Tangata Restaurant

Name: Tangata Restaurant
Address: 2002 N. main St., Santa Ana, CA, United States, 92706
Telephone: (714) 550-0906
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5 (1291)

$30 and under

Californian

2002 N. main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

About this restaurant

Charming
Healthy
Lively

Experience a culinary juxtaposition of Pacific Rim and California cuisine. Set aside the celebrated Bower Museum in Santa Ana, Tangata Restaurant is the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon. Deemed the "hidden gem of sophisticated California Cuisine" by the OC Examiner and winner of the OpenTable "Diner's Choice" and "Great for Lunch" Awards, Tangata is sure to satisfy any appetite.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Californian, American, Unspecified
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm
Phone number
(714) 550-0906
Website
http://www.tangatarestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
The romantic fountains, ﬂower gardens and mission-style architecture of The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana provide a quintessential Southern California setting for any event. From elegant dinners to business meetings, wedding receptions to holiday gatherings, The Bowers Museum offers spaces to make any event memorable, and Patina Catering will create a custom menu to perfectly suit your event’s needs. To receive more information about our catering and private event options at this location and off-site, please call 714 567 3630 or email bowersevents@patinagroup.com
Private party facilities
Tangata (or "mankind" in the tribal Maori language of New Zealand) features Southwestern decor enclosed by glass walls and a ceiling framed with stuccoed beams and large windows to allow ambient light to illuminate the main dining area. Located in the Bowers Museum's mission-style courtyard, the 160-seat restaurant dedicates half of its available seating to al fresco dining on a large patio area. The patio area opens into the mission-style courtyard that is perfect for romantic weddings or evening receptions. Tangata is perfect for social or business luncheons, dinners and gatherings. Our sophisticated Californian cuisine and impeccable service will impress your guests. Located just off the 5 freeway, we also offer convenient parking. The Bowers Museum adds a twinkle to romantic weddings, banquets and receptions under the stars with its lush mission-style courtyard, replete with romantic fountains, year-round flowers, an attractive tiered patio and Spanish-style balcony.

Location
2002 N. main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
Neighborhood
Santa Ana
Cross street
Main and 20th
Parking details
All-day parking is available in the Bowers Museum parking lot. $6 flat rate. Free with validation from Tangata.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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BREAD BASKET$5.00
Assorted bread | whipped butter
EDAMAME HUMMUS$12.00
Nori | toasted sesame seeds | wonton chips
SHISHITO PEPPERS$14.00
Ponzu | yuzu aioli | toasted pepitas
CRISPY BRUEESL SPROUTS$14.00
Sweet chili | garlic crunch
AVOCADO TOAST$16.00
Alfalfa sprouts | tomato | smashed avocado | pickled onions | whole grain bread
MARKET SOUP$10.00
Chef's daily Selection
AHI POKE$18.00
Crispy rice | wakame | cucumber | black sesame seeds | yuzu ponzu

Salads

Add grilled chicken 7, salmon or shrimp 9 to any salad

MANCHEGO$19.00
wild arugula | apple | walnut | manchego cheese | dates | walnut vinaigrette
WEDGE$18.00
Iceberg lettuce | candied bacon | cherry tomato | red onion | blue cheese | hard boiled egg | balsamic glaze
TUSCAN KALE$19.00
Julienne kale | beets | butternut squash | goat cheese | toasted pepitas | pomegranate vinaigrette
MISO GLAZED SALMON$24.00
Soba noodles | sugar snap peas | cabbage | carrots | cucumbers | green onion | wakame | ginger soy dressing

Sandwiches

Served with choice of fries or side salad

TUNA MELT$19.00
albacore tuna | sharp cheddar | tomato | served on marble rye
THE BURGER$24.00
Angus patty | sharp cheddar cheese | bacon | lettuce | whole grilled onion | tomato | secret sauce | brioche bun
OVEN ROASTED TURKEY SANDWICH$22.00
Roasted turkey breast | crushed avocado | tomato | red onion | candied bacon | romaine lettuce | tarragon aioli | sourdough bread
RUEBAN$22.00
Pastrami | swiss cheese | sauerkraut | secret sauce | rye bread
CHICKEN KATSU$22.00
Panko crusted chicken breast | yuzu slaw | sesame aioli | brioche bread
VEGGIE WRAP$19.00
Edamame hummus | cucumber | tomato | red onion | alfalfa sprouts | spinach tortilla

Kids

Served with choice of fries, fruit or side salad

CHICKEN TENDERS$14.00
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH$14.00
CHEESEBURGER$14.00

Sweets

CRÈME BRÛLÉE$12.00
Fresh berries
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE$12.00
Caramel Sauce
SORBET SCOOP$5.00
Chef's daily selection

Featured Cocktails

HARVEST MARGARITA$16.00
tequila | agave | pineapple juice | lime juice
HOKUSAI$16.00
gin lemon juice | lychee syrup | lychee fruit
MAPLE BOURBON SMASH$16.00
bourbon | lemon juice | maple simple syrup
ASIAN PEAR MULE$16.00
pear vodka | lime juice | ginger beer | asian pear fruit
SANGRIA$16.00
rosé | brandy | triple sec | orange juice | fruit |

