One of the best places to eat in Orange County. The service was top notch, the food was delicious. The menu is well thought out, not a lot of things but there is something for everyone. We had two kids with us so thats not always easy. The Pork patty was delicious, the omlette was very well made and a change from the normal breakfast eggs Benedict. I cant wait to try their dinner menu.
Good news and Bad News. The good news is that the Sticky Toffee Pudding is still there and out of this world. The bad news is they arent quite at the level of the Playground with their other dishes. Something was just not quite there in each dish we ordered. The cheesy bread had yummy cheese and arrabiatta sauce, but the bread itself lacked that extra flavor. The braised short ribs was good, but it tasted closer to pot roast even though the sauce and pickled onions were delicious. We also had the lamb dumpling which were good, but again something off with a bitter aftertaste.We also had the beer bratwurst. Everything about that dish was good, but the texture of the bratwurst was really finely ground, so it threw me off because it was unlike bratwurst texture to which I am accustomed.Everything was just almost right there to take you over the top in flavor luke Playground used to, but it just didnt quite get there for me. I will return for the toffee pudding for sure-if they let me after this review. Also, to he fair, they have only been open as Detention a short while and the menu will change again, offering new dishes. We ordered 5 dishes and spent about $150. P.S.The ambience and wait staff are great.
A review cannot do this place justice, you need to go and check it out for yourself. Went to the 2.0 experience last week and it was amazing. Unique, delicious bites. One of my favorite dishes was the dry-aged sea bass, who knew you could dry age fish?! Side dishes and drink pairings also on-point. Also, the bread. That bread. So fluffy and soft and fresh. Chef Jason obviously knows what he is doing. I can honestly say you are missing out if you dont visit. Trust.
Extraordinary great service with very relaxing ambience (especially for Friday night). One of the dishes was not the way we would like but they decided not to charge us. We also were celebrating friends birthday. The server gave us 2 extra different cakes without any charge either. What a wonderful time we had over there at Playground
Visited twice in the last 2 months and both meals were delicious. Drink wise, the cocktail with the milk punch is the go to. Very balanced citrus flavors with a creamy mouth feel.Duck breast is a stand out dish with the perfectly al dente soba noodle. Its an Asian dish well executed in a non Asian restaurant.
Made reservations for a birthday party of 10. We were told we couldnt order off the regular menu as it was a big party, and that we had to go with omakase (chefs special of the day). Glad we went along with it. We really enjoyed being able to taste the variety of their specialties. Most of the dishes were delicious but a couple were on the saltier side. There were a total of 10 dishes and two desserts.
DTTN 2.0 is a foodies dream come true. Every dish is unique and prepared with a perfect balance of flavors, textures, and presentation. Jason showcases his culinary expertise, skillfully blending unique ingredients and techniques to create innovative and unforgettable dishes. Whether youre a fan of traditional favorites or eager to try something new and exciting, DTTN 2.0 offers a diverse menu that caters to all palates and preferences.The ambiance is warm, inviting, and makes for a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.The service is personal and personable as the staff ensures that each guest feels welcomed and taken care of. From the moment you step through the door, you are greeted with genuine warmth and attentiveness.The menu is constantly evolving with innovation and seasonal ingredients. This dedication to freshness and creativity ensures that each visit is a unique and exciting gastronomic adventure.
Detention was fantastic! We loved it. Servers were great and food and drinks were super! Cant say enough about it. Each dish is so creative! Cant wait to go back!
I finally had a chance to dine at Playground! We had the We LOVE Raw Fish And This Is Our Favorite Way, Uncle Lous Fried Chicken, Brussel Sprouts Caesar, and Khao Soi. The food was delicious! I had wanted to order an additional dish, but Im so glad we didnt. We were stuffed by the end of our meal.I really enjoyed all the flavors in every dish. The raw fish was very light and refreshing. It came with small round pink radish wrappers, which I thought were very cute.I was surprised that I liked the Uncle Lous Fried Chicken. I was scared when our server let us know that it had a buffalo flavor. Im not a big fan of buffalo, but the flavors of the fried chicken was so unique! It was sweet, salty, and tangy. I was able to taste the buffalo, but there was also bbq and other spices! The seasoning was good. It comes with two drumsticks and two thighs. These are smaller than KFC size. The portion was bigger than I had anticipated, which is always a nice surprise.We both really liked the brussel sprouts. Best brussel sprouts weve had. The sauce is creamy and surprisingly went really well with the dish. It also had edamame, if I remember correctly. We were surprised to find tortilla chips and croutons in it. It added great texture to this dish. This portion was also much bigger than we had anticipated.It was our first time ordering Khao Soi and we were surprised to find out that it was a noodle soup dish. This was our favorite dish of the night. The broth was delicious! It had a creamy curry coconut milk base. The noodles in the soup were thick and squiggly and there were crunchy fried noodles on top. The squiggly noodles were the perfect texture. I was really glad that we got this dish.We both ordered a beer to go with our meal. The beers were decently priced!We were both really impressed with everything that we had. We would love to come back and try other dishes!
Playground was an absolutely delightful place to eat dinner. The food was unique and delicious and easily the best place we stopped at on our trip around California. Everything has the perfect mix of spice and texture to make each dish unique and exquisite. Living in Canada, I am going to dream about coming back for more of their great food.
Food was inventive and impressive. Perfectly cooked and we loved the wait staff and the family style experience. The balance between casual and upscale is struck in this laid back environment. The cocktails were just okay. Dessert is worth it. They could have told me the mochi cake was from a prestigious bakery and I’d believe it.
The food was unique and delicious!! Service was great and ambiance very warm. A bit too pricy, but perhaps worthy. The Corn, Brussel Sprouts, and Cauliflower dishes were delightful.
I loved every minute of this awesome restaurant. From walking in greated by the host and his welcoming smile. To the excited bartender that informed me there was a spiel she would give me since it was my first time. After i read over the menu and she gave me the spiel of what the restaurant is and serves. I struggled with ordering everything at once or a bit at a time. I ordered a bit at a time and was so glad because it allowed me to truly enjoy each item I ordered. And everything was better then the last. I had steamed buns, and a chicken dish that had this fermented mango hot sauce that was just the best tasting fire i have had in a long time. To finish it off the fig bread pudding was hands down one of the best deserts i have had in my life. A must try! I will deffinitely recommend this place to any all. Thank you for the amazing food and a great evening!P.s. they have amazing attitude and atmosphere.
This review is years, years, years overdue! Two of my friends sent me articles from EaterLA stating Playground is closing their doors after 9 years. I couldnt believe it so I went on Jason Quinns IG for some more information and feel so relieved! YOU MUST WATCH HIS IG video!!Anyways, when I initially thought Playground was closing their doors forever I got really sad! So many memories here. The food, the drinks, the people. I used to go here all the time with friends and for date nights...a lot a lot of date nights. This place is a gem, the food is always 5/5, drinks are AMAZING, and service is fast. One time I wanted a banana flavored cocktail and literally the bartender went to buy one banana to make a cocktail for me...I meannnn! You cant get any better than that. After going on Jasons IG, I now want to try Playground 1.9 and dough exchange! Im so glad theyre still offering to-go orders as well. Its too bad so many small (pretty much all) businesses were effected from covid, I hope all businesses reopen again soon & thrive! Im such a sucker for good food + drinks & playground is definitely one of my OC favs. I need to find all my pictures from the Playground so I can post all the epic meals from here!!!Pricing reasonable.Parking: street or structure.Service, food, drinks 5/5
Loved everything! The sourdough bread was excellent, especially with the cream and jam. Most certainly enjoyed the fresh made tortellini. Only real improvement would be to add more truffle to the black truffle tartar but it went beautifully with the waffle. Do not miss the pork belly kurobuta! The best part about the hazelnut chocolate budino was the salted caramel. Very interesting sourdough ice cream. We particularly enjoyed the crunchy sesame topping. The perfect finish to the dinner was having some sourdough ice cream with the sesame crumble chopped with a salted caramel and charcoal whipped cream.
Excellent food and wonderful drinks. Its on the pricier side but one of the best restaurants in the area
Phenomenal, local, innovative restaurant and bar located in an exquisitely renovated century-old building in beautiful downtown Santa Ana. The first thing their accommodating staff ask you pertains to your food allergies. The second thing they explain is no modifications, come with an open mind, and send back what you dont like (with very few exceptions). Promise you wont want to send any of these delicious dishes back!
Love the personal touch. Only 1 thing... it was lacking service towards the end of the night. We got there at 8 and we got much more attentive service when we reserve at 6. The only time service sucked was when we got reservations at 8. Unfortunate, but I will try again at 6. Maybe you go early from now on.
Easily the best chefs in Orange County. Consistent excellence! I have been here 5-10 times and every time, every dish is wonderful.
Playground is incomparable in the best possible sense. Its a week run, fun and adventurous take on New American food.There omakase tasting menu is highly recommended. Their menu is always changing. I highly recommend Playground.
