Watson’s Soda Fountain & Cafe

Quick update — the French Dip passes the next day microwave test with flying colors! In fact, it might have been a little better since the juices were settled a little bit more into the meat.
For me, this is the test of a trely exceptional meal.

I was a fan of the old Watson’s. The remodel is amazing. The thing that I really like about this place is the food is very simple but delicious. I went with co workers and we ordered the Nutella stuffed pancakes, Philly cheesesteak with tots, Cony island hot dog with onion rings, and bacon cheeseburger with fried. We cut everything in 4 and all of us loved every bite. The food was fresh and plenty of it. Our waitress was super patient as we hadn’t been there since the remodel and was incredibly nice. She brought us refills and didn’t push us to leave right away. We went over to the bakery counter and ordered cupcakes to go. Again… Super friendly and very patient.
The only reason I’m giving this a 4 star rating is because the parking there is horrific. Absolutely HORRIFIC. but, that’s to be expected of Old Town Orange.

My daughter is living in Orange for the summer so we popped into Watson’s due to the fact that I read it was a historic soda fountain and that it originated more than 100 years ago as a drugstore.
The inside is paneled on some walls and the remainder are wallpapered with actual enlarged newspaper articles, advertisements and such from the town’s newspaper from years ago. Some of the articles mention the original owner’s baby daughter being born and there are vintage ads for nearby Disneyland. Fun to read!
The menu is expansive. Tons of choices — almost too many! Regular diner food along with ice cream/​dessert selections and an adult beverage menu.
But we settled on sandwiches/​salad fare and soft drinks. It was very good and the portion sizes were large. Waitstaff was attentive. Overall a great experience!

Orange County Circle is home to many incredible, unique restaurants. Watson’s restaurant years of history. When fine dining and local history mix, together it becomes a unique combination
As you take in history and enjoy your meal, you’ll be taking a bite out of the past. Imagine all of those who stood in the same spot and the varied lives they’ve lived. Enjoy the past and the present while having fun eating delicious food
One of my favorites turkey club with tater tots

Watson’s is a great old fashion ice cream shop. Very reminiscent of the old ice cream/​medicine shop, without the medicine. It was fairly busy when we arrived. We were seated within 5 minutes!
We were seated in a booth in the back and was greeted by our awesome waitress. We ordered our drinks first, I had a cherry Coke to quench my thirst from the heat outside. For lunch, I ordered the Hepburn medium with onion rings. A fried egg on my burger is one of my favorite things in a burger! When I received the burger, it was well done and the egg was over medium, two of the things I hate! I love my fried egg over easy with a runny yolk. I love when the yolk oozes out onto the burger meat. Unfortunately, as I continued to take bite after bite, I ran into a chewy chunk that I didn’t appreciate in my burger meat. Check out my picture of the chewy chunk. Bah! The onion rings we definitely not house made, typical freezer onion rings. Not fresh at all.
We ended our lunch with a milkshake. I went for the coffee one with caramel drizzle. There was nothing special or unique that separates their milkshake to any other ice cream shop.
Parking is available on the street, which is pretty limited. We were lucky to find some parking close by.

I recommend having dinner at the bar. Good food
good cocktails. Great service. Ask for a Moscow Mule in an all copper cup.

I was SO excited about coming to this place, but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
We went on Father’s Day so I expected a wait, but I was happily surprised to be sat right away. (that was a huge plus!) The first not so good thing was that the air was broken, it was SO hot and it took forever to get our drinks (just waters).
The first server that came up to us was super sweet but she was just watching the tables for our server who needed a break (totally understandable with the heat) but after she came by twice we didn’t see anything server again for about 20 minutes. Finally we flagged down our original server and he took our order. My husband and I got the Strawberry Caprese salad and the server said it was a good choice, my dad a burger, and my mom the half sandwich/​half salad. My dad always asks for extra sides of dressing and he did so.
The wait was INSANE, we needed refills and food didn’t come for about 20 – 25 minutes. I was SHOCKED when my salad came out– for $ 15 bucks I got a few pieces of warm lettuce and a few strawberries, nuts, and cheese. I took a few bites and couldn’t do it anymore– i flagged down my server again and asked if I could get something else and the first thing he said wasn’t sorry or anything just, «what was wrong with it?» he took it and got me sliders instead but no apologies or anything. Later the manager brought my sliders and didn’t apologize just threw the new food down and asked if we needed anything else. The sliders were OK, but again nothing special.
My dad got a shake which he really enjoyed and the décor was amazing inside. If you are looking for a good dessert and cute atmosphere this is a good place, but the food and the service were pretty crummy. They lost a returning customer.

