Housed in a little diner on the corner of Main St., the Little Sparrow offers a small menu of takes on comfort classics in a light airy space with a spot for craft cocktails in the back. Â
American (New)
I was in the area and thinking I might take another stab at bringing back a cocktail at lunch and headed into the Little Sparrow. Â The Sparrow eschews the dark wood for light as well as white tile work and white paper globe lights littering the ceiling. Â I've seen more places like this popping up, so I imagine it's just as much a trend as the styling before, even a reaction, but a welcome, refreshing one. Â It is clean and welcoming. Â I'm sure somewhere along the way Pinterest or Restoration Hardware is taking credit. Â
Lunch is served 'counter style first, full service after that,' a message the staff repeats constantly as they've had trouble conveying such a message with a sign and indeed were discussing where to put a sign when I was there. Â Everyone was charming and helpful -- help them out and put a sign somewhere because the alternative is that they just have to talk over everyone. Â
Chicken sandwich, any chance you have fries? (No.) I'm guessing I can't get a cocktail in the middle of the day (Nope.). Â OK, an Abita then. Â
The fried chicken sandwich ($10) was simple with a slaw atop and a sauce with a bit of spice, but done incredibly well. Â I usually worry about places like this that I'm going to leave... hungry. Â Not so! This sandwich had big, remarkably juicy chunks of chicken. Â Good. Â The pastrami looked hearty as well. Â The side salad was a pile of rocket so lightly dressed with an uncontroversial vinaigrette as to be almost misted. Â I would have rather have had fries...
The cocktail bar in the back is styled similarly to the front, although taken up a bit as though it's taken some cues from the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (baroque couches, pink things, etc.) Â
There were no cocktails, however. Â This is somewhat reasonable, I'm not sure people need to encourage others to drink midday, but I would have liked to try them out. Â
I was happy with the Little Sparrow. Â Simple, genuine -- the food and the atmosphere. Â I would have liked to try some of the specialty drinks (being listed as a cocktail bar even on Yelp) and maybe to see more in the way of sides, but I would definitely come back.
Came to Little Sparrow at the recommendation of a nice fellow that lives in the area and knows all the places there. My husband and I were not dissappointed. We sat in the bar/lounge area. Joe, is the perfect bartender/mixologist! Not only is he friendly and extremely knowlegeable about drinks, but he truly enjoys his job and it shows!! We had a variety of drinks at his recommendation. We weren't disappointed! We also shared a burger with fries and the onion rings. It was delicious and they fries were the best I've ever had. Bruce, the owner, is also welcoming and friendly and came to speak with us. I hope he continues this, as it makes for a special and unusual experience for Orange County where everyone usually keeps to themselves. The decor/atmosphere is unique and subdued with a great vibe. My only recommendation (being a bit of a music snob) would be to change up the music that plays in the lounge. We will certainley be back, as this is one of the best places I have encounetered, being a long time resident here.
Review Source:Came here for lunch because of the review by the OC Register. Â He really pumped up the pastrami and fried chicken sandwiches so we had to try those. Â Came with a couple of buddies and we split things up to try some of the pastrami, fried chicken and the burger.
The Burger was solid. Â Good flavor, cooked correctly, tasty bun. Â Was it awesome or memorable, probably not but a really good burger. Â At $16 though, a little expensive for the size and you only get some greens as a side. Â
The tri tip pastrami was also good. Â The rye bread was good. Â Biggest complaint and I don't know if this was because it was tri tip and not brisket, the meat was a little lean and not that rich flavor you normally get with pastrami. Â
Probably the one crave-able item that would bring me back was the fried chicken sandwich. Â Again, great roll (all the bread items were top notch) and the chicken was perfect. Â Well seasoned, cooked right, great texture, really enjoyed it. Â I would appreciate some other side option choices, and it doesn't even have to be fries, but a different type of salad, or fruit or I don't know, but the greens were weak, especially on a $16 burger.
Clean, fast, friendly service. Â Would return again.
3.5
I am rounding up because of how much I enjoyed the burger but I say 3.5 because my burger was $17 and did not come with fries. It came with some lame salad that had a light dressing and was all the same type of greens.
Burger was a thick patty cooked medium rare. Well seasoned and very beefy tasting patty. Pretzel bun tasted good but was served almost cold which was weird.
Tried a buddy's tri tip pastrami and the fried chicken sandwich. Fried chicken was the better of the two. Very crispy breading and worked nicely with the slaw. Pastrami was kind of boring actually. Did not have big flavors.
I'd go back but would not get a burger for lunch due to the price which is kind of a bummer since it was a solid one.
