Matt is the best of the best. The mix drinks were absolutely amazing. The walk in to sitting down eating is he made it the best experience

La Santa is in a basement of a bar and I'm a fan of small clubs/venues as I think the vibe is way better, but this one gives me a little anxiety because there's only two ways out and that's up the stairs. There's no windows and no doors down there, but once you start drinking and focusing on the stage the anxiety tapers off after a while. It's in the heart of downtown so there's literally tons of bars and restaurants surrounding this venue. I've seen rapper Sugar Free perform here, reggae legend Keith of Keith & Tex (Tex got stuck at immigration in Canada) and recently saw New Zealand's very own Jonathan Bree perform here. Jonathan Bree's performance here was definitely in my top 5 concerts I've been to in my life and this venue had a lot to do with it. Parking is all 'effed up right now in Downtown, but look for a meter along French St. and walk literally across the street to the front door. There's also parking structures on 3rd and 5th st which are a short walk. DO NOT PARK IN THE SHOPPING CENTER! YOU WILL GET TOWED. I'm a local and for 5 minutes I thought, "I could totally park at McDonalds or in front of Smart & Final," but the lady that was handing out wristbands specifically said if you're parked there you will get towed, people are watching. This town makes its money off of parking tickets so I believe her. Also, if you're ever in Downtown Santa Ana for an event, make sure your meter is paid up and you're in a legal parking spot because I see it every time, cops/city parking patrol is OUT at all hours of the night writing tickets. La Santa isn't crazy fancy but it is historic and the basement venue is a vibe. If you see an artist is playing here or a club is happening here, definitely go. read more

La Santa - Worth every penny! Jonathan Bree 2023.10.16 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Came to see Mikel we had to wait more than 1:40 hrs after the scheduled start of the concert because they wanted to sell more drinks- I will never come back doesn't matter who plays. Horrible horrible experience -we started off great the DJ & music are great drinks are good but overall very bad experience from the venue itself. A lot of people were getting upset It's 10:50 almost 11 the scheduled time was supposedly at the lates 9:30. It's hot as fk too no air ventilation whatsoever. Fkng horrible place. read more

The food is horrible no taste. Overall this place is not welcoming. Been there with the fam and the staff prefers the regulars. Security staff unprofessional. No way we can contact the management and get refund for event. Definitely DONT RECOMMEND IT read more

Yesterday my daughters wanted to see Ralfy the plug, at La Santa. Last time we're in Santa Anna, we saw Drakeo theRuler, that was in 2021. So we were not going to miss the opportunity to see Ralfie. Thank you La Santa for making this such a memorable positive experience. Back in my day I remember seeing concerts at locations like this before The musicians and artists hit big time. This brought back a lot of memories. I love the bar, the lights, the stage, the ambience, perfectly done. Thank you again. read more

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I drunkenly left a review for the wrong "La Santa" last time. They have both a restaurant and club, and my dumb ass left one for the club when it should've been for this place. I only gave a 4 out of 5 last time, but after eating here again, I'm moving it up to where it properly belongs. And, no, I am not drunk this time. Although I had already eaten prior to coming I today, I did order some chips and guacamole. As you can see in the picture, the guacamole was amazing. It was so quickly devoured that I forgot to take a picture until after the fact. Fresh avocados with some tomatoes, sliced tortilla chips and some sprinkled cheese, it was overly delicious! My Cadillac, as poured by bartender Juan, was simply amazing. This place would be overcrowded if it were on 4th street. But it being one block over, on 3rd, I consider this a hidden gem! read more

La Santa - Happy Saturday! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Food seemed OK. Drinks were very expensive. One drink was $18 and the service was kind of slow because they were busy doing brunch of some sort. There was a roach on the wall and they killed it and didn't bother picking it up. I'm saying they're drinking almost $19 Paloma I never been here. This is my first time and I would never go back I was so tired about them having roaches. I lost my appetite. I didn't even order food and I'm pretty sure their food is overpriced. read more

Bartender was super rude and condescending, older hispanic man. Place was ok, nothing special. Drinks were way over priced, parking is awful! read more

This was my first time coming here & I had a good time. However, a few hours later.. I got a notification from my bank that the bar tried charging me AGAIN but for THOUSANDS of dollars... I took a screenshot for the exact amount. I'm completely appalled and hope nobody else had this happen to them, especially because it was SA Pride today. Not cool at all.. I'm never coming back to this bar ever again.. completely disappointed. Update: Yes, I called my bank & they are sending in a new debit card in the mail. I also noticed I was charged twice for my original amount.... additional Screenshot uploaded. read more

