34 Best Bars near Aliso Viejo

“This small wine and deli boutique is located in a small strip just behind a gas station. Limited parking but there is handicap parking.They have metal tables outside the door for relaxing and consuming your meal.The door is covered with signage and rules but don't let that deter you from entering the establishment.The inside drink and wine area is clean and well-stocked. The organization of the products was great.  As I walked to the back, to my right was a wine tasting bar and to my left was a pretty nice deli. The young lady at the cash register greeted me upon entering.  When I walked to the back of this quaint deli/wine store I came to a cooler well stocked with local and imported drinks of all kinds. It's not just a wine bar. It's not just a deli. It's an experience.They had many sandwiches to choose from but I chose the sausage breakfast burrito. It was recommended by the clerk that I get some green sauce with it and she was right. The burrito was pretty big and crafted with care. With each bite, I had a taste of the eggs, sausage, cheese, and hashbrowns. Many burritos I encounter are just thrown together and rolled up where you get a different burrito in each bite. You could see the care even in the wrapping and cutting in half for easier consumption.The size of the burrito:The burrito is about as round as a Starbucks Venti cold cup and the length of a Venti Starbucks plastic straw. The breakfast burrito was cut in half for easier consumption.It took about five minutes for the burrito to be ready for me to take it to go. Total was $10.76 with tax as of 1/7/24 and was worth it.It was a lot of fun browsing the cold fridge drinks and entertaining myself with their clever names while I waited for my meal.I definitely recommend this secret wonder if you're ever in the Aliso Viejo, Ca area.“

“Great service, great food!!👏“

“….Eureka!

That’s what I wanted to say when I discovered the place..Eureka! …From the outside, you’d never guess this place existed. But once I stepped through the front door, I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was captivating, and, believe it or not, they backed it up with great food.

Our server, Carissa, was perfect through our Labor Day lunch!, so I tipped her generously—she earned it.

I kicked off the feast with a Mexican beer called Explorado Lager. I lost count of how many I had, but it was something special—fruity, as my date noted, and I have to agree. It was different, in the best way!

We shared a plate of slow-roasted pork nachos and a plate of wings, they were definitely worth it.
I wrapped things up with the Napa chicken sandwich, which was spot on—the sauce was a perfect hit. Honestly, it felt like I was dining in a four-star restaurant. These folks really know their sauces.

Background Story

Will Adler and Jack Montero, childhood friends turned entrepreneurial duo, founded Eureka! in Napa Valley, driven by their shared love for California’s landscapes and culinary traditions. Will, an architect, and Jack, a chef with Michelin-star experience, combined their talents to create a restaurant that embodies the spirit of discovery. Eureka! features farm-to-table cuisine with modern twists, designed with a blend of rustic charm and contemporary elegance—a true celebration of California’s heritage in both food and design.

Eureka’s innovations lie in their seamless fusion of farm-to-table cuisine with modern culinary techniques, creating dishes that surprise and delight. Signature offerings like the “Gold Rush Burger” and the “Sequoia Salad” elevate classic flavors with local, seasonal ingredients. Their philosophy centers on discovery and creativity, celebrating California’s rich heritage while pushing culinary boundaries. Eureka! isn’t just about food; it’s about crafting an experience where every detail, from the architecture to the wine list, tells a story of innovation and a deep respect for the land.“

“Each dish is spectacular. Love the calamari ….can be an appetizer to share or eat on your own with a salad. 230:Forest Avenue never disappoints!!!“

“Cooks is a staple in the biker community of So Cal. The food is awesome and beer is cold… Almost always live music too.“

“Fantastic atmosphere. Felt like sitting in the hull of a pirate ship. Best selection of rums I've ever seen (more than 100). All that and surprisingly reasonable prices on expertly crafted drinks!“

“Went there for Oktoberfest. Nice friendly staff, great beers.. Had a bratwurst next door at a popup. The sitting area is next to a tiny dog park so I was able to run my dog while having a beer.
Nice location, park in the strip mall next door or on the street“

“OC Local Taproom is a great place for fabulous beer (more than 55 taps), wine and craft cocktails. The food is also fantastic. The best staff of any place we’ve been, with plenty of TVs for gem time and games for the kids. This is our go-to place. Highly recommend.“

“Oh goodness. Why did it take us over a year to find out about this place??

First: you can either park along el Camino or parking is along Avenida De La Estrella located right above restaurant. There is a stairwell that brings you right down to it.

Be sure to go on Tuesday… taco Tuesday… where they have a phenomenal/affordable menu! Honestly the best shrimp taco I have ever had. I’m just sorry I filled up on chips.