Need to have another solid lunch here before I consider going to dinner due to the pretty big prices on that dinner menu.
solid 4 stars after my lunch experience at the Little Sparrow. this is a cute little cafe on the corner of 3rd and main and at lunch its an order at the counter and get served your food kind of place. lots of different sandwich options on the menu for lunch but i opted for a good ol' burger haha ($16). burger comes out a bit on the medium rare side so ask for it cooked more well done if thats your preference. burger is flavorful and juicy and is served on a pretzel kind of bread which adds a bit of salt to it but not too much. sandwiches are served with a side of green salad which i found refreshing although i probably would have rather preferred french fries or chips haha. the ladies at the counter were very friendly and helpful and overall no complaints about the service. cant wait to try out their brunch and dinner menus! another great addition to the downtown santa ana area! oh and also they have happy hour here from 5-7pm so i will def be back!
Review Source:Was only able to grab drinks here in their lounge side on a Saturday night, but this is definitely going to be a new favorite of mine. I've been waiting for a spot like this for so long!
The left side of this restaurant is the lounge, and is set up with funky old Victorian couches and chairs. They have dim lighting to help set a mellow and romantic mood. Servers are dressed like they are in the 1940's and the drinks match. They have about 15 pre-made concoctions on the menu, but then the servers offer up that we can just describe what we like and they will create something unique.
I will absolutely be back and especially to visit the other side for dinner.
BLAND was the theme of the dinner I had.
The decor and ambiance could liken this place to any swanky LA eatery (I was in love with the overall French-bistro vibe and back wall seat padding at the bar) but the food I had last night? Just one dimensional.
What my friend and I ate:
The tagliatelle pasta with lamb neck. It was bland. Where's the seasoning? And goshhh I'm usually crazy about fresh made pastas. Just bland, all of it, including the meat.
The oxtail with polenta. Oxtail was bland. Polenta was bland. Where's the seasoning? Maybe parmesan cheese in the polenta as a bit of saltiness would've been nice? I couldn't taste it. It was really, really, bland.
The onion rings. A really nice coating of batter and the perfect crunch. But also, Â fairly bland! We were asked if we wanted a side of ketchup, which we gladly welcomed.
The burger, with the suggested cooking temp of medium rare. It came out, with a hearty bun, we cut the burger in half, and it was way more RAW than rare and far from medium. Pretty much just seared on the grill, that's it. BUT, the burger meat WAS seasoned! I bit into it, and my taste buds said "whoohoo!".
The nice hostess came to our table and almost with an exasperated sigh of relief I said, "Everything was pretty bland, can we please have some salt and pepper??" They were nice to bring it. But we didn't have a manager or chef come out to say anything about our concerns. We sprinkled the salt and pepper over the oxtail, polenta, and pasta and oh goodness, a world of difference.
My friend and I are both chefs; we cook, taste, and feed people for a living. To see these beautiful ingredients so carefully plated, and then bite into all of it and taste, essentially nothing, was just sad. Salt enhances and highlights existing, natural flavors. Lamb neck and oxtail are usually amazingly fatty and tender! But without salt? One note, one dimensional. Fat alone does not season and flavor a dish.
Not really sure if I'd spend my small paychecks on this place anytime soon. But I would consider coming back at a later date. Service was nice, and everyone was welcoming. My chef and I never just say outright that we are industry professionals when we dine. We come in like a normal man and woman wanting to experience a nice meal. Â We're not one of "those chefs". We tell you politely our concern(s) like a customer should, and hope you take it into consideration; that you would at the very least, taste your food before you send it off the hot line, and double check your meat temps.
Glad everyone else here in Yelpville seemed to have a more enjoyable meal though!
Gal pal and I are really digging this place. Â It's a small corner joint, part of what I'm seeing as the continued revival of an old neighborhood.
The décor is minimalistic, white tiles and high ceilings.  It doesn't really seat many people and because it's so new, it wasn't busy at all (go, people go!).
They also have a bar side whose entrance faces 3rd St. Dining room entrance is on Main and 3rd...the corner.
It's evident this place is new - although service was perfectly great, you can feel there's still some new business jitters they will eventually work out. Â Can't really put my finger on what it was but it was somehow endearing and fresh.
We started with a couple apps both of which were admittedly miniscule - the oxtail polenta and risotto with crab "salad" on top.  The oxtail was amazing - we both wished we could have an entrée sized portion!  The crab salad risotto was also very good...in retrospect, we realized we ordered dishes similar in nature but based on how great both were, we didn't care!
