{"id":202494,"date":"2026-03-03T17:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T17:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/202494\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T17:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T17:59:10","slug":"10-of-the-absolute-best-15-deals-during-oc-restaurant-week-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/202494\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the absolute best $15 deals during OC Restaurant Week \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Brass tacks: Affordability feels like a relic of the past, especially in the Golden State, whose nickname feels more foreboding than aspirational as of late. Why, even a combo meal at fast-food staple Carl\u2019s Jr. can tip <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@verydelta\/video\/7604949988526853407?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-94MciqKO8nF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">upwards of $18<\/a>. But between Sunday, March 8 until Saturday, March 14, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/2026\/01\/20\/oc-restaurant-week-announces-2026-lineup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">OC Restaurant Week<\/a> is throwing us a bone.<\/p>\n<p>While high-end eateries are great for a splurge during the annual ode to the restaurant scene, the real banger is hitting the $15 lunch floor. Why settle for a limp salad made by a robot when you can get these multicourse or signature meals in a friendly setting?<\/p>\n<p>Hungry? Sign up for The Eat Index, our weekly food newsletter, and find out where to eat and get the latest restaurant happenings in Orange County. <a style=\"color: red\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/newsletter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Best of all, no tickets or passes are needed. Simply visit the restaurant to enjoy these temporary deals. OC Restaurant Week has additional <a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/%2415-lunch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">$15 lunch deals<\/a> up to <a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/%2430-and-%2435-lunches\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">$35 lunch deals<\/a>, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/%2425-dinner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">$25 dinners<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/luxe-menus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">$60 to $150 luxe menus<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The 10 best $15 lunches are as follows:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/barrio-garden-grove\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Barrio<\/a> (Garden Grove): This Filipino-Korean spot will feature a lunch or dinner of yuzu onion pickles (spiked with yuzu jam, onion and chili oil), a sisig fold (pork, onion, chili, pineapple and egg inside a scallion pancake) and ube turon for dessert. Find it: 12900 Euclid St., Garden Grove; 657-204-5973<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/chapter-one-the-modern-local\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Chapter One: The Modern Local<\/a> (Santa Ana): A DTSA staple that always pleases. Choice of one entree: Chorip\u00e1n (Argentine sausage), pulled pork sandwich, blackened shrimp tacos (3), The Side Chick Sandwich (fried chicken), or Chicken Caesar Salad. All sandwiches include the restaurant\u2019s famous duck fat fries, and nonalcoholic beverages are also included. Find it: 227 N. Broadway, Santa Ana; 714-352-2225<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/descanso-restaurant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Descanso<\/a>\u00a0(Costas Mesa): This $15 deal scores you a soft drink plus chips and salsa. Entree choices are a mix-and-match taco plate (any two tacos including al pastor, short rib or mahi mahi) with Mexican fried rice and beans, or a \u201cMexibol.\u201d Find it: 1555 Adams Ave., Costa Mesa; 714-486-3798<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/georgia%E2%80%99s---anaheim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia\u2019s<\/a> (Anaheim and Irvine): One of county\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/2024\/08\/28\/southern-soul-food-spot-georgias-opens-new-location-in-irvine-its-fourth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">premier soul food spots<\/a> is keeping it simple and satisfying, offering a blackened chicken sandwich on toasted sourdough with arugula, red onions, pepper jack cheese and remoulade. The deal includes a choice of fries or coleslaw and a soft drink. Find it: 440 S. Anaheim Blvd. (Packing House), Anaheim; 800 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/hot-n-juicy-crawfish\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Hot N Juicy Crawfish<\/a> (Fountain Valley): If you crave seafood but want to keep your hands relatively clean, this joint will offer a half portion of etouffee with half a shrimp po\u2019boy served with fries and a soda. Find it: 15972 Euclid St., Fountain Valley; 714-775-4465<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/jerusalem-roastery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Jerusalem Roastery<\/a> (Garden Grove): For those seeking a sweet sitting over a savory one, $15 gets you a slice of knafah, three slices of Turkish delight and a cup of traditional Arabic or Turkish coffee. An ideal midday pick-me-up. Find it: 12512 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove; 657-263-4000<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/pepper-lunch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Pepper Lunch<\/a> (Irvine): At the DIY teppan classic, you can get a choice of any signature pepper rice dish (beef, chicken, kimchi, salmon, shrimp or tofu and veggie) plus a fountain drink. Find it: 509 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine; 2750 Alton Pkwy., #101, Irvine.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/taco-mesita\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Taco Mesita<\/a> (Tustin): Choice taco stand where you can get two tacos (think wood-fired steak or 18-hour pork shoulder or rotisserie chicken), a side snack and one refreshing agua fresca. Find it: 765 El Camino Real, Tustin; 657-293-4166<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/the-crack-shack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The Crack Shack<\/a> (Costa Mesa): Get your paws on the \u201cLil Slider\u201d deal of two mini sliders (your choice of the Coop Deville or the Firebird), a side of fries and a fountain drink. Find it: 196 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa; 877-230-1416<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ocrestaurantweek.com\/restaurants\/f\/the-pizza-press\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The Pizza Press<\/a> (Santa Ana): A standout deal, to be frank: the \u201cchief editor\u201d special scores you an 11-inch pizza with up to two toppings, a cookie and a fountain drink. Find it: 117 W Fourth St., Santa Ana; 714-760-4425<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brass tacks: Affordability feels like a relic of the past, especially in the Golden State, whose nickname feels&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":202495,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,611,412,580,420,136],"class_list":["post-202494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-orange-county","tag-restaurants","tag-restaurants-food-and-drink","tag-things-to-do","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202494\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}