Orange County, CA, is one of the hippest places in the state, offering countless options for a fun night out. If you want a night sipping great drinks with friends, there are some top bar options you want to consider.
We’ll share these top spots with you and show you how we can help if you feel hungover in the morning.
Best 15 Bars in the OC
Whether you want an elegant and swanky experience or you prefer a dive bar, Orange County has bar options for everybody to consider.
1. Vacation Bar
Vacation Bar features custom-designed furniture that transports you to places all over the world while still keeping you comfortable as you sip one of the bar’s exotic cocktails. The cocktails have names of locations, like the Bangkok, Thailand drink, made with scotch, Thai basil, lime, cardamaro, and toasted coconut.
The bar also offers location-inspired foods. Try their Cubano sandwich, featuring slices of pork and mayo-grilled Telera bread.
Address: 204 W. 4th Street, downtown Santa Ana, CA
Phone: 657-266-0855
2. Pie Society
Pie Society takes its cues from the old speakeasies. There are no directions to its location behind Pitfire Pizza, adding to its attraction.
Pie Society has an indoor and outdoor space, but it gets packed quickly, and there are no reservations. The bar offers great craft beer options, wine choices, and a wide selection of house cocktails.
Try Life of the Party, featuring vodka, lavender, cava, lemon, and hibiscus, or The Perfect Gin-tleman, with green tea, lemon, gin, and cinnamon. The bar also serves food, letting you choose from pizzas to pastas and more.
The retro doctor and the delicious drinks and food options make this a great place to try.
Address: 353 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA
Phone: 949-313-6333
3. The Cauldron
With stone floors and exposed wooden beams, The Cauldron packs style as well as excellent drinks. The bar, made of wood panels, ends at an old library wall on one side and a fireplace on the other, and the plush armchairs welcome you to sit for as long as you like.
The witchy vibes continue with the drink selection. Try the Grey Witch, which is a take on the classic French 75 that uses Nolet’s gin, Creme de Violette, and champagne.
They have beers, wines, ciders, and food options to suit all tastes. For a delectable meal, try their gruyere crepes and end the feast with the bar’s homemade boozy ice cream.
Prices are a bit higher, but the experience is worth it.
Address: 8028 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA
Phone: 714-484-2733
4. Kitsch Bar
If you want mid-century glamor for your night out, this bar can offer it. With metallic damask walls and red leather booths lining the space, as well as lots of chandeliers, there is a great atmosphere to savor at Kitsch Bar.
Many nights, the bar has a DJ on-site, making it possible to dance after a few drinks. Try their Mai Tai, which is one of the best in the area.
There are food selections, as well, and all for reasonable rats.
Address: 891 Baker St., Costa Mesa, CA
Email: mike@kitschbar.com
5. Paragon Cafe
For those who enjoy a good brunch, Paragon Cafe offers the relaxed and welcoming style you want. It features a white marble bar, seating done in blue velvet, ceilings with exposed pipework, and all kinds of gold accents.
Try a mimosa or sample one of the house cocktails like the 24k Magic, featuring bourbon, brown sugar, bitters, and 24K orange peel. Because of its success, the restaurant is open until 8 p.m. most nights.
Address: 3321 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, CA
Phone: 657-247-0101
6. Ruin Bar
Ruin Bar channels a speakeasy vibe with unique seating options both inside and outside. You can choose from a ski gondola, a piano you can play if you want, a high top under a bull’s head statue, and more.
There are only a few tables, adding to the cozy and intimate atmosphere where you can sip everything from Moscow Mules in hammered copper mugs to spritzers made with local ingredients. There is no food served, however.
Address: 2930 Bristol St. a111, Costa Mesa, CA
Phone: 714-884-3189
7. Graceland
If you enter HQ Gastropub Huntington Beach on PCH and head to the kitchen, you can find the entrance to Graceland in a walk-in refrigerator. There are no phones allowed, and the staff will provide you with a locker in which to stow your cell phone.
One of the best things about Graceland is the catwalk table, offering stunning views. The space offers ‘70s music, very comfortable seating, and unique cocktails to try.
Graceland also offers dinner options at reasonable rates.
Address: 155 5th St. Suite F-183, Huntington Beach, CA
Phone: 714-369-2155
8. Mission Control
If you want a barcade for a night out, this is the spot to try in Orange County. Combining retro arcade games, like pinball machines, Mortal Kombat, and more, with delicious drinks, Mission Control is perfect for date night.
The bar features 20 craft beer taps, lots of martinis named after Street Fighter, and many signature cocktails with the names of popular arcade games.
For those who love an ‘80s vibe, Mission Control can offer exactly what you want.