Great place great food totally recommend this place employees are friendly and very courteous Try the Panther Patty its enormous!!!

Have wanted to antique shop and lunch with mom for awhile and today it worked out. Finally found a parking spot and what do we fine on the corner but Watson’s!
Watson’s says it’s a diner but it’s not your typical 50’s diner you might expect — its atmosphere is more of a super cool modern industrial bar. Wood and antiques with metal & leather throughout.
The place was packed for lunch but we didn’t have to wait. We were greeted with enthusiasm and our hostess was also our server. I noticed that all of the staff did multiple jobs and kept the placing running at top speed to ensure food was delivered quickly & we never ran out of a drink.
The kid ordered from the child’s menu and had the Mac n cheese. Plated to look like an old fashioned TV dinner — came with fruit, tater tots & a cookie. The kid is picky but she LOVED this Mac n cheese even though it didn’t come from a blue box. Creamy cheese sauce and curly noodles. She allowed me to try it and I can see why she ate every bite — very yummy!
But the tater tots were to die for!!! We actually took an order of tots to go as a snack — they are perfectly crunchy on the outside and seasoning is not over done — I think I’ll dream of these tots for months to come.
My mom & I split the traditional patty melt. We wanted to try one of the gourmet melts but decided we would stick with tradition — great decision on our part!
The rye bread was very flavorful, the meat was juicy & well seasoned — Topped with carmalized onions, mushrooms, a thousand island spread & ooey gooey melted Swiss cheese — amazing!
On the side we opted to try the onion rings — not too thin & not too thick — perfectly coated & battered — fried crispy & tender.
We wanted to try an ice cream dessert from the soda fountain but — just too full so We split the kid’s chocolate chip cookie 3 ways — it was super soft and very rich. A small bite went a long way to quell our sweet tooth.
Watson’s is the total package, great service, amazing food & a welcoming atmosphere.
Definitely a keeper!

A nice revamp to a classic restaurant in old town orange. I only came by for drinks and I was pretty happy with what I ordered. They have a nice variety of drinks on their specialty cocktail list.
I like that the bartenders are dressed along with the theme of the restaurant. Newsboy-​ish.
I really like the way the dining room was redone. They took out the weird snack shop and added more tables and overall has a modern but slight soda fountain/​diner look. Definitely fits in to the old town orange bar scene.
Although their hours are later than they used to be (past 9pm), considering some of the bars around here, they don’t stay open too late… 12am.
I think this place is good to get the night started. Come by and check out their drinks!

Went in for a late snack. the place was busy but we got a table quick, less than 5 minutes. Our server came right over and got our order. We tried the cookie and ice cream. Like a pazuki. It came right out. Wow it was bigger than we thought. Very good too. The service here is top notch! the bar area was nice to. Serving a full list of drinks. The place was clean and well managed! I did see the manager making sure everyone was happy. he was also watching the servers. A well oiled machine here.

3^rd time here & I’ll keep coming back! Fun food/​drinks, fun environment, great service.
1^st time I sat at the bar with a girlfriend and we ordered the sampler & drinks. Soo good!
2^nd time came here with husband and kid– kid was having a tantrum and the servers were really nice and understanding. Asked us if his should should be brought out first and that helped. Great meal!
3^rd time, brought my mom she loved the décor & we got the chicken little & Felix the cat sandwhiches… Omg they were both so good! We washed them down with bloody Mary’s.
Great service & good!
Suggestion: comfortable bar seats with purse hooks. Don’t change anything else!

