Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.

Ambrosia

OC Pavilion
801 N. Main St., 2nd Fl. (Eighth St.) Send to Phone
Santa AnaCA 92701
714-550-0880 | Make Restaurant Reservations
Former Balboa Island landmark restaurant resurrected as a romantic fine dining spot at the OC Pavilion. Ambrosia Restaurant is one of our | Top 10 Orange County (CA) Romantic Restaurants |

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Tues.-Fri., Dinner Wed.-Sat.

Features

Wine

Great Wine List

* Click here for rating key

Dining room at Ambrosia, Santa Ana, CANamed after a former Balboa Island landmark, Ambrosia occupies the second floor of the state-of-the-art concert and theater space inside downtown Santa Ana's OC Pavilion. A romantic ambience is created from flickering candle light, cozy black banquettes, luxurious palm trees, red roses at each table in a vase and crisp white linen tablecloths. A plush red velvet curtain separates patrons from the small stage, where some of OC's best jazz acts play nightly. Executive chef Ryan Carson heads Ambrosia's French California cuisine. Start with a strong house-made cocktail or order up a bold red wine with such French classics as escargots en vol-au-vent or frisée and lardons salad. The entrée list is short, offering items such as a surf (Maine lobster claw) and turf (culotte steak with bone marrow custard) combo, jidori chicken roulade, Tasmanian trout and the restaurant’s signature Châteaubriand for two. Chef Carson also offers a reasonably priced, five-course tasting menu. Be sure to order the dark chocolate mousse cake with oddly tasty heirloom beet purée, Valencia orange essence and marshmallow foam. The wine list here is vast and includes thousands of domestic and international varietals, as well as a fine selection of lagers and ales.

User Ratings & Reviews for Ambrosia
 
Best Restaurateur of the Year
Top 40 Restaurants

Once a year, we examine the best of the best, and compile our list of the Top 40 Restaurants in the country, featured in our Annual Restaurant Edition. Also check out the Top 40 Cheap Eats, and Best Restaurateur of the Year.

Browse our Recipes
Cook Up a Storm

What's for dinner tonight? Or for your dinner party this weekend? Check out our recipe section to find healthy meals such as Broccoli Rabe Soup and sweet treats like Dark Chocolate Dipped Pineapple with Pistachio.

Food Trucks, the hottest trend
Taco Truck Trend

A phenomenon that started in East Los Angeles is sweeping the nation: food trucks are emerging from coast to coast, offering Korean tacos, French take-away and even gourmet desserts.

Latest Cookbooks
Latest Cookbooks

Whenever a chef or important food personality publishes a new book, we are among the first to review it. Find out what's worth whisking around with our cookbook reviews!

 
 


RESTAURANT AWARDS

Just published! Our annual restaurant issue features the Best Cheap Eats and our Top 40 U.S. selections, including including Corton in New York and more!