Eleni Gianakakos, who co-owns Jalapeños Orange Circle with her husband, John, showcases some of the restaurant’s favorites, including shrimp ceviche, a carne asada burrito and crispy beef tacos.  A lifelong restaurateur since age 12, Eleni now runs Jalapeños with a family-first approach, joined by her husband and relatives.

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Jalapeños Orange Circle

Jalapeños Orange Circle, a staple Mexican restaurant in Old Towne for more than 20 years, got a fresh start under new owners Eleni and John Gianakakos in May of last year.

Eleni has been in the restaurant industry since she was 12 years old, and is building upon the updates the previous proprietors made when they assumed ownership in 2023.  They completed a remodel that made the space brighter and more colorful, as it’s known to customers today.

“The Plaza’s welcoming environment reminds me of the Chicago suburbs where I grew up,” says Eleni.  “There’s a huge sense of community in here where everyone supports each other and you know your neighbors.”

One aspect Eleni has been focused on is upgrading the quality of ingredients, including the seafood.  Jalapeños now sources its shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, and the cod is from Alaska.

Diners can expect a full selection of classic Mexican dishes.  One of the most popular items is the Old Towne Burrito, with asada, fries, guacamole, cheese and tomatoes.

Dimas Delgado, who has worked at Jalapenos for 11 years as a server, cashier and busser, says he’s excited about the restaurant’s continued growth.

“We get a lot of compliments on how good the food is, which makes me very happy,” he says.  “Eleni really cares for the business.”

For Delgado, providing excellent customer service goes hand in hand with serving high-quality food.

“You have to love what you do, and I love to interact with people,” he says.  “The owners take care of me, and I work really hard for the business.  I love being in customer service, and because I have a passion for it, I can just be myself every day when I come to work.”

Eleni echoes this commitment to personal service.

“We want it to feel like a family here,” she says.  “We like to get to know customers by name.”

Eleni and John draw on their decades of diverse restaurant experience in Southern California to guide their decisions.  The husband-and-wife team, along with their kids, have run Greek fine dining at Cafe Plaka in Fountain Valley, served comfort food at Fallbrook Cafe in Fallbrook, managed family dining at Johnathan’s in Fountain Valley, and operated the Golden Fire diner in Santa Ana.

“There are so many places to choose from in the Plaza, so we feel fortunate that customers choose to dine at Jalapeños,” says Eleni.

Jalapeños Orange Circle
154 North Glassell St., Old Towne Orange, CA 92866  /  714-538-7328