My husband and I finally stopped in after driving by this place dozens of times, and we're so glad we did! Cute dive bar with a working cigarette machine and a stage for live bands. We had the pleasure of meeting the owners, Mike and Laura, who were incredibly warm, personable, and welcoming. They shared the story behind the bar and a little about their own journey. It's clear they've put their hearts into this place. We can't wait to come back! read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I enjoyed the interior of this place it gave me a real sports bar vibe with every kind of sport everyone's into on every tv. The food is standard American fare but with a slight vibe of new American. The staff are nice and helpful. If your into World Cup soccer this time around, this is a great place to go. read more

Came here for the wine and a vibe. Kyla was exceptional! I could not have asked for better!

Stopped for a quick cocktail on the way to a wedding across the street...Fun place! ..................................................................................................................................//............................. read more

I see you responded. Again, as I mentioned your very rude people were only charging the people they wanted to charge. Im very flattered you stated I left in a maybach but you as a business is very unprofessional to follow the people out of your filthy bar. As for the rest of the party, the complaints were that your bar service was horrible. Yes you scam people by charging who you want, so yes you may want to watch out who you do this too. read more

Such a sick dive bar. The vibe is better than any other dive bar in SC, live music all the time showcasing different styles of music as well. Definitely fun spot to check out. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Karaoke with Dante on Tuesday night is my favorite! Ian, the friendly and calm bartender, always has my favorite mocktail ready. I could avoid it, because I can, but I don't avoid it because I don't want to. Family atmosphere here makes for good vibes. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Scaryoke - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I love "BAR" the staff is rad, ambience is great and I dig that there is always something going on. Shout out to Sid for being so sweet.

It's the middle of October, it's 61 degrees, both front and back doors are open, yet the ceiling fans are cranking on overdrive. It's 61, no one is overheating. Turn the overhead fans down to mellow medium, you're making it an ice box. I'm literally watching people put sweaters on. read more

this place sucks and the bartenders are rude and unnecessary. avoid it if you can, avoid it even if you can't. Just got to 711 across the street and don't give this place any business, because they sure as hell don't want it. Did I mention they're rude? read more

Actually stopped by for a burger. Rick let us know they no longer serve food. But said we could leave are vehicle parked behind and let us know about a great little restaurant down the street. So got the food to go and came back for a beer with the burger. Friendly staff and customers. Pool table and pinball machine. Great little place to relax after a day at the outlets. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Back of restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Great dive bar! Came after a wedding at the Casino and always a fun time. Staff is nice, pool table and lots of room

Just had a Bloody Mary by Olivia that was so good I had to take a minute to write this review. It had pickled watermelon and was crazy spicy and just hit the spot. The karaoke nights on Tuesday are super fun but they also have bands play and just generally a super fun and welcoming bar that kicks ass. read more

Favorite bar in town for the last 4 years!! From friendly service to new experiences from music to food!

Ample TVs with a wide selection of wines, beers, and spirits . Staff were courteous and knowledgeable,

They advertise food - way cool menu- except it doesn't exsist - pinball was in need of service Drinks were good Bartender was chill Place probably rocks at night read more

Expectations were low. Blown away with the bands and Ethan in the wine bar. Natural wines to die for. Didn't know much about them but Ethan explains all of them so well with a great personality! I prefer more of a classic Cabernet but the natural versions that Ethan suggested were amazing. So glad I found them. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Live music! - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Service was lovely at first, however every time after the first we went close to the bar we received an eye roll and terrible attitude . It was a great little place to hangout but I am not coming here again. read more

My husband and I--out-of-towners--had two hours to kill before a 4pm wedding at Ole Hanson Beach Club, so we ended up hanging out at Knuckleheads. What a perfect place to sling back a couple before slinging back more. Sleepy Saturday, the marine layer threatened to burn off, and chatty Brick, the owner, juiced up the jukebox with some Steely Dan, Talking Heads and more. We played a game of pool; husband lost, scratching with 8 ball, per usual. Bummer for him, but Knuckleheads is a fine place: It's my kind of dive bar, without pretense. We'll return if we're ever down in the southernest part of OC again. read more

Go in with the proper expectations. This is a DIVE BAR but that doesn't mean you can't have fun here. I've had a work Christmas party here (which I loved the look on everyone's face as they walked in) to just catching up with some good friends post-Covid lockdown and just trying to get comfortable in a bar again. You'll find some good people here no matter the day or time. You'll also find some unfriendly people here but that's not on the place that's just everyone being strangers. A few beers or drinks and the next thing you know you'll find out we are not too different once we all loosen up. And if you're ever craving a snack Brick can whip up something. Again, set the proper expectations, this isn't a 5-star restaurant, but hey it hits the spot. Some nights pre-Covid they use to have a live band play inside. I believe they've moved them outside now but the night I was there they weren't playing to my knowledge. Relax and enjoy some drinks here if you're looking for something around North Beach when you're in SC. They're all good people and I love the fact that they have country music! read more

