OC Night Market — Local services in Costa Mesa

This event hosted by 626 Night Market and featuring Day Trip Pop-up was really cool. The DJs kept the house music coming all night while the food trucks and other vendors kept the food and drinks flowing. We had a great time. So many good food options we enjoyed everything we had. Food, drinks, desserts, and snacks. We picked up some good merch too. All to say, if you’re looking for something fun to do in the OC this is definitely worth checking out.

A few things to note:

it’s at the OC Fairgrounds so plan accordingly. Daytime can be warm but it gets chilly in the evenings. It drizzled a little for the last 2 hours of the night (9-11pm) during our visit. Layers are your friend.

*plenty of parking but the way they manage parking can make it feel like it’s taking forever to get in. Parking is also $12 per car. Carpool with friends and family to save some money there.

*entry is $6 per person buy your tickets online via event brite so you can walk in without stopping to pay tickets day of.

*there is a line to get in on most nights (Fridays and Saturdays) but it moves quickly.

*there are restrooms scattered throughout but look for the ones to the left and right of the hangar at the entrance by the artist vendors. Most people miss these and the lines are shorter.

*Wear comfy shoes or sneakers. There aren’t enough tables and chair for everyone and if you’re like me and have a bad back you don’t want to be in flip flops, or sandals all night.

Have...

We visited the night market twice this year and we absolutely loved it. There is a wide variety of food to try out. If you like corn dogs ( or even if you don't!! ) be sure to try Ghostix. We had it both times! There was also a wide variety of Asian food to try. Some of them were unique like Ramen burger and Asian style cheese tacos ( tacoyaki ). They also had desert stalls and boba tea. CARRY CASH, some of the stores only accept cash. Be sure to come a bit early if you want to try out multiple things to eat. The queues can get really long at the popular stalls. Its also hard to find a place to sit and eat during busy hours ( mostly after 6 PM ). The rest of the stores were mostly art and collectibles. Lots of interesting things to buy if you love animes. I saw some really nice posters, croc charms, key rings and pins. Some of the stalls were a bit over priced. The parking facility is massive but will cost you $10. Definitely get tickets online, it's very convenient. The queue at the main entrance is extremely long after 6 PM. Overall a great way to spend an evening out...

The 626 Night Market at the OC Fair grounds is representative of most things Japanese. We try to attend the Night Market whenever it is in Orang County because it is one of the best fairs that truly show a glimpse into the Night Market in Japan with products that are authentic to Japanese culture and appeal to a wide age group. The food vendors are always changing, so even if you have been a couple of times, you are guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised by new booths and the excitement that abounds. My suggestion, if you don't like to go when the crowds are large, would be to go earlier in the day and buy your tickets in advance. There is no advantage to buying your ticket at the venue, as they will charge you the same convenience...