For entrees, I went with the chicken which usually elicits questions like "Are you on a diet?" or "Why are you so damn boring?" But having heard how it was prepared, I chose it and was not disappointed. Â The texture of the chicken was unlike what I'd had before, so tender (breast meat!) with crispy skin. Â YUM. Â I don't recall what accompanied it but it was good too.
Gal pal ordered the pork chop which was done at medium and sported an indescribably delicious rub with kind of an exotic flair. Â It was perfectly seasoned (as was my chicken) and the lentils that went with it were awesome as well.
We skipped dessert but did end up having two cocktails during the course of our meal. Â They have a fun game that costs $14. Â You throw out some words describing what you like in a cocktail and the bartender will make it. Â Our drinks turned out awesome - she and I had only one different element and yet our cocktails seemed unique to each other. Â The cocktails are a definite must here.
We're both looking forward to coming back with our loved ones very soon!!
What an amazing little gem!
Brand new to Santa Ana, Little Sparrow is still working some kinks out, though I have no real complaints. As an interior designer, I fell in love with the bar - where we came in first. The beauty of victorian inspired sofas, mixed patters and textures, soft light, damask printed chandeliers, and randomly placed bird cages. It really is beautiful. But be aware, although they offer the full dinner menu in the bar, it would be hard to dig into their pork chop or steak sitting at one of those sofas.
Walking down a long, and very dark, hallway to the restaurant portion of the place I felt a bit awkward. Being that it was our first time, we didn't know that the entrance was on the corner. Since the bar has its own entrance, we figured that was the front.. Not too big of an issue, now that we know where to enter for dinner only.
I would change some of the decor aspects of the restaurant area, just because the bar area is so beautiful it doesn't really seem to flow. But, I understand budgets and structural limitations. That really has nothing to do with the quality of food, or their service. They do need some stronger AC, or ceiling fans, because of the large picture windows lining two walls of the place.
Now, most importantly, the food!
For around $200 (after tip) we had an amazing meal.
Drinks:
1 Prosecco
2 cocktails, something with bitters?
1 Sazerac
1 Pinot Noir
Starters:
Roasted bone marrow, grilled bread, bitter salad, $15
Savory Popcorn (small snacks menu)
Homemade Onion Rings (small snacks menu)
Dinner:
HUBS: Ricotta agnolotti, roasted tomato sauce, squash blossoms, $24
ME: House made tagliatelle, braised lamb neck, English peas, $26
DAUGHTER: Grilled free-range chicken, green beans, onions, mushrooms, bacon, $26
Dessert:
Dark Chocolate Tarte
First, the portion sizes are PERFECT. Totally enough to fill you up, but not enough to stuff you like crazy. That is, for what we ordered... The table next to us got the Crab and Corn Risotto starter, a burger, and a pork chop - WHOA. Lots of food. The Risotto could have been a main dish on it's own and, from what I could tell, should be! Maybe even just a special on some nights? It looked great.
**The bone marrow was beautiful and delicious. They surely didn't skimp, either, like some places do. 2 whole bones (4 halves), with fresh sea salt, toasted bread, and a small salad. I skipped the salad and spread the marrow on the bread sprinkled with very minimal salt. Melt in your mouth amazing. It was only served with 3 pieces of toast, but our server gladly brought us more!
**Popcorn was interesting. Different, for me. But still very good. Served warm with fresh spices and something on it.
**Onion Rings were lightly battered with a cornmeal crust? Whatever it was, they were flaky, perfectly seasoned, and totally stand alone. No need for ketchup!
Our dinner took a while longer than we expected, but we were fine letting our appetizers settle. The restaurant has an open kitchen, so we heard the plate fall and smash on the floor. No big deal.. Shit happens, its a busy place. Within 6min, the dropped plate was remade and our food was on the table.
My pasta was cooked perfectly and lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned.
Daughters chicken was flavorful and juicy. But the green bean, mushroom side stole that show. SOOOO good!! My fiance's vegetarian pasta was beautiful and, from what I could tell, superb. He ate every last bit, and sopped up the sauce with bread.
Dessert was rich and fabulous. Dark chocolate tarte with perfectly, flaky, buttery, crust.
Our server was very nice, attentive but not overbearing, and very helpful with suggestions. The owner made a few stops at our table throughout the evening, which was nice. We will most definitely be back to Little Sparrow. Without a doubt. This restaurant totally fits in with other gem's around the neighborhood (Lola, Gypsy, Chapter One etc). Looking forward to going back!!!