They are only opened for lunch on the weekend.

The best part… PET FRIENDLY PATIO!!!!

Update: Doug and I have gotten to know our waitress amber. Bless her.. she waits on the whole outside and she hustles. Food and spirits all so good. Thanks Amber for always remembering 2 ice cubes and being an outstanding server.“

“We were visiting from Scotland, having previously lived in NYC for many years, and were desperate for a nice Italian meal like we used to get when we lived in the States. We could not have been more impressed with the food and the service, and made sure we got a second visit in before we returned to Scotland - I just wish we could have gone back a third time… and fourth !!!! Highly recommend !!!“

“Stopped here before my gfs departing flight and it was an amazing experience. The atmosphere was wonderful, the drinks were stiff and reasonably priced, and our bartender (Tucker) was the kindest and most efficient bartender I’ve ever had in my life. From now on, this place will be a mandatory go-to before flying out of SNA.“

“Intimate 50 guest pub w exceptional appetizers and entrées at reasonable prices..“

“Food is excellent, pool games are legit. Good times by all“

“Always enjoy staying at the Waldorf Astoria. Nice escape, great location, attentive staff. Perfect getaway.“

“Every time we come to Laguna we stay at the Casa Del Camino. Rooftop is our first stop always 🥂“

“Stumbled upon 237 in #LagunaBeach after a serendipitous encounter with the owner, who recommended her newly opened restaurant.

What a find! I just had the best burger of my life! . This place, formerly known as Breeze & Brew, is a culinary gem. If you're in the #California area this #LaborDayWeekend, make sure to experience their incredible food. Highly recommended for any food enthusiast!"

Burger 10/10 would recommend! ❤️

Dietary restrictions: Very accommodating for any food issues.“

“Walking through the streets of San Jan Capestrano we stopped for a drink in this place. From the outside it looked like a normal pub, but once inside we found ourselves immersed in a sea of ​​memorabilia. Having been there in the afternoon, we only drank, but there is also live music and dancing. If you pass by, also stop for a drink because it's worth it. Friendly staff.“

“The most incredible bar inside a grocery store I have ever been to. This place has a rotating selection of 30 beers and a spacious seating area. The service was great and all the beers were from the area/west coast, I believe. I can't wait to go back and see what they have on tap next time.“

“A great place to hangout with friends or the family. Friendly, fun and professional staff. Bar, BBQ Grills, Games, Gym, Lounge, Pool and more. Play some bocce ball, bbq, a friendly game of air hockey or skee-ball. Enjoy a glass of wie, cocktail or a beer from Left Coast Brewing. Indulge in a serving of Blonde Marvel or Trestles IPA. Karaoke was just added to the first Friday of the month events. Great food trucks on the first Friday of each month too. Jog, Walk, Drive or Golf Cart over for a great relaxing and recharging experience.“

“Nice little speakeasy. The entrance is unique and we loved the decor and vibe. The service was standard and the drinks & sushi were good but nothing to blow you away. Recommend they change to paper menus! The phone menu was hard to read and it took away from the ambiance they're trying to create.“

“Marine room is a staple in Laguna. It can be wonderful and also for the ladies. Sometimes the men there are VERY aggressive. Nothing Marine Room can do about that, just something to know. Most of the time they have a great band. Drinks are fairly priced“

“I'm giving it a 5 for the staff. I briefly looked at it, thinking it was an independent rooftop bar, not realizing it was connected to the hotel.Our drinks were ok, prices were average. If you were staying at the hotel, this would be a great experience. If you were bar hoping or anything of that nature, I would go here if everything else was packed.Again, staff was incredibly nice and we stayed for them ?“

“Great place to play and party.“

“Luis was the bartender and also the only person in the entire FOH when I ordered my fish taco near closing time at 10pm as I had just arrived at SNA airport less than an hour prior and had a fantastic complimentary shuttle ride with our driver Ruben. Although my order and payment weren't processed like clockwork, it was done within ten minutes and Luis was very gracious and easy in spirit despite his hardworking hustle and bustle, and the best fish taco I've ever eaten in my life including the homemade salsa, tortilla, and chips were actually made in less than ten minutes also so essentially I had the greatest fish taco in my life while receiving excellent service from Luis the gentle warrior and chatting with the gentleman who was waiting to order alongside me all in less than an hour and this establishment ranked in my top 3 eateries throughout my entire weeklong trip to Irvine alongside Vaca the MIchelin-starred Spanish restaurant and Moulin the authentic Parisian bakery and cafe. I plan to return again and again to Vibrante once I move to Irvine this summer! PS: The cod in the fish taco is locally caught & cooked to perfection!“

“Hi I love it miss this place so much good dancing“

“Sean the bartender here makes this place really shine. He's super friendly and knowledgeable about the beer and wine. The selections are top notch and the food options are varied enough that you could try something new before hitting a repeat. Such a great spot to chill after work, can't wait for another visit!

