Nick was the best….. very knowledgeable, talkative and he is represents what it is say I’m part of Marriott. We have been to YnK since it opened and we have seen the changes and it keeps getting better and better…. We need more of these speakeasy places at other Marriott locations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacki Cardoso
YNK Speakeasy is a small lounge nestled within the Marriott Irvine and offers an intimate setting with seating for approximately 10-12 guests.We were staying at the Marriot Irvine and stumbled on the YNK by sheer coincidence. We were having drinks at the lobby bar, pondering where we were going to explore that night when we asked the bartender about the what was the room behind the bar and he told us that it was the Marriott's Speakeasy, YNK. We asked if we needed reservations or if can talk to the manager over there to get us in. He came back and said that the bar manager said they were booked for the night and couldn't get us in. Well I pulled out my phone and did some research and was able to secure us a reservation for 2 in the next 10 minutes. Not sure what that was about, or maybe they were trying to portray the perception of exclusivity, but oh well we got in! Reservations, conveniently available through Open table!!The small size of the lounge contributes to an intimate and cozy ambiance, making it perfect for smaller groups or a quiet evening for couples. The seating arrangement is designed to encourage conversation and connection, providing an escape from the bustling atmosphere outside.For those who appreciate a discreet and refined atmosphere, YNK Speakeasy inside the Marriott Irvine stands as a testament to the allure of speakeasy-style lounges, offering a distinctive and memorable escape within the heart of Irvine.What a great find! We will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Bri Nakasone
A hidden gem! This place is doing it right - friendly service, unique and delicious drinks, relaxing vibe. We loved every drink we got. They change themes (not just the drinks, but the decor too) every few months which will definitely keep us coming back. Appreciate the intentionality put into everything.Parking: Park in the Marriott lot and they'll validate
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Austin A.
The giant, bright, flashing screens playing low-quality videos of the 1920's on repeat ruined the experience. Please. Get rid of the giant screens. I couldn't focus on what my wife was saying for the life of me as a result, and the screens were giving me a headache. Ever seen TVs in a 1920's speakeasy before? Me neither. The Marriott had a small useless room, and was like, "let's throw some mood lighting, a couple wood cupboards in here and call it a speakeasy." 20% more effort might make it passable. The bartender, Nick, was the saving grace of this place. Great cocktails, but a poor excuse for a "speakeasy."
AustinA
poor excuse for a "speakeasy." Marriott had a useless room and pretty much was like, "let's put a few cupboards and mood lighting in here and call it a speakeasy" Also PLEASE GOD REMOVE THE GIANT FLASHING SCREENS with poor-quality youtube videos of the '20's. So distracting and nauseating. Just turn them off.
Belle L.
This cozy little bar/lounge is right up my alley for relaxing on a Friday night. I wish I remembered the drink I ordered because it was soooo good. It had lychee and soju and was sweet and fruity if that's your jam. The bartender was very hospitable as well! Great place to grab a drink with a loved one or friend. It's very small - seats about 12 - and you have to make reservations! Park at the hotel, YNK will validate :) I'll definitely be coming back here!
The idea is really fun and nostalgic. Tiny space tucked behind main bar in the Irvine Marriott. Tried to get in with no reservation and was turned away. Made reservations for the next night and was no problem. Drinks are super over priced and unless you get a "Spirit Forward" aka strong drink, you may not get much alcohol in your drink. Mine tasted like watered down sprite. Waiter had no personality for working in what should be a fun and enjoyable space. Overall cool place to pop your head in to see but you may be better off at the main bar of the hotel.
Cindy997 T.
The bartender who is an older gentleman with beards is extremely rude, offensive and horrible to Asian customers. Do Not Recommend.
Service: 1
This is such a quiet and cute place to have drinks after a dinner our. We are at Ten sushi across the street and then went here for drinks. Amazing decor and ambiance + delicious and creative drinks! Music was quite enough to have conversation. 10/10. We will be back
Anne-Marie N.
Had a lovely time with friends at the quaint little cozy bar. The drinks are a fantastic show and you can get food brought in from the restaurant next door. The bartender was attentive and took care of the room. It was a quieter Wednesday night because of the rain and we had a really great experience. Worth a visit, especially if you are staying in the hotel.
This review is for the Mixology class lead by Sean. I booked the class for my birthday and all of my friends and I had the most amazing time. The class was fun, informative and the drinks were delicious and incredibly well-balanced. Sean was very sweet and patient with us. The class also included a crudité board and a dessert for all the guests at the end. You get the whole speakeasy to yourself and it was a perfect girls night out!