We love this place! Jason and his team are doing an incredible job. We have not been dining in for a while, but the Playground 2.0 experiences were definitely my highlights in the last 3 years. Were now enjoying take-outs and specials (super excited what youre coming up with on Valentines Day!). The variety and quality of ingredients are unmatched here in the area. Just wanted to say thank you!
Get here before its over... Its been a wonderful 10 years. We are excited for the new place but Playground is Playground and you might as well have a final memorable experience.
Seriously? Youre reading this review and not eating there right now? I order basically random dishes and have never once been disappointed. Im sitting here now and debating to order a meal to go or not.Honestly, its phenomenal, staff are and always have been amazing, great beer selection, nothing bad to say about it at all. I come here every time im in town and that doesnt look likely to ever change.
Nice atmosphere and service but the food missed the mark in several instances. Scallop crudo overwhelmed by crunchy burnt fried garlic. Pork wraps were purportedly Korean but very little spice or flavor. Burnt basque cheesecake was barely cooked, with a slight propane torch top - nothing like expected. Overall a disappointment for the price point.
The food and experience here is amazing, the hosts level of service is astonishing and the food is at a level I have not experienced before. The menu changes often so prepare to be surprised and amazed, with intriquite recipes involving unique and fresh ingredients. The dry aged steak I had here has to be one of the best Ive ever had, and the perfect salad left us wanting to know their secrets. Definitely the place to go when youre feeling adventurous or up for a fun date.
Great food and great service. This was my first visit at DTS and I will be back for more. Due to construction getting there was little tough.
I love Detention food. Dishes are so fantastic but it is too salty. Service maner is wonderful.
Had an amazing experience here. We ordered the aged bass, and wagyu beef. We heard a backstory on how the chef learned to cook/age it in Australia.Staff very friendly, food was excellent.
You really cant ever go wrong with this place! Each dish is better than the next and every plate tells its own little story! What a wonderful mix of flavors! I really cant rave enough about the quality of the service here as well! The food comes out right as its prepared and anyone from the waitstaff is happy to help! This is a must stop place for anyone who enjoys eating! (so everyone)
This place is just amazing! Located in dtsa this place is a must try! The service is beyond great, EXCELLENT customer service. The food never disappoints. Ordered two vegan dishes and zero complaints. Their menus do change up from time to time so don’t expect to see the same items on there for long.
Weve been coming here for years and Playground remains to be our special place. Every dish is fantastic in its own way and the revolving menu always allows for new discoveries. Tonights shining stars were the Chilean Sea Bass with sweet corn succotash and jalepeno mousse as well as the buttery scallops. Pure seafood heaven.
The bay scallops were the highlight but everything was fantastic. Dont be put off by people who complain about no modifications; go with an open mind and a willingness to try new things and itll work itself out.
This place is AMAZING!!!! The chef and his team are phenomenal. They have such a love and passion for what they do and you really taste it in the food. We did the Ultimate Steak Dinner at Playground 2.0 and Im still dreaming about it.
This establishment is one of my favorites for drink/dinner dates. Took my spouse here and we enjoyed one of their alcohol tasting packages. I highly recommend that. Its amazing. We had a personal bartender who asked us some questions about our preferences and made us unique drinks, all while explaining what and how they made it! If you can, run here and enjoy an amazing night. Their milk bread is soo good and made fresh to order. I cant wait to go back!
We just had an interesting experience at The Playground. It started with the phrase from the server “you’re in for a treat!” I thought there would be a show full of props. If we were to judge the restaurant by the drinks and the dessert, we would give them 5 stars. The main feature and treat ( or trick?) The server started circling items. It was as if the entire menu disappeared. To give credit to the kitchen, they made the best of what they could make with what they had.Major points for improvement:Manage expectations- communicate ahead of time if you are almost out of items. There should be a manager to coordinate with wait staff and kitchen.Manage reservations- we had an 8:30 pm reservation confirmed weeks ahead that they had no idea about…because they gave our table to someone else.Manage time - sitting at 8:30 pm is still reasonable for 10:00 pm closing. We were so rushed by the server that we felt we had to down our entire meal.We know this restaurant is great because the friends we went with raved about how great it is; but unfortunately this was our only experience which was very poor.
I picked up this spot on a random search for a tapas bar with vegetarian options. I booked a table for four and when we went there the front desk informed that they informed that they have a large party still eating and we need to wait. We waited for more than half-hour although we had a reserved table. I was about to take a decision on leaving the place and, they woke up to the fact that what is happening is not correct and apologized and gave us cocktails on the house and arranged for our table. Aside from that initial experience, the restaurant is very roomy and nicely decorated. The lounge spaces are nice with very good ambiance and privacy. Our seating was excellent. They really have a great selection of alcohol - two bar lounges with top shelf and private labels. The cocktails were well made that I ordered a second one. We ate a quiet bit of items from the - leaves - section. They were small plates with big portions for four persons. The service was excellent, the waiter was courteous and friendly. The menu is seasonal and I plan to visit again.
We had a great experience from beginning to end. The craft cocktails were exceptional and we tried nearly all of the small plates, with the chicken mousse and crispy rice being among our favorites. I had the pork jowls which were served with fantastic house made tortillas, and it was perfectly cooked and the dish was perfectly balanced. Finished with sticky toffee pudding... One of my top 5 foods of all time! Very highly recommend!
The duck sausage pasta, fig toffee cake and pork buns were amazing. Beets and short rib curry not the best.
Great food and ambiance but for the food, portion size, and plating, there are many other places that outshine Detention
Top tier restaurant. Personal OC fav. Changing menus based on season and chef, the food always moves and is 98% always a hit for me. Never sent back a plate bc it was that bad and never will. Honestly $20 plates but I only eat here for special occasions and it hits the spot every time.
Great food and outstanding service. Laura didnt skipp a beat and was there for anything we needed
The portions were big for tapas and their scallop dish was pretty good. Staffs were friendly and accommodating but the ambiance felt cheap, random and unorganized.
Love this place, been coming here for many years - since the beginning, really. I kind of dig the elite atmosphere and abhor picky eaters. The place has become quite the jam as of late so getting in is a bit tricky, but sometimes if you just show up and ask nicely theyll squeeze you in somewhere.Usually always fun beers on tap and always amazing dishes - some really adventurous. A true gastro experience for those looking for something fun and different. Plus you are usually seated close to another party so you must be a tad social. Put the phone away and have fun.Jason really pours his heart and soul into this place and you can tell. I remember eating off of his old food truck many years ago. Good for you - dude.
This place is fantastic. Everything we tried was amazing and very well rounded. We were given plenty of time and never felt rushed. Our waiter was very informative and attentive. I am excited to return and try everything all over again!
The uncle Lous chicken is definitely an acquired taste. It doesnt taste like much other than vinegar. The other seasoning kinda just disappear under the taste of vinegar. The khao soi with braised short-ribs was the dish I liked the most.
Still getting it done; good rotating small plates, great drinks, attentive and knowledgeable wait staff.
Came here for Playground 1.9. Definitely worth it! I know it is expensive but come and support if you have the means.
Visit this place!!! AWESOME!!!! Best local bar!!! If Im not mistaken they are changing their menu every two weeks!Try London Calling cocktail !!!!!!!!! Its a gin with lemon and smth else, tastes delicious! I dont drink this type of liquor at all, but that cocktail was amazing!!! Love love love it!Try it, you wont regret!!!Also, the walls are decorated with a modern paintings! Fascinating!PS: if you visit thus place please please please ask them for the recipe of London Calling cocktail, will appreciate a lot! :)
Always an incredible experience. Fantastic food and service! One of the best hummus I have ever tried...
This is a dining experience! I love this place.. great service. Cant miss the fried chicken..
Located in the heart of DTSA, this place is doing some really great things. Their menu changes daily, which means that you will get a slew of creative dishes. I would normally shy away from this, but the chef here has it right.I tried the beef tartare tater tots, and they were hands down the most delicious tots Ive ever had. I also enjoyed a bowl of Khao Soi, very good!
Everything here was Soo good and the service was amazing. It is a little pricy but you wont regret it
Great restaurant offering delectable global cuisine with quick, efficient service in an industrial atmosphere.
Bold, and in a great way! Delicious food (though a bit heavy in the acid) that was satisfying and adventurous.
2.0 is a unique and delightful dining experience. The chefs are as fun as they are talented. Highly recommend their best of dinner at the end of the year.
