I made my way to the Orange County Fair on a Wednesday evening, and I definitely wasn't expecting…read moreit to be as busy as it was! I initially planned on parking on-site, but there wasn't any parking available, so I ended up at Coast Community College for $10. It was about a 5-10 minute walk to the fair, so thankfully it wasn't too bad. It took about an hour to find parking due to the traffic. This visit was strictly a mission because I came with a short list: pickle pizza, pickle Dr Pepper, and an airbrush t-shirts. The pickle pizza was one of the main reasons I came, and I had to see what all the pickle hype was about. I also couldn't leave without trying the pickle Dr Pepper. Definitely an interesting combination for anyone who loves all things pickle! I usually visit the OC Fair for the concert series, which is honestly one of my favorite parts of the fair, but I didn't catch any shows this year. Instead, I spent the evening walking around, checking out the food vendors, browsing the booths, and enjoying the overall fair atmosphere. Even on a Wednesday, be prepared for crowds, especially in the evening. Parking can also be a challenge, so I'd recommend arriving earlier or having a backup parking plan. Overall, this was more of a food-and-fun mission than my typical OC Fair concert visit, but I'm glad I made the trip!

If you're thinking about going, just do it. You'll have a…read moregreat time and you'll eat some of the best food, make friends, and possibly watch a great concert, don't forget the cool rides. You'll thank me later

All i have to say is WOW!!!!…read more We had Papa D'Z Pizza Fresca cater my sisters wedding. Everyone loved thier pizzas! There is something about food made with love, and Tom is a very passoinate about his work. Back to the pizza, i had his breakfast pizza! holly cow i love breakfast! this breakfast pizza tasted like it came from an expensive brunch place. the indredints were so fresh and ooooo that oozy egg yolk ( asked for oozy egg yolk ). At one point the dance floor was empty because everyone was running over for the pizza. hahahaha it looked like everyone was there to review the pizza and forgot about the wedding. Worht every penny! Great service and love for pizza.

We had Papa D'z bring their mobile oven to our event at Cerritos College, and their pizza was a…read morehit!!! The staff had no problem serving over 100 people. Not only do they have GREAT customer service, but their pizza has amazing flavor. You can tell that it is quality pizza made with fresh ingredients. We are already thinking of what events we can host, just to have Papa D'z again =)

I hired Chris and his team for my son's first birthday party and had such a great experience. Chris…read morearrived on time and was super professional, and he and his partner set up quickly and got started right away. The food was amazing, and we received so many compliments from our guests. They were also very generous with the amount of food, which we really appreciated. Everything went so smoothly, and overall it was the best experience we could have hoped for. I will definitely be hiring them again!

* I used to love Mr. Hot Bunz. I hired them years ago for a friend's baby shower, and they were the…read moretalk of the town--literally. Guests raved about them for years. Their bacon-wrapped hot dog and signature piñabero sauce were unforgettable. The meat was tender, juicy, and absolutely delicious. Fast forward to a few years later: I was hosting another baby shower at a venue in Huntington Beach. Even though they didn't have a license to operate in the city--and their pricing was higher--I still really wanted them. I even offered to cover the cost of the business license so they could cater my event. But the day of the event was a total letdown. The staff arrived late and started cooking in foil trays, which immediately raised questions from my guests. I kept trying to hype them up, saying "just wait, this is the best I've ever had!"--but when the food came out, it was disappointing. Tacos and hot dogs were bland, and even the "signature" sauce couldn't save it. Guests were making comments like, "Taco Bell would've been better." To make matters worse, it was so embarrassing that my guests ended up filling up on the pizzas I had ordered for the kids. Since then, I've had friends and family recommend other taco caterers, which kind of stings given how much I once vouched for Mr. Hot Bunz. Really disappointed. I truly hope they can bring back the quality they once had, but I won't be using them again.

The fried bacon pickles were saltier than my sick cheese after a hot 12 hour shift in the blazing…read moreArizona sun working on the chain gang. Service was good. Ambiance was that of a stanky porta pooper at the renaissance fair. I will be dining here again.

Chicken Charlies is pretty much a staple at the OC Fair. Its always been there for all the years I…read morecan remember going to the fair. This year, we tried a group of things, and I just wasnt all that impressed with them. Fried Avocado. I really had a hard time with this one, as I dont like warm avocado and I just couldnt picture it not mushy and brown. But, in all fairness, it wasnt too bad. It was what I was looking forward to trying least, and was probably the "favorite" of the three things... and i use that term loosely. Peanut Butter Meatballs. I just dont know. There was not much peanut butter, and it lacked a peanut butter flavor. I think there should have been more inside between the breading and the meatball... that we were trying to decide if they were turkey or beef. Just kind of eh, I wouldnt get them again. Bacon wrapped fried chicken legs. Again, the main flavor lacked. I tasted zero bacon. Total bummer. Maybe the flavor was fried right out, but completely unimpressed. Oh well, check those off my list of things to try, and move on!

