A small and cute hole-in-the-wall but with limited seating throughout the establishment. Tip: no parking lot so I parked in the residential street next to the strip of businesses. Be forewarned, there is no signage so I had to circle back to find the building. Brussels sprouts: totally sharable or as a side. Crab Squid Ink Pasta: (off the menu) I am a SUCKER for squid ink pasta. They said there's lemon and I'm not a fan of tartness in my food so I asked for less lemon. Nonetheless, it was too lemon-y for me, the pasta was way overcooked and it was quite bland. After a few bites, we felt as if we were eating overcooked lumps of pasta with bland crab. I had high hopes for this dish, especially since it came highly recommended by our waiter. Lobster truffle Mac & Cheese: you can definitely taste the truffle flavor and there were huge chunks of lob-sta. It had a crusty garlic bread crumble on top, giving it a nice crunch as you eat the creamy pasta underneath. I'd order this again if I ever come back. read more

Westend - Lobster truffle Mac n cheese - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is practically for Yelpers only since the signage is a big fat ZERO (see picture). It's word of mouth only (the way the owner wants it, apparently) and Yelp is leading the way. The decor and seating at Westend is interesting and comfortable. Our waitress/bartender could not have been nicer. There are about five tables outside in the back which look like they could be nice for an evening meal or drink. My son ordered the avocado hamburger and it was fabulous. The party was seasoned with what I can only guess was onion soup mix and was cooked perfectly. It came on a (somewhat slightly over-) toasted brioche bun which was pretty huge. I had the jambalaya which had lots of interesting characteristics (the first of which is that the serving size was huge). If you LOVE chili powder then this is the dish for you - it is in there in abundance. Each meat component in the dish was cooked beautifully (shrimp, chicken, sausage). None of it was tough or overdone. The rice was shockingly undercooked and gave the whole dish a little texture that I wasn't looking for. If they'd backed off the chili powder a bit and gotten the rice right then this dish would be stellar. The good news is that both of these things are easily remedied. I have to admit that I kinda liked the no signage part of Westend. It felt a little like I was walking into a private club or speakeasy. The food was good and the ambience was nice. I'd probably come back here the next time I was in town. read more

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The best martini I've ever had. Kayleigh knows what she's doing. Also everything on the menu is 10/10 i drool over this place. Music is always the best too... Dax is untouchable when it comes to vibe curation read more

Westend - Espresso tinis - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I had a great time here and people that work are so fun and it is a place to go and unwind. I felt like I was with old friends and I just moved in the area. It's a happy place to grab a drink! I say please support this place in are community . All with great smiles from all. A place to be!!! We need to support them! 100% read more

Place has killer ambiance, service and the food was spectacular! We will be back soon! Love it!!!!

Boy, this place. Right away, if you're coming here via GPS like I was, you notice how there's nowhere to park in the immediate vicinity of the restaurant, which means you have to drive at a slow crawl past the place (which btw has no visible identifying signage) and then hang various number of U-turns to try to stay within walking range should a magical parking spot make itself known. That's fine, lots of places have crap parking. I ended up parking across a fairly busy street which meant a very tempting jaywalk though the 6 lanes of traffic and double yellow lines was convincing evidence to use the crosswalk. It was a good idea to use GPS to find the place bc that reminds you of the street address 814 something-something and the 814 on the bldg is the only way you know you're where you're meant to be. I walked in and there was nobody behind the counter so I strolled in a bit more to take a look around. Eclectic mix of reggae and standards blasting on the stereo and a really nicely green looking small packed back patio area, abandoned front area. The single person waitress working the shift was cheerfully running around. You get points for enthusiasm but points only go so far in terms of how long I'm going to wait before becoming disgruntled. And wait I did. Wait for the menu to come. Wait for someone to take my order. Wait for the food to arrive. From the time I walked into the restaurant to the time my food arrived, I waited at least an hour and a half. 90 minutes! I could have watched a rom-com movie in that time! The food was fine. I ordered the pastrami Reuben, which btw does not come with sauerkraut but they will cheerfully offer to add in coleslaw if you want. The much vaunted homemade chips were fine but not worth the extra buck and a half it tacks onto your bill. I have no qualms with the food. I would like to eat it again someday but what I would never want again is to wait 90 minutes for it. So, probably see never again, West End. The neighborhood is slowly getting gentrified so maybe this concept of tasty food with cheerful though almost nonexistent service with abominable inexcusable wait time will take off for them. They'll have to do it without me. Executive summary: -Food tastes good -Waitress is a sweetheart -You will die of hunger waiting for your food so who cares how it tastes. read more

