I accidentally posted on my wrong account!…read more This place is amazing and BEYOND 5 stars. Knife Pleat at South Coast Plaza is one of the three closest I've found to a proper afternoon tea here in Orange County, and as someone born and raised in Britain for 20 years, I hope that's high praise! Haha! I've been at least five or six times now, and every single visit has been wonderful! The afternoon tea is beautifully done. The tiered stands are a feast: delicate finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, exquisite little pastries and macarons, all elegantly presented and genuinely delicious. The tea selection is excellent, and everything tastes as refined as it looks. What keeps me coming back, beyond the quality, is the service. They've consistently and graciously accommodated my allergies every time, which makes such a difference and lets me relax and enjoy the experience fully. The staff are attentive and lovely. If you're looking for an authentic, elegant afternoon tea in Orange County, Knife Pleat is the place. I can't recommend it enough, I'll keep coming back!

I was excited to try the Michelin-starred afternoon tea set at Knife Pleat, and it came to about…read more$150 per person after tax and tip. The presentation was pretty, and the staff here provided attentive service. Unfortunately, there were several fruit flies around our table, which made it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. I ended up leaving some of the food unfinished because of it, which was disappointing at this price point. I understand it's summer and these things can happen, but I expected a more polished environment from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Overall, the tea service was enjoyable, but the fruit flies took away from what could have been a memorable experience.

We were recently invited to an event at this Morton's location…read more We haven't been back to Morton's for a couple years since the last few times we were there, the steaks were just okay and not phenomenal. We decided to go with the seabass this time and that was an excellent choice. The fish was nice and firm and very delicious. Someone else had the filet mignon and that was good. The restrooms; however, needed better maintenance. Everything was pitched black in there but that didn't really cover up how old the restrooms are. Definitely need to be monitored and better cleaning, especially for an upscale restaurant like Morton's. Seabass: 5/5 Filet mignon: 4.5/5

I was invited to an event last night and since I had not been to Morton's in awhile, I figured why…read morenot go, have a nice filet and see what they have to sell me. To begin with, my friend immediately gave one of the wait staff $20 - as he is a firm believer that tips stand for To Insure Proper Service. We never saw that waiter again and when we did, he acted like he did not know us. NOTE: The restaurant was not very crowded so there is no way he was making any real money on tips last night. One would think that if we handed him $20 walking in that he would make sure our drinks were filled and we had what we needed. NOPE. This guy should be fired on the spot, not because he robbed us of our money, but because he couldn't pay attention. NEVER brought us drinks or bread or appetizers that were on everyone's table, even after we asked several times. When my medium rare ordered filet was served, it was raw. Could have called it carpicio and charged more! I sent it back and the next one came back charred and dry AF. My friend's was ordered medium and came out well done. He had to send it back too. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN UPSCALE EXCELLENT STEAK HOUSE IN THE LANDRY'S FAMILY? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU SERVED THAT POS HUNK OF MEAT TO TILLMAN? The asparigas was unedible and mashed potatoes were cold and lifeless, zero flavor. Idahoen mashed potatoes in a microwave bag has more taste! IF THAT IS AN INDICATION OF HOW HE ALLOWS HIS RESTARUANTS TO BE RUN, I FEEL AS IF I SHOULD SELL MY DRI STOCK. RECAP: Service - 0 Food quality - 0 Food taste - 0 ***Hey Tillman, you should go undercover, or send someone to check out how this restaruant is running!

We were in a group of 7. We made reservations a few hours prior and were ecstatic they were able to…read moreaccommodate our large group. Restaurant was very cozy and romantic. Entrance/host lobby area is a little snug. We were sat at a large round table. They had kids menus for my girls. We ordered Pellegrino and a bottle of wine. Table bread and a delicious pesto butter was given to the table. I'm not a pesto gal, but boy, I'll tell ya. That butter was delectable. We ordered a caprese salad and a beef carpaccio to start. The caprese was really nice and refreshing. Served with arugula on top. They also added I think fried crispy capers on top omg. So good. The carpaccio was. DELICIOUS! Thinly sliced beef, fresh parmigiana, topped with arugula and capers. Probably one of the best I've had. For entrees, my girls both ordered the hello kitty pasta with bolognese sauce, husband ordered fettuccini bolognese, brothers ordered porcini risotto, linguini vongole, and mamas lasagna. I ordered rigatoni with vodka sauce. Everyone enjoyed their dinners. They brought out the giant cheese block for my brother's risotto!! My pasta with vodka sauce was very good. I could've sworn on the description that it was served table side, but it wasn't =0(. Dessert was something else. We shared the cheesecake and tiramisu. Top notch. Service was immaculate. Our server was present without being too overbearing. Our waters were filled and wine glasses stayed full. Very accommodating to our children. Definitely recommend for any occasion.

