Restaurants in Costa Mesa, CA: 10 local spots by cuisine
A plain-spoken guide to 10 Costa Mesa restaurants, covering hot chicken, French crepes, shabu-shabu, pho, vegan dishes, poke, Indian food and more.
10 local businesses · Updated November 2026 · From Our Local Spotlight
These Costa Mesa restaurants cover a wide range of cooking, from Nashville-style hot chicken and French crepes to Vietnamese pho, Indian curries, vegan dishes and poke bowls. Each listing is a local business with its own menu, so the right pick usually depends on what you want to eat and how you want to get it. Before you go, check dietary details directly. Several places note halal, gluten-free, vegan or no-MSG options, but menus change, so ask staff about ingredients you need to avoid. For places that take reservations, such as Butcher's House and Seabirds Kitchen, book ahead. For takeout or delivery, compare the ordering options on each restaurant's own site.
1
Bred Hot Chicken
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CABred Hot Chicken serves Nashville-style hot chicken, with Juicy Chicken Tenders, the Big O' Sandwich and Loaded Fries. Its chicken is halal-certified, and heat levels run from mild to hot.
2
Butcher's House
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CAButcher's House Brasserie is a French restaurant built around wood-fire grilling, with dry-aged steaks and a menu reflecting the food chef and owner Jeoffrey Offer grew up with in Toulouse. Its dining room is small, and reservations are required.
3
Cal Shabu
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CACal Shabu serves build-your-own shabu-shabu hot pot, where diners cook meat and vegetables in seasoned boiling water and dip each bite in ponzu or goma sauce. Hot drops are available for anyone who likes heat.
4
Mo Pho Mi
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CAMo Pho Mi is a Vietnamese restaurant known for pho and no-MSG cooking, using Jidori organic free-range chicken and certified Angus beef aged at least 40 days. It offers gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options.
5
ORANGE PARIS CAFE
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CAOrange Paris Cafe is a French bistro, creperie, bakery and cafe where crepes are made to order in front of the counter. Its menu also includes homemade croissants, pies, quiches and baguette sandwiches, and it offers curbside pickup and free delivery.
6
Seabirds Kitchen
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CASeabirds Kitchen is a vegan restaurant that started as a food truck in 2010 and now has a dining room in Costa Mesa. Its scratch-made dishes use local produce, weekend brunch runs 10 am to 3 pm, and table reservations are accepted.
7
Sessions West Coast Deli
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CASessions West Coast Deli makes sandwiches to order on locally baked artisan bread, with sauces, sides, salads and soups made in-house each day. Its meats are humanely raised, and the deli also offers catering and happy hour.
8
The India cafe Restaurant
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CAThe India cafe Restaurant serves curries, biryani, tandoori specialties and freshly baked naan, with a lunch buffet and a Nepali thali special. You can order online for pickup or delivery, or call about takeout.
9
Uroko Poke
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CAUroko Poke makes California-style poke bowls with premium fish and customizable toppings, plus sushi rolls and boba drinks. Vegan-friendly bowls are built around tofu, seasoned mushroom and fresh vegetables, and the restaurant offers a rewards program and mobile app.
10
La Chateau Garden Bistro
Restaurant Costa Mesa, CALa Chateau Garden Bistro is the restaurant inside the Ayres Hotel Costa Mesa Newport Beach, known for The Calabrian, thinly sliced rib roast with melted provolone and a spicy Calabrian chili relish. Guests can dine by the stone fountain courtyard.
Details come from each business’s own listing in Costa Mesa Local Directory. Businesses don’t pay to be in our guides.