Amar Santana's serious Spanish kitchen — imported jamón, on-site dry-aging, and a gin and tonic program that earns its reputation.
Chef Amar Santana — Top Chef Season 13 runner-up and the 2026 OC Business Journal Chef of the Year — built Vaca on his travels through Spain. The result is one of the most serious Spanish kitchens in Orange County: imported jamón ibérico, imported Spanish cheeses, an on-site dry-aging room. It sits adjacent to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, which means it serves both theater-goers and people who are there purely for the food.
The tapas menu reads like an argument for what authentic Spanish cooking actually tastes like. The Bikini Sandwich — pressed jamón ibérico, Manchego, and truffle — is three ingredients assembled with enough precision to earn the word "life-changing." The Canélon de Pollo Ahumado pairs smoked chicken cannelloni with duck liver sauce and sherry reduction; it's the most technically ambitious thing on the menu. The wood-fired ribeye is the house anchor — over 50 days in the dry-aging room, finished over open flame. The gin and tonic program is famous on its own terms, and earns it.
The open kitchen roars with fire. The bar runs complex cocktails. The dining room mixes first-daters with regulars who know exactly what they're ordering. Upscale without being stiff — the energy matches the food, which wants to be shared and enjoyed loudly.
Bikini Sandwich—pressed jamón ibérico, Manchego, and truffle; deceptively simple, precisely executed.
Canélon de Pollo Ahumado—smoked chicken cannelloni with duck liver sauce and sherry reduction; the most technically ambitious dish on the menu.
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Cinco Jotas—5J acorn-fed ham, cured over five years, hand-carved to order.
Dry-Aged Ribeye—wood-fired and 50-plus days aged in-house; the correct anchor for a serious night out.
Location: 695 Town Center Dr, Ste 170, Costa Mesa · Hours: Sun 4:30–9pm · Mon–Wed 5–9pm · Thu 5–9:30pm · Fri–Sat 5–10:30pm (hours fluctuate around shows and holidays — confirm before booking) · Reservations: Recommended, especially before Segerstrom curtain · Best time: Pre-show 5pm seating or the bar after 9pm for tapas.
Vaca is built for sharing — ordering a single entrée for yourself is the wrong approach and an expensive mistake. Order four or five tapas, split a steak, drink a gin and tonic. It's an expensive evening, but the quality holds up against anything at this price point in the county.