La Santa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Went to go see La Union! It was a short show, wished they played more, but overall it was a good show. Opening act was a rock en espanol band that was really good! read more

We came for a Goth Night, lots of mixed feelings here Felt like the DJ didn't know the meaning of Goth Lots of the same songs were played over and over again Most in general didn't feel Goth more like a 80s night with the wrong crowd Drinks are extremely over priced We will most likely pass on other future events that happen here This guy lol read more

(Review is on the basement venue) Went to a concert there last night. Overall concert was amazing, but the venue itself had NO VENTILATION or AC. The room was not packed, but the temperature in the room was well over 100 degrees so you could imagine how HOT it was in there. The worse part was that we were not allowed to go outside unless we paid a re-entry fee. It wasn't until people were complaining about the lack of air circulation that the manager allowed us to go outside. If you plan on attending a concert at this venue bring a handheld fan. read more

La Santa - Kennyon Brown - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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All of the staff is rude, including management. The event was supposed to start at 9pm...11pm and the event had not started yet, not sure if it did. We asked for a refund and we were told, "you should've known it wasn't going to start at 9pm, we're not refunding you" This was an AWFUL experience and they literally said they don't care if we don't come back. Don't waste your time, money, or energy on this HORRIBLY "managed" location. I should've read all of these bad reviews because they are 1000% accurate. read more

Come for the food and stay for the drinks!! It was nice coming back to DTSA after quite awhile. I have my downtown go to's but wanted to try something new. The place was desolate but so was everything else on this Wednesday evening. I received a friendly welcome from the bar tender as well as from the patrons that were seated at the bar. I didn't even look at a menu, I asked the regulars to guide me between friendly conversation (my favorite kind of experiences). We started with a cocktail called Paraíso. The rum and pineapple/tropical flavors with a frothy finish make a refreshing drink lives up to its name. The cochinita pibil sliders are a MUST have. The chef is from Yucatán and this recipe is spot on! Tender, flavorful meat with a cebollas curtidas finish! Yum! The tacos, I don't have much to say about the tacos but they didn't shake me. I like food to wow me, make me close my eyes and melt or make me fall out of my seat. Didn't happen with the tacos. My review breakdown goes as follows: Ambiance 4 stars Service 4 stars Drinks 5 stars Torta sliders 4 stars Tacos 3 stars read more

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Came here this past weekend with my boyfriend to see Combichrist. We had VIP seating/booths, and enjoyed our visit to La Santa. The staff was generous/respectful, no issues or complaints there. Bathrooms were clean and stocked with toilet paper/hand soap. Place had AC/ventilation, or at least where we were in the booths :) If bands you like book their gigs here, definitely come check this place out. The only issue we faced when arriving/looking for the place was parking. Very limited parking in the lot across the street, and there is street time restricted metered parking. We lucked out after circling the place 4 times and found a metered parking spot that was close to the cut off time so we through in a few quarters just in case..and ended up leaving the club before the time restriction would come on again (2am) All in all, a great experience. read more

Restrooms are really clean and the space is really big with a lot of room to dance and chill. It really is a vibe especially when they have the club deviance event read more

I have never been here before but this was my moms favorite spot to go to when she was in her late 20s-30s. We went for the first time for Caifanes tribute and the band that played there was awesome! Security and bartenders were very kind and helpful. It's the first club/bar I go to where their security is nice lol. This has been my favorite venue to go to it's very spacious and has a lot of seating in case you need a little break from dancing. It's very dark and the vibes are definitely it! The only negative was that it was very smelly. The whole place smelled like the toilets. If you can look past that then it's a pretty good little spot to hang out with friends at. read more

La Santa is conveniently located in the heart of DTSA's East Village. It may seem fairly unassuming on the outside. But once you step inside, you know you're somewhere special. This is definitely a Downtown bar, so you'll find plenty of creative cocktails here. When I was here yesterday, I tried their twist on the old fashioned - with mezcal. It definitely had that classic old fashioned flavor, but the mezcal made it more multi-dimensional. I was very impressed. When we were here, they had their happy hour food menu. We tried the ceviche, which was incredibly satisfying and refreshing while also giving just the right amount of heat. We also tried the guacamole, which was very hearty and full of avocado goodness. We also had a quesadilla, which went quite well with the ceviche. I was very impressed with what we found at La Santa yesterday, and I can hardly wait to try more of their menu next time we're Downtown. read more