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It was a busy day, we had a reservation and we received very slow service. I ordered a mimosa bucket and the waiter brought the bucket with wine and never brought a glass so I had to use my water glass. The food was amazing! The potatoes are 10/10! read more

Westend - Mimosa Bucket - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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So glad it's back open! Great ambience and even better food. The beignets are so good and pillowy, reminds me of New Orleans. Great date spot read more

Westend - Beignets - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place last night and it didn't disappoint. Casey was the bartender and made some of the best cocktails I've ever had. We didn't order food but it looked everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing. Will definitely be back! read more

First time at Westend, even though it's been around for years! Can't believe we hadn't tried it sooner. First off, the food was unbelievably good. We got the fried pickles, double fried fries, The Duke Burger and Nashville Fried Chicken. Everything was great. Kudos to the chef & kitchen! Secondly, the drinks were true quality cocktails. We ordered two cocktails off the menu, The Venetian Quest and Medusa's Venom, and loved them both. I then ordered a Bee'a Knees and let the bartender use her creativity. She completely blew me away - it was so good! Made with a special spicy honey. I loved it. Not to mention, the owners were great people, staff is friendly, and everyone is down to chat. We will definitely be going back! read more

Westend - Bartender's special off-menu bee's knees - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Amazing food! Kayleigh is so amazing and always makes me feel right at home!!! Such a cute date night ambiance, and right next door to my favorite bar Three-13! read more

Unique spot - love the back patio also love the decor, old school typewriters records etc. cool funky fun vibe. Had the French 75 - delicious, loved it! Even loved the beautiful glass - vintage. Had the Westend Taters - the soy chorizo was super tasty, good portion. Squid Ink Pasta with Crab - tasty, I liked the like lemony finish. Beignets for dessert - fresh and delicious. read more

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Stumbled upon this place while looking for a date night spot and checked out the menu and thought it's perfect because I'm vegetarian and my boyfriend is not and they had so many options for both also a good variety of different foods! The atmosphere was everything I love, dark and moody with great music playing and cool art. The servers was good, they were really friendly it was just slow. We had to ask for our check after a while of waiting which is fine because I'm sure it's a place where people chill and hangout and you definitely don't feel rushed, but still was a little slow and the food took a while too but i think it's because it's fresh and well cooked. But again they were very friendly which is why I wanted to look past the slow part. Veggie empanadas- YUM. These were delicious. As well as the side salad it came with for how simple it looked. It came with 2 and I wish it came with 10. These were my favorite for sure. Pesto pizza- for starters, way too much cheese. The pizza really began half way through the slice because the rest was gone from the sogginess of the cheese. But once you got closer to the crust it was delicious and you could really taste all the flavors and dip it in the sriracha aoli and thank me later. Jambalaya- it's my boyfriends go to whenever it's on the menu. He said the sauce was really salty. He said he likes it because it tasted fresh and probably what traditional jambalaya tastes like but he said he's had better and could've used less salt. Over all we would definitely eat here again and try other options on the menu with those empanadas every time! read more

Westend - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Came here on a whim with a friend and was pleasantly surprised. The place is rather hidden but very homey. Shoutout to whoever created the restaurant playlist. The Creole Cajun Po' boy was super tasty. Got some delicious beignets on the house for dessert! read more

Westend - Creole Cajun Po' boy - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Tonight at 6:40, I order dinner from Westend in Costa Mesa. Never again. This is not related to covid 19. If this place goes down shame on the owner. How can they serve a burnt bun to a customer, the grill shrimp was more in the black side with dirt on it from the dirty grill. In a few words 3/4 of my Shrimp Po boy was not edible. read more

