Foodies Will Have Fun Over Multi-Course Dinners at Playground 2.0

With a creative menu of tapas dishes and inventive theme dinners, Playground 2.0 is one of Santa Ana’s most standout eateries. This foodie favorite is perfect for your next date night or dinner out with friends, as it stylish atmosphere and in-demand dinners make it feel truly special.

Stop in to Playground 2.0 and discover what’s new at the exciting theme dinners, which often include meat-centric dishes using premium beef from around the world. At the Ultimate Steak Dinner, guests will enjoy multiple meat courses prepared by skilled chefs right in front of their eyes, creating an immersive dining experience that you won’t find anywhere else nearby. Some themed dinners center around seafood, while others, like the Trust Dinner Party, have no set theme, but rather a delicious mish-mash of dishes that somehow work perfectly together.

With exceptional wine pairings and desserts, you’re in for a wild ride at Playground 2.0.

Playground 2.0
220 E Fourth St
Santa Ana, CA 92701
www.yelp.com/biz/playground-2-0-santa-ana-3

Try Tacos from a Truck at Los Reyes Del Elote

Love tacos? You’ll love them even more when you try the flavorful, authentic versions served at Los Reyes Del Elote, a popular food truck in Santa Ana. It’s easy to spot this colorful mobile eatery at its location on the corner of Main and Chestnut, and there’s lots of street parking in the area to make it even more convenient.

Regulars rave about Los Reyes Del Elote’s signature elote, a type of Mexican street corn served either on the cob or in a cup. The corn is topped with zesty spices and cheeses for maximum flavor. In addition to the elote, Los Reyes Del Elote offers tacos served on homemade tortillas with your choice of meats or seafood, torta sandwiches, and wet burritos smothered in delicious sauces.

Everything is available at ow prices that make this a great, portable lunch option when you’re on the go.

Los Reyes Del Elote
Corner of Main and Chestnut
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(949) 610-4226
www.yelp.com/biz/los-reyes-del-elote-santa-ana

Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain: Enjoy a Taste of Retro Charm

When most people envision a scene from the 1950s, they think of an old-fashioned soda fountain filled with smiling faces. The Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain still offers that same retro charm in modern-day Santa Ana, creating a lively and wholesome place to bring the whole family. Like you might expect, the restaurant is decorated with kitschy signage and memorabilia all over its walls, and it contains a number of vinyl booths and even a black and white checkered floor.

The authentic soda fountain menu offers casual American lunch options like juicy burgers and French fries and homestyle dinner platters later in the day, and everything tastes better with a thick milkshake paired with your meal. If you want to ditch the modern restaurant trends and take a trip down memory lane, Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain is truly a must-see blast from the past.

Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain
116 East Chapman Ave
Orange, California 92866
(714) 532-6317
www.watsonsdrugs.com

Have You Tried the Clam Chowder at The Crab Cooker in Tustin?

It’s impossible to miss The Crab Cooker’s bright red building from the street in Tustin, and once you take the first taste of the restaurant’s delicious seafood dishes, you’ll be glad that you didn’t. This local favorite eatery serves some of the freshest seafood in town, including a clam chowder that keeps regulars coming back again and again. The atmosphere at The Crab Cooker is lively, colorful, and family-friendly, and there is even a fish market inside that sells fresh fish that you can cook at home.

Stop by for lunch or dinner and enjoy Alaskan king crab legs, raw oysters, shrimp skewers, and other tasty dishes served in small or large sizes, along with sides like rice pilaf and cole slaw. The Crab Cooker offers a small selection of draft beers and wines for of-age guests, as well as shareable appetizers that everyone at the table can enjoy.

The Crab Cooker
17260 E 17th St
Tustin, CA 92680
(714) 573-1077
www.crabcooker.com

The Olde Ship: Don’t Be a Stranger at This Neighborhood British Pub

Just like the old-fashioned pubs found throughout England, The Olde Ship is a lively, welcoming locale that locals love. Duck into the cottage-style building and you’ll be met with a warm, dimly lit interior that’s perfect for spending the afternoon chatting with friends over a pint of ale. The beer list is quite long at The Olde Ship, and the beers are served in extra large 20-ounce imperial pint glasses that you won’t find anywhere else in town. If beer isn’t your thing, you’ll also enjoy the impressive wine list and imported ciders.

Show up hungry and enjoy the pub lunch menu until 3 p.m., which includes British favorites like bangers and mash, cottage pie, and fish and chips. For dinner, the sandwiches, seafood and hearty dinner options are served in larger portions that will leave you feeling more than full. With affordable prices and quirky British charm, The Olde Ship is one of the best spots in Santa Ana for casual food and drink.

The Olde Ship
1120 W 17th St
Santa Ana, CA 92706
(714) 550-6700
www.theoldeship.com/santa_ana.html

Explore the Flavors of Authentic Cuban Food at Bella Cuba

Regular Bella Cuba diners insist that the casual ambiance creates a comfortable, cozy dining experience for sampling traditional Cuban cuisine.

