People move to Cypress and text me the same question a week later: where do we go? Not the best-of lists — the places we actually use.
So here's mine. Nobody paid to be here. If that ever changes, I'll say so on the page.
Where we eat in Cypress
El Zarape on Ball is my go-to Mexican spot, and there's a second location on Cerritos. Dominic's on Walker is old-school Italian — that's the birthday place. Sweetee Thai on Valley View is our Thai order, California Fish Grill handles Taco Tuesday, and Dairy Queen on Walker is the boys' post-game move. Worth the drive: Original Fish Company and Volcano Burgers in Los Alamitos, Sushi on Fire and Duke's in Huntington Beach, and The Ranch in Anaheim when it's an anniversary.
All Cypress restaurants →Coffee and the weekend bagel run
The Starbucks at Valley View and Ball is the neighborhood office — I've signed more paperwork there than at any desk. Weekends are a bagel run with the boys at 5th Avenue Bagelry on Valley View.
Coffee in Cypress →Groceries
Stater Bros. on Valley View is the everyday store. Costco on Katella is where you'll see half of Cypress on a Saturday. Trader Joe's on Katella covers everything else.
Grocery & markets →Parks and Saturday mornings
Oak Knoll Park is the one I grew up next to — farmers market, festival, everything happens there. Veterans Park has the best playground for little ones, and Lexington Park is where AYSO Saturdays happen.
Parks & dog parks →Schools people ask about
Los Alamitos High is top-rated and a lot of Cypress families look at it; McAuliffe Middle feeds it. Oxford Academy on Orange is consistently one of the top-ranked public schools in California — #2 in California and #19 nationally in the 2025 U.S. News rankings. Landell is the elementary neighbors ask me about most. Morris is where I went, and it's still a great school.
Cypress schools →Gyms, church, and the barber
Chuze on Walker is where you'll find my dad most mornings. SeaCoast Grace is where Debbie and I met and where our family goes now; St. Irenaeus is the church I grew up in. My barber is Inglorious in Los Alamitos — worth the five-minute drive.
The full Local Guide →A few more: Furnace Skate Shop on Valley View is the local skate shop — support them. For junk removal before a listing goes live, Helpful Hauler is fast and fair. I do my own car repairs; oil changes and tires go to the Costco Tire Center on Katella. And I keep two lenders and a 1031 specialist on the guide — people I've personally worked with, no referral fees. Dry cleaners are still coming — I'd rather leave them blank than list someone I haven't used. Know a spot I'm missing? Tell me on the guide page.