Westend - The burn Po boy - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I saw about 5 employees and none wearing masks. I did see one inside with a banda a around neck but not covering any part of the face. It's too bad too because our server was so nice. I would like to give a higher review, but I can't at this time because it's hard to trust they will follow health guidelines. If for any reason my server is reading this, thank you! You were very nice and made sure we were well taken care of. read more

This isn't a review of the food or service as we didn't stay but rather a notification to anyone who wants to go here with the current COVID guidance of wearing a mask. The staff here is NOT wearing masks. We were excited to try this place for the first time especially with all the vegan friendly options and reviews. When we arrived at the restaurant we noticed people at the bar inside (current guidance is no indoor service at restaurants or bars) and the 2 serving staff members were not wearing a mask. Not knowing whether they were actual servers (although it shouldn't matter, restaurant staff should still be wearing masks) I asked whether servers were wearing masks to which I was told they weren't and we decided to pass. I hesitated to post this here but I don't see a contact on their website so I hope the owner sees this and correct (if they care). More importantly, for anyone that hasn't been there and is expecting them to be following state guidelines, I wanted to make sure they were aware that this restaurant isn't and save them the time. read more

Came here to see the vagabonnies roadshow. The place is pretty small but that's what I like when going to somewhere for a show. We found parking across the street in the wayfarer parking lot. There's a big David Bowie mural on the side near the entrance to the place. Bartender here was really nice and made good drinks. Music was great and I would definitely come back again, hopefully to try some of the food on the menu too. read more

Westend - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Outstanding food at reasonable prices. My table got the Brussels sprouts and brisket empanadas to start. The sprouts were roasted and tossed with a tasty sauce and a bright cabbage salad. My entree was the brisket bbq sandwich which was wonderful, 10/10! read more

What a cool and hip restaurant. We decided to check this place and we enjoyed our dinner here, food was delicious, made to order, hot and fresh. Love the decor, ambiance and the music. Friendly staff and clean space. The only problem here is the parking... but you can park across the street. read more

I want to say we went on a bad night, but SO SO many things went wrong-- I am not sure. Adorable, small location of 19th street. There is no parking lot, so it's street parking or parking in the shopping center across the street (at your own risk). When greeted, we were asked if we had a reservation. We did. Then the server turned around a started talking to the bar tender. Then we were asked the same question by another server. A lady ended up seating us in a cute little back patio area. She asked if I wanted the heater on. Of course! This took about 20 minutes and 3 people to figure out, not sure what was wrong with it-- but it was a process and the smell of propane was potent for awhile as they tried to figure it out. Problem #1: The wine I ordered was out. They offered another wine. Problem #2: The server suggested the brussel spouts. Then TWENTY minutes after we ordered them, comes back and says they are out. Problem #3: Our food took an hour to come out. AND the appetizer we ordered for the very LAST item to arrive on the table. Problem #4: The lady blamed it all on the kitchen, throwing them under the bus saying "they have a whole new kitchen staff and they're new --that's why it took so long." The table near us got food right after us and we had been there 40 minutes longer than them. The food was okay -- the best thing we had was the lobster mac. The pulled pork was decent, just the onion ring was so massive and pushed all the meat out of the actual bun. The macaroni salad was dry and awful. The jambalaya base was decent, but they pour like tomato puree (overly saturated) on top and it almost turned into a gumbo. It was drowning in sauce. The fried pickles were good. But not when it is served as dessert-- last thing to arrive on the table. They did try to make up for the mistakes and comped the wine and pickles. But, they "comped" the brussel sprouts as part of the sorry and WE NEVER GOT THEM. I get small kitchen can run out of items, but don't make a big deal about how good they are and then not have them. Like I said, maybe, it was a really bad day for them. But, cute as hell or not -- we will never be returning here. read more

The best food, especially beignets I've ever had! Drinks are phenomenal too! Highly recommend. Service is A+

