This is a great place to hang out and walk around for an hour or less. There are some nice shops to leisurely browse in such as Bath & Body Works, The Loft, Home Goods, Cost Plus and Katelyn. Color Me Mine is also there if you're in the mood to paint some ceramics. If you're looking to extend your visit here, go to one of the many dining choices for a meal/snack. I do have to say there are more places to eat than there are to shop. For a quick(er) dining experience go to Elbows Mac N Cheese, The Flame Broiler, Crepes De Paris, 48 Bistro, Corner Bakery, Panda Express, Blaze, Fuji Grill, The Pizza Press and Maui Hawaiian BBQ, Taco Bell and Five Guys. For a longer dining experience there's Bruno's, which has excellent Italian food and impeccable service, Cha Cha's Latin Kitchen or Macallans. Across the way on Brea Blvd are Buffalo Wild Wings, Yard House, Gyu-Kaku and TAPS. There are a few more on that street too. To satisfy your sweet tooth there's Starbucks, actually two of them, Baskin-Robbins, Merely Sweets, Vitality Bowls and a cinnamon roll place. So far Bruxie and Izakaya have not reopened. read more

Back in the day, my friends and I fondly referred to this place as "Birch Street" (which is funny now, considering I now realize Birch Street has more to offer than just this small strip). This was always our first choice for watching movies at Edwards, considering it's one of the nicer movie theaters in the area - much better than ghetto AMC in Fullerton. There's always been a lot of nice offerings on the street, such as Starbucks, Yard House, Old Navy, Color Me Mine, etc. But recently, this area has really diversified itself even more with the addition of Merely Sweets (macarons, desserts), Bruxie (waffle sandwiches), Berkeley Dog (a replica of Top Dog in NorCal), Cha Cha's, and Bruno's. And I must say... I'm even more smitten' with the area now :) I was a bit sad to see Fatburger go, but oh well. Sometimes good things come to an end, so better things can fall into place - and, that's exactly what happened with downtown Brea! :) read more

This is a very nice and pretty location! There's various restaurants to eat such as Japanese BBQ place Gyu Kaku, Bruxie, Yard House, The Melting Pot, etc. For desserts, I highly recommend Merely Sweets which is right on the street. Definitely try their macaroons! For those who are seeking entertainment, there's an Improv Club as well as an Edwards theater. Overall, this is a great place for a stroll and hanging out with friends and family. read more

It's a wonderful place with some solid movie theaters, but brace yourself for middle school hormones from hell. If you plan on going Friday or Saturday night between 6-9pm you will be surrounded by every pre-teen from the area. If you can ignore that, it's a solid downtown area in a part of Orange County lacking something similar. read more

I like Brea Down town- but it is entirely manufactured and nothing seems permanent. I like that there is a ton of parking. I enjoy the selection of family friendly places and grown up places, these options make it a safe bet all the time and there are places I still haven't been to yet, which keeps it exciting. If you are sad about the Cold Stone closing just walk to the grocery store parking lot and go to Baskin Robbins. read more

Cool area I always have a good time in Downtown Brea. There's a good amount of restaurants, 2 movie theaters, and some interesting shops. There's not a lot to do for younger kids, but it's great for a date or just grabbing a bite to eat with someone. It's also decorated really well around Christmas. Parking can be a pain on really busy nights. There are 2 structures which normally work fine, but when there's an event or big weekend, you'll have to get creative, walk, or car stalk people. Either way, worth the time to come down and hang out. read more

I've been coming to downtown Brea for about 15 years. Aside from the mall, this is the only other location in town where you can hang out and do so much in one stop. The shops have changed over the years, which is a little sad, but the changes seem to be for the better. I appreciate all the good places to eat here--except Fresca's, how does that stay open?--and nice movie theaters with theater style seating. I really like that parking is free and relatively abundant. If only they'd find a good use for the former Tower Records building. read more

Been living here for 3 months and I have no complaints. I'm few steps away from Ralph's, two theaters and dozens of shops, bars and restaurants. BF loves the 99cents Taco Tuesdays at Fresca's and I love being able to walk around after dinner and sit on the bench to people watch. True, there are many kids hanging around especially during summer and they can get pretty loud but they're just being kids. Besides, they're not disrespectful so they're okay. In my personal humble opinion, all downtown Brea is missing is a Mitsuwa store and it would be perfect. But that's because I'm Japanese and the closest Japanese supermarket is in Costa Mesa. Boo~ read more