I went to Watson’s for a dual birthday celebration. I have frequented Watson’s over the years and love the historic setting in the Orange Circle district. On pre-​renovation visits recently, I was not pleased with their food quality or service, but still enjoyed the charm of a historic location. I realize the renovations will not please some people who don’t like change, but I was really impressed with how much quality historic was preserved in terms of decorative items. The entire restaurant is completely different, but it does have a new feel of quality mixed in with the antiques from the original pharmacy/​drug store venue.
I really enjoyed all of the historic displays and even the newsprint wallpaper which highlighted so many historic news articles from Orange’s past. I thought that was clever. The renovations reminds me of a combination of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor (without the LOUD NOISE) and Cheers. The menu is completely different so don’t go in with ideas of what it should be. I ordered the Wicked Mac N Cheese which was over $ 20 — not typically my price point, but I was celebrating my birthday. It had huge chunks of lobster and asparagus and was delicious. They had less expensive options, but their food is not «cheap.» I think it is a good value though and a fun experience.
The other side of the restaurant (which borders the corner of the street) used to be its own shop but is now the ice cream parlor (with walk up window) — kind of like a Farrell’s or Disney feel to it.
Overall, all 7 of us enjoyed our visit. I would definitely rather have this renovation with a respect to the historic aspects than have another historic business go under taking its history with it.

The new look on the inside is really nice! The location is great right in the circle. It’s really clean inside as well they also have outside seating .
The staff was nice very good attitudes good customer service as well. It took a little while to get my shake but they are really packed so I didn’t mind .
They have the best chocolate shakes around and the burgers are great as well! The quality is great in there food pastries and shakes. This is a great old fashion place for burgers fries and shakes. If you haven’t tried it you should :)!!

If I am having a $ 70 brunch, I better be satisfied and/​or hammered. I was neither leaving (new) Watson’s.
This is definitely a biased review. I was a huge fan of the old Watson’s. It was simple, not crowded and had so much history (That Thing You Do — DUH!). Being a die-​hard Old Towne Orange resident, this was a sad moment seeing that my sweet Watson’s was gone and under new ownership.
New Watson’s, while very shiny and vibrant is lacking. I feel like the look and vibe of the location has over-​hyped itself and the food doesn’t live up to the atmosphere.
With Old Watson’s– you knew what to expect. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was yummy, down-​home breakfast with a sassy waitress on the side. It was a great value; you could walk in anytime and find a table– which is not always easy in the Orange Circle at brunch time on the weekends.
The first time we tried to eat here a few weeks ago after hiking on a Saturday, the wait was an HOUR at 10AM. An hour!!! I wouldn’t wait an hour for The Filling Station and that’s the best brunch place in the Circle. Kudos to the marketing team because the hype is working! This time we went at 2:30PM on a Sunday and while still packed, we only waited about 5 – 10 minutes for a table.
Our group ordered:
Lobster Eggs Benedict
*served with country potatoes
«Lobsta» Roll
*served with French fries
Side of Mac + Cheese
I will give props for the amount of lobster they give you in the dishes, unfortunately, my particular lobsta roll was flavorless. It is served on a soft, hoagie roll with butter lettuce, overly soft tomatoes and lobster pieces with a side of mayo. It didn’t «Wow.» Where is the garlic and butter or like a flavorful sauce to add to the roll?
I took a bite of my dining partner’s Eggs Benny and the actual benedict was rather yums. However, the potatoes on the side were SUPER SALTY. Like they salted the raw poatoes and then added a seasoning that had more salt in it upon sautéing.
The $ 7, yes count it out 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 dollar side of Mac + Cheese was super basic. I think they could take a little salt from the potatoes and add it into this dish’s sauce. While creamy and I did enjoy the noodle choice, the cheese sauce itself was not super flavorful. Nothing but the price is memorable about this dish.
A random thing that also bothered me was the huge size of their ramekins. The side of ranch was so wasteful. I would advise for cost-​effectiveness, they invest in smaller ramekins– you are wasting so much product when you look around at how many condiment sides are leftover in these rather large ramekins. Or don’t fill them to the top.
The pros: the exterior and interior décor is absolutely gorgeous. They did a great job with the remodel. The walls are lined with historical OC and city of Orange newspaper articles– I LOVE THIS aspect. The dark wood floors and the neon Watson’s sign are very complimentary of the location. The service was efficient and friendly, the food did take a bit to come out but the place is newer and it was busy, so that is understandable.
I am really mostly sad that my I am down to 1 awesome (walk-​able) brunch place in the Circle… (new) Watson’s is now on the «don’t bother» list with Kimmy’s.

