The Block is a hugely successful, fairly recently opened entertainment complex in the heart of Orange County. You'll find movies, arcade games, bowling, a skate park, numerous restaurants and snack outlets, and quite a few stores (featuring goods for the whole family, but with a heavy emphasis on casual wear for youth.) First, I'll tell you about a typical day there for me. I usually go to The Block with my stepdaughter. We catch a movie at the AMC 30 Theaters, which feature 30 state-of-the-art auditoriums with all-stadium seating and the latest sound equipment. Next, we grab fruit smoothie drinks at the Jamba Juice while sitting and gabbing. Then we nose around a few stores. We particularly like Hilo Hattie's Hawaiian Store because of the REALLY unusual merchandise they have there.
Now, someone else could have a totally DIFFERENT experience at The Block. A dating couple might choose to start with dinner at the Market Broiler Restaurant, where they could order fresh seafood broiled over mesquite while enjoying the balmy evening air from their patio table. Then they could bowl for awhile at the Lucky Strike Lanes and finish off the evening with an old-fashioned chocolate malt at the '50s-styled Johnny Rocket's Diner. A group of teen boys could practice on the half-pipes at Van's Skate Park, then grab some steak sandwiches at Charlie's Steakery before buying some trendy, casual back-to-school clothes at No Fear, American Eagle Outlet, and Anchor Blue. A female executive and her friend could get a massage at the Burke Williams Day Spa, shop for "power" clothing at Ann Taylor, then finish with an exotic, upscale dinner at Koji Sushi. There are plenty of options here!
And I haven't even mentioned Dave & Buster's yet, with a dining-and-arcade-games venue (my daughter calls it "Chuck E. Cheese for adults!"), or the other fine restaurants, such as Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Alcatraz Brewing Co, Rubio's Baja Grill, El Torito, TGI Friday's, and Cafe Tu Tu Tango (with its exotic menu and live artists at work!). There are also other stores, such as the "Off 5th Avenue" Saks 5th Avenue outlet, Borders Books & Cafe, Bath & Body Works, or Old Navy, to name a few. Nor have I mentioned the huge variety of snacks you can grab--places for ice cream, cookies, boba drinks, donuts, gelato, coffee, candy, pretzels, burgers, and sausages.
In other words, there are lots of "building blocks" from which you can plan a fun day or evening here. If you're not entertained, then you certainly can't blame The Block!