Gypsy Den

I really don’t know how this place stays in business. I would give it one star if it weren’t for the somewhat fond memories sitting on their patio as a teen chain-​smoking. The menu hasn’t changed in years and that is not a good thing. Food is bland and overpriced for what you get. It seems like they go out of their way to hire angsty kids in order to maintain the vibe of the Lab.

Love this place, I love the Lab, a lot of fun stores, the whole place is so cute, the only thing that absolutely sucks is the parking, really hard to find a spot, otherwise id come here more often.

This is one of my favorite places in the artists’ village in downtown Santa Ana, it holds a lot of good memories and will always have a special place in my heart.
It’s one of the older restaurants in the village, I’m really glad it still exists after all the changes downtown santa ana has experienced. It’s affordable, healthy, has decent service. The décor is vintage-​y feel with beat up old tables, chairs and couches. There are nights of live music. You’ll have to check their online calendar for more information and details. In the summer, on the hotter days in santa ana, it’s a great place for chilling, relaxing and hanging out with friends.
They recently made some renovations inside, and while I haven’t seen or experienced all the changes, it’s still a great restaurant to experience. Their menu consists of food and beverages. They have a lot of vegetarian and vegan options!
There is a patio outside, that is really nice to sit in during the summer months. There are heat lamps available for the winter months, when it is chillier. I don’t have any pictures to post, but if you’re ever in Santa Ana, a visit to the gypsy den is a must.

This place is seriously so artsy fartsy and cute and «different». I love the décor as it reminds me of being at like your crazy but kinda cool aunt’s house. Very eccentric but somehow flows altogether. My cousin had ordered a chai latte, and I love that it came out in a mug you would find at home. It was a nice touch. Service was great too.
To describe the food, I’ll start off with that 10 Things I Hate About You quote:
«I know that you can be overwhelmed and that you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?»
Yes, I think you can at the Gypsy Den.
Last time I was here, I got one of their salads which wasn’t great but wasn’t bad. I came here for brunch today and decided to try the brioche French toast. Meh. If I dunked it in syrup, it was fantastic but on it’s on it was a little dry and just very… whelming. I want to give it another chance and maybe try something more savory, but definitely won’t be rushing to get here anytime soon.

The gypsy’s den has a cozy atmosphere but standard sandwiches and soup. The moment I stepped into this den located in the Anti Lab in Costa Mesa, I thought «damn, they make clutter look cool». If I hung rugs on the wall, it wouldn’t look coffee shop cool, it’d look college student lame. Lighting is perfect for wine or a cup of coffee at night, dimmed and great for chatting.
However, I came here for dinner with my friend and their food isn’t anything to brag about. I got a chicken Waldorf sandwich with «sauce on the side» and Adobe black bean soup. Sandwich came with sauce not on the side and the server didn’t apologize. However, his co worker did so that makes up for it, no big deal. They came by to ask how we were doing so service was fine for me. Melted cheddar Cheese in the soup? Weird concept that doesn’t work out well. It’s like soggy nachos. They serve chips with their soup and sandwich combo. You won’t notice because you’ll be talking to your friend m. Or immersed in your laptop/​book.
Gypsies don’t eat great food but they have one heckuva den and coffee!

I came here with a group of friends for the first time. Parking was pretty great, although my friend told me we got lucky because it’s usually more difficult to find good spots. We sat outside it was a nice atmosphere, the seating wasn’t too close together which is a really big pet peeve for me.
Our waitress was nice but seemed irritated when we said we wanted to wait for two more friends to arrive, she ended up not coming back for another 15 minutes after she saw that we were all seated, and the place wasn’t crowded at all, but, everyone has their days.
I shared the Chicken Waldorf with a friend because it was so big, $ 11 seemed like an accurate price, I would definitely get it again. I’m also very particular about my lemonade but the Lavender lemonade was spot on, not too sweet, but not too tart at all, can’t wait to go back!

Vegan breakfast
Very accommodating. I’m vegan and couldn’t find anything in menu that was vegan. So they made me a vegan sausage bacon and potato with avocado…
Let’s just say I tried the vegan bacon and didn’t like it… I literally ate the whole plate except for the bacon. Blehk looked like dog treats. Serious also tasted nasty. Orange juice was delicious yum yum. Will try the lunch menu sometime soon.