I first reviewed Watson’s back in 2012, and since then I continued to return, still enjoying its food, stellar shakes and bask in the fact that a scene from That Thing You Do! was filmed there. Then, all that changed.
In 2015 Watson’s changed hands, and shuttered its doors for an extensive remodel. What’s funny is that when I reviewed Watson’s prior I ended with «I feel like the place needs to pick it up a little and bring it back to what it once was.» and intended that to be more of its 50s incarnation of itself. What did happen was a complete remodel to restore Watson’s to some version of itself shortly after opening in 1899. Although there are some bizarre elements, like newspaper ads from the 50s, a Coca-​Cola sign from 1969 or later (as it features the «dynamic ribbon»), and much more convoluted period décor. They also added multiple TVs, which feel awkward, despite them usually showing old TV shows. Some of the more interesting décor however is old pharmacy items that they discovered in the basement. Oh, and they restored the old neon! Yay!
Before Watson’s was a classic diner/​soda fountain, with great food and shakes, with sometimes only «okay» service. Today it’s…well…I don’t know. There are burritos and nachos now. Burgers with mac and cheese on them, and all sorts of craziness. I’ve been three times since its remodel and its new fancy menu has yet to blow me away. Each time my sodas were weak on the syrup, the food fluctuated from «meh» to «yum». The staff however is very nice, and often accommodating.
But it’s still a 3 star joint, despite all the changers. In fact I feel that they gain points in areas that the last owners lacked, but lost points in areas the previous owners excelled in. It’s still 3 stars, but for different reasons.
I really want to love Watson’s, so I’ll return and keep trying out different items to see if there is a stunner.

I had lunch earlier today with the bestie. The re-​do of Watson’s looks great! Love the style and décor from the esthetics of the restaurant to the staff’s attire. The menu had quit the selection… and since my friend and I were very hungry, I wanted to order everything on the menu. So after a long decision, we decided to start off with the sweet chili wings. The wings were cooked and glazed just right. I really enjoyed the wings. I’d definitely get it again. However, I was disappointed with the Lobsta Roll. It was hard to eat because all the content in the sandwich were falling out. The buttery bun had a good taste, but it was dry and not even toasted. There was lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and lobster chunks (claw meat)…but NO spread. I didn’t expect my sandwich to be sooooo dry. You would think they’d put some type of aioli spread. Naw. it was dry and bland. I was not impressed. I was hoping it’d be lobster salad mix (like crab salad). Service was ok.
The sandwich disappointed me, but I will return to try the other stuff before I enter my final stars…
…stay tuned.

I have been going to Watson’s my whole life and was excited for the revamp… but ultimately I’m not impressed. It’s larger now without the store part, but it feels like they are trying to be Farrell’s — and not quite cutting it. It’s lost it’s charm. And the big TVs all over the place… why? I don’t care if they are showing Lost in Space, going for a retro feel, it just kills the ambience. I makes Watsons just any other restaurant in Orange.
The food was good, not great. The fries were gross. If I go back for something other than dessert, at least I will have a large menu to choose from — because they have lots of items that sound good in theory. My husband had the Popeye Melt and gave it raves.
If you are thinking about ordering the Elvis Sundae… beware. They say it’s a drizzle of peanut butter & marshmallow on top, but there were just four big globs of peanut butter (which was tasty on the banana, but didn’t mix with the ice cream) and there was no marshmallow. Of course, it still tasted good, but it’s not how it’s described on the menu.
Egg Creams were good, but they are small. $ 5 might not be worth it to you.

