adams Ave.
Huntington Beach – 714.963.6362

Best Pancakes

Aunt Yese’s Home Cooking

Flapjacks never taste better than when they’re homemade, and Aunt Yese’s Home Cooking is the next best thing to your own kitchen. Though the plain, fluffy pancakes are amazing on their own, breakfast enthusiasts will want to get the “Special Pancakes,” which mixes any combination of toppings—including chocolate chips, bananas and blueberries—right into the batter.

auntyeses.com
12444 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove – 714.512.6150

Best Peruvian Restaurant

Higo Chicken

The menu at Luis Uechi’s strip-mall restaurant is a laser-focused greatest-hits parade of Peruvian standards: arroz chaufa, saltado, tallarin saltado and ají de gallina. Nearly everything is cooked in a blazing-hot wok from which flames erupt in bursts. All the entrées are well-made, but none more so than the lomo saltado. There’s not a single scrap of the steak that isn’t soft and seared as though Vietnamese bo luc lac. And unlike other Peruvian restaurants that take the shortcut of using frozen fries for their saltado, Higo Chicken takes the extra step of cutting and frying the potato spears from scratch. When you add it up, it’s small details such as these that make this place stand above the rest.

722 E. Whittier Blvd.
La Habra – 562.524.2026

Best Pho

Pho Vina

It doesn’t get much more hole-in-the-wall, mom-and-pop than this. The only thing complex about Pho Vina is the rich, earthy broth. It’s so delicious it could be eaten on its own, but choosing toppings and fillings only add to the flavor. And you don’t have to be running a fever to enjoy lightning-fast service.

5773 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim – 714.777.3785

Best Pie

Sweetcie Pie

Karen Uyeda is the one-woman baking show behind the Irvine-based cottage bakery Sweetcie Pie, which offers an array of sumptuous baked goods, including fruit tarts, apple dumplings and pies made to order. Uyeda’s pride and passion for pies is apparent in their quality and taste, from their delectable fillings to their crunchy, soft crusts. Options on her website shill traditional favorites such as cherry, peach and apple, as well as boysenberry, strawberry rhubarb and cherry amaretto (which won her the top prize at KCRW-FM’s Good Food Pie Contest in 2017). Got something else on your mind? Uyeda says she’s always willing to take requests.

sweetciepie.com

Best Pizza

Tony’s Little Italy

Though Tony’s Little Italy specializes in Chicago-style deep dish, it also offers a classic New York-style slice. But no matter your preference, you’ll get an amazing pie that’s worth the long wait. The chrome décor and checkered tiles only add to the authentic Italian experience.

tonyslittleitaly.com
1808 N. Placentia Ave., Ste. B
Placentia – 714.528.2159

Best Pub

The Olde Ship

Since 1993, the Olde Ship has been British expats’ favorite watering hole for an authentic taste of home, as well as a tavern in which to watch matches and try trivia. Here, you’ll find English favorites such as fish and chips, bangers and mash, and the best sticky toffee pudding around.

theoldeship.com
1120 W. 17th St.
Santa Ana – 714.550.6700
709 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton – 714.871.7447

Best Punk-Rock Bar

Chain Reaction

For more than 20 years, Chain Reaction has been the first stop for many of Orange County’s up-and-coming punk acts. The all-ages-welcome venue has long been a staple for anyone wanting to check out some fresh talent while moshing as though it were 1979. And for the 21-and-older crowd, beer is now on tap.

allages.com
1652 Lincoln Ave.
Anaheim – 714.635.6067

Best Ramen

Kashiwa Ramen

If grandma’s chicken noodle soup is a home cure-all, what’s served at Kashiwa Ramen is prescription-strength. The viscosity of the liquid that lubricates the noodles is closer to hand lotion. It coats the spoon and doesn’t so much pour as flow as if hot candle wax. And as it’s exposed to cold air, the surface starts to congeal into a film. The best way to take your dose is to have it reduced even further as the dipping sauce for the tsukemen. As the naked noodles are dipped into it and slurped, all the nuances of the components coalesce: the acid tickle of the squeezed lime, the concentrated umami of the reduced-to-gravy soup, and the chewy comforts of the ramen. If you’re not instantly cured of what ails you, you’re at least going to feel a lot better, as your meal seems to coo, “There, there; everything’s going to be all right.”

