626 Night Market – OC
Orange County's top summer event for foodies is a must-attend every year
Generally held three times each year at the OC Fairgrounds, the Orange County version of the popular 626 Night Market – formerly called the OC Night Market – offers attendees the opportunity to sample delicacies ranging from authentic Asian street foods to trendy Instagram snacks and drinks. Dozens of vendors are featured at each event, typically with plenty of Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and American culinary representation, as well as sprinklings of Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Hawaiian, and other cuisines.
Many of the vendors are either market-exclusive or representative of small restaurants, focusing on a handful of particularly compelling or at least eye-catching items. While repeat visitors may get bored with endless offerings of giant squid, “wagyu” burgers, and juice-filled baby bottles, the Night Market has also brought interesting items into the local food mainstream, including Korean cream cheese buns, fresh sea urchin in the shell, and butterfly pea mango sticky rice, to name just a few.
Like county fairs, the Night Market also attracts novelty stands, such as Filipino deep-fried watermelon balls that weren’t worth ordering for any price, let alone $6 for two. And there are knockoff stands, like the Rated R Ramen Burger, which unsuccessfully cloned Ramen Shack’s famous ramen burger. But there are always more hits than misses among the vendors.
Admission and parking charges tend to be reasonable, while prices for individual items are frequently crazy high; thankfully, everything is purchased directly from vendors rather than using tickets. Once you’re through the front gate, make sure to stop and check out the local artisans, who tend to offer an excellent collection of paintings, prints, clothing, and jewelry.