Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in Orange County

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in Orange County? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dining Costa Mesa

4.9

4.9 (149)

$50 and over

Yakiniku

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Authentic Japanese Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant.

Manpuku Community!
We are now open for inside dinning ONLY.
Please call at 714-708-3290 if you have any questions. Thank you!

-Restaurant Policy-
We hold reservations for 10 minutes. If your party has not arrived or called via phone within 10 minutes after your reservation time, the restaurant reserves the right to mark your reservation as a no-show or cancellation. Time limit of 1hour 45 min dinning must be required for all party. Please check in before your reservation time.

Top review

JamieF

Dined 2 days ago

I love this restaurant. It’s a small cozy space with extremely friendly staff, and high quality food. You won’t be disappointed. Uni & Kobe beef sashimi, and garlic fried rice and mind blowing good!

Petrossian at Tiffany

4.9

4.9 (242)

$50 and over

French

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

The new Petrossian at Tiffany restaurant concept—located at Tiffany & Co. South Coast Plaza—brings a one-of-a-kind dining experience to Southern California. With the world’s finest caviar and a French-influenced contemporary menu, Petrossian’s Executive Chef Carlos Cabrera masterfully unites the art of caviar with the Tiffany & Co. tradition of excellence.

Top review

Johnvip

Dined on Aug 30, 2024

This was our visit and we will definitely be back. It made for a great afternoon date spot. We started with som wonderful champagne, the 2000 Dom Pérignon P2. It was delicious. We accompanied that with the Ysar Imperial Ossetra caviar. It paired wonderfully the accompaniments were well prepared. We finished off with the Beef Tartare and the Potato Mille-Feuille. Everything was well prepared and the staff was great. A truly great spot for both simply some caviar and champagne or to celebrate that special moment in life. Highly recommend a visit.

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4.8

4.8 (508)

$31 to $50

Persian

Santa Ana

About the restaurant

Darya Restaurant has been serving the Santa Ana, California area with authentic Persian gourmet dining for more than 20 year years. The restaurant features an elegant d�cor with a private mezzanine room, lit chandeliers and formal stairway. Darya Restaurant offers lunch and dinner daily and features gourmet cuisine at affordable prices. The restaurant offers an extensive menu of appetizers, beef, lamb, chicken, soups and salads, Persian rice with meat, Persian stew, seafood, combination platters and vegetarian plates. Popular selections at Darya Restaurant include albaloo polo, koobideh with lubia polo, chelo kabob, chicken with bones, filet mignon, lamb kabob and tadig special Persian rice.

Top review

Sinavip

Dined 4 days ago

Take it from a Persian who's had persian food his entire life, both in America and Iran. Darya is one of the best, if not THE best Persian restaurant in OC. Recipes are always on point, food quality is consistent, service is always great. My favorite persian spot.

Francoli Gourmet

4.8

4.8 (504)

$31 to $50

Italian

Orange

About the restaurant

WALK-INS ARE WELCOME FOR PARTIES UNDER 6 GUESTS

If you can't find availability for your desired time and date please call us 714-288-1077

AVAILABLE TAKE OUT FOOD + WINE
(Delivery available through third party services i.e. Doordash, Postmates, Grubhub).

Extensive Italian wine selection available for take out.
Francoligourmet.com for available menu.

Experience authentic Northern Italian Cuisine in the heart of sunny Southern California at Francoli Gourmet. This classic eatery features classic flavors, prepared with the freshest ingredients. Francoli Gourmet features an onsite specialty store, carrying wines from all 20 regions of Italy as well as liquors. Francoli Gourmet's menu is a gourmet tour of Northern Italy, rich in regional specialties and popular favorites.

We provide also a retail section with Italian Imports such as liqueurs, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, specialty pasta, plus so much more.

Top review

Courtneyvip

Dined on Aug 26, 2024

Always a fave when visiting. Staff friendly, food fresh and hot.

Filomena's Italian Kitchen

4.7

4.7 (90)

$30 and under

Italian

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Filomena's Italian Kitchen serves old-world cuisine in a cozy setting in Costa Mesa. The restaurant is a labor of love for owner and chef Linda Johnsen, who has translated her Italian heritage and family recipes into a flavorful comfort food menu. From her grandmother's Sunday sauce gracing the chicken, veal and eggplant parmesan to the classic sauce in the pappardelle bolognese, traditional ingredients stand out at Filomena's Italian Kitchen. Johnsen has put her own stamp on the menu with creations like champagne chicken and agro dolce calamari (shrimp and calamari tossed in a sweet tangy glaze with pine nuts, raisins and sweet peppers).In addition to traditional first-course options like caprese angel hair pasta, entree and seafood specialties, Filomena's also serves a selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pizzas and calzones. End your meal at Filomena's Italian Kitchen on a sweet note with tiramisu, cannoli or flourless chocolate cake.

