IKEA — Attraction in Costa Mesa

On my first ever visit to the Swedish retailer's cafe I decided to try my first ever chicken and waffles. (I know. I'm late to the game!) By now every restaurant and diner worth its salt has a chicken and waffle plate. I figured it couldn't be terrible. In my head, I was already thinking of clever responses to the almost certain ribbing I would get from my fellow foodies for even mentioning Ikea and Chicken and Waffles in the same breath. Belgian waffle parts were topped with spicy, honey-glazed chicken tenders. I chose mashed potatoes as my side. I must say it looked pretty damn good. Unfortunately, I didn't even think of how tough and dry a waffle sitting in a buffet pan would be - the only option to drown it in syrup to get it to the point where I could cut them. The tenders tasted good, but they had a lot of breading and were basically falling apart halfway through. It honestly would have been better as a sandwich - with extra syrup for dipping. This was a big fail. On my next visit, I had the Swedish veggie balls with green beans and quinoa, I caved and got a side of the regular Swedish meatballs (4) with gravy, and I added a slice of Daim cake. The veggie balls weren't bad. If I had added gravy to them I wouldn't have known they were vegan, although they tasted markedly different from the real meatballs which, also, weren't bad. (Truth be told, I've never been a Swedish meatball fan.) They were perfectly sized and had the right amount of density. The green beans were bland and on the wrong side of al dente. (My jaw is still sore as I type this!) I don't think there was any seasoning on them at all. Salt and pepper did not help. The cake saved my visit, barely. Other than the pricing, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I'm giving 1 star for the veggie balls which weren't bad at all and 1 star for my dessert.

Will I be back? Thanks,...

Ikea has quickly become one of my go-to spots for a fun, productive outing with the kids. From the moment we walked in, it felt less like a shopping trip and more like an adventure. My kids absolutely love exploring the displays—each room is like its own little world. They run from one to the next, imagining their dream bedrooms, kitchens, and even play areas. It’s amazing how Ikea turns furniture shopping into something that feels interactive and playful, even for kids.

One of the highlights for all of us is the Swedish meatballs. Stopping for lunch in the cafe is such a treat, and it gives us a chance to pause, regroup, and enjoy a warm meal together. There’s something so comforting about those meatballs, the mashed potatoes, and the lingonberry sauce. And, of course, no Ikea trip would be complete without Sunday soft serve. It’s such a small thing, but it feels like the perfect reward after a long but enjoyable day of shopping. My kids look forward to it, and honestly, so do I!

What really makes Ikea stand out, though, is how family-friendly they are. The childcare service was a lifesaver. It gave me a little time to focus on browsing without worrying about the kids, and they loved it just as much. It’s so rare to find a store that really thinks about making things easier for parents while still engaging kids.

We ended up spending three hours there, which is unheard of for a shopping trip with kids. But it didn’t feel like three hours at all because we were having such a good time. Between the displays, the food, and the overall experience, it was more like a fun outing than an errand. Honestly, I’m already looking forward to our next trip. Ikea managed to make what could’ve been a stressful day into one of our most enjoyable family outings, and I’ll...

We came to this IKEA on a Sunday afternoon to buy a table. With our two year old. We couldn’t pick up the table in the self serve warehouse so we had to download the ikea app, then scan a code. This added it to a cart in the app that we scanned at checkout. We also tried to buy a small puppy stuffy for the toddler. The cashier said the puppy couldn’t scan and sent us to the as-is section. At as-is, it came up, so we got back in line and the as-is clerk told the cashier to try again. It worked. We then spent $350 on the table too by scanning the app code and were sent to the furniture pick up section. Here we typed in the order number on the receipt into a kiosk and began a 45 min wait for the table. 8 other customers were helped after us because…they said we “cancelled the item” after we bought it. This was not in any way true. I opened the app and showed them the table listed in the order summary. In fact, it was still eligible for a return. However the furniture pick up people insisted the order was cancelled and continued to say to each other “they cancelled the item.” Fortunately my husband was there to negotiate and push back by showing our receipt and the app so they finally got a “customer relations specialist” to come and help. He continued to say that the item was cancelled, and that it was not possible for anyone on their team to do this. Then he said he could refund the order and we could pay again for it. But then after looking more said they could just purchase it again for $0. Finally they printed a new receipt and brought the item out. There was one employee who seemed like he wanted to help. Another who was super rude. And a third who finally resolved it. Two stars for the wait, the blame and shame, and for never keeping the...