Another delightful culinary find in Santa Ana, the Little Sparrow has a very bright future. Â The knowledgable staff were gracious in their recommendations for drinks and food. Â The decor was warm and inviting - French bistro meets rustic farmhouse. Â But the best part, the food, will have us returning again and again. Â
The classic French techniques shone brilliantly in every dish. Â We started with the beef tartare from the bar menu and the crispy sweetbreads. Â Both were excellent, although I was partial to the texture and taste contrasts on the sweetbreads. Â For our main course, my husband had the barramundi (crispy skinned and served on a dynamically-sesoned quinoa) while I had the richly flavored lamb and tagliatelle. Â Dessert arrived as a strawberry shortcake - light, delicate, and bursting with seasonal flavors.
As a final note, when our bill arrived, we pointed out that the staff had accidentally omitted our glass of wine. Â As a thank-you, the server returned with a box of two decadent chocolate chip cookies. Â Little touches of class like that are sure to gain friends and fans for the Little Sparrow.
Amazing place. Sophisticated without being stuffy or dull. Carefully curated menu that changes regularly. Current decor and aesthetic that is often lacking in OC. As a new resident of Santa Ana it is exciting that this area is developing the way it is, and specifically pleased that Little Sparrow has joined the scene. Be sure to check out the bar and give the bartender a chance to mix up something special for you. My wife and I aren't drinking alcohol at the moment, but they were able to mix up two unique mocktails that rounded out our meal perfectly. We look forward go becoming regulars at this cool new spot!
Review Source:Um, hi? Â This place had been serving dinner for 5 weeks but it only had twenty some reviews so I hadn't seen it pop up on my Yelp search. Â I did some real digging to find Little Sparrow. Â I have some (actually, one) grumpy family member who hates dining out on holidays (in this case, it was Father's Day) due to the crowd and overall lack of attention to service so I made a reservation at Little Sparrow for the Saturday night before Father's Day 2013. Â When we got there at 6:30pm, we were the only ones there which was fine. Â We were greeted warmly and seated. Â The place is super cute and charming- perfect for a date. Â Our server was very friendly and attentive. Â
We got the ox tail and steak tartare from the bar menu (?) along with the mussels to start. Â I only tried to ox tail and the mussels. Â Although nobody else thought so, I thought the ox tail was a bit on the salty side... but it was very flavorful. Â The mussels were a hit! Â They were cooked perfectly and the broth was not too salty which I find is the case with a lot of steamed mussels. Â For our main course, my dad had the halibut with chorizo, white beans and clams (they did not have clams that night so they substituted it with mussels which was fine). Â The halibut was so soft and meaty and the broth complimented the fish so well. Â The chorizo added a nice salty element. Â Husband had the tagliatelle with braised lamb neck. Â The pasta was so good and cooked al dente, the lamb was not too gamey. Â I had the pork chop with lentils and kumquats. Â The server recommended it medium but I had to have it cooked well done due to being pregnant. Â Even though it was well done, the pork chop was not dry at all and was super tender and flavorful. Â The lentils were salty so I could not eat more than a bite. Â Mom had corn risotto with crab for her entree. Â The cold crab on top gave a really refreshing element to the creamy risotto. Â The risotto was a bit overcooked but had it not been, it would have been really really good. Â
For dessert, we had the chocolate tarte and the crepe cake. Â Unfortunately, neither were very good. Â The chocolate tarte was grainy and not smooth. Â The crepe cake was just... flat.
Oh, eek one other thing- portions are sensible but the prices don't reflect it. Â I've been to tons of nicer restaurants with similar price points that serve more and better food.
Overall, even though I nitpick, Little Sparrow is definitely going to be on our list of frequented restaurants. Â It was different, it was romantic and everyone had a great experience!
I popped in for lunch on a gorgeous, sunny Friday afternoon, and am very glad I did. The place is sparse and bright with large windows overlooking the street. I ordered the halibut po' boy and asked for extra aioli. That was actually a very good idea, as the extra sauce provided more oomph and moistness to the sandwich. It was a well-executed po' boy, and it came with a side of fresh spinach greens. A very nice meal.
I also ordered the cherry cheesecake macaron and a beignet. The cherry cheesecake macaron was amazing - one small bite with so much cherry and cheesecake flavor! I also appreciate that it was $1 per macaron. I have made macarons at home, and even with good ingredients, they do not constitute paying $3 per macaron at other places, so I appreciate the pricing on this one. I ended up giving the beignet to my sister. She ate it several hours later and was highly complimentary on its flavor as well.
I will definitely come back for dinner with my husband. Seems like it would be fun and intimate to dine here in the evening.
Used to frequent this area when I worked near the downtown courthouses. I've gotta say it's done a complete 180 since those days. It's got a whole new feel - think downtown Pasadena with a hipster vibe.