thekashiwaramen.com
1420 Baker St., Ste. C
Costa Mesa – 657.232.0223

Best Restaurant

Taco María

Let it be known that before the Michelin Guide awarded Taco María a star this year—one of only two OC restaurants to receive the honor—we’d been writing and preaching about Carlos Salgado’s Costa Mesa temple to high-end Mexican cuisine since it opened in 2011. Heck, we were already believers when he started Taco María as a food truck he named after the women in his family. Before any other publication, we lauded that modest first effort and his epoch-changing brick-and-mortar restaurant in nearly every Best Of Issue since. But as we now swell up with pride, we’re also a bit wistful that Taco María’s alta cocina prix-fixe meals are no longer Orange County’s little secret. Worldwide acclaim has now made it hard to get a table. So when you do snag a reservation and hear someone in the dining room proclaiming, “We told you so!” – that’ll be us.

tacomaria.com
3313 Hyland Ave., Ste. C-21
Costa Mesa – 714.538.8444

Best Ribs

Leadbelly’s Barbecue

Serving delicious American barbecue in more-than-generous portions, it’s no wonder where the name of this joint came from. Start with a mouth-watering plate of pork burnt ends, but save room for the ribs. It’s hard not to fall in love with meat treated to a well-balanced rub that’s been cooked to perfection and falls right off the bone. Now there’s a rib done right.

Facebook
711 N. Placentia Ave.
Fullerton – 714.616.9560

Best Rooftop Bar

The Bungalow

This bar attracts an energetic crowd with its view of the Pacific Ocean and sounds of the 1990s. The terrace offers comfortable seating and outdoor fireplaces, as well as a bar. All of which make the Bungalow an ideal destination to relax and escape the hustle and bustle below of Huntington Beach’s Main Street.

thebungalow.com
At Pacific City, 21058 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 240
Huntington Beach – 714.374.0399

Best Sandwich Shop

Sandwich Society

Get some bang for your buck while exciting your taste buds at Sandwich Society. This sandwich shop takes pride in crafting delicious options, whether your choice is hot or cold, hoagie or wrap, grilled cheese or bánh mì. And each one pairs well with Sandwich Society’s fries or salads.

thesandwichsociety.com
2031 E. First St., Ste. A3
Santa Ana – 714.835.3878

Best Seafood Restaurant

Coastal Kitchen

Though all the dishes utilize simple ingredients, everything at Coastal Kitchen is as satisfying as a day at the beach. Among the favorites are the seared ahi tuna salad, which is given a refreshing twist thanks to mangos, and the jumbo lump crab cake entrée, which is spiced up with a creole mustard sauce. And for an added treat, finish your meal with a slice of tangy Key lime pie.

coastalkitchendanapoint.com
34091 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Dana Point – 949.449.2822

Best Shabu Shabu

Miss Shabu

All but one of the six cuts of beef Miss Shabu serves for your swishing pleasure are USDA Prime. This means that each paper-thin slice you order will exhibit a marbling pattern as intricate as lace, so everything you lower into the boiling broth essentially melts as it cooks. Each cut of beef you choose for your all-you-can-eat swish-a-thon—from the prime chuck eye to the brisket to the rib-eye to the top blade—disintegrates in your mouth. At the end of the meal, after you’re nearly overdosed on beef, the waiter will dump rice into your now intensely concentrated boiling broth and turn it into a tableside Korean risotto—a creamy, starchy, umami-packed, slow-moving sludge that owes a debt of gratitude to the graders at the USDA.

missshabu.com
5450 Beach Blvd., Ste. 102
Buena Park – 714.464.3222

Best Signature Cocktail

Silly Rabbit at Mix Mix Kitchen Bar

The Silly Rabbit is a vibrant cocktail that incorporates reposado tequila complemented with an herbaceous carrot and Thai chile syrup, lime juice, with a wonderful mezcal mist. The drink bursts with redolent notes and finishes with sweet spice.

mixmixkitchenbar.com
300 N. Main St.
Santa Ana – 714.836-5158

Best Sports Bar

Lopez & Lefty’s Sports Cantina

There are plenty of sports bars in Orange County, but Lopez & Lefty’s in Anaheim pretty much nails all the major items. There are a bunch of TV screens; an impressive array of more than 25 beers; a menu full of great burgers, sandwiches, tacos and other fried things—and it’s centrally located. Seriously, it’s a sports bar, which is not that difficult to do right. Still, Lopez & Lefty’s is a comfortable place to hang, even when the post-season isn’t on the line.

lopezandleftys.com
1759 S. Claudina Way
Anaheim – 714.300.0000

Best Steak

Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill

Leave it to chef Maro Molteni (of Maro Wood Grill fame) and his brother Martin to class up an iconic establishment on Pacific Coast Highway. Maro’s grilling prowess is what makes the beefy courses here sing; whether it’s the Angus hanger or teriyaki rib-eye, you can count on a perfect, medium-rare (or medium, depending on your preference) ode to meat. Royal Hawaiian’s finishing touches of house-made chimichurri and pumpkin purée only enhance your meal.

