The Source OC in Buena Park: A Local's Guide to Food, Coffee, Shopping & More

If you ask me where I take friends visiting Anaheim, Disneyland is usually on the list. For a slower afternoon with food, coffee, and time to talk, I suggest The Source OC in Buena Park.

I've watched this place change from a quiet shopping center with empty storefronts into a place where I return for meals and coffee. During my early visits, the modern buildings and open-air walkways stood out, but several stores had not opened. There was much less activity between the floors.

These days, a visit often starts with one restaurant and continues at a cafe. The mix of Korean food, Italian dining, desserts, shops, and a movie theater makes spending a few hours here practical without driving between stops. My reasons for returning are specific: jjamppong at Mao, steamed meat and shabu shabu at dPot, and coffee with room to sit at Seed & Water.

Seed & Water storefront and sign across the courtyard, viewed from the second floor of The Source OC.
Seed & Water viewed from the second floor of The Source OC.

Getting the Basics Out of the Way

The Source's main address is 6940 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90621. Individual businesses use several nearby Beach Boulevard addresses and suite numbers. For a first visit, find your destination on the official center map before leaving the parking structure. The street address alone does not tell you which floor to look for.

Parking is free according to the center's visitor information. Weekend dinner hours have been busier during my visits. When the lower levels fill up, I look on the third or fourth parking level rather than continuing to circle below. This is a parking strategy, not a promise of an open space. The center does not allow overnight parking.

Check the hours of the restaurant or cafe you plan to visit. General center hours do not cover every business, and a cafe's closing time does not tell you when a restaurant stops seating customers. If you plan to eat after a movie, confirm the kitchen's last-order time before purchasing tickets.

For visitors staying near Disneyland, treat The Source as a separate Buena Park outing. Check the route from your hotel rather than relying on a fixed drive time. After a full park day, one meal and a coffee stop might fit your energy better than trying to cover the whole complex.

Catch a Movie First: Regency at The Source

If you remember the theater as CGV, Regency's official location and showtimes page lists the venue as Buena Park 8 and 4DX @ The Source. Use the theater's own page to choose a screening and check the format before buying tickets.

A movie followed by dinner is one way I like to spend an afternoon here. Parking once and walking to a restaurant afterward removes another drive from the evening. The useful time to check is when the film ends, not only when the screening starts.

Leave room for getting out of the theater, walking to the restaurant, and waiting for a table. A late-afternoon screening does not guarantee an early dinner or a shorter restaurant wait. If the meal is the priority, choose the restaurant first and fit the movie around its hours.

Where I Eat at The Source

The restaurants below serve different purposes for me. A food-court bowl works when I want a simpler meal. Shabu shabu takes more time at the table, while Italian food gives the group another option when nobody wants Korean food.

dPot: Shabu Shabu and Steam Stacker

dPot is inside The Source at 6982 Beach Blvd, Suite C-316. The steaming option is what keeps me coming back. The Buena Park menu separates its shabu and steam-stacker choices, so check the package before ordering.

During my meals, the wooden steaming box held beef and vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms, and bean sprouts. After the steamed portion, the meal continued with shabu shabu in broth. I enjoy the change between the two preparations rather than eating everything from the same pot throughout the meal.

This is a sit-down meal to give some time to, especially if you are also planning a movie. Check the current menu for the package contents, price, and any dining limits instead of assuming every all-you-can-eat option includes the same items.

Il Fiora: Pasta and a Sit-Down Meal

Sometimes Korean food is not what the group wants. Il Fiora gives us an Italian option without leaving the complex, with pasta, salads, and outdoor balcony seating.

The warm bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil is one detail I remember from my visits. I've enjoyed the pasta and crisp salads, and the portions have felt substantial to me. For a catch-up over a meal, I prefer this setting to the food court.

Outdoor seating is part of the appeal on a comfortable evening. Ask about table availability when you arrive, particularly if the balcony is the reason you chose the restaurant.

Pelicana Chicken: A Meal to Share

Pelicana is one of my choices for casual Korean fried chicken with friends. What I like is the contrast between the crisp coating, sauce, and juicy meat. Sweet-and-spicy or soy-garlic flavors offer a different meal from the soups and hot pots elsewhere in the complex.

Pickled radish adds a sharp contrast between bites. Before choosing a sauce for a shared order, check how much heat everyone wants. There is no reason to rule out plain chicken if part of the group prefers a milder option.

Mao: Jjamppong in the Food Court

On days when I want a meal without full table service, I head to Mao in Food Grub. The center lists the business as Shiho & Mao on the third floor, which helps when looking through the directory.

Jjamppong, the spicy seafood noodle soup, is the dish I return for. My bowls have included seafood such as squid, shrimp, and crab in a spicy, savory broth. The portion has been substantial enough for me to consider sharing with someone who also has a smaller appetite.

Sharing the soup and adding a side is my suggestion when both people want the same dish. Choose separate meals if your appetites or spice preferences differ. The food-court setting suits a noodle lunch without making the meal the whole afternoon's activity.

Where to Sit for Coffee and Dessert

After eating, I often stay for coffee. The cafes offer different settings, so the choice depends on whether I want an espresso drink, a longer conversation, or dessert.

Seed & Water Bakery Cafe

Seed & Water is a place I return to when I want room to sit. The open lounge layout feels spacious, and the seating has been comfortable during my visits. Coffee, bread, and cake give us something to order while we talk.

The restrooms inside the cafe are another detail I appreciate. They have been clean and spacious when I've visited, separate from the main mall restrooms. This is an observation from those visits, not a guarantee about every day.

The cafe's official visitor page places the entrance on the second floor near the garage elevators. If you plan to bring a laptop, ask about Wi-Fi, outlets, and seating expectations before settling in.

IN-SIT COFFEE

For an espresso drink, IN-SIT COFFEE is another place I return to. The lattes I've had were smooth and balanced. Compared with Seed & Water, the space feels smaller and more focused on the coffee stop.

Look for the stylized [in-sīt] name on the sign. The official coffee shop website lists both Buena Park and Costa Mesa, so select The Source location when checking hours or ordering.

Monday to Sunday

Monday to Sunday has the Korean dessert-cafe atmosphere I associate with meeting friends after dinner. The room has felt lively during my weekend visits, with groups gathering over drinks and sweets. I would choose this for conversation and dessert rather than expect a quiet workspace.

Cheesetella and Okbingsul

Cheesetella is where I look for soft castella to take home. I enjoy the light texture and mild sweetness with coffee the following morning. The shop also carries Japanese cheesecake, so check the display for the day's choices.

For a cold dessert, Okbingsul offers bingsu, or Korean shaved ice. This is the shop written as “Okbingseol” in some listings. The center's directory uses “Okbingsul.” Check the menu for toppings and warm pastry choices rather than planning around one specific filling.

The Neighborhood Side of The Source

Food is my main reason for returning, but the shops and services explain why a visit here is not always a special outing. The shopping directory includes clothing, K-beauty, and K-pop goods. The services directory lists Woori America Bank, while Olympic Golf Zone offers screen golf.

For a first visit, pick one restaurant and leave the next stop open. A bowl of noodles followed by coffee makes a different afternoon from shabu shabu and a movie. You do not need to visit every floor or try every cafe to get something useful from the trip.

The Source OC
6940 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90621

Official dining directory: check individual businesses for menus and hours before leaving home.

More Korean Food Guides Near Disneyland

Last checked: August 2026. Menus, store hours, tenant listings, and parking rules change. The food and seating descriptions reflect my own visits.