I was looking for something hip and upscale but not stuffy or loud for our party of 18. Â Also didn't want to deal with the overrated LA scene. Little Sparrow ended up being perfect - small and intimate, romantic but not pretentious. The staff was also really accommodating and attentive - offering to pull up more chairs and/or take group shots for us.
Since we were a large party and were pretty curious about every dish on the menu, we went family style and had a chance to taste pretty much everything on the menu.
Starters:
Corn Risotto: So creamy and perfectly seasoned. It was sprinkled with crab, which was the perfect balance to the sweetness of the corn. So good.
Steamed Mussels: I'm not much into seafood, so I didn't get to personally try this, but I know everyone at the table was dying over the broth and sopping the bowl clean with their bread.
House Made Charcuterie: Liver fan or not, everyone was raving over the incredibly smooth texture and taste of the pate. I know there was headcheese on the plate as well, but I think it got a little lost beneath the distracting bunch of salad in the middle of the plate. It also needed a little more kick to it - I just added salt to mine.
Gourmet Popcorn: This was another unexpected winner at our table. Didn't really expect much when it arrived, but it was so buttery and had this interesting flavor that no one was able to pinpoint. It's like kettle corn with a stronger savory kick.
LAMB MERGUEZ: Hands down: the MUST HAVE dish at Little Sparrow. Still dying over this dish. If heaven was a dish, this would be it. Yeah, the lamb meatballs are great, but the bed of Harissa mashed potatoes are everything. I'm pretty sure I clogged on artery and yes, our table had to order extra Lamb Merguez because I basically hoarded it to myself.
Fries/Onion Rings: Came out fresh, crispy and hot. Perfect sized fries - I can't stand when people say fries and then you get some shoestring garbage. Great portion too.
Main dishes:
Grilled Heritage Pork Chops: The pork was perfectly cooked. Juicy and not dry at all. I will say, though, that we got a pretty fatty cut and I wasn't a fan of the lentils. They were a bit too crunchy for my taste and lacked flavor.
Prime NY Steak: I'm gonna say I was a bit weary of the $35 price tag on this steak, but when it came out - it was definitely the wow item of the table. The steak was perfectly done and well sized portion. The flavor was amazing and played so well against the sweetness of the Romesco sauce. Definitely a winner and worth every penny.
Little Sparrow Burger:
I think it was around this time that I felt the food coma coming on so the size of this burger definitely sent me over the edge. This thing was huge and the meat was amazing - you can honestly taste the quality (our waitress told us that was 100% grass fed beef from Santa Barbara). We were in luck too, because on this night, there were only four left - which of course, we ordered all of them. It also comes with a side of fries, which for $18 is a bargain.
Halibut: I read some other reviewers say the halibut in the lunchtime po'boy was dry, but our order was crispy on the outside and really moist and flaky on the inside.
Desserts:
Chocolate tart w/ hazelnuts:
I am a chocolate fiend to a fault and this dessert did not disappoint. So rich and decadent, although given how much I had already eaten, I took it easy on this one.
Panna Cotta: Not much of a fan of this dessert in general but the combination of Thai Basil and strawberries was outstanding. It was so fresh and necessary as a closing dish.
Peach Cobbler:
This dessert ended up #1 for the majority of the table. The crust is so buttery with a sweet crumble on the top. This paired with vanilla bean ice cream was sick.
Mango Pudding:
Wrapping up the dissertation, promise. I guess because our party of 18 devoured our meal like savages, the kitchen - being awesome - sent out a complimentary off menu dessert. It was small but so complex. Basically a mango pudding infused with ginger. Amazeballs and the perfect way to cap off the meal. It was so refreshing and clean. My favorite of all the desserts.
Service: God bless our waitress - a table of 18 is no doubt tough. Always had a smile, but she forgot to tell us which dishes were coming out and what was in them. Basically, it just meant we had to bother her with questions.
Overall, our entire party was happy with everything. The kitchen timed the meal perfectly. The food was amazing and plentiful. It's pretty obvious the Chef and his team know what they are doing. To me, anyone can put out meat and potatoes but the flavor combinations of these dishes were so complex, sophisticated and surprising - it just set the bar. Most definitely returning.
Bottom line this place is great. I live in the neighborhood and love to come by because it's so close and this is a step up quality wise in food. Breakfast: awesome. The coffee is perfect (iced or hot) they have a great sausage and I love the hash browns. Lunch: beautiful and fresh. Try the Halibut Po' Boy. Dinner: love. The mussels are beyond fantastic and fresh. And my go to dish is the Halibut with clams. And the pork chops are great too! Desert: holy rhubarb. That isn't something I would normally order, but the owner was right... I ate every last bit!