royalhawaiianlb.com
311 N. Coast Hwy.
Laguna Beach – 949.715.1470

Best Sushi

Sushi Noguchi

The Japanese word omakase means “chef’s choice,” giving sushi masters a free license to serve you whatever they think best. But lately, the word has come to mean something more: an ultra-expensive, multicourse meal that can tick up to the triple digits. This is certainly the case at a certain Costa Mesa sushi restaurant that recently earned a Michelin star. But at Sushi Noguchi, the prix-fixe meal called “Jun’s Omakase” has always retailed for the same price. There’s a seared albacore salad to start, then a carpaccio of the day. Next is a sampler plate with a trio of cooked items; among them may be a fish-stuffed shishito tempura, a braised pork belly with hot mustard, or a crispy-fried shrimp katsu on a stick. After that, expect another raw fish dish to precede a four-piece nigiri. This might then be followed by a baked blue-crab hand roll so sweet it could double as dessert. What’s served varies according to the season, but one thing remains constant: Jun’s Omakase proves not only that you don’t have to pay a premium for a quality experience, but also that omakase can mean “bargain.”

sushinoguchi.com
18507 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda – 714.777.6789

Best Taco

Taco María

At Taco María, the price of tortilla transcendence is worth every centavo. Though a pair of arrachera tacos costs $17 per plate, chef Carlos Salgado’s masterpiece is a visual beauty from the blue-corn tortilla to the glazed Applewood bacon strip atop its fillings. And it tastes as good as it looks. A medium-rare hanger steak, roasted chiles and queso Oaxaca offer all the right hints of heat and tender smokiness. Of course, as with all of Salgado’s menu items, the arrachera tacos are as ethical as they are tantalizing to the senses. The tortillas are heirloom and non-GMO, making for a titan of tacos in more ways than one.

tacomaria.com
3313 Hyland Ave., Ste. C-21
Costa Mesa – 714.538.8444

Best Taco Catering

Tacos Zapata

This family-owned catering service prides itself on making the best Mexican street tacos, ones that will have your guests begging you for the phone number. Tacos Zapata always shows up on time, offering not only asada, al pastor, carnitas, chorizo, pollo and grilled veggies, but also lengua, cabeza and tripa.

tacoszapata.com
1330 S. Brookhurst Rd.
Fullerton – 714.870.1812

Best Taco Tuesday

Taco Mesa Tortilleria Orgánica & Cafè

At a restaurant that boasts quality deals five days a week, Taco Tuesday at Taco Mesa is the ultimate steal: seven different tacos are offered for $1.75 apiece, plus $3.75 margaritas all day. Locals favor the chile verde and beer-battered-fish options, but no matter what your choice, all are served on house-made, GMO-free corn tortillas. The lines run out the door during the dinner rush, so come early!

tacomesatortilleria.com
3533 E. Chapman Ave.
Orange – 714.633.3922

Best Tea House

Tranquil Tea Lounge

This is not your grandma’s tea house. From the moment you enter the Tranquil Tea Lounge’s modern environs, your tension headache and stressed mindset exit. Sniff from jars of leaves before picking just the right variety of green, black, white, oolong, etc. to brew, then sit back and enjoy the peace—and maybe some scones, too.

tranquil-tea-lounge.myshopify.com
106 W Wilshire Ave.
Fullerton – 714.869.3577

Best Thai Restaurant

Sutha Thai

Despite its small location, Sutha Thai is chock-full of noodle-y goodness. Among its wonderful Thai dishes is the spicy noodles served with pad kee mow. The dish is seasoned to perfection and presented along with a colorful array of vegetables.

suthathaikitchen.com
1161 Irvine Blvd.
Tustin – 714.734.6100

Best Untraditional Burger

Nashville BBQ Burger at Burger Parlor

Take a trip to the South without ever leaving Orange County! Burger Parlor’s Nashville BBQ Burger stays true to its name, with its tangy, sweet and spicy flavors. A patty rests inside a bun, surrounded by caramelized onion rings. Atop that is cheese and a couple of sticks of bacon. And, of course, this superb burger is flavored southern-style with barbecue sauce.

burgerparlor.com
204 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton – 714.441.2003
149 N. Glassell St.
Orange – 714.602.8220

Best Vegan Restaurant

F&H Shack

If the man who single-handedly takes your order, makes everything on the menu, then serves your food wasn’t doing it at F&H Shack, he’d be doing so from a street cart someplace like Manhattan. And there would be lines down the block for his falafels, hummus and foul, the only three dishes he sells. Each is available as a plate or a sandwich, and all are vegan without even trying. Everything is so well-made it wouldn’t occur to you that just one man is responsible.