Wine

Sparkling

Patina Cuvée, Brut, France
Glass $14, Bottle $55
La Marca, Prosecco, Italy (187ml Split)
Glass $14
Lanson Black Label, Brut, Champagne
Bottle $60

White

Pinot Grigio, Ecco Domani, Italy
Glass $14, Bottle $55
Sauvignon Blanc, Giesen, Marlborough
Glass $14, Bottle $55
Sancerre, Domain Gerard Millet, France
Bottle $65
Chardonnay, EOS, California
Glass $13, Bottle $49
Chardonnay, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, S.Barbara
Glass $14, Bottle $55

Rosé

Rose, Domain de Cala, Province, France
Glass $12, Bottle $46

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon, Rickshaw, California
Glass $14, Bottle $55
Merlot, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, Santa Barbara
Glass $13, Bottle $49
Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, Santa Barbara
Glass $14, Bottle $55
Pinot Noir, Kenwood, Sonoma
Bottle $50
Syrah-Grenache, Domain de Cala, Rouge, France
Bottle $65

Beer

Modelo Especial$8.00
Coors Light$8.00
Peroni Pilsner$8.00
Lagunitas IPA$10.00

Water

Acqua Panna Natural Spring$7.00
S. Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral$7.00

Soft Drinks

Iced Tea$5.00
Lemonade$5.00
Coke$5.00
Diet Coke$5.00
Sprite$5.00

Hot Organic Teas

$6 each

Earl Grey
yunnan black, floral, citrus
English Breakfast
robust, smooth, malty
Citron Green
nutty, toasty, buttery
Peppermint
cooling, minty, refreshing
Chamomile
herbal, floral, silky

Coffee by Lavazza

Espresso$5.50
Macchiato$6.00
Latte$6.00
Cappuccino$6.00
Italian Roast Coffee$5.00

What 1,291 people are saying

Tangata Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.7Service
4.4Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Tangata Restaurant offers a delightful dining experience in a lovely setting at the Bowers Museum. Guests appreciate the "excellent service" and "quality food," with standout dishes like the porchetta banh mi and grilled veggie salad. The restaurant is perfect for a museum day, though reservations are recommended during busy exhibits.

1,291 Reviews

M
Maureen
Orange County7 reviews
4.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The service and staff are excellent. The menu is more limited than it used to be. Really miss the "brunch" items like the French Toast. This time they didn't even have the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. The noise level is not "energetic" but horrendous. We try and get there very early because as the restaurant fills, those of us with "old" ears can't even hear the person sitting across from us. This is true of MANY of the restaurants and can't understand why management thinks noise is a good thing.
Is this helpful?
P
Patricia
San Diego42 reviews
4.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Very noisy inside. Limited menu, and not the one as listed on Open Table. Excellent attentive and quick service. No gin drinks available.
Is this helpful?
J
Janet
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
5.0
Dined on June 29, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Tangata is such a lovely place to eat before or after a visit to the Bowers Museum. I have eaten there before this visit and the food had been excellent, However, this time I had a BBQ Chicken Salad and was very disappointed. Very little chicken and nothing "BBQ" about it. No BBQ flavor, no BBQ sauce on the side or drizzled on top. It was bland and boring. That said, the people at my table who ordered other entrees were much happier with their food than I was. Will go back, but won't order the same thing.
Is this helpful?
G
Grayce VIP
Orange County105 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Service was excellent. Nice, tasty, quality food and drink. This was the perfect lunch before enjoying the museum exhibits. My own fault, I forgot the museum closes at 4pm so time your lunch for earlier and explore the museum at a faster pace than we did :-)
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c
carolyn VIP
Orange County15 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved our lunch with Tangata yesterday! Thank you!
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
Orange County30 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Asian Salad was outstanding, but a little less cabbage would improve it greatly. The piece of grilled salmon alongside was perfectly cooked and delicious. Our friends and my husband enjoyed the soup du jour. cream of tomato. Also the grilled veggie salad looked great & was very good. We shared mango sorbet and chocolate mousse for dessert...........delicious all around. Bring a jacket or sweater if dining inside =-AC is strong. Always a good lunch at Tangata.
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L
Linda VIP
Los Angeles36 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Came early and went to all the exhibits, really such a nice small museum. Saw the Terracotta Warrrior’s exhibit that was fantastic! Then went and had a nice lunch with the husband. I had mango salad with shrimp, glass of rose, he had the banh mi sandwich, both dishes were delicious! We drove from Venice, enjoyed our visit!
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H
Helen
Orange County3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We were at Tangata during the Terracotta Warriors exhibit at the museum, so the restaurant was SUPER busy. You MUST have a reservation if there is a popular show at the museum. Service was excellent. I had a porchetta bahn mi sandwich, which was delicious. The others had: hamburger, and two salads. We were all happy with our meals. And their coffee is top notch! Definitely recommend.
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C
Carol
Los Angeles17 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A large group, we had salads, crab cakes and soup and sandwiches.. Everyone liked their choices.
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R
Robert
Los Angeles7 reviews
3.0
Dined on June 21, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
I made 1:00 pm reservation as I was attending an all-day seminar at the museum. Although we were in line at 12:45, we were seated at 1:30 pm as the staff made no attempt to seat reservations first. The waitress was lovely and the food was good, but we missed the first 1/2 hour of the afternoon lecture because our reservation was not respected. Yes, they were busy due to the seminar. But they showed no respect for those of us who had anticipated their activity and attempted to help avoid problems. The hostess’ approach to the problem was to hide in the kitchen. Incidentally, while waiting 45 minutes, we could count as many as 5 empty tables. This is the business they’re in: the situation will arise again. They need to make a better plan for times when the museum is having special events.
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FAQs