I came here before dinner when I was in the area to see a nearby Cirque show. First, there is literally NO PARKING for this location. You have to illegally park at the grocery store across the street and make a run for it. This might be acceptable for Downtown LA but not for Costa Mesa. This bar/restaurant (not really sure what it is supposed to be) is very tiny. It can't accommodate a large party. They also play the music very loud so we couldn't hear each other talk. We asked them to turn down the music and they did...but then they turned it back up 20 minutes later. The food was OK. I got a Po' Boy Shrimp sandwich and that was very well done and tasty. But I got it with a side of macaroni salad and it just wasn't very good. It was overly creamy and the pasta was under cooked. My friend got the jambalaya, which she enjoyed for the most part. I ordered a Diet Coke and I got some weird bottled soda alternative instead. It was gross and I couldn't finish it. The worst was the desserts. We tried them both. I got the Beignets and was utterly underwhelmed. They were soggy and chewy, not light and fluffy like they are supposed to be. The second one was called the Elvis Addict and though the description sounds amazing, it's not. The best part was the plain old vanilla ice cream. With so many other dining options around, I can't imagine that I would come back here again...especially with the lack of parking...it's too much of a hassle for such a mediocre place. read more

New girl working was not very educated about the food they served and drinks she made were sub par. Very unbalanced flavors. Very nice girl but just need some work. Food was good service was okay! read more

It was just ok... the decor and the staff were the best parts of this place!! Small and hip... with an awesome black and white wall Of some musical greats!!! Ordered vegetable empanadas....truly disappointed the dough was twice as thick as it should have been and it seemed only corn was inside. I had many a great empanada in my life, this was not one of them. I sent them back but they still charged me the $12 bucks for them. We tried the fried pickles, although made with tasty sour dill pickles( which I love).. the batter was greasy and over fried!!! We also had the bbq chicken pizza... the chicken was dry however the sauce and crust were nice! If they had taken the uneaten empanadas off the bill I might have given them another chance... but probably crossing this place off the list. read more

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The ambiance here is hip and inviting . Our waitress Libby was absolutely amazing. Our water was always refilled. She told us about menu items we wanted to order. The deviled eggs were fantastic!!! Our drinks were very good. It is a great place to go and wind down. The music started at 9 on Friday. Everything was wonderful!!! read more

I really wanted to love this place. The ambiance is so cute, music is on point, service is awesome, their menu sounds amazing....but the food didn't taste amazing. I'm hearing that they're turning into a full bar soon, that should be a reason to hang out here though! Service 5/5: They were so accommodating and nice. Ambiance 5/5: It's darkish, definitely a loungey/date type of place. There are old records hanging from the wall that I appreciated. Food 3/5: Nothing tasted spectacular. I kind of went all out and ordered their more expensive stuff like squid ink pasta. I probably would've been better off getting a sandwich because the pasta was bland. The Fish and Chips was bland as well... Price 4/5: It wasn't too bad. read more

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My wife and I recently celebrated her birthday at Westend with all of our friends! The dinner party was amazing, the owner was super accommodating with every little thing we asked for to decorate the area reserved for our party, and the whole staff was on point all night! Amazing food and drinks kept coming out all night, great music selection also all night long! All the crew was super stoked with how the night turned out, I'm glad we did it here! Super recommend to anyone that wants to have a solid night out with great drinks and food in Costa Mesa! Must have: Lobster Mac N' Cheeses, Brussels Sprouts, the BBQ Puller Pork sandwich as sliders, and for sure the pizzas! Great wine selection and they always have a solid stack of tequilas reposados! read more

Westend - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Holy crap what can I say. It's definitely a mind blower. Not only were the people who work here great but the food is amazing!! It definitely isn't a place you think of eating but definitely eat here! Your mind will be blown and the food is great! Bathrooms are also spotless and the bar is great! read more

Westend - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Cutest place with delicious food! Great cocktails! Love this place! Bartenders are fantastic!