512 S. Brookhurst St., Ste 8
Anaheim – 714.860.4266

Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Au Lac

For too long, the county’s vegetarians had few choices for eating out, but we’re now in an age when even fast-food joints serve meat-free burgers—vegetarian restaurants needed to up their game. Au Lac remains competitive by continuing to serve stupendously flavored, plant-based Vietnamese food without taking any shortcuts. The claypot of “fish” is particularly good, partially because of the black pepper, but mostly because the fake fish truly tastes great.

aulac.com
16563 Brookhurst St.
Fountain Valley – 714.418.0658

Best Vietnamese Iced Coffee

7 Leaves Cafe

For a new twist on an expat favorite, 7 Leaves offers its creamy Vietnamese iced coffee topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. The company’s founders learned coffee-brewing techniques in Vietnam, then brought the process to the U.S. to share with local espresso-lovers.

7leavescafe.com
Multiple locations

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

Pho Thanh Binh

Not only is Pho Thanh Binh good for the body and soul, but it’s also good for the wallet. In addition to heaping portions of pho, the Vietnamese curries explode with flavor—and with the help of one of the Sriracha bottles on each table, they can have a real kick, too.

107 Via Pico Plaza
San Clemente – 949.369.3879

Best Waffles

Mama’s On 39

Belgian waffles are a dime a dozen nowadays—unless you’re eating at Mama’s On 39. Add buttermilk fried chicken for a down-home treat . . . or ice cream to transform it into a sweet dessert. But the best version is the classic breakfast staple, which is available to satisfy your desires at any time here.

mamason39.com
21022 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach – 714.374.1166
11122 Los Alamitos Blvd.
Los Alamitos – 562.357.6970
2601 W. Coast Hwy.
Newport Beach – 949.447.5444

Best Waterfront Dining

Tackle Box

While many OC dining rooms overlook the Pacific Ocean, how many allow you to eat with your toes in the sand? The flagship location of Tackle Box is an easygoing spot right on Corona del Mar state beach. Get there early for sunny chilaquiles, or hang for lunch and inhale buffalo cauliflower and “Cali” cheesesteak. Top Chef alumnus Brian Huskey’s menu is a feast for both your eyes and your taste buds.

tackleboxoc.com
3029 E. Shore Ave.
Corona del Mar – 949.723.0502

Best Whiskey Bar

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations

Bosscat’s menu lists whiskeys from [deep breath] Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky (which takes up about two pages), Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Canada, Japan, Ireland and Scotland (which is broken up by Highlands, Lowlands, Campbeltown, Speyside, Islands, Islay and blended Scotches). Next to each whiskey is its per-pour price, which ranges from $8 to $340 (for the 32-year-old Islay Laphroaig). Various flights are available, too. Bosscat, which also serves meals and appetizers that appeal to all ages, is such a winning formula that its Newport Beach-based owners opened a second location in Houston in 2016, and there’s an Orange spot scheduled for 2020.

bosscatkitchen-newport.com
4647 MacArthur Blvd.
Newport Beach – 949.333.0917

Best Wine Bar

Wine Lab

The tranquility of the shopping center surrounding it spills into the Wine Lab, which is airy and welcoming despite its small size. Guests can choose to sit at tables lining the walls or around the U-shaped bar. On one end of that U are taps for craft beers, while the other end is reserved for featured red and white wines, which can come from California, Oregon, Washington or Europe. You can also order bottled wines and beers, glasses of port, ice wines, and hard kombucha. There are tasting flights of wines or beers, which are cheaper during happy hours, and helping to further enliven the senses (and soak up the alcohol) are flatbreads, intriguing cheeses and charcuterie platters. Make sure to save room for the warm chocolate cookies with chocolate sauce.

winelab.net
2937 Bristol St., Ste. A101B
Costa Mesa – 714.850.1780

Best Wine Shop

OC Wine Mart

Leave it to Julie Lim to take wine (and beer) shopping to the next level. In addition to an extensive selection of self-serve pours to sample, OC Wine Mart has aisles of desirable bottles and seating galore at which to enjoy them. Factor in the wine mart’s cheeky BTS (“Better Than Sex”) burritos and deli options, and you’ve got the makings of a leisurely meal, too.

ocwinemart.com
1691 E. Lincoln Ave.
Orange – 714.202.5886

Best Wings

Wingstop

Okay, we know what you are thinking: How can Wingstop be the best when it’s a chain across the United States? But wing-lovers swear by Wingstop’s wings. There are more than 15 flavors to choose from, and you can order them bone-in or bone-out. Plus, the fries serve as the perfect complement to the birds.

wingstop.com
Multiple locations