Forget your usual haunts. When you need more than just dinner, Orange County delivers a roster of truly festive, wild and idiosyncratic restaurants. This isn’t only about a good meal (which, of course, you will find at the following spots), it’s about a dining break from the norm. From the fantasy of an $18,000 multicourse feast high above Disneyland’s New Orleans Square to a tucked-away, gated Westminster place serving up perfect cha gio (fried egg rolls), here are nine one-of-a-kind eateries that promise an escape from the mundane.

Keep in mind that these are only a few that Orange County has to offer; let them be your jumping-off point to discovering even more creative and unusual dining digs.

21 Royal

Originally envisioned as an apartment for Walt Disney and his family, the hidden space above Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square is a dining venue that provides parkgoers access to the theme park’s most exclusive experience. Charging $18,000 per seating, 21 Royal offers you and up to 12 guests of your choice a chance to experience a multicourse meal from Executive Chef Gloria Tae.

And this meal is pinkies up all the way: large table covered in white linens, fresh flowers adorning the space, gold-plated dinnerware and fine crystal. According to food writer Anne Marie Panoringan, who ate at the lavish spot, the cost “also provides valet service at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa for the entire day. Why the day? Because each diner receives a single-day park hopper ticket valid for the date of your dining reservation.” Reservations required. Bookings available for Thursdays through Sundays.

Disneyland, 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim; disneyexperiences.com

The Cellar

This subterranean restaurant under the Del Sol Hotel was designed by a former Disney Imagineer who helped create the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, resulting in an imaginative and romantic getaway.

Decor highlights include brick archways, semi-private banquettes, circular booth seating and red velvet, all of which match the French-forward menu that includes chateaubriand, steak tartare, escargot, shrimp cocktail, duck breast, bouillabaisse, souffles, Champagne floats and other high-end fare.

The Cellar also holds the distinction of being the first U.S. restaurant to become an ambassador of Barons de Rothschild Wines and Champagnes.

305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton; cellardining.com

Crystal Cove Shake Shack

Not to be confused with the national chain bearing a similar name, Crystal Cove Shake Shack has a menu of tasty burgers, sandwiches, soups, hot dogs, fish and chips, fries and more. But what makes this Pacific Coast Highway spot distinctive are its location and standout views, with the 180-degree vista of the Pacific and Crystal Cove beach. And with no other restaurant in the vicinity, it provides a moment of tranquility while you enjoy your shake.

Speaking of which, the exceedingly charming roadside stand whips up 24 flavors, including date, orangesicle, strawberry banana, Butterfinger and salted caramel. But the uniqueness comes at a cost: Parking here is notoriously difficult. Expect to wait in a car line during warm months for a spot at the eatery’s spare parking lot.

7703 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach; crystalcoveshakeshack.com

District 36

This newcomer in Fountain Valley stands out by seamlessly fusing the classic Americana diner with distinct Vietnamese influences. Such a successful reimagining of Americana can be seen in dishes like the five-spice chicken “fried” steak — a katsu-style cutlet with savory gravy, pickled onions and a side of crisp Tater Tots.

The menu also features a cha hash bowl with lemongrass and fish sauce, plus items like pho and Vietnamese coffee. Tucked in a shopping center, the eatery’s atmosphere nods to diner culture while incorporating Vietnamese design elements, creating an experience that feels both deeply familiar and distinctly new. Also of note: A prop telephone in the back challenges guests to listen to a riddle, the solving of which earns a decent discount.

18912 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley; district36diner.com

The Hobbit

The three-act, event-style dining experience within a beautifully remodeled, 1930s farmhouse has been wowing guests since 1972. The fine-dining staple, which nods to J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel, now boasts revamped interiors bringing the decadesold space into today.

Dinner here offers a seasonally changing, six-course prix fixe menu. The evening (with only one seating per night at 7 p.m.; cocktails start at 6) begins with cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres in the wine cellar, followed by the courses in the dining room. An intermission with sorbet allows guests to relax and mingle before the main dish is served.

The approximately four-hour dinner costs $150 per person and a dress code is, thankfully, enforced, so leave your denim jeans, polo shirts, shorts, tennis shoes and/or flip-flops at home.

2932 E. Chapman Ave., Orange; hobbitrestaurant.com

Kim Hong Egg Rolls

Found on the backside of a building along Goldenwest Street, with only a handful of parking spots, a weathered table with a faded green umbrella for shade and a gated door with a cutout, this Westminster standout sells some of Orange County’s best cha gio (fried egg rolls).

Here’s how it works: Call in advance (ideally one day prior, but the staff is accommodating, depending on business) with a minimum order of 20 egg rolls, saunter up to the window, pay the worker on the other side of the gate’s cutout in exchange for a bag, and then enjoy Kim Hong’s shatteringly crisp cha gio.

The signature cha gio dac biet, packed tight with crab, pork and shrimp, is particularly noteworthy.

14115 Goldenwest St. (in the back), Westminster; kimseggrolls.com

Strong Water

Ying Chang and Robert Adamson’s shipwreck-themed space, which offers a sublime cocktail program and a dining menu, is a destination spot for a good reason. There’s simply nothing else quite like it.

The entire bar and restaurant is designed to mimic the cabin of the fictional Clementine, a treasure ship from 1884. Dark plank wood on the walls and a curved, beamed ceiling that forms a canopy give the space its maritime vibe, with seafaring adornments completing the theme throughout.

Its wizardry with rum keeps lines out the door. (The Blue Hawaii, for example, is made with coconut fat-washed overproof white rum, vodka, blue curacao, Falernum and pineapple. And some drinks come in a ceramic, skull-shaped Zombie King mug.) Adding to Strong Water’s distinction in the dining landscape? It has received two James Beard Award nominations in a row for outstanding wine and other beverages program.

270 S. Clementine Blvd, Anaheim; strongwateranaheim.com

The Tea House on Los Rios

Steps away from the San Juan Capistrano train station platform, this tea spot inside a circa-1911 cottage offers a storybook afternoon tea.

In addition to choosing from an array of tiny tea sandwiches, sweets and other treats, as well as a full luncheon menu and a weekend brunch menu, guests can look forward to lush outdoor gardens, seating under a 150-year-old sycamore, brick patios and a classic, vintage aesthetic incorporating real china and tea-themed curiosities. Its prime location on historic Los Rios gives it a very real fictional feel.

The lauded spot made a cinematic splash on the “Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2024. Another bonus? It’s a great place for an autumn outing.

31731 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano; theteahouseonlosrios.com

Trust

While Jason Quinn’s omakase-style restaurant of note might bid adieu sometime in 2026, it remains one of Orange County’s most distinctive dining experiences. The 18-seat culinary theater next to Detention in downtown Santa Ana is a ticketed dinner destination where guests sit at the counter overlooking the kitchen as the chef hosts a multicourse, prix-fixe party.

In addition to having some of the region’s most innovative fare (Trust was named one of the 75 best restaurants in Orange County in 2022), the experience is also a night of bawdy comedy. In his review of the restaurant, critic Brad A. Johnson wrote, “Guests must also endure hours of the chef’s vulgar Andrew Dice Clay-style comedy act, which includes a barrage of f-bombs and lewd, suggestive comments.” Count me in.

300 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana; trustdtsa.com