I should have taken more pictures because the cauliflower in tahini, the wild boar, and lamb were all delicious and beautiful
Great food and service, excellent value and wine list with a well informed selection. Bit of a hipster dive. Never seen a wine list with such a low mark up
I had high hopes after seeing the reviews here while we were in Santa Ana for the Art Walk.It took 15 minutes to order food. 20 minutes for the appetizers to come. Then we waited 30+ minutes for the food to even begin to come for the main courses. The waitress was friendly, but neglected to check on us during those 30 minutes despite the fact the restaurant was NOT busy. We decided to leave do to the lack of service. As we were leaving the kitchen said, and I quote Fine well eat the food! No apology for the delay, nothing. Just a snotty attitude for their mistake, not to mention how incredibly rude, disrespectful, tasteless and unprofessional it was.The mushroom toast thing we ordered for appetizers were incredibly salty and the cheesy bread was too sweet! Also, what restaurant doesnt have iced tea?One of the WORST experiences I have had at a restaurant in recent memory. I have been all over the world and never had a kitchen staff treat me or someone I was with so poorly. Owners and management need to have a sit down on how to treat customers for their kitchen staff, especially when a restaurant has full staff, isnt busy and takes over 45 minutes to get simple meals completed.Id give this place a 0/5 if I could to be honest.Save yourself the trouble and avoid this place.
I love this place. It can be a little pricy, but its SO worth it. Drinks are always good. Menu is seasonal i believe. Everything Ive had from here has been delicious. Everyone Ive taken has fell in love with the place. Highly recommend those place.
Excellent service. Good food. You must try the fried chicken. Menus change every month or so. Highly recommended.
Amazing food and absolutely amazing service. After a different restaurant down the street fumbled on our reservation for 16 people, we were left to figure out who would accommodate us on a moment’s notice on a Saturday night. Playground to the rescue! They turned our night around, greeting us with a complementary toast of bubbly and quickly getting a table put together for us.The service was top notch and we were all pleasantly surprised by the food! We were grateful the other reservation didn’t work out! It’s super easy to find vegetarian and vegan options on the menu and for omnivores, you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything!
Great menu, warm service, delicious food! The Brussels sprouts were almost magical 😁
The food and drinks here absolutely incredible! I highly recommend checking this place out!!
The food is fun and flavor bomby, lots of savory/sweet/tart mix and excellent attention to texture. The texture salad is amazing - my favorite dish of the night. The service is so standout - every person who touched our table was friendly, efficient, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the food, and just incredibly pleasant. The service really made the night. Thank you, Playground staff! You are some of the absolute best in the business.
Absolutely delicious cocktails and food that was to die for. My husband and I went during the opening week and we had such a hard time stopping ourselves from ordering everything on the menu. My favorite item was the short rib & cucumber salad. The angolotti was my husbands favorite. Oh and the lamb dumplings! Ended with bone marrow chocolate cake WOW!
A huge disappointment and a lesson in ego and how to fail at hospitality. We showed up with family for a birthday celebration, as well as mother and father-in-law who flew in from out of state. My father-in-law has cancer and a limited appetite and wanted the steak frits but with the steak well-done. I’m aware this is not ideal. We ordered 3 of the steak frits (there were 8 people, we ordered multiple bottles of wine and the bill was close to 1k) and asked for one of the steaks to be cooked well done as that’s all he could eat. The other two were ordered medium-rare as appropriate. We were flatly refused. We asked if we could have half of his steak sent back and cooked more to accommodate, and again were told no. It would have taken almost no effort to accommodate this request to make a customer happy. This is not a case of a customer telling a chef how to do their job or how to cook a meal, but a simple request so that my father-in-law could enjoy a meal. The Sommelier here was terrific as was the service, but the chef should be fired. We will certainly never visit this restaurant again.
A gastronomic delight. Wonderful bursts of flavor cascading over the tongue.
Truly unique bar with amazing food and drinks. The Cocktail Omakase experience with Jarred was incredible. 6 stars.
Our first time and we loved everything about it. The wine selection is a bit meh, but everything else was great. We shared the salad, eggplant, kofta, and the ahi, all fresh and delicious. We will be back
Where to even start... The chefs and crew were all amazing, personable, funny, and excellent at their craft. The food was plate after plate of incredible beauty and full of flavors. The environment is cozy and perfect for a group of friends. At the end of it all, its expensive, but its 100% worth it. I am so full, I can barely breathe, and everything I ate was outstanding.
There is not a better restaurant out there! This restaurant is insanely good. I wish I could bring it out to Nashville now that Ive moved. This is a must on any trip I take back to CA. Theres not a single thing on the menu I wouldnt recommend. The playful spirit is fun and enjoyable across the full menu. Staff is always on top of things. It may not be poised as a 5-star, find dining restaurant but the food is far better than most those restaurants.
Good googamooga!!!!! Aw yea baby this place is what I’m talking about. From service to product, everything was stellar.We were a tough group of 10 with lots of friends in the area popping in and out of our table. They didn’t miss a beat with us.The menu is incredibly diverse and ever-changing with plenty of options for every type of dietary restriction. You look at the menu and kinda think, ‘How much did these chefs smoke? … any why have I never thought to do that?’The omakase option is a win. It does take some time for the pacing of food with this, so simply be advised that those with time constraints might not want to opt in. It’s a feast.
Playground’s name is very apt - it is a very playful dining experience. Moving from one wonderful small plate to another, you can’t help but have a big smile on your face.Walking into the dining room, we saw a line of perfectly formed, freshly baked sourdough bread loaves, so of course we started with a few slices with some butter. My colleagues and I ordered a cocktail from their extensive menu, and it was clear the bartender knew their stuff. They also have 10+ taps behind the bar.Playground’s menu is constantly changing, and the menus are printed daily. We had a tasty steak tartare, curried chicken and some huge pork buns. The fig guacamole with fried chicken skin was served with fresh tortillas. Great service, too.Worth every penny.
Looked cool but food wasnt that great menu option not impressive aged steak was the only thing that got my attention but know much better places for steak and pricing and make sure you have a reservation for the night cause its a long wait if they dont turn you away for being booked up for the evening unless you like the bar area wont be coming here again make sure to keep a jacket on the bar side if its a cold day
My wife and I had a great first experience at Playground. Everything we tried was amazing. The flavors were top notch. From their Cauliflower Nachos and Rock Shrimp Steam Buns to their Pork Sogu with home made pasta. Not to mention their servers were very attentive and knowledgeable. Will definitely go back.
I really enjoyed all the flavors in every dish. The raw fish was very light and refreshing. It came with small round pink radish wrappers, which I thought were very cute.For desert, we had Abels Sticky Toffee Pudding which was recommended to me and it was amazing.
Loved every second of my time there.
A wonderful spot with a very unique culinary experience. We had the mussels with green harissa, lamb dumplings, pork jowl and the toffee pudding. Plus many yummy cocktails.
We had a party of six and decided to order omokase. The chefs selected several dishes for us to try, and I was very impressed by the dishes. I also appreciate the fact that they work with you if you have any food allergies or dietary restriction. Everything was good and the cocktails and beer lists were both very interesting. The service was very good. I will definitely come back.
This restaurant is aptly named. Evidently the menu changes all the time save for a few menu staples. In order to get the most out of your dinning experience, you should choose a variety of items for the table and share. The flavor combinations are mouth watering! It is very difficult to choose what to try; consequently, we ended up choosing more that we could finish! I would definitely recommend choosing The Trust. This is a secret menu item...no description offered. You just have to trust that it will be wonderful. And it was!
Phenomenal! We ate here for our monthly family dinner and we literally ate about a quarter of the menu items and everything was absolutely fantastic. Creative and a very interesting combination of ingredients makes for a fantastic culinary experience. Highly recommend the bread pudding. It was so good we ordered two of them!
There are many things to really like about this restaurant and experience. First off, it is an adventure--coming in with an open mind, willing and excited to try what the chef prepares for you. The enthusiasm of the chef and his entire staff is contagious--they relish explaining each dish and how they added various elements to separate it from other preparations. The food is very good and the atmosphere exudes a buzz---most people sitting at the counter catch themselves all not only enjoying their food but also talking about it. I was there for one of the meat nights--it was great fun comparing the various cuts and types. The vegetables were also wonderful. It was a great night.
Every time I eat here I feel like I just had the best meal of my life. The fried chicken is always great, the spinach, brussel sprouts, noodles, etc... are fantastic. Drinks are awesome too. One of my favorite items was the steam bun pork belly sliders... until I had the steam bun Nashville hot rock-shrimp sliders. Incredible.
Ecclectic. Very popular place. My wife and I enjoyed it because it was risk taking for us. New beers, fancy cocktails, and interesting food. We enjoyed the experience. The service staff is outstanding. I cant say the food was great hence only 4 stars. I did like the oyster mushrooms crisp. Warning: Meters on the street go to 10pm. Pay the meter or get fined. :( I hope someone reads this and saves themselves a parking fine.
Ive never tasted a combination of foods or flavors this unique and fantastic. Refreshing to have such a NEW combination of flavors.
