Go to Buena Park, California for the family fun, and stay for the delicious food and drink options! This suburban sunshine spot is packed with lots of great family-friendly restaurants and inventive cocktail bars. Here are some of our picks for top restaurants in Buena Park, California.
If you’ve ever needed a weekend escape that’s fun, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to navigate, Buena Park, California deserves a spot on your list.
What makes Buena Park extra irresistible is its food scene. This city is stacked with creative restaurants, cozy cafés, innovative dessert shops, and energetic bars and breweries.
Between the Korean food haven of The Source OC, the classic eateries around Knott’s Berry Farm, and a growing number of trend-forward spots, you can graze your way through an entire delicious weekend.
Come hungry and curious—Buena Park satisfies both! And I’m excited to share some of my top restaurants in Buena Park, CA. These are some of the spots I dined at during a recent visit to this fun foodie city.
Table of Contents
About Buena Park
Perhaps best known for being home to Knotts Berry Farm, this Orange County gem mixes theme-park energy with relaxed suburban charm. It’s a great getaway when you want good food, some sunshine, and a laid-back vibe without the overwhelm of bigger cities.
Buena Park is vibrant but approachable. It’s perfect for women who want to unwind, eat well, and make the most of their precious time off. I had an amazing time on my recent trip here!
Whether you’re planning a girls’ weekend, a family-friendly food adventure, or a solo “treat yourself” trip between work deadlines, Buena Park delivers big flavor in an easygoing setting. Let’s dig into the best places to eat and sip your way around the city.
The Source
The Source OC is Buena Park’s modern, multi-level dining and entertainment hub. It comes alive with neon signs, Korean pop culture flair, and the smell of sizzling street-food favorites around every corner.
It’s the perfect spot for wandering, snacking, shopping, and discovering something new at every turn. It’s an easy place to spend an entire afternoon sampling your way through Buena Park’s global flavors. Here are a few spots I tried.
Old Ferry Donuts
If you’re a donut lover like I am, then a stop at Old Ferry Donuts is a MUST.
This modern, hip donut brand started in Seoul, Korea, and is renowned for filled doughnuts. With flavors like butter pistachio cream, crème brûlée custard, matcha-cream, and tiramisu, the combination of rich fillings with a soft, yeasted dough texture will satisfy your sweet tooth.
The Sweet Box
Another Korean-style dessert spot, Sweet Box specializes in pretty cakes and pastries with delicate textures. The macarons are colorful and come in fun animal shapes, with sweet fillings. It’s a great stop when you want something sweet but not overly heavy.
Don Melt
Nestled inside The Source OC, Don Melt is an Instagram-worthy dessert stop that feels playful, indulgent, and perfectly timed for a mid-afternoon treat or a sweet finish after dinner.
Their signature “croffles” (croissant dough pressed in a waffle iron) arrive golden and crisp. They’re beautiful, delicious works of art that come in many mouthwatering flavors like matcha and strawberry.
The specialty drinks are eye-catching too: vivid pastel lemonades and fruit-infused sparkling waters topped with lychee jelly or popping pearls. Whether you’re stopping in for yourself or treating your friends, Don Melt gives you something sweet, photo-worthy, and just a little bit unexpected in Buena Park’s dining lineup.
Myungrang Hot Dog
It’s the snack you didn’t know you needed, but you’ll be so glad you tried it! Myungrang Hot Dog is a fun, street-food-inspired stop that delivers bold flavors and Instagram-worthy bites.
These aren’t your typical corn dogs. Think chewy rice-flour batter, gooey mozzarella or hearty sausage inside, all fried to golden perfection and often covered in crisp potato cubes or a sweet dusting of sugar.
This is a great spot for a casual, fun treat, whether after dinner, before a movie, or while browsing The Source.
Gangnam House
Gangnam translates to South of the River. It refers to the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea, known for its affluent and fashionable lifestyle.
Gangnam House is a modern Korean barbecue spot in The Source OC. Once you sit down, the feast begins. And oh what a feast it is! Thinly sliced bulgogi caramelizing on the grill, spicy-sweet pork belly, crunchy kimchi, and warm fluffy rice.
The banchan is fresh and plentiful, and every bite feels bold, savory, and deeply satisfying. It’s a fantastic spot for a lively dinner with girlfriends.
Outside of The Source OC, here are some of the top food spots we visited.
Thirty Acres Kitchen
Next to the lobby inside the Knotts Hotel is Thirty Acres Kitchen. This is the perfect spot for families to grab a full meal to fuel up for a long busy day at Knotts Berry Farm.
We enjoyed breakfast here, and this is what kicked off my mission to embark on our own Boysenberry Food Trail and try all things boysenberry at the park. You’ll find humungous fluffy pancakes with boysenberry syrup, boysenberry coffee, and boysenberry jam to go with their delicious biscuits. Our group also tried an assortment of savory breakfasts like the breakfast sandwiches and biscuits and gravy. The lunches and dinners look just as hearty and satisfying.
Knotts Berry Farm restaurants
Within the Knotts Berry Farm theme park, you’ll find several restaurants catering to adventure park goers of all ages. From the Saloon to the Cantina, and the famous Mrs. Knotts Chicken restaurant just outside the entrance of the park, you’ll find everything from snacks to full meals available. We feasted on churros, fried chicken, pies, cookies, and more. And we kept cool with boysenberry lemonades as well as flights of margaritas.
Nobibi
This pastel, dreamy dessert shop is known for soft serve that tastes like a cloud and looks like a work of art. Their lavender or black sesame soft serve is silky, fragrant, and lightly sweet, while their drinks—like the strawberry mint fizz—are refreshing and bright. It’s one of the most Instagrammable spots in the city!
The Cauldron Spirits & Brews
Step into this whimsical, French-inspired witchy bar and you’re instantly transported. Imagine flickering candlelight, enchanted magical vibes, and cocktails that bubble, smoke, and swirl with mystical charm. Their bites are New Orleans-inspired and feel indulgent and cozy.
It’s the perfect fun spot for unwinding with friends after a long work day. And don’t leave without checking out the secret room!
Porto’s Bakery
Porto’s is a Buena Park must. The moment you walk in, buttery pastry aromas practically wrap around you. Their famous pastries are subtly sweet with a flaky, golden crunch. The potato balls have that perfect crispy shell and creamy, seasoned center. The seasonal pastry we enjoyed during our visit was an ube eclair and it was divine!
They also have absolutely delicious and hearty breakfast sandwiches and lunch menu items. Pair your feast with a strong café con leche and you have the ultimate morning treat—or afternoon pick-me-up.
Buena Park dining FAQS
Some are—especially around The Source and parts of Beach Blvd. But many are easier to reach by car or rideshare.
A car is helpful, but if you’re staying near Beach Blvd or The Source, rideshare services make it easy to get around.
Absolutely! Between Knott’s Berry Farm and The Source, there’s plenty for kids and adults alike.
Yes! I spent two days in Buena Park and saw a lot. The city is compact, food-rich, and easy to navigate, making it perfect for a 1–3 day getaway.
If you visit, please be sure to let them know that you read about it on Urban Bliss Life! And if you snap some pics, tag us @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
More California foodie travels
California restaurants
Downtown Santa Ana Restaurants
California restaurants
Downtown Santa Barbara Restaurants
Follow on Instagram