This is a great place for large parties or banquets Private…read morerooms available and there is plenty of free parking Upscale Italian food Plates well with good sized portions Service is attentive

We spent a special anniversary here to celebrate our first date. Our server Elijah was so attentive…read moreand also very accommodating to our schedule because we were attending a play right after. The evening was pleasant as it always is and they even provided us with a celebration desert! We both ordered the sea bass and lobster bisque which were both delicious. I highly recommend!

This restaurant was a favorite of my Father's. So, here I am, enjoying the ambience of fine dining…read moreand admiring the art surrounding the dining area and wonderful music playing in the background as I dine. The staff was very welcoming and service of food ordered was promptly prepped and served. It's been a while since I've ordered oysters Rockefeller, but definitely delicious. I also orders a cup of butternut squash soup. The finale was the flourless chocolate cake w fresh raspberries and cream.

Love this place. We had reservations at 6 PM on Sat. night…read more It was super busy but we were seated on time. The hostess outside, the waitress, and wait staff were very friendly and attentive. We had a wonderful bottle of Cambria Chardonnay with our Lump Crab and Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms. As an entree we both had the Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops. Melt in your mouth. We sat outside which we like because it's a little quieter. Love this place!!

I was so happy when my fiancé took me here a few weeks ago, right after watching Phantom of the…read moreOpera musical, because the food here is amazing. The hostess was very nice and greeted us with a big smile so we definitely felt the warm welcome. As for our server, he was very professional and patient when explaining the menu and recommendations. I highly recommend dining here as a date as it gives a nice and classy vibe. I learned that their menu changes each season, hence the name of the restaurant, so we do plan to come back and visit each season to try out new dishes.

The Hamachi Crudo was my favorite thing I ordered. I would come back here just to get that. I think…read moreit's changed recently from what used to be on the menu. I overheard the table next to me say they really enjoyed it as well. Conner(I hope that's right) was very nice and I told him I wanted something light since I was seeing a show that night and didn't want to be uncomfortable because I ate too much. I ended up getting the Hamachi and the Prawn/crab cake. Delicious! I have no idea what the dessert was(I included a pic). I asked Conner to give me whatever he recommended and it was good as well. I chose this spot based on the location and proximity to Segerstrom Hall. I made reservations and got there about 2 hours before the show. Hope to be back again.

As is tradition, we had an excellent meal prior to going to the Segerstrom theater across the way…read more My wife enjoyed the Hamachi appetizer this time. I felt it had a bit too much citrus. The Tomato Soup and the Giant Prawn and Crabcake appetizers were great as always. The Little Gem salad was great with a decent amount of flavorful dressing. The Filet Mignon was amazing as usual. Unfortunately their cocktails are not sweet enough. I tried both the Passion Fruit Martini and the Bee's Harvest margarita. My wife enjoyed the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc wine.

One of my favorite wine spots in OC! Wine lab is the in…read morecamp, parking is a hassle here but valet is available in a pinch. Interior is small and cozy. We come here at least once a month. Our favorite is a set of flight where you guess the region and type of wine. I have yet to get it 100% right but it's always fun to guess. The owners here are friendly and great wine section. They also have a small food selection of cheese and meats. Highly recommend for a wine tasting in OC!

Wine was decent, but I refused to try more because of the service. Came here on a Wednesday early…read moreevening to catch up with someone and was greeted in a way that was pretty distasteful. He was an asian bartender that was the only one on shift at the time and lets just say I could tell he was projecting some insecurity in his life cause this man came off so rude lol. We tried asking questions to get a better feel for which wines would work best for us and he came off quite dismissive. I even noticed that as other customers came in, he kept chewing with his mouth full of falafel as he greeted them in. I've been in hospitality for almost a decade now and never in my years have I seen such repetitive terrible service within 30 minutes. It's actually impressive lol. Spend your money at another place that actually cares about your experience.

Cute!!!!!! & amazing drinks!!! The inside is nice and airy. Lots of seating options, but be mindful…read moresometimes there's big groups. The drinks are SOOOOO GOOD OMG. The best lattes I've ever had. Service was quick, and I enjoy watching them make the drinks. Everything they use is very clean, and the baristas look happy to be there. I love the wine vibe the place has. Kinda reminds me of an island in Greece! I totally recommend! Only downside is there's only one bathroom.. luckily there's some public ones close by!

Ordered an iced flat white with oat milk and blueberry syrup, as well as the summer sando…read more I have been here in the past and ordered a cortado that was served piping hot which is a big no in my book when checking out a new spot. Thought I would give em another chance. When i grabbed my drink i honestly thought maybe i ordered it wrong or grabbed someone elses drink. But confirmed that it was mine and the ticket sajd my exact order. It looked exactly like an iced americano, with blueberry syrup and maybe one ounce of oat milk. When i asked the barista if this was a flat white he said that the oat milk was at the bottom with the blueberry syrup, which wouldnt make sense because milk should make up 80% of the drink if we are considering standard iced flat white builds of 4oz of milk, and a double shot of espresso. Gave it another try and wont be back. 2 stars because the sandwich looks promising and the barista at the register was kind and attentive.

