The Source is such a fun place to be at! Although a third of the stores here are empty/unopened... the ones that are, are poppin'! They have a big parking structure, that is constantly packed with people. There is a constant flow of people coming in and out. When I come here, I enjoy looking at the Korean snack store that recently just expanded. You can get instant noodles and pay for the hot water so you can eat it there! This store is also a souvenir store. Besides this place, the source has fashion stores, bakeries, coffee, pastries, golf, a kid's play center, and more food! Like malls do, they also have a Photo Booth area. Prices vary per shop, but everything is reasonable. The source is cool because it's where small businesses can advertise themself, and Korean culture can thrive. They have a mini night life here alongside celebrating the love of kpop, cosmetics, skincare, and food! I've heard that this place was always hip and fun, and I'm hoping the current reputation exceeds expectations in the near future with all the changes they've been doing! read more

Wow. Amazing turn around for this mall. About a year ago, lot of spaces were vacant and felt like the whole mall is being emptied out. Thats not the case a year later. Most of the spaces were occupied. Lot of people and lot of energy. Two huge food courts on second floor and also third floor. Seed water coffee and roastery was impressive with so many espresso machine. Come and check it out! So many things going on with revitalized mode. read more

My first time visiting here after having dinner at Izakaya Ichie. Parking is free! I never knew this plaza existed. Lots Korean store and culture here. If you like Kpop, Korean stuff, this is the plaza for you. It is three stories and has three food court! There is also a Photo Booth store that you can take photos with your friends. A fun keepsake to have for any occasions. I got my steps in here too! There are lots cute stores with lots cute items. You have to go to check it out yourself. Overall, a great place to have dinner and walk around afterwards. I would come back. Lots selection of food to Korean goodies everywhere in this plaza. read more

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Parking is fantastic because there's a parking garage that hasn't ever been full anytime I have been here. There are plenty of restaurants to try Korean food, a handful of shopping and some cafes to check out. It's a pretty dead mall but nice to take the family out and walk around. I hope this place picks up, it's a beautiful space in Buena Park. read more

As a Latina who appreciates Korean culture, The Source is definitely a spot to visit if you want to immerse yourself in it. The free, spacious parking structure is a huge plus. There's so much to do here. You can walk around and explore a variety of shops, from jewelry to skincare. The food options are endless, along with plenty of snacks and desserts to choose from. There's definitely plenty to see and/or try, so it's a great place to hang out and spend time. read more

Why travel all the way to South Korea when you can get a taste of Seoul here?! This mall is perfect if you like Korean food, Korean clothes, Korean food, Korean snacks, Korean bbq, Korean make up, Korean music, Korean dessert, Korean bakery FREE parking Plenty of parking Worth a visit if you happen to be in the area There's a lot of vacant shops! That's the only big bummer.. This place is an outdoor mall so plan accordingly... bring a thin jacket if you come at night! read more

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Love the free parking garage directly connected to the mall structure......And I appreciate the general cleanliness and the robust amount of security staff present. But I didn't understand why there are so many small eateries and food courts and not many other varieties of shops. I saw some glasses store, insurance type place, and clothing shops but none that appealed to me. There were also some beauty spas and other knickknack stores. However, is it worth it just to get some bites and to browse around? Perhaps not. The service wasn't exactly the friendliest and the stores irrelevant to perhaps my age group. I am unsure what the target demographics for this mall is besides the fact that everything is Korean......otherwise I just felt very out of place, and a bit spooked out by how not busy the mall was. I wouldn't mind returning still just to get some Yozm donuts but otherwise can't seem to think of a good excuse just to return. read more

The Source - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

Wish I had more time to explore this community/shopping center! There's a preschool on one end, a cinema on the other, with several retail stores, coffee, tea and boba shops, a food court, and a variety of additional food venues in between. Ample parking, plus some elevators and escalators for old people like me. The restrooms were sparse, though. The one near the restaurant we dined at was closed. Walked to the opposite end of the center, where a single family restroom had a short line; but with no movement for the longest time. The lady who was first in line checked several times, and as I was fourth, I eventually gave up. Of note, someone likened this center to a K-town "Ala Moana Shopping Center". To be fair, it is not nearly as large, but it is open air with several stories. The sales of collectibles of everything k-pop and more, the asian food and tea shops, and the grand reopening of Seoul Stop, which expanded it's Korean beauty and food space, were the highlights of my first visit to The Source. Definitely check out any specials/sales, as collectibles and k-beauty items can be moderate to high in price. (We got great deals and free sample bags at the grand reopening, for example.) Personally, I can't wait to come back on my next trip to check out the rest of the stores! read more

