Top 15 Affordable Restaurants in Santa Ana, CA

Jack Karapetyan We had such a wonderful experience here thanks to the incredibly kind and accommodating staff. Although pancakes are usually only offered on weekends, we were dining during the week with a child who had their heart set on pancakes. The kitchen graciously made an exception and prepared them anyway, which absolutely made our day (and our child’s!). The food was delicious, but what really stood out was the genuine hospitality and willingness to go above and beyond for their guests. It’s rare to find that level of care, and it didn’t go unnoticed. We’ll definitely be back and highly recommend this place—especially for families.

Mony A The Mariachi and live music build an enjoyable atmosphere. The food is delicious and the drinks dont disappoint. Gaby is a awesome server. She made great recommendations and checked on us periodically to make sure we had all we needed. Will definitely be returning!

Michael Higgins JR Loving the new menu! Working my way through it now, everything is made with love. Prices are very reasonable and food is fresh!

Neil Kakar The food and atmosphere were amazing! A beautiful spot to stop in and have a nice brunch and coffee! The breakfast Sandwich on croissant and breakfast burrito were great! Service was a little slow.

Bishoy Tawfik I heard a lot about Papa K’s, but I wasn’t expecting that he truly brought the taste of Egypt to OC. As an Egyptian and a seafood lover, this is one of the best seafood dishes I have ever had. Please keep up the great work and the amazing food quality!

Mario Estrada Great mom and pop place for good quality Oaxacan food. The service was great and good generous portions

Alexandra Fox Absolutely 5 stars!!! The food was beautiful, fresh & delicious. My server, Jorge went the extra mile and adjusted for my requests. He was fast, professional and offered suggestions for places to see in Santa Ana. It was worth driving here just for lunch and his service! I had the 1/2 sandwich and salad (swapped sourdough for rye and added Manchengo cheese to salad). A glass of ABC Pinot Noir, then an amazing dessert of Banana Tres Leches with an Earl Grey tea. Everything was DELICIOUS!!!

Henry Rios This is truly a gem, a place where friends and family or complete strangers can come together for good eats or a cool beer. Not to mention the great choices of mix drinks or straight up shots. The food is excellent, comfort food just like abuelas cooking! Music is always on point, DJs spin a variety of music and if youre lucky you might be in for a surprise comedy show! My wife brought me here to celebrate our anniversary, Let me tell you from experience you will become a regular. This place should be a staple for down town Santa Ana.

Angie Weisse We had a great experience here! Wonderful food and even better service!! Thanks for making our date night so fun and delicious!

Stephanie Stotelmeyer Great food - a little pricey but delicious (we did order the ribs which were the just expensive item - well worth it though). The bread and butter was amazing (heirloom blue corn sourdough from 6100 bread bakery next door- yum!). The melon salad was bright and delightful with just a bit of spice - so good! The diner decor and style is fun. The building is cool and funky. I definitely need to go back for dinner to try the lamb and a few of the shareables. I also want to try the lunch menu.

Lauren Rodriguez The service here was great and the food was delicious. Our server was friendly and gave us recommendations when we asked. The chips were thin, crispy and perfectly salted and the guacamole was some of the best I’ve had. The chorizo quesadilla was unique with the lentils, but so good. All 3 salsas provided were excellent and we all enjoyed the brisket and carnitas tacos. My husband said the brisket taco was his favorite. The drinks were also very good. We will for sure come back again sometime.

Chris Yanke I open the shop on Halloween night. It was extremely busy and I had to admit they maintained their concentration. They didn’t let the stress get to them and they managed to carry themselves through, but I had to try something new on the menu the crisp apple pie and of course you added a scoop of vanilla ice cream and get it warmed up. I swear to God I should’ve ordered two slices. This is so good. I sat at the counter and enjoyed my cup of coffee. They’re going to be a lot of specials to try in November but this location is different than the one I usually go to, but the service is equal to the same and everybody is really friendly… But I’m going to try that ham traditional dinner for 1999 that’s coming up next on my dream list.

Jimby Santa Ana Food is fresh, hot and very tasty. Waiters very attentive, friendly. Beers are always cold!!

Enea Ostrich The wait was typical for a restaurant that makes their dishes from scratch:). Superb food. I really liked their Chilean Sea Bass with two large shrimp (they really looked like prawns to me!). It was over a scrumptious risotto. My husband had the Short Rib Pasta (there was a longer name but it reminded me of a ragu). Anyhow our party of 7 had wonderful foods prior to the main meal too. There was a prosciutto burrata appetizer that w as nice and also the calamari fritti was fried lightly and tasty by husband said. I think that overall we all had a grand New Years Eve at Antonellos. It was decorated really nice for the holidays.

whoa buddy Really enjoy the ambience of this place the open air vibe nestled in santa ana is absolutely beautiful. The parking is limited and reservations are suggested. The menu is seasonal with some reoccurring dishes but each dish is carefully thought out and delicious. The staff and service is what stand out. Each server is friendly and knowledgeable of each dish and make the dining experience one to not forget.