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Always in the area and have never tried this place until recent. I seen it can be pretty crowded on weekends but I think it's a restaurant turned into bar maybe on weekends or after a certain time. I did not visit the venue part, only the restaurant. Just enjoyed a drink but didn't come for a meal, would like to come back and try the food out. Tv's and music with bar seating and tables but kind of small. Restroom needed some tending to but other than that doesn't seem too bad. read more

This place SUCKS!!!! Do not waste your time or money. Crowded, no sitting area, over priced, rude, etc! I will NEVER come back. It's a joke

Garbage "venue" located in the bustling Downtown Santa Ana area. Take a look at the other reviews, and you will quickly see that the managers of this establishment simply don't care about even the most basic levels of customer service. The food is decent at La Santa, but that doesn't make up for the other absurd aspects. The basement performance area has zero ventilation so beware. It's only a matter of time before something terrible happens here and it's shut down for good. read more

Great venue!! Its a flight of stairs underground, giving a very quaint "speakeasy vibe" and couldnt be happier. I prefer smaller/more intimate venues to really appreciate the artists preforming! Parking could be better... but not TERRIBLE for being Downtown Santa Ana. I saw Mike Pinto that night and had a BLAST! Bar in the back could be better staffed, but it is what it is... read more

Came to this venue for an Ari Lennox concert last year. It was small & intimate. It was standing room only. They have a good bar, with one good bartender, an older Caucasian man. He was very friendly & generous.! My only gripe was that during the concert, people were blazing and I got a contact high. At that moment, I had no worries though, haha. read more

The WORST security in the entire city. Literally tried to fight me .. as I tried to enter the building to PLAY a show there w my band. Mind you it was an all ages show. They wouldn't let me in to play the show, until they realized how dumb that sounded . Then they had the "owner" the main manager he claimed come and then he "apologized" to me and at that point I was in no vibe to play for the venue. BADD VIBES .. They then created a fake Instagram account to try to insult and fight me. They are unreal. I hope no one ever goes in here. Sound man was on drugs for sure .. like heavy drugs .. and they were all cool with it. La santa is plain garbage . read more

Last time I was in this room, it was called "The Dungeon". Saw Social Distortion there in 1982. All these years later I returned to see TSOL. Place has improved since 1982. The bartender allowed me to keep an open tab and I never had to wait for a drink. The restrooms were clean and have an attendant at all times. Security officers were professional. They stopped a fight that happened in the pit and ejected the participants. Also, they were cool with me leaving the place so I could put my new T-shirt's in my car. The sound in the room was great. Ventilation was adequate. Parking wasn't a problem. Ambiance was cool. No hassles. Had a really good night and I hope this venue lasts. I dig it and you probably will too. read more

Club/venue review. I'll try and hit a lot of points. Started bad. Got there at 645 because doors open at 7. Come to find out they changed the time to almost 9! The guy was like check the website. Wtf? They changed it less than six hours in advance. Whatever don't know if that's the venue or show fault The place is pretty trash starting with what looks like management. While in line, what looks like a manager, was smoking and just throws his nasty cigarette on the ground when done. 95% of staff doesn't have any emotions or smiles. Only one server and bartender had a smile. Stage Security? What security? Guest started getting a little out of control with one of the female acts, to the point where the drummer had to throw not one but two drumsticks at him. Sound manager? Doubtful. You couldn't hear the vocals at all, so it made that part of the show a disappointment. Light controller? Maybe, but only after the performer asked 3 times to turn things on. Oh and make sure you don't try and sit on a booth. Because they will say you can't because it is bottle service. No signs or " hey are we having bottle service tonight. " they just assumed ( or maybe someone is supposed to guide you) we didn't want it. read more

Omg! This place has completely changed it's food menu. I used to come here before and they really only had bar food but now they have brunch with mariachi on Sundays with mimosas and drinks plus good lunch menu. They have a new chef here and wow his food is definitely worth coming here. I had the Chile relleno divorciados with barbacoa meat and my boyfriend had the barbacoa omelette. Both were amazing! So much flavor! We also had a side of french toast that did not disappoint. Our drinks were Hotel Nacional and the Oxacan Old fashion and both were sooooo good! The service was good too everyone is very attentive and friendly. We will be coming again! I want to try everything on the menu! read more