Came here with a group of 11 on a Friday night with reservations already made. We had the back patio nearly to ourselves and it was such a good experience. The food was amazing and the service was great. The only reason I'm giving them 4 instead of 5 stars is because making the reservation and changing it was difficult. Had to get ahold of someone and get a call back. Recommend for smaller parties as reservations would be easier to make. Paul was one of our servers and was so gracious and attentive the entire time and made the experience that much better. The franklin was amazing and the Brussel sprouts a must. read more

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Hmm, non existent service, long wait times even when the place is empty. And inconsistent themes with Mexican folk music blaring from the kitchen, filling the entire small space. After 20 minutes waiting for a takeout order silently sipping my water, I got bored of waiting patiently, but my server was missing for some time at this point. Girl cooking in back could hear me ask for him but ignored me. What is it with the workers here? Could they just try giving a shit? My 814 sandwich and house chips ended up tasting fine. But I'd never return to service like that. Plus the parking here is a joke, nonexistent. They literally told me next time to park across the street. What? And dodge traffic to get here? I can just imagine me playing human Frogger, my children clinging desperately to each hand. Wow. No thank you. read more

Food, happy hour, setting, SERVICE. 5 stars all the way around. Their "artist hour" happy hour might be the best in OC. Generous portions and tasty food. This is the perfect place to come for a date and take your time. It's not a get in get out type of vibe. Come, hangout, have a couple drinks, eat as you go. My new Date spot!! Jambalaya is fire btw. But lots to choose from read more

Unbelievable great food . Everything we had was epic . Wife shared the meat platter, brisket, chicken. I had mac and brisket, I'm not a big dessert fan but beignet I kinda crushed. Great service, totally helpful and friendly waitress. Have to be honest parking is a challenge, but definitely worth it. I will definitely going back to this awesome place read more

Dining here brought me back to my European travels. Tiny, initiate restaurant, tapa styles food and great vibes. It has a weird French/Spanish/New Orleans jazzy fusion vibe. A very romantic date spot. The food is great, some of it served up tapas style so ideal for sharing. They have beer & wine (still working on liquor license). If you like Sangria, you have to try the stuff they have here! Not too fruity and excellently spiced. I would go back just for the Sangria. Dining here really felt like an adventure with everything from the atmosphere to the food. We walked in without a reservation and sat at the bar, your only option really without reservations. It's a small spot, so reservations seem to be encouraged. For food, we started off with some brussel sprouts which were phenomenal. Then split the pulled pork and shrimp PO'boy. This was more than enough food for 3 people and we loved each dish. I can't wait to come back and try their flatbreads too. Excited about this location. read more

Westend - Menu - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My favorite joint around. I've only tried the pulled pork sandwich, Brussels sprouts, and soyrizo tacos, topped with fried egg. All SUPERB. Handcrafted cocktails made with love. I want to try everything on the menu, and the "secret menu". Do yourself a favor, browse the Yelp photos and get yourself there! read more

Westend - Brussels sprouts and Old Fashioned, stirred, not shaken. - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I found this place on uber eats and decided to try it out. We ordered for two people with two different entrees. The food was pretty amazing and I was a little surprised in how good it was especially with going in blind with delivery. The portions were nice and the flavors worked well together. The only complaint I had was with the avocado I had put on my salad which was extra. The portion was like a spoon full and it was quite pricey. I'll order from them again but next time visit the physical restaurant. The pictures online are pretty and it would be good to dine in. read more