Grace Johns
The outside bar area of the hotel had an entertainer playing music but behind the doors inside YNK you cant hear the music outside. The bartender was so patient and willing to explain parts of the drinks when I had questions. The drinks were delicious, the atmosphere was calm, and the seating was comfortable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Van K.
Cutest speakeasy with the 1920's vibe! The bartender there was super nice and made us feel right at home. He made this killer smoked whiskey for my hubby and we were so impressed with it! He even surprised my hubby with a birthday dessert. Great ambiance, great service and a nice place to chill!
Channary V.
This is a hard find mini bar in OC for us to find such a classy soot with good complex cocktails. The bar tender works alone on a Thursday night of January since it's tends to be slow after the holiday, but the we enjoyed it not too crowded. Moving from Hollywood, I appreciate the reasonable amount of peoples so I don't have to what too long. The parking is a puzzle, so you have to drive pass the Hyatt's drive way toward the right where it says "self parking", take your ticket and can get it validated at the bar up to 3 hours. The entrance is another puzzle, walk into the hotel double door, turn right, pass a mini bar on the left, you will see the small double door with the bane of the bar on them on the left. The moment we walked in, I was a bit surprised of how small the lounge is, technique squeezing 4 tables and the bartender's table, that fills up the whole bar. But we found our comfort in a table by the corner of the bar. And that's good enough. The bar reminds me of a library and a little Harry Potter vibes, book cases, dictionary, leather couches and chairs, and that cigar lounge kind of theme. Small but matches the complexity of majority of their cocktails. We were satisfied with our drinks. My Smoke & Mirrors was strong mezcal and smoky enough to enhance the sweetness of the pineapple juice. I definitely enjoyed the big five of ice in my glass! We also got Old Samurai, really complex and aromatic, sweet and sour tastes was really fun to drink! I'll give the bartender a thumbs up for it! The bartender himself is from Illinois area, very friendly to spark conversation with. Since he worked alone that night, he came to check on us when the glass was empty. We'd love to come back! Hopefully it doesn't get too crowded next time!
ángel navarrete ramirez
wasn't able to try any drinks, service was horrible. the bartender didn't seem very keen on servicing us. he went as far to suggest that I couldn't afford a drink another guest had just ordered.this was after he greeted us by stating "reservations only," which we had but he never asked, and then waiting almost 40 minutes in room the size of a walk in closet. he checked in with an obviously affluent couple in front of us multiple times.
Nick was the best….. very knowledgeable, talkative and he is represents what it is say I’m part of Marriott. We have been to YnK since it opened and we have seen the changes and it keeps getting better and better…. We need more of these speakeasy places at other Marriott locations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
YNK Speakeasy is a small lounge nestled within the Marriott Irvine and offers an intimate setting with seating for approximately 10-12 guests.We were staying at the Marriot Irvine and stumbled on the YNK by sheer coincidence. We were having drinks at the lobby bar, pondering where we were going to explore that night when we asked the bartender about the what was the room behind the bar and he told us that it was the Marriott's Speakeasy, YNK. We asked if we needed reservations or if can talk to the manager over there to get us in. He came back and said that the bar manager said they were booked for the night and couldn't get us in. Well I pulled out my phone and did some research and was able to secure us a reservation for 2 in the next 10 minutes. Not sure what that was about, or maybe they were trying to portray the perception of exclusivity, but oh well we got in! Reservations, conveniently available through Open table!!The small size of the lounge contributes to an intimate and cozy ambiance, making it perfect for smaller groups or a quiet evening for couples. The seating arrangement is designed to encourage conversation and connection, providing an escape from the bustling atmosphere outside.For those who appreciate a discreet and refined atmosphere, YNK Speakeasy inside the Marriott Irvine stands as a testament to the allure of speakeasy-style lounges, offering a distinctive and memorable escape within the heart of Irvine.What a great find! We will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
A hidden gem! This place is doing it right - friendly service, unique and delicious drinks, relaxing vibe. We loved every drink we got. They change themes (not just the drinks, but the decor too) every few months which will definitely keep us coming back. Appreciate the intentionality put into everything.Parking: Park in the Marriott lot and they'll validate
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The giant, bright, flashing screens playing low-quality videos of the 1920's on repeat ruined the experience. Please. Get rid of the giant screens. I couldn't focus on what my wife was saying for the life of me as a result, and the screens were giving me a headache. Ever seen TVs in a 1920's speakeasy before? Me neither. The Marriott had a small useless room, and was like, "let's throw some mood lighting, a couple wood cupboards in here and call it a speakeasy." 20% more effort might make it passable. The bartender, Nick, was the saving grace of this place. Great cocktails, but a poor excuse for a "speakeasy."
poor excuse for a "speakeasy." Marriott had a useless room and pretty much was like, "let's put a few cupboards and mood lighting in here and call it a speakeasy" Also PLEASE GOD REMOVE THE GIANT FLASHING SCREENS with poor-quality youtube videos of the '20's. So distracting and nauseating. Just turn them off.