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This is a small venue which makes it better! Good service and reasonable prices. The beers are tall cans, and the mixed drinks are stiff! A good place to hang out! read more

great events brought to you by curious entertainment La santa has a great Atmosphere and great food read more

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Soo good ! Been in Downtown Santa Ana for a while now and never came across a venue that does an octopus dish quite like this. Went in for a quick lunch and paired with some tacos. They have an array of mezcal and tequila selections too. Will definitely be back read more

La Santa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Tried this place for the first time. Server let me know it was a new menu. I was actually very pleased with some of the items I tried. First off, my cocktail was delicious. I had a cannon ball. Then from there, everyone I was with shared items! We tried the Al pastor torta sliders, the ribs, the ceviche, and the Al pastor carbonara. All items were really good! Great job on the new menu! read more

La Santa - La Santa bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

If you're going to a show definitely bring ear plugs. Pretty cool venue though! Very small and intimate

My friend Plata was at the bar minding his own business & was buying a drink when a young lady began to flirt with him. So he offered to buy her a drink. When the bartender saw & heard this, he became so enraged that he struck him. My friend plata didn't see it coming. He was blindsided, I approached him thinking he had slipped & fell because where he was laying it was very wet & slippery. (The establishment didn't do their job of providing a safe & dry environment.) 2 minutes later a witness informed me that the bartender was actually the boyfriend of the young lady who initiated the flirting & thus he grew jealous that my friend offered to buy her a drink. Now instead of the doing the correct thing & thus taking a report & calling the police for battery against the bartender. They instead kicked the innocent victim who is actually hired to perform,(Musician) out of the venue. Thankfully justice will be served as we will be filing a lawsuit against the establishment. read more

Awful place with rude service. Drinks are very expensive for a hole in the wall.

Just caught a show there and wanted to write something because some the other reviews were negative. I thought it was great. Having been to both this venue and Marty's (I think the Marty's guys moved here) I prefer this spot. Just better as a performance venue. Sure it's in a basement. Some music is better appreciated in basements. Read one person talking about safety concerns but it's not like there is one way in and out. I could see the exits clearly marked. I'm going back for shows for sure. read more

First time at the location last night, 2/22 and was not happy with it. First, things were good. Arrived on time, lady in restroom was super sweet, drinks were good, but... one hour into the music starting.....people, people, and more people walked in to the point you couldn't move, overly crowded and it felt so unsafe. You could tell employees were frustrated. We were too. Seems like control was lost. We left immediately. Maybe our first time was just on a bad night, but first impressions either make it or break it for us. read more

Interesting venue. I saw a show here 5/6/19 and the band was great! The sound was pretty muffled and bassy probably because it's an underground room with no levels and I'm guessing the older guys (who stick out like a sore thumb) creapin around trying to dance with females are the owners friends. read more

La Santa - STRFKR show - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

So when we came for brunch, Juan, our server told us "hey you should come for dinner. It's really good especially if you like fish tacos". So we did just that today. We had the shrimp tacos and fish tacos as well as the fish and chips and calamari. I had the shrimp tacos and OH EM GEE these had to be the BEST shrimp tacos I've ever had. The sauce on them was so delicious! My husband had the fish tacos and they were so good. We also had the calamari and for me I'm not a fan of calamari due to an incident in SD. The calamari didn't taste like calamari! It was so good and the mole sauce that pairs with it was chef's kiss! We ordered two of those because it was so good! We also ordered cocktails. My sister loved her Moscow Mule, I had the Margarita Tropical. So yummy. We thanked Juan (he was cooking this time) for telling us to come back and have dinner. Definitely gonna keep coming back for sure! read more

La Santa - Shrimp Tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Rude staff, dirty all around, and staff never answer their phones. Plus a completely unsafe venue. If you decide to attend, be aware of your belongings and surroundings. Someone stole my purse with my wallet in it right off my shoulder and ran and security didn't care. read more

This place is so cool! Drove from Los Angeles to see Dub Trio. Was greeted by super friendly door staff. Walk down to basement to find a gem of a venue! Intimate and the sound was superb. The bartender/manager was incredibly nice and personable and poured great drinks. Will definitely be on the look out for other shows! Can't wait to go back. Thanks La Santa! read more

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