In reality, this should be a 3.5, but with Yelp only allowing whole numbers, 3 it is. Decided to try something different for date night, and ended up coming here. Made reservations for 7:30 PM on a Saturday night, but we were like one of 2 parties, so reservations were definitely not needed. I can see parking potentially being an issue, but we were able to easily find street parking. Ambiance 5/5: Nice area, good for a date. The music was a little loud, but not obscenely loud that you couldn't carry on conversation. Couple of table inside, plus a patio out back. Supposedly this place is dog friendly too, according to Yelp, but we didn't see any dogs when there. Service 4/5: Nothing to write home about, but nothing horrible. Food 3.5/5: Okay, me and my wife got three things, and I'll break it down: Calamari (appetizer) - It's good, if inoffensive. Would order it again. Squid ink noodles with crab - The wife got this. This was decent, but I'm unsure if it's freshly made. Admittedly, I haven't had too much squid ink pasta, but the couple of times I HAVE had it, my mouth is usually stained from the ink. This one didn't stain my mouth (or my wife's mouth), so I'm skeptical of the freshness of it (but don't quote me on that). Not horrible, but not crazy good either. Fish & Chips - I got this. Again, this was good, but nothing to really write home about. The fish was flakey, and the batter was an IPA beer batter, but it wasn't great batter. The chips were good. Overall, I'm a little confused at the theme of the food for this place - is it suppose to be French? New Orleans? New American? all of the above? Kind of not focused. Price 4/5 - The price was decent for what it was. The squid ink pasta seemed a little pricey, but everything else seemed fairly price. Final Score 3.5/5 (Not an average) - Ultimately, this was a restaurant with a cool ambiance, good service, but it falls a little short on the food. They also didn't have spirits, but they mentioned they had just gotten their liquor license and was in the process of providing spirits on their menu. On the strength of their food alone, I probably wouldn't be back. Maybe when they have proper spirits, this place can transform to be a neat little bar with bar bites, but as it is now, it was a cool new place to check out, but I probably won't go out of my way to come back. read more

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Good atmosphere, good music and good food! I suggest trying the pozole verde or the cauliflower pizza! read more

The gentrification of Costa Mesa's Westside continues with the appropriately named Westend. An eclectic little restaurant with influences in Cajun and New Orleans Style cuisine with a contemporary twist. Based upon the menu alone, the influences appear quite broad and albeit a bit schizophrenic but that's refreshing imo. Who wants predictable anymore, especially from places like this. Situated on a sketchy strip off Placentia next door to an old furniture restoration shop, this restaurant isn't exactly easy to find. Tack on top of that the lack of parking and it may seem nearly impossible to dine here. If you're lucky enough, there's a handful of 2 hour street parking spots nearby so don't fret. The restaurant itself is full of charm with a vintage feel to it and a small but quaint patio dining area in the back with an electric fireplace. With outdoor lights cascading above, a dimly lit candle at my table and vintage printed vinyl table cloths at every table, I felt like I was reliving a scene from lady and the tramp. That's a good thing btw. With retro lounge music playing the in the background, one can't help but feel a bit nostalgic. Our server wasted no time taking our orders and left a treat at the table: Housemade Corn Nuts. Holy smokes, I don't know what they put in those things but they're incredibly addictive! Crunchy, flavorful and yes, you just can't get enough of it! At least I couldn't. Seconds please. There was a bit of a wait for our food but it was definitely worth it. The Jambalaya was glorious with copious amounts of delicious proteins including chicken, sausage and plump grilled seasoned shrimp. The aroma was infectious and it had me absolutely drooling for my first bite. The creole white rice with tomatoes was perfectly cooked and was coursing with robust flavor I might add. This tasty dish definitely had Cajun written all over it. The IPA battered fish and chips were literally deep fried pieces of fish filet with actual potato chips. House made, of course. Call me a traditionalist but I prefer my fish with fries or as the Brits coined them "chips." Whatever the case, the potato chips were airy, light and crispy, which was a pleasant contrast to the deep fried battered fish filets. I really enjoyed the two different sauces that accompanied the fish, which included a traditional tartar and a spicy Cajun style aioli of sorts, which added a nice kick to the dish. Overall, I had a great experience here but it wasn't without a few odd hiccups throughout the evening. For instance, we were not sure if we wanted to order the beignets so late at night but our server enticed us by offering it on the house. We kindly accepted but it never arrived. Also, the quirky lounge music stopped midway through our meal and all we could hear was mariachi music playing from the kitchen. I have a feeling that wasn't intentional. Whatever the case, I think this place has a great deal of potential. With a little fine tuning on the menu, more consistent service and more accessible parking, I'm hoping that it can carve itself a permanent spot in the Costa Mesa food scene. Only time will tell, though. Until then... Happy Eats! read more

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