The moment the gates opened, it hit me. Not a smell. Not a…read moresound. A FORCE. An invisible pressure wave rolling across the OC Fairgrounds, carrying with it the ghost of hot oil, caramelized soy, and charred pork fat. My legs stopped moving on their own. My pupils dilated. Somewhere deep in my chest, something ancient and hungry woke up. This is no ordinary fair. I approached the katsu booth the way a duelist approaches a championship match -- with respect, with hunger, and with absolutely no plan for what happens after I win. The tonkatsu arrived golden. Immaculate. The breading was shatteringly crisp, each panko flake toasted to its individual peak, forming a lattice of crunch so structurally perfect it could have been engineered. Beneath it, the pork loin yielded -- oh, how it yielded -- with a softness that defied its confident exterior. The house katsu sauce landed in dark ribbons across the top. Worcestershire backbone. Tomato sweetness. A whisper of apple that you don't taste so much as feel. The crunch hit my ears before it hit my teeth. Then the fat bloomed -- warm, rich, flooding every taste receptor like a tide coming in. The sauce cut through the richness like a blade, precise and tart, snapping everything into focus. My shoulders dropped. My eyes closed. For exactly 2.4 seconds, the OC Fairgrounds ceased to exist and there was only this pork cutlet and me and the universe between us. If the katsu was a precise, elegant sword strike, the grilled skewers were a war drum. Yakitori-style chicken thigh. Beef bulgogi on wooden stakes. Pork belly lacquered in tare glaze so sticky and concentrated it seemed to defy physics, clinging to the meat through sheer ambition. The char lines were perfect -- not burned, not pale. Perfect. That specific Maillard browning that only happens when protein meets high heat and someone who genuinely cares is standing over the grill watching every second. I bit into the pork belly skewer and something happened that I am not medically able to explain. The fat rendered on contact. Not in the pan -- on my tongue. The smoke was still alive inside the meat, curling out with each chew like it had somewhere to be. The tare hit last: molasses-dark, soy-deep, with a hit of mirin sweetness that rose into my sinuses and planted a flag. I heard a sound. It was me. I had made a sound involuntarily. Dessert at the OC Japan Fair is not an afterthought. It is a closing argument. Taiyaki -- fish-shaped waffles filled with red bean -- arrived hot enough to require strategy. The batter was crisp at the tail, pillowy at the belly, and the anko filling inside was dense, earthy, and just sweet enough to feel like a reward rather than a sugar assault. It tasted like something a grandmother invented specifically to make you feel like everything was going to be okay. Mochi ice cream in black sesame arrived next. The exterior had that signature resistance -- that slight chew, that glutinous drag -- before giving way to ice cream so cold it almost stung. The black sesame flavor was serious. Nutty, slightly bitter, roasty. This was not a dessert that wanted to be cute. This was a dessert with intentions. And then -- matcha soft serve. The color was a green so saturated it looked like a threat. And it was. The bitterness arrived first, vegetal and bold, and then the cream rose beneath it like a rescue operation, smoothing everything into a flavor that was simultaneously too much and not enough. I finished it in forty seconds. I am not proud. I would do it again. The OC Japan Fair at the OC Fairgrounds is not simply a food event. It is a gauntlet. A love letter written in frying oil and soy smoke. Every booth is a chef extending their hand across a cultural distance and saying: taste this, and understand something true. The katsu will rearrange your understanding of what fried food can be. The BBQ skewers will remind you that fire is the oldest cooking technology and also somehow still the best one. The sweets will settle into your memory like a song you can't stop humming. Go hungry. Go with someone you trust. And go with the understanding that you will leave changed -- not dramatically, not permanently -- but slightly shifted, the way you are after any encounter with food made by someone who genuinely, fiercely, unironically cares. Review conducted in a single afternoon. Three layers of clothing were rendered food-stained. Zero regrets.

Expensive with not much new additions…read more I've been attending this event for the last three years. This year, I notice a big change in terms of offerings. Tickets- have increased in price. And with parking also costing $15- the initial overhead cost of visiting is pretty high. Food- continues to be expensive. I understand their prices reflect the cost they paid to be there, but no one wins if people can't afford to spend money. Vendors: theres too many resellers selling poor quality items and AI items as well. Ocjapan used to have a lot more smaller artists vending and that created a more unique market. I do objectively love this event, but I wish they prioritized making the experience more affordable for families and geneal public.