Fun menu and excellent drink options. I had the charcoal sourdough and it was SO good. The atmosphere is cool and good for cozy or group seating. The service was the best part, for me. The staff is just great - respectful, professional, and sweet. As a queer person who really looks it, I will always sing praises for an establishment that is welcoming and not stuffy. Plenty of high-end places around Orange County have really disappointed on that front, but Playground manages to be both comfortable and gorgeous, with plenty to offer anyone who appreciates fine dining or trendier fare. Make your reservation! There are plenty of reasons this place stays packed.
Absolutely will suggest to visit this place. It was my first time and the food was delicious. The service exactly what I like. The drinks especially house favorites I tried 4 of them I really liked them.
Absolutely love the food at Playground and the vibe! This is definitely one of my favorite places to eat. The atmosphere is relaxing and Chef Jason is always serving great food that really gets your taste buds going. The drinks are amazing and my favorite bartender always knows what I would like. Can’t wait to come back in for some food and company!
If you want to try a variety of dishes which have flavors that explode in your mouth, visit Playground. The Grilled Pork Jowl deserves an A++. The yams, cauliflower, and okra deserve an A. The beverage, Best Bartender 2013, also deserves an A. The portion size is similar to tapas and are meant to be shared. Next time, we will order one dish at a time. Then when it is delivered, we will order the next selection. I say this because the dishes are prepared quickly and brought to the table immediately. Our family can’t wait to return.
Food is delicious as always and the staff is fantastic. Had the 10/10 Would Smash, Corn Ribs, Honey Cauliflower, Imperial Wagyu Fries, Mochi Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding.If I had more stomachs I would reorder all of these in a heartbeat.
High end gourmet food. We love their wine called Senorio Deotxsran, and their beer called Craftsman Bier De Blanco.
The menu and wine list here changes so you can have a new experience every week. Each dish is so perfected youll indulge in the pure enjoyment of it! The staff are the friendliest and most knowledgeable youll ever have take care of you - theyll help take you through the current menu. There might be ONE tiny downside: Playground will raise your expectations for dining out to such a stratospheric level that your previous other destinations just arent going to seem fun any more! 👍
I have seen this restaurant pop up a few times and was always curious. My wife and I finally made it there this past weekend and what an absolute treat!They offer so many unique dishes that are shareable and absolutely delicious. We started with the We are making cabbage sexy again . It was amazing, hands down the most flavorful cabbage dish we have ever tried. Our main was the Dry Aged White Sea Bass all I can say is wow! We had a couple smaller dishes that I cannot recall the name but all their dishes offer a delicious fusion of flavors and textures that are exquisite.I cannot wait to return to try out some more dishes in the very near future. Definitely one of our new favorites !!
Food is absolutely delicious! Menue changes according to season. Farm to table concept is smart. Love the Duck pappardelle. The clam dish was amazing!
Playground is a must try. Their menu changes daily based on ingredient availability. Uncle Lous Fried Chicken is different than the usual and very good. Buns are all different and yummy. Pasta is delicious and fresh made. Local beers on tap. Every single person on hand is dedicated to making the dining experience enjoyable. Hard working kitchen staff. Knowledgeable wait staff. Parking is street.
What an experience!Came here with a few friends who had been raving about this place for the Trust dinner - and am I glad we trusted.The 2.0 is located right behind the Playground restaurant and is set for an intimate experience a small group of guests and the best chefs.Started with them introducing themselves, and giving as idea of what to expect - they had gone to the local farmers market, picked up the freshest of the fresh and used their imagination to prepare what we were about to eat.We were first served a warm piece of bread which set the tone of what was to come.Plates were served to share between each two guests - but plentiful. As soon as one plate would finish, before you could start wishing you had more, something even more delicious was served - leaving our palates in cloud 9. Ocean to farm, and everything in between - all delicious.I cant wait to come back for the Ultimate Steak dinner!
Playground is one of those places you need to visit at least once. Nothing on their menu is bad. Everything dish is amazing, the staff are awesome, and they wear their bad reviews on their sleeves. Literally. They have 1-star Yelp reviews framed on the wall and on their shirts. Theyre pretty funny to read.It can be expensive, especially with larger groups. But each time Ive gone with friends I leave laughing and so stuffed I can barely walk. Its a one of a kind place. Try it out.
Unforunately our high expectations fell very short tonight. To list our meal - Cheesy Bread, Lamb Dumplings, Short Rib - all came out very fast and very cold, we ate and left within an hour. On top of the temperature being 75°(maybe) on all items, the bread and short rib were under seasoned to the point of there being almost none on the meat itself and the bread comprable to communion at catholic mass. Its easy to say we will sadly never be going back. Overall really bad, the meat mustve been cooked yesterday or the day before... braised short rib in 15mins cold is just impossible. For $160 just go to costco and get a nice meal for home.
Imagine small plates of food (like tapas) served for hours, course after course, all delicious and all fusiony Asian and American. Now imagine everyone is nice, service is great, and the ambience is good! Thats Playground.Nestled in a part of Santa Ana I didnt know existed, reminding me of downtown Pasadena, this restaurant experience was the site of a recent work event, and it DELIVERED!Highly recommend you show up hungry. Cost was $60+ per person, but well worth it.
Ive gone to the Playground twice now for Sunday Supper. The first time was great! There were several really good dishes. The second time wasnt as good and I was a little disappointed at some of the portion sizes (short ribs dish was 2 slices of meat for 6 people). Regardless, I think Sunday Supper is a great experience and good for getting a wide variety of things to eat. The service was also great both times. The staff was very friendly and fun.Quick tip: there is no corkage fee so feel free to bring in your own wine.
First off this place is fantastic. The menu changes daily, but they have stuff for all. The prices are a bit up there but the portions are a good size and the quality of the food is excellent. Worth every penny. They do not do substitutions but if you are not happy with your meal they will exchange it for you.One of my favorite things was that the staff wears shirts with their bad reviews on it. The things people complain about are ridiculous. Worth checking out. Will definitely be back.
The staff, the accommodations, and the food were all top-notch. Everything was perfect when my family and I visited. The place was so classy, and their dishes were so satisfying and delicious. Everyone dining here is in a good mood because they knew they are eating great food. We were so full. I highly recommend it.
What a great chef, a great meal and a great experience! Really fun dinner. The hostess was super nice and also gave some great suggestions on what food to try. And our waiter was also just as awesome and nice.
Excellent restaurant. Celebrated my birthday here and I couldnt have asked for a better dining experience. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, pork buns, pork chop and their famous Uncle Louis fried chicken...everything was to die for. Topping it off with their signature sticky toffee pudding....I believe I died and went to heaven with the first bite! Bless your life....visit this restaurant!!
Amazing food, unique combinations perfectly prepared.
Second time doing playground 2.0 and I have to say both have been some of my most memorable foodie experiences. Jason is just a master at what he does. A truly gifted chef. I love hearing about the food, the narrative becomes a part of the culinary experience and us humans love a good story.
Their menu changes everyday, but their main ingredients tend to be the same. Ive been here over a dozen times because you can always find at least one dish that you really really love. Beer menu also changes, and they will always have one nitro.I would recommend getting their toffee pudding dessert. Its very sweet but so good!You cant substitute or change how any dish is made, which I think is good. It preserves the dish. But, dont worry.. if you dont like it just tell them and they will take it back and off your check. For this reason I rate playground 5 stars!
This place is very unique, they change their menus every Tuesday. Portions are smaller but worth trying.The desserts are to die for!
This place never disappoints! Great food and great service. I like how the menu changes periodically. I also enjoy that they never remove some of their dishes from the menu. One of my favorite dishes is their Brussels sprouts, they are great. I recently went for my bday dinner and I was amazed when I tried their American Imperial Wagyu, it was phenomenal. Lastly, the cocktails they prepare here are also good, I stick w the mezcal cocktails.
Prices - For the type of establishment I think prices are a bit higher than used to for a place like this.Parking - Make sure you pay the meter at all times of the day, and that you have a front plate. I learned the hard way $275 later.Food - Very delicious food with okay portions and the taste was pretty good.Drinks - Decent pours and good flavor tasting drinks.Venue - Felt a bit narrow inside sitting by the window, but place is okay size and kept clean and somewhat updated.Overall chill place, if in the area worth checking out.
Went there for the first time and had the vegan rice bowl with the butter lettuce. It was so delicious! And I’m not even vegan, we were seated as soon as we walked in, attended quickly and our waitress kept coming back and checking up on us. Super cool place, loved it and definitely coming back! Wish I had taken a picture but I ate my food too fast lol
So, we decided to try this restaurant on the recommendation of our son and his wife. He said the food was tremendous so we looked it up on yelp and found some good reviews. We took another couple with us our best friends for many years. When we got there to be honest with you, we could hardly make heads or tails out of the menu. It looked very confusing and somewhat eclectic and really wasn’t our cup of tea if you know what I mean. We had decided to maybe leave and try another restaurant but Just as we were getting ready to leave a friend of ours walked in the door strictly out of coincidence or maybe divine intervention LOL and greeted us and was surprised to see us at this restaurant.
