VACA Brunch & Beyond — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

The beauty of having a child who travels for soccer is the opportunity to create lasting memories and explore new places. Today, we found ourselves in Orange County for a soccer game and, naturally, we were famished after the hour-and-a-half drive home. In my search for a local eatery, I stumbled upon Vaca Brunch. Instantly drawn in, I checked their Instagram and knew we had to try it! Although we couldn’t make a reservation in advance, the wait was absolutely worth it. Our party of four was warmly welcomed by our waitress, Alex, who was incredibly friendly and attentive. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel right at home.

The food was simply outstanding and carried a delightful touch of our hometown, Mexico. I ordered the chile verde, which came with a side of white rice, veggies, beans, and warm corn tortillas, paired beautifully with a delicious café de olla. For my toddler, we chose huevos con wiener and a refreshing cup of orange juice. My eldest enjoyed the chilaquiles with chicken, while my husband savored the carnivore vaca skillet, complemented by a strawberry Jamaica and another café de olla. It was a solid 10/10! While dining, we learned from the locals that Vaca Brunch had just opened, making this hidden gem even more surprising. I mentioned to our waitress that we need a branch in San Diego, and I’m crossing my fingers that one opens soon! The restaurant offers plenty of parking and is very family-friendly. I can’t wait for our next visit! Oh and we can’t forget to highlight their little concha’s that are made fresh. Thank you again Alex for the great...

We were excited to try this spot, upon arrival it took 3 host to figure out a table for us. But the table they put us at had no space for a stroller as we asked and they could see instead next to a table with 2 walkers already next to the table. Our server was nice and the food did not take too long to come out, everything looked good but tasted ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. The asada tacos (meat) tasted and smelled SPOILED and the pieces we tried were chewy and inedible. Next Pork belly tacos, they were extremely salty no more than 2 bites. Lastly the chilorio con papas (Shredded pork en adobo de chiles, 2 eggs your way, beans, country potatoes, corn or flour tortillas) we asked sunny side up and no bell pepper. Instead everything came scrambled and mixed up like a pile of UNSEASONED slop, even the beans and NO FLAVOR!! The next time we saw our server or anyone was to bring the bill, waste of $80

All and all FOOD IS...

I had one of the worst dining experiences at VACA. After driving a long distance to try this place, I was forced to wait two full hours for a table. During that time, the hostesses at the front were completely unprofessional—gossiping, laughing, and ignoring waiting guests. It felt like customer service was the last thing on their minds. When I finally got seated, I was hoping the food would make up for the wait. Unfortunately, it was horrible. No seasoning, everything was burnt, and frankly, inedible. I couldn’t even finish my plate—it was so bad I considered giving it to my dog instead. I rarely leave bad reviews, but this experience was unacceptable. VACA needs to seriously rethink its service and kitchen standards. I won’t be coming back, and I wouldn’t...