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Been here a handful of times and it's a fun & great place to hangout for great & delish foods, snacks, just walking around, movie, shopping or be here for the sunset. Plenty and easy access for parking since they have a 3/4 levels of parking structure that attach directly to the mall. This is more of KPop mall so you on certain days and weekend, you might encounter w/ KPOP moments (music & dance). Great place for all type & kind of foods here, from high end to fast food to foods hall or stands, coffee & desserts places, either way plenty to choose. They do have AYCE, to set to a la carte, to just street foods. There is a movie theater here and shops so plenty of selection to fit to your liking of that day. Services overall are great from the mall staff to the individual shop/restaurant staff - all are friendly and nice. read more

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Easy parking + wide variety of options for food in the food court. Everything was delicious. read more

The Source - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Such a clean mall - your go to spot for all things k-pop & yummy food and coffee. Easy to find parking. Plenty of shops. read more

This mall transports you back to Korea. There's plenty of parking in the garages. Once you make your way up, you'll notice all the Korean stores and restaurants. It's amazing! They even have a store that looks like a Korean subway station and they set up outdoor seating that look like a hof. I was pleasantly surprised to see this. Upstairs is a CGV, a Korean movie theater. If you're looking for a place to explore, either alone or with friends, this is a great and fun place to check out! I'd avoid the food court... the restaurants outside of that are way better! read more

Three levels of retail and dining therapy in Buena Park, Orange County, California... I've been to The Source in the past (to see Brown, a large figurine of the main characterof Line Friends), but I didn't explore the upper levels of this complex... it's a bit overwhelming! There seems to be a focus on Korean cuisine, K-Pop culture, clothing, and accessories at this shopping/dining complex. Restrooms are available on each floor. The elevator was useful. One of the escalators wasn't working. The parking structure is free! Get your fix here without needing a passport for Korea! read more

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Free adjacent parking structure. The structure has Tesla Superchargers. Fun place to eat, shop, and hang out. There's also a movie theater. Restrooms can be hard to find. read more

The Source - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

On December 27, 2025, at approximately 8:45 AM, I arrived at the Buena Park Source Mall parking lot to use the Tesla Supercharger. There were no signs indicating the mall was closed or that access to the Supercharger was restricted, and during the same time, other Tesla vehicles were able to enter and charge without any issues. I understood that the security employee with long tied-up hair said the mall was closed, and I clearly communicated several times that I was only there to use the Tesla Supercharger. He wrongly assumed that I could not understand English, but I understood all the instructions from the beginning. Nevertheless, he blocked my vehicle, judging me to be aggressive, and did not allow me to enter. In fact, he threatened to have me arrested. The employee also attempted to pull out pepper spray and used insulting language and profanity to verbally abuse me. I had to record the situation on my phone for my own safety. Additionally, when I asked for his name, he refused to provide it, attempting to make accountability difficult. Importantly, my vehicle's battery was below 20%, so I needed to charge as soon as possible. Furthermore, this employee called the police without a reasonable cause, which can also be considered a psychological and legal threat to visitors. Important: Security personnel do not have legal authority to block access to the Tesla Supercharger or threaten arrest. Ultimately, managers and other staff were called, and the police also responded. After their investigation, this incident was concluded to be the result of the security employee's excessive actions. Key Issues Warranting Accountability: 1. Excessive Threats and Physical/Verbal Intimidation: Arrest threats, attempting to use pepper spray, profanity and verbal abuse, and unjustified police involvement 2. Selective Enforcement: Other Tesla vehicles were allowed entry, but only I was blocked arbitrary and inconsistent rule application 3. Refusal to Provide Identification: Name or badge information was withheld lack of transparency and accountability 4. Lack of Signage/Policy: Absence of clear guidance left visitors vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement Conclusion: Tesla owners seeking to use the Buena Park Source Mall Supercharger should be cautious regarding the mall's security staff. In particular, this security employee's actions demonstrated threats of arrest, arbitrary enforcement, entry denial, verbal abuse, evasion of responsibility, and unjustified police involvement. I am not only a Tesla Supercharger user but also a customer of the mall. If possible, I would inform everyone I meet about the reprehensible behavior this employee displayed toward me. If I were the mall's general manager, I would terminate this employee immediately. read more