It makes me sad that I have to rate this place so low. Here’s a list of why?
1. The customer services was not really helpful. They didn’t sit us. Our table was dirty. One of the waiter was bit of a smart ass.
2. The food was whatever. I ordered a the vegan chicken wrap and it basically frozen. I understand that wraps are cold, but this was literally frozen. I asked the waiter (the smart-​ass) if it was supposed to be this cold. He responded «all of our wraps are cold.» We also ordered soups and it was basic.
3. The price was not worth it. My friend and I split our bill and we both paid $ 22. (Not including tip) We ordered sandwich with soup plus two drinks.
Overall, the best thing i ordered was my drink. You are better off going to seabirds or going over to campus for better food and service.

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say I’m probably the most regular customer here (at least for last 5 years)
Having said that:
1. Food
I would broadly categorize their food under the headings of healthy, American, vegetarian inclusive, and comfort.
My personal favorites would be Greek grilled chicken salad, BLT, tuna melt, and vegetarian chili. And you can ask for different sides such as chips w/​salsa or fruit, etc.
Something for everyone.
2. People
I’ve seen the «horrific» testimonials regarding service.
In the wise words of Depeche Mode:
People are people …
My point is when you come in on a regular basis you get to see what a welcoming, quirky, young group of wonderful people they are.
If you’re a stickler for service then why not stop by when they’re not busy which is usually early morning or after 2pm.
3. Admin points
There are 4 electrical outlets inside that I know of and one outside by entrance. So figure it out if you’re planning on working/​studying
Finally they’re drinks are great; they’re know for their Chai lattes which I think are better than Portola. They’ve got all kinds of drinks, hot or cold, coffee, tea, and varietals.
Opinions, opinions, opinions.
Cheers

I was super excited about trying their lavender lemonade! The reason I give it ⁴⁄₅ stars is because it wasn’t as amazing as I though it would be =(
Pros: Super cool atmosphere and art. My friend and I were having a photo shoot and it was a lot of fun to use this as one of the locations.
Cons:
Some of the workers seemed moody and unhappy. Like they were annoyed they had to work there. But aesthetically they fit the vibe for the place.
Lavender Lemonade:
Super sweet lemonade! Has a nice tang to it. The lavender is at the bottom and almost looks like grape dye or like a grape jolly rancher. The only problem is i didn’t taste any lavender! They filled mine with a lot of ice so if you order one make sure you ask for very light ice. For the price and hype I was super disappointed. When I think of a lavender drink I picture Milk & Honey’s Lavender latte cooler. For about the same price you can get a super thick ice blended like drink that is packed with lavender flavor. They also sell lemonade there. I want to try the place again but don’t think I would pay for it.

May I come in someday and get service without making it seem like I ruined your entire life?
Sadly, this is the case every time I come to the Gypsy Den.
The food and drinks here are absolutely wonderful, but the service here seems like some parents forced their kids to go to church or something:/

Maybe she just isn’t a morning person but when I arrived at The Gypsy Den at 8am on a weekday I was greeted by Miss Crankypants. No smile or hello, just a stare of contempt as I walked to the counter.
I wanted a pastry and coffee. There were no pastries but there were 6 or 7 bagels. When I commented on the extremely meager selection of bagels I was given a look of disdain. I chose a blueberry bagel (toasted) with cream cheese and a latte.
There were only a couple other people in the place; I took a seat at a table and my order was brought to me within 5 minutes. By then I had decided that maybe I’d eat something more and asked for a menu. «They’re outside on the green table» Miss Crankypants said, scoldingly. She marched off and grabbed one and brought it back to me. Be advised: as you walk in the door, grab a menu and take it directly to your table (unless you are ordering take out). She came by a little while later and I meekly ordered french toast.
The latte was good but served far too hot. It took about 15 minutes before I could even sip it. The bagel was dry and tasteless even though I could see there were some blueberries in it. Thankfully it came with cream cheese to give it some flavor. The french toast was good but nothing out of the ordinary. A single strawberry — maybe two — was sliced and distributed among the 4 half-​pieces of french toast. I’m no expert but the bread didn’t seem to be «brioche» as advertised. At $ 9 it was definitely overpriced.
By 8:30 am the place was packed and was far too busy for one person (Miss Crankypants) to handle. People were leaving because their orders weren’t being taken. I sat for 20 minutes after finishing my meal, waiting for the bill. At 9am another worker appeared behind the counter so I immediately went up and paid her (she was far more congenial!) rather than waiting at my table any longer.
…but the interior is kinda cool…