Everyone that works here is incredibly sweet. So glad a place with gorgeous food has come to Santa Ana!
Clean, hand crafted food in the heart of historic downtown Santa Ana. Â They are open for lunch and dinner. Â Bruce is the owner and is often there. Â I am the FIRST non staff taste tester! Â Yes...i tried the barramundi and it was excellent. Â It had crispy skin with veggies on a bed of quinoa. Â Guys...it was good....and I don't like fish.
Some things to note. Â If you like ginger...get the ginger pear iced tea. Â It is non-sweetened - but try it before you sweeten it! You'll most likely find that it doesn't need any! Â Also - the hamburger has a brioche bun so it's big....and it's VERY juicy. Â Eat carefully......
***** (5 Stars)- Amazing, zero flaws, a must go! (Not given often)
**** (4 Stars)- Memorable, strongly feel you should visit
*** (3 Stars)- Above average, worth a visit
** (2 Stars)- Average, some pro's and some con's
* (1 Star)- Opinion is do not go, below average
I have found some of the other establishments in downtown Santa Ana to be overrated, but this one exceeded my expectations.  First I appreciated the distinctly Parisian décor (over just generic upscale).  Second, the food was great!  I came here for lunch and had the turkey sandwich, ginger pear iced tea and some crème-filled beignets.  I don't even like turkey and I thought this sandwich was delicious.  It has actual chunks of carved turkey with skin, and the turkey is very flavorful and juicy (qualities I don't normally associate with turkey).  Bacon and a fried egg top the turkey.  (Don't get this sandwich if you're thinking turkey is the "healthy" option.) The iced tea was very refreshing and tasted of fruit.  The beignet was probably my favorite.  It was sprinkled with cinnamon and bursting with a custard-like crème.  Think of the best doughnut you've ever had, and then multiply it by 10.
Review Source:Came here last Friday with a friend. Â For starters, we ordered mussels, sweetbreads and bone marrow. My friend loved the mussels and the broth so much he ordered a side of bread just so he can dip it with the broth until every last drop was gone. I loved the sweetbreads and the bone marrow. The bone marrow was so succulent with flavor I devoured it within minutes.
Our waitress was very attentive and cleared our plates right when we finished.
Our main courses are then served. I had the pork chop and my friend had the chicken. I never had a pork chop as juicy and flavorful as the one I had that night. It was the best pork chop ever!! It was perfect! It's was bursting with flavor from every direction. The flavors of the juicy chop was enhanced with some kumquat peels. Amazing!
My friend said the chicken was so so good. I sliced myself some chicken and wow!!! I have never ordered chicken for dinner before but to my surprise, the chicken was phenomenal. White meat and still so juicy. Overall, I had a stellar experience. During our dinner, I had 3 cocktails. I tried the penicillin, Lyon st buck and a featured cocktail. Every cocktail had such a uniqueness. I have never had anything so well balanced and made with such perfection. I get it now when they say craft cocktails. It was worth the extra wait.
This is a new establishment and I think they still need to work on the decor a little more. The room is very airy and bare. They also have another room in the back. It's a really classy bar. I will have to try out the bar side next time!
Well the good Lord was smiling on Orange County when these guys decided to open up here. Â If I didn't know better, I would have assumed that I was in a modern bistro in the 6th arrondissement in Paris, down to the hexagonal tile floors.
The chef trained at Charlie Trotters and then ran the kitchen at Comme Ça in LA.  His #2 from Comme Ça joined him. Â
If you didn't get the gist yet, these guys are very serious, classically trained chefs. Â They are serving some dishes that are unique for Orange County.
Charcuterie plate. Â
Head cheese - incredibly rich and delicious. Â A must try. Â Maybe needs a few more grains of the excellent salt but really wonderful.
Rillettes - rich and delicious.
County pate - super elegant. Â
Sweetbreads. Â Really tasty with a bacon sauce and some cipolline onions.
Tagliatelle with braised lamb neck ragu. Â WOW. Â This was a powerful dish. Â The sauce was made in the French style - they just reduced 5 gallons of lamb stock to get a lamb demiglace. Â Needed a tad more parmesan for that dairy richness kick but a killer dish that we inhaled in 2 minutes.
Rhubarb "cobbler" - more of a cake but very nice. Â Maybe could use a tad more rhubarb for some more acidity.
Chocolate tart. Â This is an insane dish. Â Super, super chocolatey. Â Just chocolate, a bit of butter and a touch of cream so you really taste the chocolate. Â A must try for chocolate lovers. Â
The room is really evocative of a bistro in Paris. Â Simple, yet with terrific attention to detail. Â Very, very romantic in that casual French way. Â Service is very friendly and attentive.