The TRUST dinner is Amazing! Jason, Justin and Jason take care of you, entertain and deliver one of the best dinners of your life, guaranteed.
Great atmosphere, easy ordering (no substitutions but they do check for allergies). Some dishes werent to my taste but they tell you up front you can swap dishes out if you dont like them. Our waiter was able to notice if we werent really diving into a dish and would ask us if he could swap it out before we said something about it. Came out to be a little more expensive than I would have expected compared to other restaurants, though.
The best Irish Coffees I have ever had. Must try/get.
Wow amazing food! We tried so many different dishes and most were outstanding. Artichoke plate was not the best. Brisket, chicken, risotto, pasta, bread, octopus, crab cakes ... All recommended and so good. Beer selection was great as well- went with the thrillseeker IPA.
Came here with two co-workers at the end of a long work day. Great dishes. Uncle Lous fried chicken was superb, really delicious. The okra was also delish. The service was fast, friendly and the atmosphere was great. Recommended it to a few friends afterwards!
This place was pretty amazing, and while it definitely had a hipster vibe to it even thats a turn off for you well worth putting it to the side to enjoy an amazing meal. 4 seemed to be the ideal number to try a wide variety of dishes and have no leftovers. I highly recommend the pork chop and the fried chicken it sounds like those stay from week to week.Food comes out as its finished so the order can be random sometimes but it all worksThe servers work as a team and were all knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurant was clean and food was served quickly. Id highly recommend checking this place out and cant wait to come back.
Amazing restaurant! The chef is a artist who shows his talent in every dish. Even the bread and butter was exquisite. And Im very partial to small dishes that allows me to sample more of the menu. Everything we had was amazing!
Great drink selection as well as server knowledge. Good food options, but not quite as many as one may hope for. But what they serve, it is with dedication.
Great food, memorable experience! Will definitely return!!
Disappointed. Good service. Bad food.Maple glazed pork chop - pork chops with maple syrup, a sweet and salty taste. Other than being different, I don’t see what’s so great about it.Uncle Lou’s fried chicken - fried chicken with a vinegar based sauce, perhaps the sauce on my dish was off? If not then, it’s probably the worse vinegar based sauce pairing I have ever tasted.
I had been wanting to try The Playground for the longest time! Ive had it bookmarked for what seems like forever. I finally got a chance to go there and I was not disappointed. Its not a very big place so make sure to make a reservation if you are going during peak times (they offer on-line reservations straight from their yelp page). Also, you may be sharing a large long table with other groups so just keep that in mind. The menu changes constantly so they may not be serving the particular item youre looking for. We ordered the Cauliflower nachos, egg tortellini, and muscles. The nachos were out of this world. Never would I have thought that vegetable nachos could be so good. They were a bit spicy with the jalapenos but the cheese and remaining ingredients really helped to balance it out. The tortellinis were very tasty as were the muscles. The only problem I had with them is the small portion size. The price to portion ratio is a bit unbalanced but youre paying more for the quality of the food rather than quantity. The last thing Ill mention is the Fig Toffee Pudding. It was by far one of the best desserts I have ever had. It is big, extremely filling, and delicious all the way to the last bite. If you order anything make sure to order that. The beer selection was very nice, lots of micro-brews that ranged from light to dark to satisfy all tastes.
Fresh ingredients, with menu that changes daily, awesome service and heavenly dishes. We were a bit disappointed at first cause we couldnt get a table at any time other than 5:30 PM, but turned out to be perfect; since as it got later, the area was full of people hunting pokemon = )The chef came by our table, as we were one of the first customers, and gave us a warm welcome.We ordered most of the items on the menu over the course of 3 to 4 hours and each dish was heavenly. Some of my favorite dishes were : Hokkaido scallops ( so refreshing! ), Jeffs Spicy pcikled beets and the Brussels sprouts.We also tried few of their signature drinks; I dont remember the name, but it had vodka, cucumbers, and mint in it. Although delicious, it was a bit too sweet for me; I explained to our server what I was looking for and they made me a trust drink.. which was amazing!We also ordered all the items on the desert menu.. They were all great and refreshing; however, they all came out together, not giving us enough time to indulge as we had to rush to get to the next one to not let it melt.Sitting on the patio was challenging, as there were so many bugs around us, from giant black spiders to bees and other insects.The food is amazing, the reason for 4 stars instead of 5? Feeling rushed through our desert and the bugs all over the patio . We did enjoy our dining experience here and will definitely come back.
I love the Playground. Fun beers, cocktails, gins a plenty. Very hip vibe. The food is quite excellent. We had the brussel sprouts, amazing. We had the cheesy potatoes, amazing. We had the special salad I cant name, amazing. We had the rice and lettuce wraps, amazing. We had the tongue, amazing. I could have picked the whole menu. The options are many. I will absolutely be going back to try more of the menu the next time Im in town. Textural and flavorful. A tour de force. Very highly recommended.
Food here was extremely good. There were a lot of choices off the menu to choose from and since everything is family style everyone can taste and enjoy. The only thing is, they dont adjust their food. So if you do have some type of food allergy then you might want to check out the menu or call before making a reservation. Other than that, no complaints!
I visited this place last week for dinner. Great menu for both vegetarians and carnivores such as myself.The server mentioned the menu changes daily which is a great concept to keep it from being the go to place for a specific meal. It is more about the variety and atmosphere. Both were excellent.Seating at certain areas might require being next to another party which some people can be particular about.For beer drinkers I recommend the Brewery Bois. It is 2oz of pure enjoyment!
We enjoy fine dining. Playground was one of the best fine dining experiences we have had recently. Highly recommended. Less fussy environment but with excellent preparations of every dish. We might mention the Dry Aged White Sea Bass specifically. Wow. And the Brussels Sprouts Cesar salad too, which might not be anything near subtle like the sauce in the sea bass, but for a salad it is one explosion of flavor. Ok, the Plancha bread was worth the experience as well. Just go there and try whatever tempts you. You will not regret it.
Had an incredible first experience at Playground. Can’t wait to be back. Service was phenomenal, food was delicious and novel and inventive. one of our favorite restaurants in the area, definitely one of the most unique as well.
This is comfort food plus!! They seriously know how to combine flavors making super basic dishes sing like you wouldnt believe. Im not talking chicken and waffles comfort food, although if they did that sign me up, Im talking stuff like Kaya toast and pho salad, even fried chicken, just taking it to the next level. Amazing, friendly, enthusiastic staff, awesome drinks, really great use of space for the different sections of the restaurant. Heres to hoping they bring back the Some Like It Hot themed dinner at PG2.0!
A very good restaurant with some amazing food and drinks. It can be tough to get in if you just show up so reservations are suggested. The staff are always welcoming and friendly.Their menu changes seasonally, chances are there is something new each time you come back. I have yet to find a dish that comes out of that kitchen or a drink from the bar that I do not like.
Been here a few times. Each time the menu was different, so it gives you a chance to taste new things. Sometimes the description on the menu doesnt do justice to the dish, but when you taste it, you immediately appreciate the chefs expertise in flavor combinations and depth. I must say the only reason I gave it 4 stars is because on my last visit, I was a little disappointed in their Wagyu Beef nachos... the amount of beef was sparse... tasty, but sparse. For a dinner experience like none other, check out their other venue: Playground 2.0. I got the tickets for Christmas, but even if I paid, the ticket price is well worth it.
I was excited to come here. Ive heard good things about their food. I came with a friend for dinner around 640pm on a Saturday. We were seated about half an hour later The dishes are moderately portioned, enough to share a couple bites with another person. Entrees are about 22$ with the high end dishes around $37 to $50. Beers are $6. Good selection of beer and fun cocktails.We ordered the burger $16 and the Thai rib noodle (khau soi?) $22. The food was good! Very flavorful and bold for both our choices.I would come back to try something else. Its a little pricey for a random meal though.
The food, the drinks, the people. I used to go here all the time with friends and for date nights...a lot a lot of date nights. This place is a gem, the food is always 5/5, drinks are AMAZING, and service is fast. One time I wanted a banana flavored cocktail and literally the bartender went to buy one banana to make a cocktail for me...I meannnn!
Playground and its bagel annex, Dough Exchange, do great quality, innovative food. Always something amazing, served by a team that is excited about what they do. Super impressed by these guys and how they support their staff and the Downtown Santa Ana community!
One of the best meals Ive ever had! The staff was fantastic too - very friendly and knowledgeable.
I had the best dining experience of my life at the Playground. My brother, sister, and I went here for Valentines Day after reading some reviews. We sat down at our table and read through the About Us paper they provided. When we saw the Omakase option we threw caution to the wind and placed our faith in our server, Josh. It was the best dining decision weve ever made. Josh nailed it and delivered a perfect meal. The Playground is an amazing food experience with fantastic service and great drinks.
The chef is very creative and comes up with interesting dishes that introduce new and interesting flavors. The atmosphere is casual and the wait staff is friendly. They have a great beer and cocktail selection.