Came here after seeing some videos extolling this large mall and its food selections. Despite a nearly completely full parking lot and throngs of people filling the mall, we noticed the food court and some major restaurants to be strangely empty at dinner time. Red flag. The 2nd floor food court features a confusing centralized electronic ordering system covering ALL the vendors inside. You order your meal and go to the appropriate vendor counter to pick up. It was mostly empty at dinner time on a Saturday evening. Tables and floor were unkempt and staff at vendors looked bored and unengaged. I think the centralized electronic ordering system may disrupt customer engagement with individual food vendors, resulting in indolent counter staff and an unappealing environment. This feels like an institutional cafeteria masquerading as a "high grade" food court. I cannot fathom why vendors would put up with this. It demotivates customers and seems like an unprofitable concept. Finally, IMHO there are many fantastic, innovative and creative restaurants in the neighborhood. Perhaps patronize those for dinner and come to the source to socialize. No recommendation, decide for yourself. read more

Paid by card. The Source is a Korean mall and offers parking structure parking. I went on a Saturday day and it was busy, but I was able to find parking in less than 10 minutes. There are so many cute shops, food courts, and restaurants here. I think my favorite was the convenience store since I was able to stock up on Korean face products for cheap. At night I ate dinner at M Korean BBQ and had to wait almost an hour for 6 people. It's a little pricey since the workers cook for you and you don't tip, but most of the food was good. 3 people each split one of the combos. I would recommend The Source and will go back. read more

I often come here with friends to check out the shopping mall and try different food. We decided to hang around the photobooth area and have lunch at the second-floor food court. We all tried different places and got kimbap and tteokbokki. The Source has plenty of different shops if you are interested in kpop, beauty, and food! read more

The Source - tteokbokki, kimbap, and fried vegetable/ tempura - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

REVIEW FOR 2nd FLOOR FOOD COURT It was a little weird at first cause it's like a mall food court with different spots to choose from but you can only order at one register. You then go back to the spot you ordered food from and wait for your number to be called. I ordered the chicken and beef teriyaki bowl and it was sooo good you can TASTE the freshness. My sister got chicken katsu that was stuffed with cheese and we both loved it. The pricing is also pretty good, not too pricy. And I love that you actually get to eat with real plates and silverware. It kinda gives kdrama school food court vibes lol there's also self serve water dispensers. BE ADVISED you can't bring in food from outside of the food court. Only food bought INSIDE can be eaten in the food court. read more

The Source - Chicken katsu stuffed with cheese goodness - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

Been wanting to check out this place each time we're heading to Knott's. It's super close to Knott's off Beach Blvd. Love that it's free parking, plenty of restaurants to eat at, there's a movie theater, and a few small shops. There are several levels to check out. Plenty of parking available in the structure. Really cool place to bring family and friends to. read more

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This was our first visit here and it was a great time. Parking on a Sunday afternoon was pretty easy and free in the parking garage. The Source is a food court that offers Asian food from many different countries. The overall system is genius in that you order the entire meal on one check from the main kiosks and do not have to go to each vendor to order and pay. The food is prepared fresh and pretty quick. They call your number out and you pick it up from the vendor. The selection of food is good and everyone in your group should be able to find something they like. The cost is a little high, but the quality is of restaurant caliber. I do wish you can order sodas and get refills vice having to order cans of soda. read more

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We were in OC visiting and I found this place through social media. My daughter was super excited to go because she wanted to find her teenie ping toys. She did find it alright but the prices in every store were super inflated. There's a store here called Seoul Stop which was pretty cool because they have a ramen station. Other than that, this mall was not worth it. read more