This cozy little bar/lounge is right up my alley for relaxing on a Friday night. I wish I remembered the drink I ordered because it was soooo good. It had lychee and soju and was sweet and fruity if that's your jam. The bartender was very hospitable as well! Great place to grab a drink with a loved one or friend. It's very small - seats about 12 - and you have to make reservations! Park at the hotel, YNK will validate :) I'll definitely be coming back here!
The idea is really fun and nostalgic. Tiny space tucked behind main bar in the Irvine Marriott. Tried to get in with no reservation and was turned away. Made reservations for the next night and was no problem. Drinks are super over priced and unless you get a "Spirit Forward" aka strong drink, you may not get much alcohol in your drink. Mine tasted like watered down sprite. Waiter had no personality for working in what should be a fun and enjoyable space. Overall cool place to pop your head in to see but you may be better off at the main bar of the hotel.
The bartender who is an older gentleman with beards is extremely rude, offensive and horrible to Asian customers. Do Not Recommend.
Service: 1
This is such a quiet and cute place to have drinks after a dinner our. We are at Ten sushi across the street and then went here for drinks. Amazing decor and ambiance + delicious and creative drinks! Music was quite enough to have conversation. 10/10. We will be back
Had a lovely time with friends at the quaint little cozy bar. The drinks are a fantastic show and you can get food brought in from the restaurant next door. The bartender was attentive and took care of the room. It was a quieter Wednesday night because of the rain and we had a really great experience. Worth a visit, especially if you are staying in the hotel.
Restaurantji Recommends
This review is for the Mixology class lead by Sean. I booked the class for my birthday and all of my friends and I had the most amazing time. The class was fun, informative and the drinks were delicious and incredibly well-balanced. Sean was very sweet and patient with us. The class also included a crudité board and a dessert for all the guests at the end. You get the whole speakeasy to yourself and it was a perfect girls night out!
The outside bar area of the hotel had an entertainer playing music but behind the doors inside YNK you cant hear the music outside. The bartender was so patient and willing to explain parts of the drinks when I had questions. The drinks were delicious, the atmosphere was calm, and the seating was comfortable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cutest speakeasy with the 1920's vibe! The bartender there was super nice and made us feel right at home. He made this killer smoked whiskey for my hubby and we were so impressed with it! He even surprised my hubby with a birthday dessert. Great ambiance, great service and a nice place to chill!
This is a hard find mini bar in OC for us to find such a classy soot with good complex cocktails. The bar tender works alone on a Thursday night of January since it's tends to be slow after the holiday, but the we enjoyed it not too crowded. Moving from Hollywood, I appreciate the reasonable amount of peoples so I don't have to what too long. The parking is a puzzle, so you have to drive pass the Hyatt's drive way toward the right where it says "self parking", take your ticket and can get it validated at the bar up to 3 hours. The entrance is another puzzle, walk into the hotel double door, turn right, pass a mini bar on the left, you will see the small double door with the bane of the bar on them on the left. The moment we walked in, I was a bit surprised of how small the lounge is, technique squeezing 4 tables and the bartender's table, that fills up the whole bar. But we found our comfort in a table by the corner of the bar. And that's good enough. The bar reminds me of a library and a little Harry Potter vibes, book cases, dictionary, leather couches and chairs, and that cigar lounge kind of theme. Small but matches the complexity of majority of their cocktails. We were satisfied with our drinks. My Smoke & Mirrors was strong mezcal and smoky enough to enhance the sweetness of the pineapple juice. I definitely enjoyed the big five of ice in my glass! We also got Old Samurai, really complex and aromatic, sweet and sour tastes was really fun to drink! I'll give the bartender a thumbs up for it! The bartender himself is from Illinois area, very friendly to spark conversation with. Since he worked alone that night, he came to check on us when the glass was empty. We'd love to come back! Hopefully it doesn't get too crowded next time!
wasn't able to try any drinks, service was horrible. the bartender didn't seem very keen on servicing us. he went as far to suggest that I couldn't afford a drink another guest had just ordered.this was after he greeted us by stating "reservations only," which we had but he never asked, and then waiting almost 40 minutes in room the size of a walk in closet. he checked in with an obviously affluent couple in front of us multiple times.