Top review

Pamvip

Dined on Sep 4, 2024

Hector our waiter was great, willing to address our needs. Food was good, if we were in the area again we would try it a second time.

Market Broiler-The Outlets at Orange

4.7

4.7 (611)

$30 and under

Seafood

Orange

About the restaurant

REFRESHED OUR CONCEPT
Along with a new upgraded Dock-to-Dish Seasonal menu, we have added community tables to our bar, added 10 Draft Beer handles, elevated the Wine List, and modernized our handcrafted Cocktails.

Additionally, we have enhanced our Happy Hour offerings, created new made-in-house scrumptious Desserts, and retrained our staff to perfect our Polished Casual Service.

For those loyal guests of Market Broiler, we still have lots of your favorites, but we invite you to come in and sample some of our newest additions!

Top review

Rebeccavip

Dined on Aug 31, 2024

Johnny was an exceptional server. Enjoyed my meal very much.

Don Juan Mexican Kitchen & Bar

4.7

4.7 (17)

$30 and under

Mexican

San Juan Capistrano

About the restaurant

Don Juan Mexican Kitchen lead by executive Chef Chris Tzorin is here with a new Modern Mexican cuisine and mixology. Located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano, the vibes, food, and drinks are immaculate. A place for date night, family outings, solo dates, and more. We are the hottest Mexican restaurant in town.

"Its more than a meal, its a modern experience"

Top review

DebiM

Dined on Jul 27, 2024

We had a stellar experience at Don Juan Mexican Kitchen! The service was perfect; very friendly and accommodating without being intrusive, and food and drinks were served in a very timely manner. The food was absolutely delicious. Our party of four started with the crispy pork belly bites, which I think were the best I’ve ever had. Our daughter had the Ensenada salad with shrimp. It looked very fresh and beautiful, with the largest shrimp I have seen in a long time. She really enjoyed it. The rest of us had a variety of tacos, and they were all exceptionally good. The drinks were expertly made with very fresh ingredients and were beautifully presented. We were celebrating my husband’s birthday, and they brought out a dish of ice cream with the best fresh-made and hot churros that I’ve had. All in all, I would give them a 10 out of 10 and look forward to returning.

The Hobbit

4.6

4.6 (1396)

$50 and over

Contemporary French

Orange

About the restaurant

* Please use 7:00 for reservations, as we only have one seating per evening.

The "New" Hobbit Restaurant is open!
Owner Matt McKinney invites you to a fine dining experience in a remodeled 1930's farmhouse.
Several different dining rooms, with their own personalities, enhance the natural feel of the restaurant. All three floors are available for dining, even our Wine Cellar!
Our six course prix fixe menu is $150.00 per person, an 18% gratuity and tax will be added to your dinner tab.

Top review

Debbie

Dined 4 days ago

First time at the Hobbit. We really enjoyed it. Loved the whole experience. What a pleasant way to spend and evening. Food and drinks were great. What a wine cellar!!

Green Parrot Villa

4.5

4.5 (43)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Santa Ana

About the restaurant

The Green Parrot Villa transforms into a restaurant Sundays. We offer a vibrant setting for an all-you-can-eat Champagne Sunday brunch. Come enjoy the sounds and foods of Mexico backed by our LIVE mariachi. The mariachi band performs at various settings throughout the venue, so everyone is assured the same unique experience. The brunch menu features a taco bar with authentic hand-made tortillas, fresh fruit, made-to-order omelets, and a variety of Mexican entrees and sides including pozole and menudo.
For those who would like to continue an afternoon full of culture and history the Bowers Museum is right across from the villa. The museum's permanent collection features notable pieces of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and Native American art. One mile away are the Downtown Santa Ana Bars and Shops for those who want to enjoy shopping and premium drinks.

If you're curious about hosting an event with us this is the perfect way to get to know the venue in an event like setting.

Top review

Evelyn

Dined on Aug 18, 2024

Wonderful to experience with my family. The servers were amazing and very attentive. i would definitely go back!

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Experience

Dia De Los Muertos 2024

Experience

Posada Navideña 2024 - Adult Ticket

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