High expectations when you need to make reservations months in advance. Food was very good, some dishes more exciting than others. Less than excited by the Imperial Wagyu and the scallops app we had. We were comped a beautiful piece of skirt steak that was cooked to a perfect rare that really was the highlight of the night. We finished with the sticky toffee pudding, which was excellent, maybe the third best Ive ever had.
Went last night. We ordered the brussel sprouts, asada tacos, salad with crispy quinoa, fingerling potatoes, and foccia bread. I really wanted to like this place. But seriously,what was point of asking about allergies when the chef wasnt willing to omit the truffle powder on my salad? I left with a stomachache either because the food was too acidic or the truffle powder. I liked the brussel sprouts but it wasnt something Id order again. Every dish had the elements for fantastic plate but somehow flopped for me. There was the same acidic flavor in everything we had except the foccia. I did love the foccia bread with fig jam and cheese. Our server was great and offered recommendations. I would give this place more of a 3.5. I might be willing to try Playground again with a different menu.
My first visit Play Ground was Friday night, 3 August 2018. Many friends recommended this restaurant: delicious foods and menu changes often. Upon arrival, staff took note if any food allergy, which gave me a great impression of customer cares. My food and drink were great. However, the level of customer service is slightly off. Before the main course arrived, my heart burn occurred; I stopped a random server to ask for the bill because I rather leave. I did not see this person again. Our server checked my table when the final dish arrived. I explained to him that I needed the bill fast because I feel ill and must leave. He acknowledged the request, said sorry to hear, but stepped to the next table which had 4 customers reading the menus. My view was directly to that table. He took time to explain several dishes for those customers and waited for them to place the order. I remembered his name but intended not to post it here. By the time he returned with the bill, my boyfriend finished the entree. I did not want to make a big deal that night. I am writing it wishing the restaurant provides more training to staff that although it might not happen often but just a common sense that in some cases, the accelerate service should be considered. I am sure that the other 4 customers would not mind to spare 2 minutes for the server to run a bill for a sick customer if they heard about my case. Thank You for reading.
The food is a little pricey for the portion size but the service was amazing and the restaurant has a philosophy of allowing you to send back a meal if you are not satisfied with it (the server reminded us about this policy multiple times). We didnt send back a dish (they were all great) but we did exchange a drink and were much happier with the new drink (the Limit 2). Expect to pay $100-150 for two people if you get drinks with dinner. The beef tartare was our favorite dish of the evening.
Fantastic staff. Very good food. Dinging one star for the crab fritters in which the crab meat had turned. Cook/chef should have caught that one. Dont let that turn you off to the place though. Everything else was fantastic.
This establishment is fantastic! I tried the blueberry muffin, and it was fantastic! The place was also very clean and well-organized. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING! We had a wonderful holiday, thanks to you and your team! Well be back the next year!
Really delicious! Try everything!
Went here for the 2.0 trust experience. WOW - these chefs really knew how to create an amazing dinner experience. impressed by all of the fresh ingredients and story about each dish! will definitely come back again for other events!
This is some of the best food Ive ever had in my life. Everything could not have been more perfect. From the cocktails to dinner to dessert.
Love this place!!!!!! Great service and even better food. Casual dress with 5 star tapas. Everything we ate was incredible from the fried chicken to the maple braised pork chops to the asparagus, brussel sprouts, fried oysters, pasta and the salad with smoked creme fraiche. Apparently the menu changes based on the local food they receive. I would highly recommend Playground and I can’t wait until we get to visit again. I eat out a lot for business and get to go to some incredible places I would put Playground right at the top of the list. Yes it was noisy, yes it didn’t have any white table cloth but it all about the food and the food frickin rocks!!!!! Going to Playground2.0 next
This restaurant offers an amazing dining experience at great prices. If you get a group together of six or more you can choose to be served omikase style (where the chef will choose dishes for you) and it is a great way to try the wonderful food! My fondest gatherings have been held here - make a reservation so you can skip the wait.
Great casual atmosphere. Food is artsy, tastes amazing, but not cheap by any means. I thought the old fashion was way too heavy with the bitters, requested less bitters and was informed nothing on the menu could be altered. -1 Star
Interesting. Went for a business dinner and the menu and feel of the Playground gave us a lot to talk about. Food ranges from amazing to okay. So was the service. Amazing when engaged but they seemed easily distracted by each other so okay at other times.
This is my first time here. We had early reservations before our show. We parked in the lot across the way which was open with no attendant. By the time we finished dinner, an attendant was there, but we only paid $0.50. We had a few plates for dinner. We started off with drinks. We had the American Single Malt Old Fashioned and a mocktail Ginger Fizz. They were both very good. For the small plates, we started with the Beautiful Local Baby Lettuce Salad with adult pop rocks, parmesan, carrot, date, apple, and pistachio with pesto-red wine double dressing. The salad was delicious and lettuce was fresh and the portion was very generous. Then we had the Kurobuta Pork Belly steamed buns which was also very good, but filling. We ordered two, but one would have been enough for the two of us. We also had the Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms with shiro dashi butter and pea tendrils. The mushrooms and peas were in a flavorful butter sauce. The main dish was called the 9 Day Dry Aged White Sea Bass with grilled pea tendrils with green chermoula and crispy chickpeas. We never had dry aged fish and this did not disappoint. The skin was crispy, but the fish was very moist and good. Overall, we were very happy with the meal.
Yesterday we had a fun experience dining in Playground! We started with a moon fish belly fish and chips... Unlike most of the other, it was firm and full of favor. Fries were great, too! We also tried a 14 days dry aged sea bass. We thought fish need to be fresh to taste good but they did find a way to enhanced the favor without harming the texture :) Pork bun was great, too! It was just a bit too spicy for our little boy, but yet, the bun was chewy and the pork was cooked prefectly.We had a Panna cotta and sticky toffee pudding to end our day... The Panna cotta was silky-smooth, and the freeze dried orange paired well with it. They were very generous on pistachios, too. The sticky toffee pudding really surprised us. Itself and the source was super sweet... But the salty whip cream made a perfect balance with it!BTW, our server Mark suggested me their old fashioned... It was smooth and easy to drink. I loved it :)Playground will change their menu from time to time so we do expect to be surprised in the future visits!
I really loved playground and plan to go back again next time I have something to celebrate because everything is so unique and amazing. They also encourage you to try new things, if you dont like it, theyll take it off the bill. If its your first visit, I would get ordering advice from the servers.
Awesome experience, amazing food & great guys, Jason, Justin & Nick, JNJs Playhouse! U guys Rock!
We ordered every single first plate and dessert and didnt regret anything. There were lots of great items: albacore, tomato panzanella, pan roasted corn, fried chicken. Seriously, get the fried chicken. The food is inventive, fun and delicious.Really.... Get. The. Fried. Chicken.
Experimental food at its finest.The place is sort of cool, small, kinda hip and fresh sort of feel.Come for some great eats that pack a punch in the flavor department! And how fun is a menu that is constantly changing, only serving the freshest they can get their hands on that day. I think thats a great concept, and all the better that the results of such creative minds is something edible and delicious! Portions are small to medium sized, a little larger than tapas style. What must NOT be forgotten is the sticky toffee figgy pudding. It will haunt you, its so good.
Great place, great food, every entre is a new invention for the meal,The Salad and crispy quinoa,The vegies dishes,The meat dishes,The dessertsEveryone is a new venture.The people are great, friendly and serve you enjoying what they do, as they are doing it right.If you have not been there, you are missing a wonderful experience.
Disappointing, had heard good things, but overall most of the dishes we had werent very good. The steamed buns were the only highlight, especially the green curry potato. Otherwise neither of the pasta dishes were good, and their fried chicken was the absolute worst weve ever had, way way too much vinegar, seemed soaked in apple cider vinegar, just bizarrely bad
Great food and a good selection of beers and cocktails. The fried chicken and the caesar brussels sprouts are two of my favorite things, but everything is really, really good. It can get crowded, so either go early or try to sit at the bar.
To be fair we went nextdoor to Playground 2.0! Its owned by the same chef. 2.0 is basically Omakase, you basically have to Trust the chef and his crew they keep the wine and drinks flowing and the food doesnt stop once its starts. Pretty amazing experience if your a foodie and want to know what it would be like to have the best personal chef taking care of your every need then book your tickets now they book up fast. Its very intimate dinner only 18 seats, I recommend booking the 8:30 dinner as there is no one after you so there is no need to rush. Been here twice 1st was a trust dinner last was their Wine Baller Dinner, havent been disappointed yet. Cant wait till my next meal here. ☻
This is the kind of place you really want to go with a group and order to share. Everything was delicious but the duck was the winner. Its not often you find it done so well, that melt in your mouth and perfectly crispy skin kind of prepared. The pork chop also gets a mention because I dont think Ive ever seen one that big, but somehow still moist and flavorful. If youre in the area, give this place a chance, you wont be disappointed.