Knuckleheads is a dive of a dive anyway you dive into it! This bar has been here for such a long time and pretty much it hasn't changed as it's still just a dive the way a dive is suposto be! They have live music on some nights and all kinds of random activities that take place on other nights so pretty much your bound to have some kind of entertainment no matter what night you show up. The parking here is pretty much non existent but you can find some spots behind the old Miramar Theater in the alley way usually as no one really parks there because their really isn't any other businesses around here that are open at night. The draft beers are pretty standard here ranging from around $5 per pint so it's pretty standard but it was quite amusing when we ordered some mix drinks to watch the bartender smack the glass and shaker a few times as she had a hard time getting it off! They have a small patio out front that's very crammed full of everyone enjoying their smokes and drinks so if your into that smoking type of thing that's the spot for you! They have 2 pool tables to provide you with all the fun dive bar pool action you could possibly want with sticks chalk and balls all around! Overall this is your pretty standard dive bar where the drinks are cold and the dim light of a dive to keep your night afloat enjoy! read more

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Amazing bar! Friendly and Brick rocks! Be back soon. Best drink prices in town. Always love visiting our local businesses. Pizza coming soon! read more

Came here after a wedding and Brick was AMAZING. The most welcoming, accommodating, fun dive bar I've been to in a long time. I'll always come back here when in San Clemente. read more

9 of us stopped by on our vacation in San Clemente to play some pool. Heard some great live music from the Neil Levin Trio, and had some excellent service from the bartender. Will remember this place for life. read more

San Clemente dive bar. Great band, average food, good vibe, dirty bathroom, excellent service from the bartender(long blonde straight hair pretty and nice). The waiter cleaned the table regularly and re-warmed appetizers with ease for one of our picky friends. Popular pool table. Parking is a pain. Definitely will come back. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - View in January from the bar. - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Took a quick little vacation to San Clemente this weekend & stumbled across this awesome little bar. & the owner, Brett is awesome. He went above and beyond to make sure his guests were taken care of & having a good time. He put his own money in the juke box & let us pick the music; he brought us a bucket of beers & only charged for the ones we opened; he even stayed open late for us so we could finish our game of pool & didn't make us feel rushed at all. I felt like he was genuinely happy that we were there. This cool spot (& it's awesome owner) are the reason we'll be coming back to San Clemente in the future. Thank you, Brett! read more

Used to shoot pool here back in the day. Used to have 2-3 decent tables. Now they stuff the single shit table in the corner with no room to shoot on three sides of an off-level, slow-rolling table. Seriously, just take the table out. What is the effing point? It's a dive. The place is old, filthy, and run down. No money re-invested in this place. Seem better days and much more love in days gone by. Only good thing is a really good Steely Dan cover band playing (Jim Plays Dan). The two stars are because of the band. Otherwise it's crap. Disappointment...except for the band. read more

This is one of the only places to go watch local bands in San Clemente. They are well organized, great service, the drinks are pretty good. Last time I was there I had a margarita which was yummy. In the picture below I'm drinking red wine. Cool place to hang out with friends. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

I stumbled upon this place on a quiet Sunday evening. I was a stranger in town, trying to find some fresh air after the fires had turned my place into a giant ashtray. I found myself alone in San Clemente, and tired of sitting in my hotel room, I decided to go out after dark. I wanted to find a random bar and strike up a convy with a local. The main drag had a disheartening lack of options. There were two bars, both dark and somewhat under-populated; I started to question my judgment. What kind of person goes out to bars on her own on Sunday nights? Was I that desperate? That much an Alky? (Apparently, I was). So desperate I was, but stupid I was NOT. As a girl on her own, I had to pick my bar carefully. Knuckleheads looked a little more promising. It was closer to the beach and had a patio. I drove by slooowly, trying to make out the crowd. What was it: Lounge-y? Biker? Hoodlum? Beach-y? Frat-Dude? I couldn't tell; it had the usual dark windows, lit up only by neon beer signs, which lent it a vaguely dive-y atmosphere and making it hard to determine... but...somehow, it still looked a touch ...shady to me, like I might be the only girl to walk in all night, like I might make a scene by being the only girl to walk in all night. I slowed down a little more, craning my neck to get a better peek. I could just make out a few dark figures playing pool in the center of the room. And what looked like a dozen motorcycles parked out front. Pee Wee's Big Adventures sprang to mind. And it could go either way. Either I'd end up dancing on that pool table to Tequila, or I'd end up knocking down all the bikes and pissing off big burly men. GRRR. The gravel driveway took me to a parking lot that was dark, secluded, and overwhelmed by a mixture of morning-after odors: stale cigarettes, stale beer, and dirty dishwater. Sickened, I almost got right back into the car. Instead, I bravely held my nose and continued on my quest for a little libation. And I'm glad I did, because once I entered the front door, I knew I had made the right choice. The bartender was exceptional. Friendly, like a long-lost friend, she greeted me with a kind of warmth you just don't experience at dive bars anymore. I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd hugged me. She was so energetic, welcoming, and helpful to the max. She introduced me to some of the locals. We chatted. I met some musicians. (Yeah!) We ended up singing Karaoke. I ended up "dancing" on that pool table, after a finishing a "special" drink she made me. It made my night. Later, I aksed her what kind of bar Knuckleheads was in her words; she told me it was like being with family. I believed her, of course, because she made me feel that way, too. Though, now that I think about it, I respectfully disagree. Being at Knuckeheads isn't like being with family, quite: It's far better. You don't have to clean dishes, or listen to your uncle rant about politics, and the jerks that inevitably ruin a family party with drunken rowdiness are, here, routinely shown the door. Amen! Nope. At Knuckleheads you can expect no knuckleheads. Just good times. I most certainly will be back. Maybe this time with friends in tow. read more

