50 Best Cocktail Bars near Lake Forest

“Love going to Morena‘s for lunch and brunch. The food is as good as any I’ve had in Southern California and the service is better than most places. Prices are acceptable. If you want a real experience go for brunch the staff is so friendly and warm. It’s hard to come away with a bad experience“

“If you want a high quality taco or burrito you MUST try this place. Taco Tuesday saves $1 on most their selection. Grilled fish, surf n turf, carnitas and shrimp are all my families favorites. They even have some interesting seafood tacos no other place will have in their menu. Check them out once and you will be happy to habe found your new taco spot!“

“I love this place! Bri and Alana make us feel like we are at our own personal “Cheers” every time we are there!“

“Truly outstanding. From flavor to quality to service, this experience was exceptional. The only negative was that our table was beneath a vent; therefore, we were freeeeezing. 😅 We even had an opportunity to meet Teemu (the owner) himself. Already looking forward to our next visit!“

“Annie is an incredible lady who makes you feel like family from the moment you walk/roll in. Thank you for being amazing, Ann!“

“Tuesdays if is Allie, excellent bartender. I recommended go on Tuesdays, she is very Attentive and always has great atmosphere, the vas has Pool tables ,fun place to enjoy time with friends when is a nice bar tender. The bar Do No sell food . But allow you bring your food.“

“My wife's and I favorite spot in all Laguna, we've been to all the bars, taverns n this saloon by far is THEE BEST...every year we make it a must stop spot.....I'm a photographer at heart and this classic saloon is AWSOME, the coziness, ceiling n decor, flooring, masonry and the patina bar. Nothing else comes close.“

“The food was delicious and our server Ashton was incredible. We will be back soon❣️“

“excellent food atmophere and service!“

“Had a wonderful evening out with my wife at Ironwood Cellars in Laguna Hills. We had reservations for 5:30 p.m. and arrived early. We were greeted by Joe, the manager on duty, who was very kind, professional, and welcoming. Art was our server and is amazingly gifted in customer service professionalism and overall people skills. Yes, showing the love. We started with tequilla drinks from the bar, and we each had a wedge salad. Joe sent us over a wonderful Agnolotti appetizer as well, which was more than kind. The ambiance was positive and upbeat, perfect for the evening. Sergio was also quite attentive in making sure our table was serviced properly. We ordered our entrees with my wife having the halibut dinner, and I had the famous giant meatball dish. Both meals were hot & tasty and presented well. We had a terrific time, and Art surprised us with a complimentary dessert 🍨 with berries. The restaurant is so nice and offers an outdoor patio and bar seating as well. The wine list is extensive, as are the craft beers. Highly recommended.“

“Feels like you’re in a NY loft bar and privileged to have the only rooftop view of south Orange County. Bartenders are top notch and make you feel welcome. Food is well planned with a cultured menu emphasizing the Asian diversity of the area. I cannot get enough of the calamari and the Spectrum Sunset cocktail. Also, a lovely hostess named Sasha greets you upon arrival which just sets the mood.“

“This place is adorable. We've been here a few times now. Food is good and drinks are great. I mean who wouldn't like googly eyes on their sandwich bun and coconut drink?!“

“Everything best food good service very nice staff. We are coming back soon!!❤️“

“The food was so good. Our waiter was very helpful and accommodating. The restaurant had a really good vibe. We celebrated my husband's birthday the other day and they gave a free dessert because one of our dishes for my son came late. Really didn't expect it but the waiter was kind enough to give it to us. So thank you! Reason why I gave a 4 when the food itself deserved a 5 was because the hostess at the front wasn't very welcoming. It felt frosty and put on and every time she came to our table it was like this. Anyways, despite that, we will be back.“

“great place to eat. service was great“

“The restaurant also has complimentary bread 🥖 with olive oil.“

“In our first visit the owner Eddie took care of us. We went to watch the Euro Cup game. I asked Eddie can you put the sound so we can hear the game and he said of course. The place is very family oriented. Food is excellent. Everything about that place is excellent.“