It was very good food and Id say that the proportions are fair. Youre not going to get a lot of food, but its not tiny either. It was delicious but very expensive. Three people was reaching towards $150. And this was after one of the dishes was on the house. The price is whats bringing my rating down for now.
Exceeded our expectations! Food like weve never had before, at affordable prices. Set menu choices every night. Chef-driven, so you take what is offered as is: no substitutions, no changes to any dish, no condiments (dont dare ask for catsup). But if you dont like a dish, they will gladly take it back and replace with another choice. A surprisingly big place, and also crowded. Reserve!
I finally had a chance to dine at Playground! We had the We LOVE Raw Fish And This Is Our Favorite Way, Uncle Lous Fried Chicken, Brussel Sprouts Caesar, and Khao Soi. The food was delicious! I had wanted to order an additional dish, but Im so glad we didnt. We were stuffed by the end of our meal.
Love this restaurant. We showed up without a reservation ( just the two of us) and they were able to find us a seat. The open kitchen format is really nice. The food is creative and really tasty. Service is excellent.
By far one of the best restaurants Ive ever been to. Playground boasts an experimental kitchen which means their menu (and drinks) are constantly changing with very few items remaining forever. Jason, the owner and head chef of Playground, is insanely talented and is constantly looking to push the boundaries of food. Hes traveled all over the world, learning from the best-of-the-best and bringing that foodie knowledge back to his establishment. Playground has grown over the last few years as well, their Santa Ana location nearly tripling. This place is a MUST if youre an foodie. My suggestion, get a dinner reservation, skip lunch, select an amazing cocktail (or ask for bartenders choice!) and relax. Also, ask for omakase which means I trust the chef and youll be surprised with plate after plate of delicious food, eaten tapas style. Or you can order of the menu....but omakase is more fun. Enjoy!
Food was very good, service was lackluster. Felt other tables received preferential service. Food took a while to come out for an a la carte style. Order the bread, the octopus, and the steak. All tasted amazing!
We havent been for a night out in Santa Ana in awhile but we decided to hit this place up and I have to say it was alot of fun. We went on a friday and it was the perfect amount of people not overly busy but just right.The staff all seemed really cool and friendly even after my friend she accidentally spilled her drink on the floor and everyone was super cool about it.The food was good the menu was awesome too bad we werent that hungry but we all had burgers and we shared some tapas. Great place overall.
Great drink selection. Menu carries a lot of hype and items seem to not be priced appropriately. Overall I would not select this place as a spot where you would go to get your grub on and feel satisfied after paying the bill.
Chinese Sweet Vinegar Tomatoes, Intentionally Frozen Albacore Tiradito, Wagyu Cheeseburger Tartare Toast were all mouth rainbows. Dessert Candied Fire Roasted Cacao Nib Rice Pudding Cloud. Absolutely amazing. My favorite place in Santa Ana. Eat here ASAP.
Playground 2.0 never disappoints!The chefs here are creative, innovative, funny, attentive, generous with drinks, and the list goes on!If you havent had a night out here yet, Id definitely recommend buying tickets on their website and giving one of their pre-fixe dinner experiences a try!
The food and drinks were all excellent. A rotating menu of small plates that can be shared is always a fun idea. Will be going back to see how much the menu changes
One of my favorite places. I love the burgers although I dont think they offer it anymore. Otherwise its great exploring something new every time. What makes this place even better is the fact that they dont charge a corkage fee.
Amazing experience. Great atmosphere, fantastic drinks and the food was top notch. Close to family style eating with good portions and some of the best food and flavors I’ve had.
The experimental concept behind Playground made for a fun, tapas-style dinner. Their twist on tacos had me ordering seconds. They preach letting their customers send back any dishes they dont like, and sure enough, I did so with an overly sweet toffee pudding with no questions asked.
Daily creations were great to choose from. 9 day aged bass had really good flavor. Bbq Pork belly buns were filling, but gots to got one each. I had the CA whiskey old fashion, excellent! Selection of wines by the glass was rather limited
Playground tonight was perfect.Cocktails were refined and balanced.Service was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable.And the food -- everything was spot on. Gem salad, queso fundido, Alabama BBQ Game Hen... perfection.Thank you, J & staff for exceeding our expectations!
Came here for a friends birthday for the Ultimate Steak Dinner, which includes 5 courses of meat, 5 courses of sides and dessert. We purchased our tickets a month in advance, there are only 18 spots available per seating. It is bar seating and they make a plate of food for you to share with every 3 people. We came with a party of 6 so it worked out for us. If you come in a party of 2, you will have to share with the person next to you whether you know them or not.The chefs were hilarious, and they kept us entertained the whole night. You could tell how passionate they are about their dishes, they put so much effort into each dish. I love that they explain each dish before serving it.FOOD:- Fresh bread: literally came right out of the oven and served to us within sections. Bread is my weakness.. The brioche and fresh butter was delicious!- Wagyu sirloin and snap peas: steak was cooked perfectly, I loved the snap peas probably one of my favorite side dishes of the night- Wagyu short rib and roasted baby carrots: one of my favorite steaks of the night! Super tender and flavorful. I loved the roasted carrots as well, I believe it was served with bleu cheese and cranberries on top. Everything complemented each other. I probably ate half the side dish myself, oops.- Wagyu picanha and cauliflower: the steak was a bit chewy compared to the others, probably the bottom of my list compared to the rest. The cauliflower was made 3 ways, puréed, roasted and I forgot the last one. It was topped off with a sauce similar to chimichurri.- Wagyu skirt steak: another favorite of the night, packed with flavor and melted in your mouth.- A5 Wagyu ribeye: the steak was from Japan, the steak was super fatty it literally melted in your mouth- Dessert: I believe it was a walnut Nutella cake with strawberry jam, topped with fresh strawberries. Loved the texture of the jam and nutella, complemented eachother well.Major food coma, some of us fell asleep on the car ride home. If youre thinking about coming, it was worth the $150, this includes tax,tip and alcohol/wine. I cannot wait to return to try other theme nights they offer. It was a pleasure, Thank you Jason, Justin, and Nick. Until next time!
Wasnt as great as I thought the fried chicken tasted like fried chicken dipped in Tabasco sauce, the pasta was bland, beef tar tar was ok but the spicy sauce was over powering all other flavors just tasted like spicy beef, the best dish was a cauliflower rice dish which was great.other than that service was great.
Great tasting wine at a reasonable price. Food was spectacular!!
A true original spot that stays true to their art. Extremely talented chefs and staff. A must, and when given the chance to trust the chef, you really will love it, so always make sure to select those options when available, and always, always, get the sourdough bread!
Really fantastic. In every way. Weeknight after peak meal rush, kitchen continues to put out excellence, while staff remains caring, accommodating, and fun. This is professional hospitality done right, along with straight delicious food and cocktails in a fun and casual environment.
Just like the restaurant name, this is Chef Jasons ultimate playground for his cooking. He is creative and bold in his approach. I got a chance to try their course meals with a large group and I must admit, they did a great job in bringing each course with good execution. My favorite of the night was probably their porkchop. I will post the picture so that everyone can envy. I would love to come back here for more.
Another amazing visit to the Playground, this time for Sunday Supper and it was fantastic. Compliments to Jason Quinn and his amazing staff. The Playground is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in OC. We were full upon leaving and I was so happy to have been able to share it with some of my friends. Thanks again to everyone who attended and to the wonderful staff at the Playground. Our Sunday Supper was $40 per person and that already includes tax + gratuity. They brought out plate after plate of delicious and amazing food. I couldnt have been happier with my experience and my friends echoed the same sentiments.We had cauliflower nachos, corn, broccolini, jicama salad, artichoke risotto, blue crab, asparagus, wagyu beef buns, quail, beet salad, fried chicken, pork belly stuffed cannelloni, maple glazed pork chop, grapefruit sorbet, and sticky toffee pudding. I may have forgotten a dish, but it was all amazing and delicious. They will bring out more of a dish you cant get enough of but we were so ridiculously full that we cried uncle. For Sunday Supper, it is by reservation only and the max group size is 10. They charge your credit card in advance to secure your reservation but it is worth every penny. Plan it a month in advance for a large party but you might be able to squeeze in a smaller group within a few weeks time frame. It depends on how full their reservation book is. Dont forget, theres no corkage fee and you can bring your own wine or beer to accompany your dinner.
Playground is not made for the consciously healthy, but it is delicious if you can look past the calories & call it a feast of a cheat meal (coming from someone whos into health & fitness). They recently expanded their current location making it easier to squeeze in last minute reservations. Menu rotates & food is delicious!