Address: 515 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA
Phone: 657-232-3338
9. Johnny’s Saloon
The entire bar is decorated with music memorabilia with items from country to rock. It is a grunge bar that offers excellent pizza and a large selection of whiskeys, including bourbons, rye, wheat, barley, Tennessee, Irish, white, Scotch, and flavored.
There are also beers and cocktail options to sample. The casual vibe and drink options, as well as world-class pizza, will keep you coming back to Johnny’s Saloon.
Address: 17428 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA
Phone: 714-984-3760
10. Jane
Jane is an intimate cocktail bar adorned in Italian wallpaper and featuring a 1950s Swarovski crystal chandelier. The bar has a team of professionals creating drinks and serving them, giving every patron a memorable experience.
Try one of their signature cocktails like Birds of a Feather, made with tequila, jalapeño, lime, mint, and amaro, or their Noble Punch, made with rum, Cynar, lime, pineapple, and ginger.
For food, you can go for a filet mignon or a vodka flatbread.
Address: 158 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, CA
11. The Guild Club
The Guild Club offers high-quality liquors and a great bar scene that is completely inclusive. They have a relatively small menu, but you want to try all of their cocktails.
Sample their Czar drink, featuring vodka, Rombauer wash, and a lemon twist, or their El Chapo, with tequila, lime, and a grapefruit twist.
You can expect reasonable rates and a relaxed atmosphere.
Address: 3321 Hyland Ave. Suite G, Costa Mesa, CA
Phone: 949-500-5561
12. The Blind Rabbit
This speakeasy is a cozy and dimly-lit space that offers a fresh take on American food and signature drinks. They do not allow phone calls, and they offer 90 minutes to have a drink and eat before allowing the next person to take your seat.
Some of the food options to try are the veal Milanese and the duck confit mac and cheese.
Address: 440 S. Anaheim Blvd #104, Anaheim, CA
Email: HushHush@TheBlindRabbit.com
13. Swallow’s Inn
This place is an old-school western bar featuring eclectic decor, good beer selections, and cocktails. The bar also has live music on most nights of the week.
The menu is simple bar food featuring classics like wings, hot dogs, hot or cold sandwiches, burritos, and tacos. There are events almost every week, including country dancing lessons and more.
Address: 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Phone: 949-493-3188
14. The Wayfarer
With music almost every night, featuring everything from rock to reggae, The Wayfarer always promises a great night out.
Try one of their signature cocktails, like The Lloyd, made with Ketel cucumber mint, Yuzuri, cranberry juice, and lime juice, or their Queens Boulevard, made with Maker’s Mark, Campari, and vermouth.
For food, you can choose group specials like quesadillas, or you can go for a solo dish like a classic club.
Address: 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, CA
Phone: 949-764-0039
15. Tribune
This bar has a retro, 1930s vibe and features live music and more.
Try their signature cocktails, like Almonds in Alameda, made with vodka, lemons, Orgeats, and Peychauds, or sample their craft beer options in the cozy atmosphere.
For food, try the Tribune burger or the heirloom tomato ratatouille.
Address: 401 13th Street, Oakland, CA
Phone: 510-285-6451
Hangover IV Therapy in Orange County
After enjoying a few drinks at one of the best bars in the OC, you may wake up with a hangover. Instead of doing your best to get through the symptoms, you can turn to IV therapy.
Reset IV offers IV therapy throughout Orange County. IV therapy allows you to get the nutrients and hydration you may have lost after a night out, and you get them in a much faster manner than if you were to drink the vitamins and electrolytes you need. At Reset IV, we offer a few different IV therapy packages for hangovers.
Hydration
Many times, the worst symptoms of a hangover come from dehydration. Our hydration package offers a liter of saline to get your electrolyte levels back to normal.
Still Spinning
Still Spinning is for someone who wakes up with mild hangover symptoms but still does not want to feel less than their best. This IV therapy option offers a liter of saline as well as your choice of painkillers, anti-nausea medication, or anti-heartburn medication.
Defcon 1
Defcon 1 is an effective option for treating the worst hangover symptoms. It offers saline as well as your choice of two medications: painkillers, anti-nausea medication, and anti-heartburn medication.
The Baller
The Baller is an IV therapy option that offers a Myers cocktail along with saline. The Myers cocktail includes vitamins B and C, as well as calcium and magnesium, to help you bounce back after a long night.
You can choose to add medications to the package or a multivitamin cocktail.
Pre Game
Instead of dealing with the hangover symptoms the next morning, why not try to prevent them? Our Pre Game IV therapy option offers this.
It includes a liter of saline to keep you hydrated and a vitamin B complex to give you energy.
Try What Orange County Has to Offer
Orange County, CA, has a lot to offer. From great food and drinks to live music, the area bars can make your night special.
To get the help you need after a night out, you can turn to Reset IV. We offer IV therapies to help with all of the hangover symptoms you may have. Contact us today to learn more about our options.