The VegFest seemed quite small this year. A lot of my favorite vendors were missing…read more Although it was smaller this year it was still pretty fun for a couple hours. I liked meeting some new brands. It was really spread out. Maybe they should find a new space for next year. I think if they had more benefits for brands, they could pull more in next year. Overall, it's fun to stop by and support the brands that are there. We had good food and good vibes but hope it's bigger next year.

So I love there is a Vegan festival of food and everything vegan!! Amazing fun friendly crowd…read more What was bad was the VIP tickets included alcohol... but the "special vip" line was soooooooo long. The cocktails were TERRIBLE and disappointing. I don't drink a lot but it was like I was drinking water! What was also majorly disappointing was that none of the big major players were there. No Daiya, No miyoko's creamery! No Beyond or Impossible Burger! No anybody big that you would find at sprouts or Whole Foods They Only a few local places and also some vegan protein shake manufacturers ect. It's really sad when you support these company's and buy thier products and they don't have the decency to support the veggie and vegan community that they are selling product to!!!

Such a fun event!…read more For all those girly girls, this event is for you. I had so much fun with my girlfriend Char. Upon arriving, we were given large goodie bags. They were filled with so much fun stuff. My favorites in there was a full sized lipstick and some super trendy sunglasses. Once we had checked in, we were straight to Be Glammed's area where they were doing complementary hair and makeup. I opted to have my hair with braids and my girlfriend got her hair and makeup. The lines were pretty fast and it was totally worth the wait. I got a hair style from it and wore it the rest of my Saturday. My girlfriend loved her glittery eye makeup with lashes and braids as well. We also made our way over to the treat giving area to grab some drinks and snacks. I like that they were mostly healthy snacks. And we also made our way over to get our nails painted by Polished Perfect, who were doing complementary nail painting. The wait was super long but it was worth it. They brought their mobile trailer which was super cute inside and area roomy. They painted my nails perfectly. There were many vendors either giving away freebies or giving complementary services. There were many other places doing hair to showcase their products, nail sticker station doing nails, and a place doing glitter lips. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun. Vendors that were there selling stuff included Sleek and LA Splash. CPK was also there providing pizzas. Throughout the day they had things going on on their stage. The event took place at the OC fairgrounds at the Hangar. I am so glad I went to this event and had so much fun. I saw girls there with their girlfriends having lots of fun. There were moms that brought their daughters as well to get pampered. I am excited for the next one.

This year's event was pretty awesome. Many beauty, skincare and food companies were overly generous…read morein providing samples and freebies to the attendees at this event. I truly appreciate it as it made me want to come back to try their products, even better if service was exceptional and throw in some freebies, you know I had to give them 5 stars. While there were some cutbacks with the companies and/or activities that was at this year's event, in my opinion, Stylecon did a great job in replacing any changes at the event compared to last year. Also, I was highly pleased on how kind and helpful the staff were which speaks about their organization. Stylecon and E! News did an awesome job in hosting this event with popular brands such as Top Shop, New Beauty, Sebamed, Physicians Formula, and many more. The beauty bag was another hit this year! Each attendee received a stylish bag full of brand name products such as beauty, skincare and healthy snacks on top of the endless amount of freebies that each company so generously handed out. Shoutout to New Beauty for providing those free mini hairsprays, organic facial masks, eyeliner pencils, teeth whitening, and those large bottles of hair food shampoo. One last thing I truly do love about Stylecon is how this company host an event to not only show and give out fashion and beauty products, but how they reach out to aspiring Instagram/Youtube influencers and everyone else who enjoys photography, hair/makeup/skincare, and fashion. Stylecon provides influencers with the platform to showcase their creativity without needing "Hollywood status." This year's theme was "Be You" which I felt was captured at the event. This event was so much fun that I am so glad to had attended again.

Pizza Studio was OK... but I think it's advertising overhypes and for those reasons I have to take…read morea few points off the pizza scale. The GOOD: I'll definitely shoutout the staff for being professional and friendly. I had pretty good customer service at their stand in Anime Expo Chibi. The ambiance was calm and they had upbeat music playing. I ordered the Kyoto style personal pizza w/ Grilled Eel. It came with spinach, Japanese pepper and tomato. Each veggie tasted fresh, I especially liked the mild Japanese pepper. The BAD: A personal pizza was $22 dollars each, which is quite ridiculous given how skinny the crust was when I received it. Pizza Studio only had a couple of customers and I'm not shocked as to why, it's definitely an "emergency only" type of spot. It's cool that they fuse Japanese and Italian food (they have neat selections), but given the quality of my meal this is a bit more gimicky. The eel on my pizza had too much salt and had a generic BBQ chicken taste. The advertising was also lame. The menu had mozzarella and tomato sauce as seemingly "special toppings". The advertising team was trying to find more ways to charge I guess. I'm sorry, but those "toppings" are hallmarks of a pizza so I shouldn't be thankful for having them on mine when they're a given.