Brea Downtown - photo by Jim Sneddon - Shopping Centers Near Me - Brea, California

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This is cute little area to go for "date night." You have many options for shopping, food and entertainment. I always feel safe here. The place is clean and well kept. True, most of the stores I really don't want to shop at but I don't mind looking around. The food options range from cheap and fast to some nice sit down options. There are the movie theatres and the comedy club centrally located. Not a bad place to hang out. read more

I like the Brea Downtown. They do a good job being festive with the seasons, which is always nice to see. There has been some turn over in the restaurants and bars, but it has kept it fresh. There is a movie theatre, wine bar, bars, Melting Pot, French Cuisine, hot dogs, burgers, a Bruxie, and so much more. It's a good place to walk around and enjoy. Across the street is Buffalo Wild Wings, the Brea Improv, and a Yard House. read more

Brea Downtown - Looking East down the blvd - Shopping Centers Near Me - Brea, California

I absolutely love Brea Downtown! I come every day to get my Starbucks! However, I do wish there was more of a variety of stores! The restaurants are all good choices! And I love the Christmas decorations and the Santa Pictures! read more

Gret places to eat: Bruxie, Crepes de Paris, Cha Cha's, Melting Pot, Bruno's! Fun place to walk around and hang out or even see a movie! read more

I used to go to school around here, so this place brings back great memories. I went here this past weekend while waiting for a show at the Improv to start. They have added a few new things since I've been there that I want to try - the ice cream parlor and Bruxie. There are two Edwards movie theaters here, which I think is weird. I've never had issues with parking; there is a structure. The street where all the main shops are is cozy and fun to walk. Granted, there's not much to do, but it was a great place for us to kill some time. There's a Color Me Mine there, and I remember the restaurant there (Octopus) being pretty good. They serve Japanese food and sushi. read more

Great place to walk around, get dinner, and even watch a movie. Two huge movie theaters offer a wide variety of movies with the latest high quality sound and picture technology. In addition, there are two parking structures both offering free parking. Nearby restaurants include; Farrell's, Yard House, Taps, Buffalo Wild Wings, two Starbucks and much much more. read more

This is a cute little area that has become a great community asset. There are several festivals throughout the year that are family friendly: Food Festival, Halloween, and classic car. There are also more adult interests like the jazz festival. The area can be a cute date night. The movie theater is surrounded by various eateries: Octopus, Farrell's, Taps, and Yard House. There is also shopping at Old Navy, Caitlyn, and Bath & Body. The only dark spot is the abandoned Tower Records building. They really need to find a use for that space. read more

I have lived here for almost my entire life - well more than half. I've seen it flourish, and I've seen business fail (I will miss you Coldstone and Tower Records; I had some great memories there from 8th grade) New things have moved in and have become some of my favorites - drinks at Cha Cha, happy hour at Yardhouse, and as always, Bruxie. Because I've been there for so long, there are just so many memories. The holidays are always great here. They've been decorating for a while now, but each year, there are more and more decorations. The City of Brea really makes an effort to decorate it awesomely! I love it! Crepes there are amazing too. See, I know this place way too well. Best place to park? Second parking lot. read more

I've always loved Downtown Brea, and it's certainly gotten better over the years! I'm still heartbroken over the end of Tower Records, easily the biggest best music store I've been to in the area. I've seen the area change and grow, adding great new restaurants and stores. Farrell's couldn't be in a better location, obviously it's always packed! I suggest going in around 11 for lunch, or at least to have a soda or two while waiting for lunch and beating the crowd. Parking is easy with two huge parking structures and a large lot just south of DTB. It's nice that there are electronic signs outside of the structures telling you how many spaces are open. With a multitude of restaurants, shops, bakeries/coffee options, entertainment options, and bars, Downtown Brea has it all! read more

I've been living and working in Brea now for over 4 years and boy have i seen a transformation to this place in 2011. I love how the city of brea does not skimp on all of the activities that the city hosts such as the Food Festival, Jazz Festival, Halloween for kids, farmers markets, Christmas decorations, etc etc. And recently, i love love love all the new cool stores that have popped up all over the place. Brea downtown used to be dead. It was a death sentence for many small businesses. High rent costs, not enough traffic and business to sustain themselves...so many business came in and out of this place. I think they have finally done a decent job in screening out potential businesses that won't fold up shop in the next 6 months. Farrell's is super hot, even in the winter time, although they are lucky because the weather has been on their side. Bruxie is stellar! Merely Sweets gets my sweet tooth kickin. Buffalo wild wings, two 40 south wine restaurant (although i'm not quite sure this one will stick around for too long) i would like to see something replace the old tower records store besides the halloween costume store that comes in every october. that place has been empty for as long as i've been here. Anyhow, i love this cute little area. christmas time is especially pretty. read more