“A wonderful evening at Todos Santos with my wife. We were greeted by Daniel the owner and chef extraordinare who took us to a very nice table in the outside patio. We started off with drinks which were made by one of our favorite bartenders Jaime! The other bartender of choice is Francisco who had the day off. Kenya was our waiter and was superb, very personable and professional. We each ordered the appetizer salad which were so good. We spoke with Daniel about the fresh fish and decided on the Sea Bass for my wife and I ordered the Salmon and lobster plate. These two dishes were amazing upon presentation and even tastier than they looked lol. I must say since we began dining at Todos Santos from when Daniel took over this place has blossomed this restaurant into the best Mexican cuisine in Orange County. With multiple awards to his credit Daniel has new menu items that he creates regularly and now opens after hours on Tuesdays and Fridays with a DJ and dance floor. On Saturday and Sunday the restaurant serves breakfast from 10 am to 2 pm and the dishes are delicious. Make a reservation and ask for Daniel. Let him know George sent you. Great place, great food and amazing people! Highly recommended“

“#SuperBowlSundayBrunch 🌷🤙😜🥳😎“

“The food was delicious 😋 I had the crab cakes potato’s and sliced tomatoes, crab/shrimp cocktail and the clam chowder. The service was great and my server Ms Martha was so kind and always smiling. Thank you Ms Martha for giving me a great dining experience and for your service. I will definitely be back to The Crab Cooker in Tustin. I came over from Antelope Valley😊“

“What a great place for taco Tuesday! They have two types of Tuesday menus and I had the fish taco that ended at 5:30. I had two different ones and they were fabulous. Drinks go on all night and they were very good too. I will definitely be back.“

“We stumbled upon this hidden gem in Laguna on our last day there. Can’t believe we missed it! After visiting Finneys in Santa Barbara, we were expecting a lot, but this place totally exceeded our expectations. It’s right off the beach, with an incredible selection of beers. The service and food were also top-notch. If you’re looking for a great spot to grab a bite or a drink, definitely check them out!“

“Went to Cozy Pine for date night and we enjoyed it. Really feels like you are in a different place, inside a restaurant. Decor, cocktails and food were all great. Definitively worth stopping in.
Food is mostly “snacky” compared to Bacchus outside. We did not have a reservation and we’re still able to get seated, likely because we arrived early in the evening.“

“Living in the boonies of San Diego Co has benefits…(no traffic jams)…but few awesome perks…(like Tiki bars!!) Luckily the gods aligned, in Orange Co, and our last stop was the Stowaway. Intriguing, dark-painted, one small door marked the front of a strip-mall establishment… hmmm…sorta scary…but not really!! But there were two of us, and we had researched this place…so… The doorman looked at us, said a few things and unlocked a chain. We walked through curtains into the darkest bar I had ever been in, and shuffled toward the green lit bar…which turned red, then blue. The girl bartender handed us a card which we couldn’t read…it was really dark inside. From the shadows, up walked a bearded guy wearing a black shirt with hibiscus’s, smiled, extended his hand and said, “Hi, I’m “WILL”…can I explain anything to you? We had lots of questions…about drinks, Tiki ceramics, glassware, appetizers…and WILL cheerfully explained everything…He was fun, cheery, smart, and So Nice!! He brought us amazing drinks (a Tropical Margarita, a Cococano and totally fun ceramic sculptures from which to drink…an Angler Zombie Fish with a light, and Carved Volcano mug that had a flame show-by WILL, included!! Awesome!!) Totally wonderful décor…lights, bamboo furniture, comfy stools, the Skull Cave and waterfall, starry night ceiling, cool pool tables with lotsa room around them…everything thought through perfectly!!! We are definitely going back…VERY soon!!!! Thanks so much for everything, WILL!!“

“Had a lovely brunch here with a couple friends. The view from the restaurant is unreal. The restaurant window is literally right up against the sand, so much so, you barely see the sand itself. Most of the time, you only see the waves, as if you're on the water itself.

The food itself is great, but the prices are high. In terms of value, I think it's not quite worth it, but if you throw in the view and the great service, the experience overall might be worth it.

We ordered two savoury dishes and a sweet dish, and my personal favorite was the crab benedict. The tres leches french toast was the prettiest dish, but I remember the flavors to be a little too overwhelming - perhaps more fruits or creaminess would balance the sweetness and caramel better.“

“My husband found this place and we decided to try it. We were unaware that its valet only, I don’t really like other people driving my car but the food was so good! I got the cheeseburger with bacon and it was delicious, my husband got the cheesesteak and enjoyed it. Our server was Siri she was so kind and kind to my kids which means a lot, really enjoyed the view and all around atmosphere“

“Such a great atmosphere and delicious food thoughtfully made with great taste, love and presentation.“

“Delicious and very nice set of menu“

“We live right up the canyon and had never visited. Highly recommend!! Great food, reasonable prices, our waitress, Cassidy was so great! She was efficient with everything and just had the nicest personality. We will be back!!!“