We stopped by this bar after dinner one night. Love it! The decor all over is neat! They have an…read moreoutdoor area and more seating inside along with the bar. Seats are limited. There's a tree right in the middle inside. The decor is best described as eclectic. I love it! The drinks were great! My guava martini was delish! We also had the espresso martini and that delish! The service was great! Everyone was super nice! They are open late! We stayed until midnight which was closing time on Sunday but we would have definitely stayed later! We are definitely coming back!

What a great little trendy bar hidden away! After the OC Fair we felt like a little nightcap &…read morethrough Yelp found this little gem. The ambiance was so cool with lots of Asian inspired decorations, total eye candy. The line for the drinks was a little long but went pretty fast and we were lucky to score 2 seats inside almost immediately. If not, you can stand around or sit on other little tables on their outside patio. You can view the drinks through a QR code, a wall menu or above the bar. The drinks were really good with fun names, it was hard to decide which I'd make my first! A great place to visit and enjoy a good drink.

(TLDR: Came here around the beginning of the month; it's the perfect spot for a date night. Great…read moreservice and very unique dishes through which you can tell the chef-owners love their craft. Even for the dishes that weren't a perfect hit, we appreciated their artistry and saw the vision they were trying to implement. Darkroom's concept as a restaurant is hard to find in Orange County: not only does this establishment gather inspiration from various influences, but also has fun with it by producing distinct, original plates.) Located in an unassuming strip mall, Darkroom is a chef-driven restaurant with a dimly lit, moody atmosphere. Reminiscent of its photographic namesake, the restaurant is literally a dark room lit with soft red lights. The bar area looked especially cool and edgy with its unique lighting and design. Another nice touch was the menus, which appeared to be printed daily to reflect the revolving offerings. The vinyls were also changed by hand after each song. Seating was prompt with a reservation on a Saturday night. Service was A+. The staff here are so on top of things that, when I twisted myself to observe the bar behind me, some staff rushed over thinking I was looking for my server (oops). Waters were constantly refilled. I also saw one of the chefs checking in on tables; he told us he was one of the two chef-owners. Now, onto the food. I averaged our ratings and included our separate ratings when we didn't agree: little gem caesar salad // 7 // Pretty tasty. Some pieces were a bit bitter, which brought down the overall taste. The bitterness was masked with enough dressing and parm (would've been nicer w/ more dressing). We did finish the dish and appreciate its unique handheld plating though. wagyu tartare // 2 // 0, 4 // The herbs and shiso leaf concept was unique, but it was a bit plain and dry as a whole. We mixed thoroughly as instructed yet still couldn't detect the sauce at the bottom. Maybe they forgot it or didn't add enough? They kindly took it off the tab without us asking. potatoes // 8.75 // 8.5, 9 // Very good: the potatoes had crispy skin and a fluffy interior while the tobiko added "crunchy" pops. The dish was finished w/ a creamy sauce, and had umami and smoky notes. Pro tip: there is extra sauce at the bottom. My bf didn't like the roe, hence his lower rating. Delicious overall. lasagna // 9 // I'm usually not drawn to pasta, so this was my bf's pick. The pasta was both soft and crispy, paired with a creamy orange Calabrian chili sauce and a heap of parmesan. the wanderer steak // 8 // Sesame chili crisp added crunch, while the sauce complemented shishito peppers and tender steak. We enjoyed it; our server said it's a menu mainstay. pork tomahawk // 9.4 // 9.25, 9.5 // Five words: crispy, fatty, tender, tangy, juicy. Thai-inspired and apparently a recent addition. Perfect ratio of fat to lean meat. Tangy sauce with papaya salad balanced the pork. Personally, I prefer unripened mango over papaya for more tartness/depth; something in the papaya salad felt slightly missing for me. Still our favorite dish of the night. ricotta donuts // 8 // Creamy ricotta balls reminiscent of donut holes. If I were a Food Network contestant, I'd call it a deconstructed jelly donut with ricotta balls, cream, and fig jam. Not mind-blowing but good, and we finished them. drink 108 frosé // 7.5 // A strong, bright, citrusy slushy cocktail. I liked it more when melted, probably because I don't like alcohol. My bf said he "see[s] the vision." We got two free drinks for our anniversary, one non-alcoholic and one wine. Surprisingly, the non-alcoholic drink (a sharp, refreshing herbal tea from China) tasted better to us than the wines. Take that with a grain of salt since we don't like alcohol. Now that I've experienced Darkroom, I plan on booking Chrysalis sometime. Even for anything we didn't find perfectly to our liking, we appreciated the artistic vision and understood what the components were trying to accomplish. I would definitely recommend Darkroom to others -- especially if you want fun, highly creative dishes.

Dark Room is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Ana! The food is consistently amazing,…read moreand one of my favorite things about this place is that they switch up the menu, so there's always something new and exciting to try. The service is wonderful, and the ambiance is such a vibe--stylish, intimate, and perfect for a night out. You can tell there's a lot of thought put into both the food and the overall experience. Definitely one of those restaurants I'll keep coming back to. Highly recommend.