Downtown Brea is everyone's go-to "date night" spot. If you're looking for place to woo your girl/man... Downtown Brea is a cute spot. There's a Color Me Mine for the more creative and hands-on folks, two movie theaters, plenty of restaurants and bars, and all the pretty lights you could need to set the mood... plus plenty of free parking! But beyond that... I wouldn't really recommend it as a shopping destination. The stores are pretty limited (The Loft, Old Navy, Black&White House, Bath&Body Works, and Kaitlyn), so your best bet would be to just drive over to Brea Mall. For the foodies, Bruxie is a must try! read more

Downtown Brea, just beautiful, movie theaters, shops, The Improv, tons of restaurants and convenient parking via the parking garage. I love it down here! :-) read more

Brea Downtown - Going to the movies! - Shopping Centers Near Me - Brea, California

They have really nice and pricey stores here. If you're here for a short time, I suggest going to Bruxies to get a waffle and Merely Sweets to get some macaroons. They have TWO Starbucks here, and they decorate really nicely for the holidays as well. They have Bath and Body Works, and they also have other small stores here to shop at as well. They have a parking structure (Free parking!) and a large theater as well. Behind the main line of Downtown Brea, they have a Whole Foods and Home Goods, along with that other Starbucks. This is a really nice place to go to if you want to spend some time here, along with taking your friends as well! Along with Target down the street with the Brea Mall, you can spend hours in Brea! read more

Brea Downtown gets a four star review automatically since I have fond memories of this place from college and I was even an intern for their owners association right after college. I wrote their press releases for the Jazz Festival one year and was soo excited when it was published! Anyway, this place has changed over the years with restaurants and establishments coming and going. I remember when they had a sushi place, Fatburger and I think a fudge place (alas, those are no longer). Now there's Bruxie, which is fabulous by the way and a cupcake place which looked delicious! There are two movie theaters which I frequented before and well known shops such as Ann Taylor Loft, Old Navy (across the way), White House Black Market and smaller shops like Suo Boutique which has cute clothes at a decent price. Their jewelry is very lovely at a affordable price too. If you go behind the downtown, there's a Cost Plus, Starbucks, Corner Market Cafe and a Ralphs. Brea Downtown is really your go to stop for movies, shopping and food. During the summer the have their Jazz Festival as well. Brea Downtown is a great spot if you're around North Orange county. read more

This downtown isn't the most exciting, but I love the vibe here, especially in the winter months when they style the place up as a winter wonderland. There's a solid mixture of restaurants and places to shop here, with the option of two different theaters if you want to catch a flick before dinner. In essence, a great place for a date night! Get some good eats at Bruxie's, Bruno's, Cha Chas, Octopus, Melting Pot, Yard House, TAPS, and many more options. Parking is free. If you want dessert, you have your pick between Merely Sweets and Farrell's. The Improv is across the street, too! While none of the shops are quite my style, there are a few small stores and larger clothing chains here (i.e. Old Navy). It's a great date night with friends or your SO! read more

Downtown Brea has definitely come a long way from when i first came here! I love the holidays because they decorate it with a huge christmas tree and ornaments everywhere. Not to mention the cute fake reindeer's sitting on the benches for visitors to take pictures with. I love walking around to visit bruxies, merely sweets, Octopus sushi, Ferrell's ice cream, edwards movie theaters. The downtown is also right across the street from yard house, buffalo wild wings, taps fish house and etc. So it's surrounding is awesome for a night out with friends or even a romantic date night with your special someone (: Sometimes throughout the year they'll have special festivals on halloween, jazz or food festivals! I almost forgot about the old navy across the street as well! It's a huge store and its very organized with a friendly, helpful staff (: read more

Fondue, tacos, hot dogs, macarons, movie theaters, clothing stores, bars, a comedy club, an ATM, and an upcoming Bruxie and Farrell's! I just wish we had a thriving bookstore there, but that might just be an anachronism these days. read more

Brea Downtown - Downtown before Halloween - Shopping Centers Near Me - Brea, California

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It's nice I live here so I see it every day but there a lot to do movies good food Starbucks the improv is there they always decorate for holidays and have big things there like Christmas Santa comes and right now there's a huge pumpkin out there even in the shopping center there's a subway Ralph's rite aid it's just on stop shop taps Buffalo Wild Wings Farrell's check it out if you haven't read more

Lots of things to do and some good bar hopping and clean when it comes to most downtown's and a really big movie theater.