The wine list is both American and European - a work in progress. Â $15 corkage.
In short - if you consider yourself a foodie, get over here. Â They are working their butts off and taking a big risk serving world class modern French bistro fare here. Â Let's show them the love.
Well, turns out lunch is a slightly different story. Unlike at dinner where you are greeted, seated and servers pay attention to you, at lunch you walk in and then stand awkwardly at the door for five minutes waiting for someone to acknowledge you. I made eye contact with two girls working at the front counter who tried valiantly to ignore me as long as possible before one of them finally called to me across the restaurant, "It's counter service!" How the hell should I know that? There is no sign by the front door asking patrons to step up to the counter, nor was there anyone ordering at the counter when I came in. Apparently, I am supposed to read their minds (eye roll).
Their food is still really good and I LOVE their peach ginger iced tea. But they need to make some changes to their lunch service.
4.5 stars? Wow. Â One thing I've noticed about Santa Ana establishments is they seem to get inexplicably high ratings because of their friends, and/or friends of friends, who are generous with their stars. So, I'm going to be honest here and say this place is overpriced for what you get. Â
I ordered a coffee and halibut poboy. Â The drip coffee was fine and you get free refills. Â The sandwich however was quite disappointing. Â The halibut resembled a thin filet of tilapia. Â Despite it battered in a cornmeal crust and cajun seasonings, the fish was dry and bland. Â The vegetation inside was supposed to be a celery salad, but I only got a few slices. Â Far too little to impart any impression or balance of freshness with each bite. Â It also came with a side salad composed of little gem type lettuce. Â The poor salad looked like it was prepared before the sandwich and was wilted and warm by the time it was served. Â (Even the main picture for this place shows a salad with yellowing leaves, so you know I'm not kidding).
Service on the other hand was alright. Â You can tell the staff is still trying to learn the menu and hopefully communication with the chef gets better.
This place reminds me of all the hip joints I have encountered in Manhattan or even Paris. Â We were really in desperate need of an awsome cocktail bar and here you have it !!, I think I tried about 4 different cocktails during the patchwork festival and was pleased with them all, I will be back for more. Â I did get to try some of the sandwiches and also left without any disappointment the smoked turkey and the pork sandwich were both amazing. Â So if ever in the area I would recommend this little gem, I'm sure that they will only get better after they have worked out all of the kinks. Â A winner in my booK. Â Good Luck!
Review Source:This place is still working out it's kinks but we really enjoyed the atmosphere. Went down yesterday to attend the "Patchworks Show" with some friends of ours and needed to use the restrooms as the show (oddly enough) does not have porta-potties.
The restrooms remind me of those in a Resort Spa! we walked through the cafe first then made our way back to the Bar area beautiful in color and design. The variety of spirits offered are limited. The food looked fine didn't order anything from the cafe just drinks. Â Thomas Jefferson had something called "Penicillin #2" he liked his, I wanted a peach bellini but they didn't have any peach puree. Prices weren't to bad either.
We would love to come back when they have expanded their menu. BTW they are not usually open on Sundays.
Respectfully Reviewed
Little Sparrow on the little corner. I came here after walking around the Patchwork Show. Their menu looked great. Simple and the choices were detailed.
I ordered the Pork Belly Bahn Mi to go. Pretty excited because pork belly sounded so great and it was $11. The fries looked good too but you have to order those separately. The sandwich comes with a side of salad.
My only complaint is that the sandwich was a grease monster. Oh and you can see clearly the black hair on the pork is still nuzzled into the translucent juicy meat. NOT appetizing since I eat with my eyes first... then knowing that I'll have to ingest all the hairs on the pork makes me cringe. Taste wise, it was great for the first couple of bites but then it just got more and more greasy. The fat seeped through the ciabatta bread and soon it was all over my fingers dripping off the meat and as it got colder... I can see the fat turning thicker as it would when the temperature lowers and cause the liquid to turn solid. Â
It's a cute little place. I don't doubt that their concept is there and their flavors are going good... there should still be some adjustments... the hair or the fat.
Thanks!
The new spot by the IMKING store is the Little Sparrow restaurant. It's a nice a small restaurant in front and in the back is a really cool bar. This place just opened recently. You come up to the table to order from the menu. It's a small menu and I came during the lunch time. My buddy and I ordered the turkey sandwich , roast beef sandwich, and a chocolate chip cookie.
Turkey, fried egg, bacon on a ciabatta bread - A really good sandwich. It had lettuce and mayo in it as well. Chunks of turkey with the egg yolk ready to break free. This was really good overall. The ciabatta bread was nice and soft. Fresh!