I typically go to the café directly across from the Gypsy den, which is all vegan. But my friends say they will perish in a restaurant that doesn’t serve meat, so I suggested exploring the Gypsy Den, and I am so glad that we did. The ambience during the daytime feels artsy/​hipster and cozy from the many tapestries and wall décor, and with plenty of natural light still coming in through the windows in case you wish to read or work. Not sure how well lit it is in the evening.
My friends ordered two meat dishes and the macaroni and cheese. They couldn’t stop making «Herbal Essence» utterances of pleasure while shoveling in the mac and cheese. As a vegan, I found the selection to be above average for restaurant. They were out of mock chicken, so I went with the plant-​based chorizo burrito, substituting avocado for cheese. It was so good. It has been six days since I had it and I still can’t stop thinking about it. I’m literally debating hopping in my car and going back there tonight because writing this review has proven to be the tipping point for my craving resistance.
Don’t be like me. Don’t resist. Go to the Gypsy Den and indulge in gustatory pleasures with the hippest dining crowd.

Walked past this place a few times before trying it. Felt like trying someplace new so came here with my boyfriend before shopping at UO. He got the nachos without black olives, and I got the BLTA with no tomato, real bacon (not the vegan kind), added provolone cheese and got it on a croissant. Came with tortilla chips. Also ordered an iced mocha which was AMAZING! Best I’ve ever had! Plus it was 100 degrees outside.
The nachos were bomb-​diggity! Chips, salsa, plenty of cheese, ALOT of beans, sour cream, jalapeños. Very decently sized portion, enough to share!
BLTA– pretty tasty. Will try on a different bread next time though!
Champagne was our waitress, she was very sweet and accommodating! We first sat down at a sort of shaded table… Then it became not so shaded and it was too bright and hot so she let us move to a different table no problem! We will be back!

Had a book that I wanted to crack open and decided to come here. I ordered a latte and some chips with salsa and guacamole to snack on. The latte was one of the best I’ve had. The salsa and guacamole seemed fresh. Great prices and a good place to chill out. Self seating and a very attentive staff. Oh Ya and free WiFi!

VEGAN REVEIW!
What I ate: my friend got the Brioche French Toast and I got the Veganized Chorizo Burrito (soyrizo, no cheese or dairy)
What I thought: YUM! Filling and delicious, I’d totally recommend. I’ll be back to brunch with the lunch menu and bottomless mimosas shortly! The vibe is very laid back and a beautiful place to catch up with friends over a slow breakfast on the weekend mornings, plus the LAB is a great place to do that!

One of my new favorite places! The mood is very soothing here as they’re interior designs definitely provide a new «hip» vibe. They have dinner lights with altered famous artworks hung on the wall which are very intriguing!
The place is simple and easy, you walk in the front door, grab a menu, and take a seat where you like! Each table is almost different with different chairs which makes the place unique and very cute.
Some may complain about the service, however, they try their best. I saw about two servers working the floor and the place was pretty busy. They are very polite and try to be as attentive as possible. It may be hard if you’re coming for just a quick and fast munch but if you’re seeking to enjoy yourself and catch up with an old friend and just take some time then it’s perfect for you!
I ordered a cappuccino and the morning glory muffin with the bacon burrito which were all very delicious and I would recommend and reorder!
Will definitely be coming back

This review is only about my love story with The Gypsy Den’s banana mocha. I came here for the first time when I was in my second year at UCI, which was freakin’ ages ago. I don’t remember the food on my first visit but I had a banana mocha and I remember thinking, hey, this is really good.
After I graduated and just before moving out of the area, I came back to have a last banana mocha. When I came home for the holidays I came back to have a banana mocha. A few years passed (I won’t say how many without sounding old!) where I didn’t make it to the OC but I worked out of our Costa Mesa office this week and I swung by to have a banana mocha, and guess what? It’s still really good! They’ve upgraded their coffee from my UCI days and I think I saw Stumptown bags in the kitchen so admittedly you can taste the coffee a bit more in the mocha. But the consistency is still perfect, just slushy and smooth enough, and it’s just banana-​y enough. You can even get yours made with almond milk now, how #onfleek is that? Try it, love it, thank me later.
Yours truly,
A banana mocha fan of XX years

Cute place at the LAB but… food is mediocre at the best but overpriced, sangria was way watered down, service was friendly but slow, hence the «meh, I’ve experienced better».
I do like their simple décor and even though menu was very small and simple, I prefer that than an overwhelming menu that gets really lost. But it was a place I probably would not return, especially for dinner.

Decided to try out a local spot for breakfast and from the reviews, the Gypsy Den looked pretty cool… however, for $ 15 for a soy chorizo burrito that came with apples slices, watermelon slice and two orange slices and Mayan chocolate espresso… overpriced…
The staff was nice and attentive, and the meal was light, filling and good, but it can’t beat the taste and price of Café Gratitude in LA…