Tangata Restaurant is rated 4.5 stars by 1291 OpenTable diners.

Tangata Restaurant does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

2002 N. main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706

Additional information

Cross street
Main and 20th
Neighborhood
Santa Ana
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Californian, American, Unspecified
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
All-day parking is available in the Bowers Museum parking lot. $6 flat rate. Free with validation from Tangata.
Payment options
AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.tangatarestaurant.com/
Phone number
(714) 550-0906
Catering
The romantic fountains, ﬂower gardens and mission-style architecture of The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana provide a quintessential Southern California setting for any event. From elegant dinners to business meetings, wedding receptions to holiday gatherings, The Bowers Museum offers spaces to make any event memorable, and Patina Catering will create a custom menu to perfectly suit your event’s needs. To receive more information about our catering and private event options at this location and off-site, please call 714 567 3630 or email bowersevents@patinagroup.com
Private party facilities
Tangata (or "mankind" in the tribal Maori language of New Zealand) features Southwestern decor enclosed by glass walls and a ceiling framed with stuccoed beams and large windows to allow ambient light to illuminate the main dining area. Located in the Bowers Museum's mission-style courtyard, the 160-seat restaurant dedicates half of its available seating to al fresco dining on a large patio area. The patio area opens into the mission-style courtyard that is perfect for romantic weddings or evening receptions. Tangata is perfect for social or business luncheons, dinners and gatherings. Our sophisticated Californian cuisine and impeccable service will impress your guests. Located just off the 5 freeway, we also offer convenient parking. The Bowers Museum adds a twinkle to romantic weddings, banquets and receptions under the stars with its lush mission-style courtyard, replete with romantic fountains, year-round flowers, an attractive tiered patio and Spanish-style balcony.

Featured in

100 Orange County Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Tangata Restaurant

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

100 Orange County Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Gift card

To Start

BREAD BASKET$5.00

EDAMAME HUMMUS$12.00

SHISHITO PEPPERS$14.00

CRISPY BRUEESL SPROUTS$14.00

AVOCADO TOAST$16.00

MARKET SOUP$10.00

AHI POKE$18.00

Salads

MANCHEGO$19.00

WEDGE$18.00

TUSCAN KALE$19.00

MISO GLAZED SALMON$24.00

Sandwiches

TUNA MELT$19.00

THE BURGER$24.00

OVEN ROASTED TURKEY SANDWICH$22.00

RUEBAN$22.00

CHICKEN KATSU$22.00

VEGGIE WRAP$19.00

Kids

CHICKEN TENDERS$14.00

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH$14.00

CHEESEBURGER$14.00

Sweets

CRÈME BRÛLÉE$12.00

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE$12.00

SORBET SCOOP$5.00

Featured Cocktails

HARVEST MARGARITA$16.00

HOKUSAI$16.00

MAPLE BOURBON SMASH$16.00

ASIAN PEAR MULE$16.00

SANGRIA$16.00

Wine

Sparkling

Patina Cuvée, Brut, France

La Marca, Prosecco, Italy (187ml Split)

Lanson Black Label, Brut, Champagne

White

Pinot Grigio, Ecco Domani, Italy

Sauvignon Blanc, Giesen, Marlborough

Sancerre, Domain Gerard Millet, France

Chardonnay, EOS, California

Chardonnay, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, S.Barbara

Rosé

Rose, Domain de Cala, Province, France

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon, Rickshaw, California

Merlot, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, Santa Barbara

Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat, Patina Label, Santa Barbara

Pinot Noir, Kenwood, Sonoma

Syrah-Grenache, Domain de Cala, Rouge, France

Beer

Modelo Especial$8.00

Coors Light$8.00

Peroni Pilsner$8.00

Lagunitas IPA$10.00

Water

Acqua Panna Natural Spring$7.00

S. Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral$7.00

Soft Drinks

Iced Tea$5.00

Lemonade$5.00

Coke$5.00

Diet Coke$5.00

Sprite$5.00

Hot Organic Teas

Earl Grey

English Breakfast

Citron Green

Peppermint

Chamomile

Coffee by Lavazza