I love downtown brea! They've been opening alot of restaurants here lately, like Bruxie, Farrell's, Buffalo Wild WIngs, etc. Their clothing stores are nice, too. The feel of this place is exciting, yet romantic and fun. A perfect date course, catch a movie at Edwards, and have something to eat. They also hold artwork sales and mini concerts on the weekends. I recommend coming during the night time, the atmosphere gets even better with the lights and all. read more

Brea Downtown is one of the best spots to go on a date night, especially if you are local to the area! Plenty of things to choose from... restaurants, shops, movie theaters and the Improv. read more

Brea Downtown - Looking down the street of Downtown Brea...so pretty at night! - Shopping Centers Near Me - Brea, California

They have some cool resturants here and places to get cupcakes and other snacks. not many stores, mostly restuarants. Seems like this place has really boomed latley read more

This is a trendy small outside mall, fun to walk. Has several restraints with very tasty menu items plus a really great movie theater with reclining seats. read more

theaters shops parking structures and a couple of chain restaurants... ohhh joy... *rolls*eyes* yay it is what it is and overall i am just whatever about ever coming here again. The only thing I would stop off here for would be to go to the Ralphs or to watch a flick. Pro Tip: If you park in any lot other than in front of ralphs, its time limited or paid parking =\ They a million chain everything's here. Grub, shopping, drinks, etc. The one kinda nice thing about this place was that they have condos / flats over the chain stuff. The trend to do that is great, but the places here are just not as kewl as they once were. Its a fairly clean place, but it is running amok with teenie boppers. I wish that they had a few independent type of places mixed in. Definitely not my go to destination. It does hold interest to the masses I believe, but its just not for me. read more

I love Brea downtown. It is very cute with plenty of restaurants and shops. Downtown is very clean and I always feel safe to walk around the area. Parking is close to the shops but you might have to look a little harder during the weekends. Im sure the new parking structure that is being built will solve that. Highly recommended for date nights and family outings. read more

What a great area this is in Brea. It really has a lot to offer. Movie theaters. Bars. Good restaurants. The Brea Improv which is a great spot to see stand up. There is also shopping. Now there is even a Farrel's ice cream parlor, which I haven't tried yet. A fun part of Brea for sure! read more

This place use to be great about 6 years ago; back when they had tower records and a bunch of little fashion stores. It's definitely improved in the last year with the new restaurants, but it's still a pretty dull place. read more

This place is a nice date hangout. You have eats, from cheaps to expensives. And a movie theater. It is simply 1-2 streets, nicely decorated, cleaned, and festive. It has the fancy city feel, without the skyscrapers. I noticed that the people ranged from casual families, kids (probably due to Farrell's), college students and more dressed-up folks (the metro people). And free parking behind the theater! The perfect date on a winter-night's eve: 1. Start off with a little light shopping. 2. Catch a romantic movie. 3. A nice cozy dinner. 4. Sharing ice cream while linking arms with your love. read more

I was eating at Bruxie's when we noticed there was a jazz festival going on. The scenery was very pleasant with seats to watch the free concert, and older couples having a fun time dancing. They had a lot of tents set up with street vendors, though mostly jewelry. They have many food places down here, Yardhouse, Bruxies, Farrells, Buffalo Wild Wings, Tap Fish & Brewey, and Crepes de Paris to name a few. It is not a downtown to hang out in, mostly to eat and hang out at the restaurants. read more

I love coming down here when you just want to relax and go to your favorite spots on your free time. The Improv, Edwards Theatre and Birch St are the major places that I visit when I'm here and it's always a nice neighborhood. read more

Love downtown! I come here often and I always feel safe walking around here with my boyfriend at night. It's a nice neighborhood with plenty to do for a night. read more

Parking lot at the very end of the road near Ralphs. Lots of choices in restaurant for dining. Comedy club nearby. Dessert shops. Shopping can be done. Movie theater. Beautiful lights at night. PERFECT for a date night. Christmas decorations are a must see during the holidays. read more