Went for drinks and appetizers with my husband, bartenders where very nice, and the drinks he recommended great, but the appetizer was a joke, we ordered the nachos. They came on a plastic T. V tray looking dish with
Chips from Costco, canned cheese which was cold and a small spoonful of salsa and jalapeños, I know it’s not a Mexican restaurant, but nachos are a no brainer. I felt like A kid who just got his snack in elementary school. Not to mention we had to leave because we couldn’t feel our legs from the very uncomfortable bar stools.
I’ll give them another try considering they just reopened to fix the kinks, we’ll see…

Worth the insane traffic, on this Good Friday. Great place to eat and hang out. Fun atmosphere the best, most friendly staff (some dressed up!) especially having only been opened 5 days. We had a wonderful time as a family here, beat the crowd by having an early dinner of burgers and HUGE pancakes for the boy. It was vacation for us, so healthy had nothing to do with today’s meal.
My husband had the Diablo burger and onion rings, he said it was very good. I had the I Love Lucy Burger, just to be completely different than what I normally get, both were good, burger itself the juiciest I have ever tasted! Shakes were thick and really good. We actually received a free orange cream shake because they made one by mistake. I like mistakes!

I had a shake here once when I promotes from Middle School to Highschool in like 2010. It was good, Might go again soon.

It’s a part of history, familiarity, warmth and friendship. Love enjoying meals with my family and friends there.

The food is really bland, and the service is just okay. I always inwardly groan when my husband wants to eat here. I like the atmosphere, but they need to make their food more tasty. The 50’s look does not worth the low quality of food. Nor was I impressed with the waiting staff. They were never attentive, and I had to find our waitress for a refill. I would find another place to eat.

So many memories here! We love their breakfast, sitting outside, and all the vintage replica stuff that you could buy there. It’s cool seeing the old-​fashioned cars drive by, and the orange circle is nearby with a very large fountain… We hear that they’re remodeling the place! Hopefully so we can’t wait to go back!

I absolutely love this place. This I’m was one of the first dates me and boyfriend went on in high school. I love the food and look. I hope it’s just as great when the remodeling is done.

Oreo malt was made properly. Not grainy. Evenly mixed. Real Oreos, not industrial crumbles.
Service was what you’d expect in a place like this.
Dining area is cramped, but that’s okay since it’s a diner.
Menu is extensive, though we only came for the malt.
Bakery case is pretty and tempting, though looks like everything has too much sugar.
Prices are fair.
While waiting for our order, I watched one of the girls prepare a strawberry soda. I was impressed. Soda and strawberry syrup? Nope. Fresh strawberries and cream. Blended. Then poured into a glass followed by soda. Nice. =)
This place was recently bought out and will be closed for a remodel. I’m curious to see what it all looks once the doors reopen.
Short review but maybe I’ll come back and actually eat here one day. Until then, 3 stars because though the malt was very good, the environment wasn’t exactly comfortable. Got the malt to go and was happier for it.

An excerpt from my Food & Travel blog:
Watson Drug & Soda Fountain (
), the oldest remaining business (est. 1899) in Old Towne Orange. The store has been sold and it will undergo a remodel but we’re advised that the new owner will preserve the heritage in regards to the interior.
We sample rice pudding with a hefty dusting of cinnamon. It was pretty good but not super creamy.