The menu features traditional Cuban comfort foods such as the ropa vieja, a tender shredded beef simmered in sauce and served with black beans, rice, and sweet plantains. Regulars also recommend trying the lechon asado, a dish of tender roasted pork with a tangy garlic sauce that's served with rice and beans. Another fan favorite is the roasted garlic chicken, a savory dish that's best followed by a spoonful of sweet Cuban flan for dessert.

Located within the Ross Shopping Center, Bella Cuba serves beer and wine, including sangria made in-house. Take-out is offered.

Bella Cuba
3940 S. Bristol Street
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 545-5711
www.bellacubarestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bella-cuba-santa-ana

Playground: More Than Just a Burger Joint

Its name already implies a fun, social atmosphere, but Playground takes a serious approach when it comes to their handcrafted menu. This hip Santa Ana burger joint serves more than just burgers, and they have an expansive craft beer list that may impress even the most knowledgeable beer enthusiast.

The restaurant specializes in American small plates that include perfectly tender pork belly, traditional chicken wings, roasted vegetables and yes, a self-proclaimed “perfect burger.” On Sundays Playground spices things up with an elaborate champagne brunch for the early risers and a Sunday Supper that consists of a medley of the chef’s favorite creations that change from week to week. With its moody, rustic decor and art-filled walls, Playground aims to be pleasing to the taste buds and to your sense of aesthetic.

Playground is open for dinner on weeknights and until 2 a.m. on weekends. Brunch and supper are served on Sundays. To make a reservation, visit the convenient website or call the restaurant directly.

Playground
220 E. 4th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 560-4444
www.playgrounddtsa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/the-playground-santa-ana-2

Cowgirls Cafe: Fill Up With a Country Breakfast

If you’re looking for a home-cooked meal that you don’t have to cook yourself, you’ll find it at Cowgirls Cafe. Specializing in homestyle fare, this down-home, diner-style eatery offers hearty meals for breakfast and lunch.

The breakfast menu in the spacious, light-filled restaurant consists of customizable omelets, chicken fried steak, and biscuits and gravy, or you can choose eggs, meat, and sides to create your own breakfast platter. For lunch, Cowgirls Cafe switches over to a list of affordable and filling options like the famous Cowgirl Burger, pastas, and other homestyle specials. (Be sure to check out the specials menu before ordering; it's located by the front door!)

The restaurant’s walls are covered in license plates from all over the country, while the tufted yellow booths create ample seating for parties of any size.

Cowgirls Cafe
1720 S. Grand Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 542-8877
www.yelp.com/biz/cowgirls-cafe-santa-ana-2

Royal Khyber Fine Indian Cuisine: Flavorful and Fresh

Royal Khyber Fine Indian Cuisine serves tasty Indian cuisine in Santa Ana, and the food paired with the restaurant's welcoming ambiance brings regular diners back again and again.

Royal Khyber's menu is chock full of authentic Indian cuisine dishes like tandoori grilled fish topped with tamarind sauce, chicken with black pepper curry, as well as other items like salmon fish tacos and spicy kebabs. Ala carte items are available here, too, with choices like mango chutney, olive naan, samosa veggies, chicken, or lamb, and pappadam.

For dinner Royal Khyber adds to its menu with appetizers including warm eggplant salad, smoked lamb cakes, and curried mussels in coconut and wine sauce. Of course, there is a wide selection of tandoori cooked items, from bread to seafood, as well as many great main courses, such as goan prawn masala, spicy chicken madras, along with a variety of curries, all served with rice.

Visit Royal Khyber Fine Indian Cuisine's website to learn more about this Santa Ana restaurant.

Royal Khyber Fine Indian Cuisine
1621 West Sunflower Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 436-1010
http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-khyber-fine-indian-cuisine-santa-ana

Fresh Mexican Food Is Served Daily at Baja Fish Tacos

Founded in Santa Ana in 1996, Baja Fish Tacos strives to provide the best Mexican food to customers, embellishing upon recipes from family and friends. The result is a family-friendly mini chain of seven casual eateries that rely on high quality ingredients in everything from the made-in-house chips to the signature salsas.

The menu keeps it simple with traditional Mexican fare of tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. Tacos and enchiladas are served with sides of pinto beans and rice. Locals love the different salsas and the rich flavors packed into every bite. So if you have a hankering for some Mexican food and want it served hot, fresh, and perhaps most importantly, quickly, stop by Baja Fish Tacos and grab a bite.

Baja Fish Tacos's Santa Ana location is open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Baja Fish Tacos
3664 S. Bristol Street
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 641-4836
bajafishtacos.com/locations.html
www.yelp.com/biz/baja-fish-tacos-santa-ana

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