16 days of fun? You’re gonna need your strength! Fuel up before hitting the Off Center Festival with a variety of eats around town. From eclectic upscale sit-downs, to some delicious grab-and-go options –– Costa Mesa has a ton to offer in the form of small bites, cocktails or just some killer desserts! Feeling overwhelmed? No need to panic as we’re sharing some of our top-10 picks for food and drinks around Segerstrom Center for your bookmarking pleasure!
Habana
“The waitress recommended the spice rubbed ahi tuna over a bed of goat and mash potatoes.. Oh boy, damn was it good. I was pleasantly surprised that they used passion fruit as the sauce as it complimented the ahi very well.” – Dana K
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
“I come to Karl Strauss about once a month. This is one of my favorite restaurants! Try a flight –– I’m a fan of the stout, red, and Hefeweizen. The food is solid in general, I’ve yet to find a dud.” – Luke H
Pom & Olive
“Literally the best chicken shish kabob I’ve ever had. Juicy and tender with amazing flavor. We also ordered the trio appetizer and loved the hummus and babaganoush.” – Stephanie F
Ritter’s Steam Kettle Cooking
“House Pan Roast. If you get one thing, this is what you get. Also, I recommend saving some of that bread on your table to dip into it. They will ask you what spicy level you want –– my favorite is a five, it’s spicy, but not so spicy that you can’t enjoy all of the other flavors dancing in your mouth.” – Karey R
Seabirds Kitchen
“I ordered the fried Brussels sprouts appetizer and loved the lemon zing. I also ordered two fried mushroom tacos on blue corn tortilla. These. Were. Amazing. Like, some of the best tacos I’ve had all year. Not usually a meatless kind of person, but today I was looking for something veggie friendly and tasty. I also enjoyed a glass of Cabernet. I left full, buzzed and fully satisfied.” – Felicity K
Vitaly
“Their creative gelato flavors are incredibly fun, and I recommend getting the gelato flight to try many… My favorite is the pear and ricotta cheese. Their handmade pastas can be a little pricey but are full of flavor and worth it in my opinion.” – Joy S
Blackmarket Bakery
“It’s no surprise that this little bakery is a divine spot for coffee, sweets and other snacks. Their pastries and cookies are always fresh and the flavor is insanely yummy. Pair with a cup of coffee and now we’re talkin’.” – Bethany M
Kitsch Bar
“Mellow place, on the small side, but pretty nice –– looks more like a small lounge, but drinks are cheap and it’s in a random area of Costa Mesa that isn’t pretentious. Some nights they have DJ’s, others game nights, fun place.” – Ursula G
Uroko Cafe
“Like the other BYOP juggernauts, Uroko offers an ‘assembly line’ style bar with different ingredients for your bowl. For the base, they offer white rice, brown rice, or salad. You can also add thin cucumber slices and onions. Then you have your choice of the different kinds of fish, including tuna, spicy tuna mash, salmon, albacore, yellowtail, shrimp, or scallops followed by your sauce of choice and spiciness…” – Michael T
Life’s all about choices –– find more great local spots before the show with your handy dandy Yelp app! While you’re at it, make sure to hashtag any social media masterpieces with #YelpOC to make your friends and family jealous of your culinary expertise!