Best banana split we love to come here for ice cream and we like to eat outside and I joy life at Watson thank you see you soon

The only reason I can’t give the place 5 stars is because the place is looking run down… I know it’s «vintage» but that doesn’t mean the booth benches have to be torn and full of holes! Also the place could use a fresh coat of paint.
Other than those cosmetic issues I love this place! Friendly great service, good food at a reasonable price, and amazing sodas and sweet treats!
One if the few places left where you can get a banana split, and a malt or milkshake in the metal cup where it was blended :)
Great for kids.
Watson’s Soda Fountain Old Town Orange

Yep — I’m a fan! Been coming here for years. In fact, got introduced to this place before I moved to Orange County.
While I miss the pharmacy (I never used it, but it was just cool to see an old fashion pharmacy), the restaurant hasn’t changed much. It looks like they recently reduced their menu slightly, but honestly, it’s breakfast and ice cream that brings people here.
For lunch/​dinner, stick with the burgers or sandwiches. The salads are nothing to write home about. Besides, why would you eat a salad when you know you’re getting some major desert afterwards?

We decided to eat here, after getting a Groupon online. Skip it! The deal is not that good, and it was an impulse buy we regret.
The waitress was very friendly, but the food came out really really slow. People seated at tables after us, got their food first, and we were only a party of two. Although the place has some nice old school décor, it’s also really dusty and dirty, espeically the floor. We got breakfast — steak and eggs, friend chicken steak plates, both were pretty blah.
There are better places to choose from in the Orange Circle.

Waitress overworked
Cafeteria food
Pass on the French dip soup and kids meals
Don’t fall for the Amazon local coupon

It was a fun old time experience. Thank you. Great breakfast. Fun atmosphere. Fun to be in the circle watching the crowds

Food was just mediocre. It would have received 2 stars if I was just rating the food. We had good service that increased it to 3 stars. They have several tables outside right in front. Dog friendly. No alcohol served outside. There are plenty of other options in the area.

I spend a lot of time in Orange and have always found the old town area really cute. Watson’s caught my eye (I think That Thing You Do was filmed here) for its charm.
I am kinda fascinated with old-​timey diners… always want to eat at these as there aren’t tons in OC. We came here for breakfast and sat down immediately. I was definitely having a hard time deciding what to order– pancakes? Waffles? Omelet? A bagel? The only bagel option was plain so that was out. I ended up with the breakfast sandwich with egg whites and bacon. It was on a soft English muffin and came with potatoes. He got the Heuvos Mexicanos which came with tortillas.
The food is passable. Not amazing but not bad. We were starving so we finished it all. Service was good– food updates constantly, water refilled. Didnt wait for anything.
I may come back for a malted but not much else.

While a friend of mine was in town at Disneyland for a week I picked him up one day and took him to the awesome Plaza Square (even though it’s a circle) in Orange. It was a Sunday morning around 10am when we parked (on the Plaza if you can believe it!) and we figured every restaurants would be booked. After putting our names down at a couple different places, we happened upon Watson Drugs which I’d always wanted to try. I’m a sucker for old-​fashioned diners and soda fountains, as well is my friend, so it was perfect.
We had somewhat of an amazing experience here. When we walked in the door the waitress told us there was a long wait for a table, somewhere around 45 minutes. Damn. I looked at my friend and as we turned around to leave the bus boy says «How many? Two? Follow me.» and led us to a table on the front patio. Yes!
I was in the mood for some delicious breakfast and the thing that popped out to me most was the croissant sandwich (with diced ham, cheese, egg, and seasonal fruit). The restaurant was slammed and our waitress seemed to be all alone so our food took some time to get to us. She was sweet and apologetic even though it was clearly not her fault. Not that we cared, it gave my friend and I time to catch up (plus free street parking on Sundays).
After our meal we walked around the little gift shop a bit and played with some of the vintage toys. But, most importantly of all, don’t forget to order a classic milkshake or malt to go!