Really neat outdoor mall with tons of food options and majority of stores were all Korean based. It was so cool and perfect for anyone who's into all the trending Kpop or Japanese items. I loved how there were tons of restaurants making it easy like there had to be something for everyone even for a picky eater. There were a lot of empty n vacant stores though for as big as the mall was so hoping they get filled soon. Really looking forward to going back again. read more

On a Monday holiday in late May, my family arrived early 10:30am. Parking was available on the 1st floor. It wasn't too busy yet. We went to go third floor to the bakery for cream stuffed donut but wasn't ready till 11am. So we walked around the 2nd floor to browse and visited few stores. It appears everywhere is clean. Nice areas to take instagram photos. Next time I want to try eat korean fried chicken or in the food court for lunch. read more

The Source - Cute spot for instagram - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

A great open air reimagined mall of sorts. Tons of shops and eateries. A cinema too. See my review of CGV cinema and La Huasteca too. read more

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Best place for foodies person, culture and vibe of Korean hang out place. Many food stand shop K pop shop.

I absolutely love The Source! There's always plenty of parking--whether in the lot or the garage--and I love how there are multiple floors filled with great spots to explore. The food options are amazing, with food courts on both the second and third floors offering Asian and Korean delicacies. I come here for so many things: K-pop shopping, matcha drinks, and now their newly opened Korean-style convenience store, which is absolutely adorable. It's also a great place to take pictures in their photo booth. On my latest visit, I went to the second-floor food court, which is pretty unique because you order from one kiosk even though there are several different restaurants. I got the spicy rice cake tteokbokki, and it was so good! The Source has the perfect mix of food, shopping, and fun. Five out of five stars--one of my absolute favorite places to go! read more

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Outdoor multilevel mall with Korean businesses. Parking was free in the parking structure. On a Sunday night it was almost full, but I was able to find a spot. There are some decent restaurants, bakeries, dessert shops, coffee shops, and movie theater. Popular with kpop loving girls and people going out to dinner dressed nice. Just down the street from Knotts. read more

The Source!!! What an awesome name for a shopping mall!! Seriously, with a name like that, folks should come here looking for the source of whatever they are searching for! I like it!! The Source is one cool outdoor shopping plaza. So many cool stores and dining options. Personally, I'm a fan of the bakeries. The Source is a terrific place to shop, browse, dine, and simply hang out. Have a great time! read more

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Last minute plans on a super fun, busy day out at Orange County, thank you to my daughter's friend on recommending this place. She mentioned " The Source" & I am like what is this place, sounds like a place for the millenials and we are not in the same age range, hehe. I am glad, the hubby & I made the decision to go along, with the flow. What & Where is The Source, you ask.. ?! The Source is a popular, cool, HUGE shopping and entertainment center in Buena Park,( think Korean theme, Korean Mall) that features a unique blend of shopping, dining and entertainment making it a popular destinations for everyone both locals and tourist. Over 40 retail stores, ( electronics, fashion, beauty) very trendy shops mostly Korean themed for the young generations ( K-Pop, accessories) lots of dining options with many restaurants, cafes and are you ready for this?! - Two food courts which, located 2nd and 3rd floor. Entertainment -movie theater and escape room. There are also events going on as they have a huge stage area here. I've never been to Korea and this would be a great spot to hang out at makes me feel like I am there, hehe. The only thing missing here would be the convenience store, like the ones seen on Instagram with the viral drinks & ramens. We had a great time exploring The Source, I bought a cute floral top in green, while browsing, ( my first Korean top, hehe) This place is huge and I am glad I didn't get lost since we all went our own way & met up at food court for a meal. I loved the super huge tall cactus plants on 3rd floor near entrance of parking. First time visit, You will be amazed, I was. Nice surprise too!! As usual, I need more time here. Definitely coming back again when I'm here at the OC! read more

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As an admirer of Korean culture, this shopping center is one of my go-to spots for shopping, eating, and general hanging out with friends and family in the OC area! I've seen this shopping center grow over the years and how they are constantly adding new shops and eateries which keeps things new and fresh. One of my favorite stores is the newly opened Seoul Stop. This store combines your typical Korean convenience store with a Skincare/Stationary store. There's so many fun and cool things to discover here and I've always visited this store whenever I come to the source. There are also plenty of food options! On the top floor, they have a food court with various options from bakery goods to Korean street food snacks. There's also various restaurant-style spots and the food quality overall is great! I also love the Life4Cuts shop where you can take fun photo strip photos with friends and family with various props. My only critique is the general prices are high for everything from goods to food. It is expensive to shop and eat there, but if you have a couple extra dollars to spare this would be a great place to do it. There's also ample free parking at the Source with various levels of covered parking. read more

