I’d go back.
A recommendation should be somewhere I’d willingly spend my own time and money again.
Dine around Orange County
One county.
One county.
Endless good bites.
Neighborhood favorites, dishes worth the drive, and honest recommendations from someone who genuinely plans his day around where he’s eating.
How I recommend a place
No hype. Just places worth your time.
I’ll tell you who it’s for.
A great date-night restaurant and a great Tuesday-night taco shop solve completely different problems.
The details matter.
What to order, when to arrive, where to park, and what else is nearby can make the whole experience better.
Find your next meal
How do you want to choose?
Start with what sounds good, what the night calls for, or where you’ll already be.
Browse by cuisine
The first dining guides will open as each collection is filled with places worth recommending.
Browse by occasion
Choose based on the kind of meal you’re planning, from an easy stop to a full night out.
Browse by area
Start with a broad part of Orange County or go directly to one of its distinct dining districts.
Regions
City dining guides
Dining districts
Weekly Bite
El Matatan
El Matatan feels made for ordering a table full of food and letting everyone try a little of everything. The modern Latin menu moves from bright ceviche and seafood to tacos, lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa, and richer plates like the bone marrow sweet potatoes.
I’d bring a few people, order across the table, and make sure the cocktail list gets some attention. Between the bold flavors, colorful presentation, and relaxed energy, it’s the kind of place that can be the main event or the start of a bigger evening.
See the menuDrink around Orange County
Pick the kind of pour.
Start with craft beer, tasting rooms, cocktails, or a neighborhood bar that knows exactly what it is.
Breweries
Best for taprooms, brewpubs, patios, and game-day stops
Explore established names, independent tasting rooms, coastal favorites, and brewery clusters across Orange County.
Open the brewery guideWine tasting
Best for tasting rooms, local wineries, and an easy afternoon
A guide to Orange County wineries, wine bars, and tasting rooms worth building an outing around.
Distilleries
Best for local spirits, tasting flights, and learning what’s made here
Meet the distillers producing whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, and other spirits around the county.
Bars
Best for cocktails, sports bars, neighborhood staples, and dive bars
From polished cocktail rooms to beloved local dives, find the right atmosphere for the night you have in mind.
Featured guide
Start with a place worth knowing.
A good food guide should help you plan more than one meal. This one gives you plenty to eat, explore, and enjoy around Anaheim’s Packing District.
A weekend built around the Packing District.
Come hungry, leave room to wander, and build a full afternoon around one of Anaheim’s best places to let everyone choose what sounds good.
Open the Packing House guide
Know a place I should try?
Send me your best local tip.
I’m always looking for the next neighborhood favorite worth sharing.