Parking: No problems with parking, there is plenty.“

“Had a nice evening at Dominicos on the lake this evening. My wife and I had reservations and were fortunate to ask Kory for a patio table which he accommodated. Michael took us to our table and was very kind and professional. Pedro came by with our bread and water and said hello. He is one of the hardest working individuals at the restaurant. Eddie our server came by and took our orders with a bottle of Austin Hope and bread to start. My wife ordered a chicken breast salad and I had the chef's special stroganoff which was amazing. Unfortunately my wife's salad came out 30 minutes after my stroganoff which was a cardinal sin in the restaurant business and we mentioned it was not acceptable. Eddie apologized and we also had Steven, the GM, come by and also apologize and ensure the salad would be out shortly. The salad was delivered, of course after I ate my entree and Steven dropped off and apologetic gift certificate for an appetizer during our next visit. We also ordered an additional beef stroganoff plus an order of meatballs to take home for tomorrow. We undertake things happen and it's certainly nice to see the restaurants busy again but a party of two receiving their entrees 30 minutes apart is not conducive with quality service. I am guessing the chef either misplaced the order or overlooked the obvious and we hope next time we will not have such issues as the restaurant is very good and in a fantastic location. Michael also came back around and stated he was concerned about this mishap and would look into this. As a retired government administrator and former restaurant manager in my college days I expect the simple things like entrees being delivered at the same time to be in sync with quality service and dining. We will be back and see if in fact this was an isolated incident. Good food and ambiance plus. As a writer for Trip Advisor, Yelp and Google I am graceful in my comments and specific in areas needed improvement. Thanks you.“

“Stopped in on a Friday night. They had a live band, beautiful bartender that made great drinks, and a great atmosphere. My lady and I had a great time. Highly recommend you stop in and check it out for yourself. We will be back!“

“This is a great new place. The owner is very nice. You can reserve tables. They have live music playing on Fridays and Saturdays and videos on the screen in between. I had a great flatbread. I will be returning to check this place out again.“

“I thought that I had experienced hospitality prior to my stay at the Montage and my drinks at the Lobby Lounge. I was mistaken. I have felt more loved and at home at the Montage, and Lobby Lounge, than I have in my entire life. The staff here is the absolute best in the world, bar none. The level at which this staff operates is truly a blessing to be able to behold. Everyone was the absolute pinnacle of service, however, Sadie and Kris went above and beyond my wildest expectations. The warmth and hospitality that these employees provided was something I didn't even know existed in this world. I just got back from St. John a week ago, and that didn't have a damn thing on the staff here. This is the best bar in the world, with the best staff in the world, with the most lovingly crafter cocktails and conversation in the world. Bar none. I will frequent this establishment until the day I die. I'm personally agnostic, but GOD BLESS the staff at the Lobby Lounge and the entire staff of the Montage. Changed my life.“

“We have had the pleasure of dining at Hanna's for decades now. Every meal has been memorable for excellence in cuisine, service, and gracious hospitality. Their wine dinners are superlative. We've enjoyed several paired wine dinners with them over the years and they've always been amazing. Tonight's Caymus dinner with Mr. Wagner was especially fantastic. FINE dining indeed...“

“Great live music venue with 2 stages“

“First visit, I had the “special” (see photo) smash burger. Really good deal, only $6, instead of the normal price of $17.25.
Outdoor seating on the street side, was nice, friendly server did a very good job.
Irish Nachos was good, served on a hot plate.
Double patty “smash” burger was good, my only complaint was it really wasn’t a smash burger, because it didn’t have the normally tasty crispy edges.
Plate served hot, good fries with very good ranch style dip.
The best parking is a paid lot to the rear of the restaurant. But the walk to the restaurant is difficult, especially for a mobility challenged person, due to the steepness of the alleyway.
Recommended, we will be back.“

“Came for lunch with my gran about a month after my grandfather passed. It was my gran's first outing since the funeral and i was worried but our server was this adorable silver haired woman named Rebecca. She had my Gran laughing the whole time. We ordered combos and the suggested jalapeño watermelon margaritas, which were spicy and refreshing. We needed a nap afterwards because we were too stuffed! My gran won't stop asking when we can go back. Thank you South of Nicks for lovely meal, and Thank you Rebecca, for helping a family member feel normal after tragedy. You are in our prayers“