This is definitely not a stop in flavortown… Guy Fieri would be saddened. I apparently missed the exit and got off at dull and bland not flavortown =\ I am so disappointed from the reputation that this place had had, I thought that Triple D would be showing up here next week… Now I know why it wont ever be showing up here… perhaps Restaurant Impossible, but not Triple D…
So I came here for lunch with my Unilocal friend Kenzie. We both ordered and thought it was pretty average. I got the French dip and it just didn’t do anything special for me. Average roll, lightly flavored au jus, bland meat… it was just not up to snuff to me…
The service was another thing. We could hardly get refills of water even though we were at the counter… bleh. none the less it was eaten and left in the dust. Perhaps we should have had shakes, malts, or ice cream sundae’s… alas we did not and just had lunch.
You have to pay at the swag counter cashier for your grub. So be ready to wade through old coca cola signage to make your way to the register. They have a bunch of random knick knacks that I am happy to not ever purchase as it’s a complete waste of space and money for me…
Parking around the orange circle is also kind of crazy. I had to park a few blocks away in one direction and my friend parked a few blocks away in the other…
The only thing that I liked about this place was the 50s diner style, but it just didn’t live up to the hype or style…

**Ice Cream Floats**~!! Located in Orange~!
Ok drugs and ice cream, perfect combination wow. Kinda like going to Rite Aid. Get your drugs, then go get your ice cream! How cool is that. America the free, where you can come to get loads of drugs and ice cream and just be happy lol.
Actually I am not sure if they sell any drugs here but I heard it WAS a drug store like ions ago. Now they sell little cute nick nacks and their bakery section is TDF!!! To Die For wow. I’d be here everyday if it was convenient but I REALLY hate the Orange Circle! It’s like déjà vu watching National Lampoon’s Vacation~! How do you go around that circle I CANNOT do IT. CRY. ;(
Anyway, I had a Groupon for this place so it was a serious steal for me. They always have coupons so I am not sure how this place makes any money. I bought a $ 22 coupon from I don’t remember if it was Groupon/​Amazon/​Living Social but it was for $ 11 WOW. Like what do I have to lose?! I pigged out that day. The catch is, you have to dine in but you can just sit there, have a sandwich, and just ask them for whatever bakery items you want, then ask for a container to GO! Yeah. I had some kind of soup, it was yum. Vegetarian sandwich is good as a vegan/​vegetarian option (Jessica B.‘s favorite). The ice cream float was WOW. Cookies was a hit and miss but they have so many bakery items to choose from. Their bottled sodas OMG they have a gazillion sodas from way back old skool, so many colors, you can choose pink, red, blue, whatever. So cool! The staff is pretty nice there. It’s an American diner so expect diner food but the menu is pretty big. Lots of choices. Homemade fresh soup every day. I’d stop here if you have not yet. Bring a date, especially if she likes ice cream.
You can sit inside or you can sit outside so if it’s a nice day, maybe sit outside. They have restrooms inside. They have bar stools to dine at if you’re alone or just come with a friend/​date whatever, it be cool to sit at the counter. I like to sit like super close to the ice cream. I just have to. It’s not my choice. My radar just makes me go there.
Most people would rate this place as average 3 stars. But not many places make ice cream soda floats around here anymore, not the way Watson’s make it, it’s like a 50s type of feeling here. It is kinda run down though but eh it’s Old Town Orange, hence the name Old. Surprisingly they are always quite busy. I guess old timers always come here or people who live in the area. They are definitely famous for their ice cream desserts. YUM YUM. It’s why I added another star. HO HO HO! Kenzie happy! :D
Thanks for reading!
~*kenzie*~

I don’t understand the bad reviews. I came here totally unbiased and this place rocks. Probably the best gravy I’ve had that I can remember and I’m 45. The chicken fried steak was cooked to perfection and so tasty. I asked for fried eggs over medium which I rarely do because most people either bring you overcooked yokes or undercooked whites. Nope, they nailed it.
The kids, two of them, rated their experience an ⁸⁄₁₀ and a ¹⁰⁄₁₀. They lower review was due to the amount of food because he normally orders off the adult menu but opted for the children’s menu here. But he said the food tasted amazing!
The rest is a no brainer. Look at the over 300 photos for décor and ambience.

This place was small but super cool! I love the vintage candies and colas they sold! Such a large array of bottles and flavors.
They also had ice cream and other things to buy such as fancy desserts! Yum! We didn’t indulge on those today, however.