Excellent service by Adam (great suggestions, attention, expediency, and wit), delicious food, and good noise level. We had the focaccia with burrata, pesto, and pine nuts, roasted fingerling potatoes, gnocchi with browned butter and pecorino, roasted cauliflower with almonds and MOST amazing proposal jus (browned butter, soy sauce, and lime). So amazing, in fact, we asked for another side of it for ALL THE THINGS. And then a maple glazed pork chop that was as big as my head and was SO juicy and flavorful. We finished off with a Basque style cheesecake that was perfectly creamy and had a wonderful crust from the heat of the oven it was a nice end to the meal. The only misstep was the coffee. But if thats the worst, Ill take it and keep coming back for the service and food. Next time, winner winner fried chicken dinner!
Great service, we sat at the bar, as we did not have reservations on a busy Saturday night. The servers were very attentive, happily answered all menu questions. The food was amazing, each dish was served individually in its own unique sauce. We began with the new menu item, scallops, each served on its its own shell in a beautiful presentation. Next came the Panzanella - Heirloom tomatoes, with a few chunks of their housemade sourdough and basil, mint red onion, calabrian Chile vin, that was followed by the most amazing pan roasted cauliflower, flavored with almond crunch, slivers of green apple and what? popped sorghum!!! Youll never want plain steamed cauliflower again! Our last dish was the pan roasted sea bass with strawberry gazpacho, a side slaw mixture of basil, hearts of palm rhubarb & fennel. Yes you will get your omega-3 s because the crisp skin is too good not to eat!! Finally, we finished with the Valrhona Chocolate Budino! Simply just YUM - Chocolate cookie pieces with a scoop of cream semifreddo on a cold bed of chocolate custard!
One of the best meals I have ever had! Make sure to take the staffs suggestions and try various dishes for the entire table. Everything will be the best version of the dish you have experienced.
Total reviews rating 4.7
199 Reviews for DTTN 2.0 2024:
Review №1
2023-07-30 20:12:46The cocktails are unreal. Just have them make you something unique with the flavors/spirits you like, and youll be instantly impressed.Ive only had the food off the snack and shareable plates menu, but its exactly what youd expect from this crew: delicious and never dull.This is the only place I want to go for drinks now.In the photos:Yellowtail TostadaIncredible cocktailsCorn RibsMarket Plums Dessert 💯
Review №2
2023-09-07 05:01:55My first time here was about a year ago. Someone special brought me here for a date which I thought was super cute. It was busy and we got a two seater table by the kitchen. Portions were small. I had some wine with my food. They kept asking if our food was okay. Had fun on with this person here. Very cute and good times ❤️
Review №3
2022-12-30 18:31:10Wonderful meal and service - so glad we had the chance to check this place out while in the area. We loved the Oyster Msuhroom Bacon Tartine and the Peruvian Bay Scallop Crudo. The Smashed Cucumbers may not sound like much in the description but the melding of flavors was excellent and it is a nice balance to heavier dishes. Pick your poison on the cocktails - all were equally interesting. We usually skip dessert, but the Tropic Thunder sounded interesting and did not disappoint!
Review №4
2022-11-27 09:16:33Great food, and a great time. We called ahead and they were completely booked for dinner, but we tried anyway. They did seat us on the patio, which is just ok for a patio, the people watching and heaters made up for the lack of atmosphere outside. We had the option of sitting in the lounge bar or outside so we choose outside. We were asked about any food allergies before we got seated so that was a nice gesture. All the servers were very attentive and we got our drinks and food fast. The food was very yummy and full of flavor. Our server was lovely and very knowledgeable about her drinks, our first time ordering a negroni. I highly recommend this place for all things DTSA!
Review №5
2022-10-11 17:14:07Parking: easier when the structure is open, but there is easily accessible street parking (especially on week days) Customer service: 10/10 (but make sure you make a reservation)! All the employees work together to make sure everyone in your party is accommodated and treated best. Food: you cant go wrong with anything on the menu (especially since it changes every season! The chef makes sure that he cooks miracles with the freshest ingredients, and focuses on locally-sourced items!) I can say for certain we would order EVERYTHING we ordered last time, again (see pictures) I love Detention, and cannot wait to try Trust, their sister restaurant! Yummmmm
Review №6
2022-11-13 06:51:49First time here and what an amazing experience. The service was absolutely wonderful. Elizabeth was a delight. She checked on us regularly and made sure every dish came out to our liking. Im not a huge fan of alcohol, but I do occasionally like a very light and refreshing libation. When I asked regarding drinks that would be low in alcohol and refreshing to the taste, she made sure to have the bartender whip up something close to what I was looking for. I ended up with a pineapple coconut passion fruit concoction with just the right amount of rum where I could feel it, but not taste it. Her level of attention immediately jump-started our evening on a high note and it only kept getting better.My husband and I ordered the Hokkaido milk bread and butter and it was heavenly. The bread was crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside, and a creamy taste. The butter accompanying the bread was rich and creamy and had a sweetness to it that complimented the creaminess of the bread.We then ordered the slow-roasted Japanese yam, which was beautiful in flavors and in plating. Yams are incredible on their own, but the brown butter soy lime emulsion had a sharp refreshing flavor that balanced out the heavy starchiness of the yams. The gai-lan were tender and salted perfectly and added a bit of crunch for texture. Beautiful.For entrees, my husband ordered the mozzazo rigatoni. The menu described it as if cacio di pepe and carbonara had a baby, and let me tell you, that baby was absolutely divine. Its probably the best pasta Ive had in years. The creamy pasta was bursting with flavors and spices that just worked amazing together.For my own entree, I ordered the wagyu skirt steak lomo soltado. Now, my husband and I frequent a few Peruvian restaurants. Detentions lomo soltado just blew every single other one weve tried out of the water. The wagyu was cooked perfectly medium and the level of heat was perfect. I enjoy spicy food, but I also like to enjoy my food, so I dont like the spiciness to affect the taste of my food. They got that balance just right for me. My husband and I got our own entrees, but we split them half and half and neither of us could decide which we liked better. They were both amazing but their flavors were so wildly different we just loved them for what they were.And then there was the sticky toffee pudding. Holy toffee-loving heck. I have not put something that delicious in my mouth since my MIL took me to Addisons for my birthday. My mind was blown. The pudding itself was not sweet at all allowing for the toffee sauce to shine without overpowering the sweetness. The whipped cream they served with it was salted. SALTED!! So you get a salty-sweet flavor when you top your bite with whipped cream. The way they balanced the flavors in this one dessert was absolutely genius. You have a dense, spiced cake with minimal sweetness, a beautiful toffee sauce full of delicious flavor, and a bit of saltiness to cut the sweetness when it gets too intense.Overall, the experience was perfect. Excellent service and the atmosphere was great! Im so glad they do not crank their music up so you cant hear each other. That seems to be a trend, but the music here was loud enough to hear, but not to overpower conversations. This place really checked every single box for service, food, and atmosphere. We will definitely need to come back here again.
Review №7
2022-12-23 05:39:47Ive had this restaurant bookmarked, so I was super excited to try it. We went here on a double date with our friends. I heard it wasnt easy to get reservations, so this was a pleasant surprise!Loved the ambiance. Our server was great. He spent a lot of time talking to us about the food and provided interesting tidbits of information about the menu, how its curated etc. He was genuinely interested and invested in our thoughts about the food.The best thing on the menu (in my honest opinion) is the Hokkaido milk bread. So much that we had to order one to go! This was amazing and delicious.We ordered the scallops crudo. I liked this dish! The sauce was super flavorful and scallops were fresh. Refreshing !Also ordered the dish that nobody orders lol. And we can see why.. its literally just a bowl of beans. It was definitely not what we expected- thought it would be a nacho and chips dish.Pork jowl- was tasty! Basically expensive carnitas. We shredded the meat and mixed it with the guacamole. The best part of this meal wereThe homemade tortillas. Loved it!Wagyu lomo saltado- sadly.. this is we a no for me. Its a fusion or twist to the original Peruvian staple. They added jalapeños and gave it a kick. It was a tart sauce, which I wasnt expecting. The wagyu.. or lack there of... it was a chewy meat that didnt taste like the usual melt in my mouth that Im used to (pause!)The French fries were good. But the worst was the rice. Definitely undercooked, and a struggle to finish.I wanted dessert but we opted for Hokkaido bread to go instead.They told us the menu changes, and its not always the same. Which I appreciate... the first thing our server said to me was dont look at Yelp LOL.I was disappointed because they didnt have sea bass. I wish I could have tried it. Also.. portions were small and over priced…
Review №8
2023-01-13 23:12:25Great place in Santa Ana. Excellent craft drinks and great dishes. Plates are made to share so u can order several and share amongst party or just go traditional and order per person. Cool joint. Will visit again.
Review №9
2022-12-08 19:04:52We had an 8 course meal. I forgot to take a lot of the pictures because the food was so amazing I didnt want to waste time taking pictures. Honestly, seriously and sincerely some of the best dishes Ive ever had.
Review №10
2022-08-03 04:46:14It was the same concept as playground and they kept a few things as well. Basically all the dishes were amazing. Tempura asparagus was exceptional, never realized it could taste that good! Definitely worth a visit!