There are so many shops and restaurants here. Stopped by the second time during our LA trip and spent about 3 hours here just exploring. There's three levels here and a food court as well. Would like to visit again when I get the chance. Parking was easily accessible and free, we came around 2PM on a Monday. read more

The Source - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

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The Source OC is a mixed-use development in Buena Park, primarily used as an open-air shopping mall. In addition to retail shopping and restaurants, a multi-screen movie theater, a hotel and office space are on site. In 2023, some of the area surrounding The Source OC was designated as the Koreatown neighborhood of Buena Park, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the majority of businesses within The Source are Korean. A project required that I visit Buena Park regularly. I visited this facility because of all the eating options here. I visited both mid-week and on weekends. Midweek, the shopping center is sort of quiet. I suppose it's dealing with changes in brick-and-mortar retail. But if you're interested in Asian cosmetics; clothing with nuanced Asian aesthetics; or K-pop merch, this shopping center is for you. As mentioned previously, there are a lot of eating options within this center. Some of the restaurants, vendors in the food court--and the shopping center itself, gets featured on social media. During the weekends, it's a bit buzzier. For example, on one weekend afternoon visit, I saw a lot of teens participating in a "plaza dancing" event. read more

The Source - plaza dancing event - Shopping Centers Near Me - Buena Park, California

Although the parking lot can be a wild scene during peak hours, there is always seemingly loads of availability throughout, especially on the second and third floors. With plenty of space to film Tik-Tok videos in this mall, it is a wonderfully convenient place for young and old alike to create their content. Amazing new mall plaza in the newly labeled Koreatown Buena Park; ensure to visit during daytime hours to ensure access to all open businesses! read more

I came here a while back for several hours with a friend and there were SO many shops to see between the 3 levels. You could come for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then shop at several different kinds of stores in between. There are a lot of Asian cultural places here, so be aware the food takes on those cultural characteristics - and it is DELICIOUS. Lots of bakeries too, I had macarons from two different shops. The way I see it, there's so much good food and fun spots in Orange County that I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if passing through - absolutely! Make a stop if you can. read more

We came here Saturday and they have busking event and it's fun. We end up spending half of the day there. Some good entertainment for free and had some yummy Korean food as well. Wish they are going to have more live music or dance event since weather it's warmer now. read more

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It's crazy how social media can paint such a different image compare to what reality is. When you see influencers coming to the source or different stores highlighted through Instagram and tik tok, you're thinking "wow!" However when you actually get there...it's a bit underwhelming. It has 3 stories and each are filled with bakeries, cosmetic stores, skincare stores, restaurants, etc. if you're a huge K-pop fan, you might really like this place as it has a variety of different shops It has definitely improved tremendously since a few years ago with more shops. A great place to just check out once with your kids. read more

actually very good spot to kill time, hang out with friends, or eat delicious foods! very koreaboo but reminds me of my childhood obsessions lol plenty of parking even though it can get very busy. read more

My cousin is a huge K-POP fan. She took me on one of her fandom adventures. We went to check out "DFESTA" which is a gallery of K-POP Idols. I am not a big K-POP fan - I will not pretend to be. BUT - yo - I purple BTS. This outside mall was extremely clean and had several eateries. I think I was hungry - that's the only reason why those stood out to me. We went prior to Christmas, so I'm not sure about how packed or busy it gets. When we went to check out the DFESTA it was near the stores closing time - so very little ppl. read more

You can have your choice of meals at this location with several restaurants and two levels of food court. They have desserts, bakeries, and many variety of foods. They also have stores & shops for those seeking K-experiences. You can even pretend you're in the subway stations in korea & buy instant ramen to microwave & consume it right there. Free parking in the structure attached to the shopping center. Just remember the parking structure levels do not match the mall levels (i.e., 3rd floor parking is 2nd floor mall). Good place to meet friends. We run into people we know often here as many gather here. read more