“Delicious food friendly staff best pizza and affogato I have ever had. Looking forward to the opening of the Ocean Ranch Restaurant!“

“Incredible food and service! My mew favorite place!“

“Well, everything was mostly wonderful, but unfortunately, one of the bartenders was completely rude. He served me a glass of sparkling rosé that was clearly flat or the wrong bottle entirely. When I told him, he argued “no that's the bottle you wanted” and walked away. When I called another bartender over, he agreed with me and poured it out and poured a fresh glass which in fact was sparkling! Other than that, the experience was lovely and we look forward to coming back. “

“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.“

“Best place for local Italian! Highly recommended...“

“Great little place to have a quick drink or spend a Friday or Saturday night. They have multiple TV sets for watching the game,two pool tables and an old school shuffle board .the place is clean and even they bathrooms were kept clean and fresh.The bartender was a beautiful young woman with an affectionate smile and was busy and still made sure to c g neck on her customers and make sure they were good.i would recommend this spot over any other in the Tustin area come down to nite it's always funn“

“The taste of fresh fish with warm rice and crispy nori is unbelievable! If you want to try something different from hand rolls, try cryspy rice tartar, it's good. And my own lifehack for those taking care of calorie intake: I eat miso soup before my meal so I'm not that hungry anymore. Green tea is also a great drink because of its health benefits. Sometimes you have to wait for about a half of an hour to be seated, I believe you can check in on the website prior to arrival.“

“Great food in a great location. Would definitely go back.“

“It's your typical neighborhood dive bar. A number of beers on tap and a good selection of cans and bottles. Daily specials are on point. The bartenders are all young and cute and everybody knows your name.There are two dart boards pool table and giant connect four.Plenty of flat screens are available to watch your favorite teams and a booming jukebox with all the jams!Parking is plentiful.The servers are amazing, especially Mckenna and Melissa.“

“I have been going to this hotel since the 1980s. It’s the best. My husband and I spent three new years eves there. We usually stay a week. Love it. I’ll be so happy when the rooms are available again. I can hardly wait. Love everything about it. The food is delicious. The patio is very enjoyable. And just a few steps to the beach. Love it. Thank you. I’m. Beverly. Anderson.“

“Great coffee and breakfast croissants.. enjoyed on their patio 💕“

“The atmosphere is a wonderful and relaxing change from the high tech look of too many restaurants today. It's softly lit and comforting. The food is excellent. The branzino was cooked perfectly, the side dish of french lentils was a treat and the apple pie delicious. It's a treasure.“

“Food was fabulous, the Rock of Ages Band was fabulous, and our waiter, Zach, was fabulous. Such a wonderful night out.“

“Made a reservation same day for dinner and everything was really good - I live in Ktown in LA and this place has better meat quality than most of the korean KBBQ places in LA. I would come back again!

Our server Ray/Roy was so friendly and nice to us. Grilled the meats perfectly. Man this place is good“

“Its been about 2 years since I went here and now they have so much more amazing dishes on their menu. I tried their new arrival dishes such as their bulgogi fries which were crispy with delicious meat. Would have wished for a different type of cheese, but not mad about it! Their stir fried udon was al dente, which I loved and their korean fried chicken had a nice crunch. The service was fantastic and had a dim interior which is great for a late night group gathering.“

“Being from North Texas we are very picky about our Mexican food and this place is very tasty, clean and friendly. Thank you for the wonderful food. See y’all soon“

“Great place to dive n drink“

“Very long wait times. Terrible customer service and overall, one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had in my life. The waiter messed up our order and argued with my wife about how he did not mess up the order and continued to argue with my wife, which further upset me and my parents. I asked the waiter to leave and requested to speak with the manager. I had explained everything to the manager and told the manager that because the food came out wrong and the waiter argued with my wife, that it was time to go because the waiter ruined our meal and our experience. After paying for 3 meals that we did not eat, the restaurant manager was extremely rude, told us to leave, and to never come back. We left very angry and upset. This restaurant ruined our entire afternoon. I do not recommend this restaurant because of the terrible customer service. If you make a mistake, own it, and make it right. Not the case here, they just want your money and send you on your way as fast as possible. If you’re looking for a nice dining experience there are far better options than this place.“

“Amazing service and food was great!!“

“Great spot! View and food were great!!“

“We went to Habana for dinner when we went to OC to visit family. The place was beautiful and ambience classy. The food and drinks were wonderful! My favorite was the pepper shrimp dish. Absolutely awesome! Also, try the flan — you wouldn’t want to share it even if you were so full from your entree already.“