Roast beef on ciabatta bread - It also included horseradish and argula. The sandwich was okay wish it had more sauce. Tasted kind of dry.
Chocolate chip cookie - The chocolate chips overpowered the cookie. It was nice and soft but the chips were pretty intense.
Recommendation: Turkey sandwich.
A place like Little Sparrow is what set Santa Ana apart from the rest of Orange County .
Met a friend there for their opening night and everything was spot on .
Beautiful decor, friendly professional and knowledgable staff.
We sat in the back lounge/bar which is again very chic and tasteful .
One look at the menu told me that I'm in for a treat and sure enough I wasn't disappointed .
House made Charcuterie platter is right up my alley follow by roasted bone marrow and mussels .
Nothing unfamiliar but top notch ingredients and freshness screaming out of the plate .
Simple , honest and so far from being pretentious .
That's what Santa Ana is all about now days .
I love it !
I'm stuffed!!!! Came here with a friend for lunch and ordered their Smoked turkey sandwich. Delish!!! Â Their turkey meat was juicy and just melts in my mouth. It's hard to believe turkey could be so juicy. Love the crispy bacon and poached egg on top of an abundance of turkey meat. Â Love the baby arugula salad that came with the sandwich too. I couldn't finish the entire meal but couldn't stop picking at the turkey meat. Â It was that yummy. Highly recommend this new place. I'm definitely coming back to try out other dishes.
Review Source:It seems everyone in Santa Ana had been watching this prime corner of the Artists Village with fingers crossed, hoping for the best! No worries! The Little Sparrow is open, alive, and makes a perfect contribution to Santa Ana's dreams of being a rightful urban alternative to OC's overly suburban milieu. At the Little Sparrow design sensibility is smart and cool with dashes of traditional high-style references in contemporary space! A vaulted wood ceiling, however, higher than expected and lightly worn in white-washed tones and textures, adds a casual element, and a large vertical iron beam reminds one of urban determinations and strength. Marble countertops and tin ceiling tiles define surfaces. Overall think "Upper Bohemian!"
Stylish spaces and friendly faces are always a welcoming  first impression combination. Murals and wallpaper coverings come to light to celebrate a "sparrow" motif  while views of stainless surfaces and kitchen hardware reinforce high culinary expectations. (An "iconic" black sparrow presides near the tree on the right entry wall, holding itself in flight!) White mini-tile floors excite reminders of the area's historic heyday.
My breakfast included ground sausage (a specialty), slab bacon, eggs over medium, fresh-sliced "country loaf" Â bread from a local bakery, a light, crumb-dusted, chewy blueberry muffin, and a distinctively memorable coffee blend! I loved it all! The weakest bit was no table service start to finish! Order first, then food is delivered. This is becoming common many places today, but I always prefer full service.
Downtown Santa Ana has been weak on the breakfast front until recently! Now, with CRAVE Restaurant and Cafe on 4th, Chapter One for French toast two blocks West, Memphis at the Santora for eggs Benedict, and now the Little Sparrow, the area is growing more Pasadena, Santa Monica, or SF/East Bay Berkeley in feel! Â The quality is just that high! Not bad for a first impression! I loved it! Tweet-tweet! (Two tweets up!)
A stylish back room bar is yet to open, but will add a terrific and more "complete"
dynamic to this very special space! I will YELP again!
Was excited to try this new place. The decor is quite blah. The bar, which opens next week, looks much cooler. But more importantly, my group was not impressed with the lunch. I had the halibut sandwich and it was quite plain. I could not discern the aioli which was supposed to be on it and there was some sort of dry celery salad. My friend had the turkey sandwich and found that to be very dry too. Very average food, does not even come close to the delicious offerings at Lola Gaspar, The Playground or Crave.
Review Source:The moment is finally here! Â Little Sparrow opens for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktail service this week! Â Woo Hoo! Â I have been anticipating this for quite some time. Â I can't believe Executive Chef Eric Samaniego prepares almost everything from scratch including the sandwich meats and sauces himself! Â He is so meticulous with his food preparation and presentation. Â The various dishes he offers will certainly satisfy any craving. Â Make sure to have Joe Valdovinos conjure up one of his delicious and refreshing cocktails in the bar for you after your yummy meal! Â He is definitely a master in his craft and an aficionado of adult beverages as well as being one cool cat.
Review Source:Note: Came for breakfast.
+Great iced coffee.
+Simple, but tasty breakfast items.
+Food came out fast.
+Convenient street and structure parking adjacent to building.
+Friendly staff.
+Can't wait for dinner and cocktail service to start next week.
Overall, a solid win for the City of Santa Ana.
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