From the outside.....looks like a typical dive... From the inside.....looks like a dive.... From behind the bar.....you get the picture. I loved this place. So maybe their TV's are from like 1990. Oh well. NASCAR was on...Just what the doctor ordered! Had an Awesome Bloody Mary, followed by a HUGE breakfast burrito. Only to find out(from the chef who came out to see how we liked it...and to check the stats on the race...Too bad he was a Jeff Gordon fan) that he makes everything he can from scratch down to the pinto beans! The bartender was a hoot(hope you found your wallet!)...chatted with us...unusual considering we were all girls....and met some of the locals. Moral of the story...Dont be afraid.....come on in....and go back again! Beer and chocolate cupcakes.....only there was it ever the perfect combo! read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Beer and Cupcakes! - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Fellow Marine veteran Griselda makes a good ginger ale :) Billy puts together an open mic/live music night on Wednesday nights. Bands on Friday and Saturday nights. One 7-foot bar box (coin-operated pool table) Touch Tunes digital jukebox (Get the app.) Free parking in the back lot read more

Not a sportsbar...more like a local hole n the wall...false advertisement with ugly personality to it...dont waste your time unless u like holes of fakery read more

Great dive bar! Cheap drinks and friendly people :) Juke box, pool table and Jurrasic Park pinball machine, made for a fun evening.

Lackluster place. No personality from bartenders. No offer of food, although im not sure i would eat there. No A/C, run down inside. Nothing special. If you want a great bar experience, go to Mulligans! read more

Great dive; it's dark, it's dingy and sometimes the bartenders don't see you. You can sit outside, inside or play a round of pool with your friends. I'm a big fan of grabbing a Miller High Life with my friends and hanging out at the end of the bar. read more

Good old fashioned dive bar. Crowd is a mix of locals, Marines from Pendelton and the ever present visitors. Great place to talk to the person sitting next to you. read more

This is a diiiive bar and I freaking loved my time here. We came with a group of 8 and the bar had a few customers, slower Thursday night I'm sure. But my group came to DRINK. It was the evening of our pals rehearsal dinner and we did not plan on going home. We had the great idea of playing beer pong and amazingly the bartender had cups and supplied us with water to fill them up. NOT ONLY THAT, who I assumed is the owner came over and MOVED THE POOL TABLE and low hanging bar lamp just so that we could have space to play. That was so so unexpected. He just smiled at the thought of making it fun for all of us. We met nice San Clemente visitors and and played a few games. The jukebox is fun because we all got to play songs for our friends all night, and we sang to them! Oh man, best night ever. Best dive bar ever. Ooooh AND, they updated the marquee sign to congratulate our friends on their wedding. God I love this place. read more

Knuckleheads Sports Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

There are dumps, dives, 50,000 feet if garbage, then this place. One word... disgusting.

The sign in th window says "Sorry - we're open". The bartender pours cheap stiff drinks. The bikers are on their best behaviour. There is a punching bag game in the back. Bad Company on the juke box The owner is super cool. Live music every weekend from eclectic bands. And a patio where you can watch the world go by...... read more

I have been a regular at Knuckleheads since 2008. I like being able to say that. I used to have a bar back home that was not necessarily similar in accoutrements, but in familiarity. At my home bar back East you walk in and everyone knows you. Hugs and handshakes are handed out, and the bartender knows exactly what you want to drink. Knucks is no different. If you are not a regular you may think the place is sketchy looking in from the outside. The building must be one of the originals from the days of Ole Hansen. The windows are darkened, and it sits in a part of town not known for it's high end establishments. I've always laughed at the people driving by on Sundays, coming from church, picking us apart with their judgmental eyes as we take in the SoCal sun on the patio, frosty beers in our grasp. After all, who drinks at 10:30AM on God's day when they should be at church? This guy. The first time you walk into Knuckleheads you will more than likely realize that you are a new sight to the people who frequent the joint. Do not be alarmed. If they had a door chime at this place, it would be the Cheers theme. By the time you leave, everyone will know your name. And if they forget it, they will at the very least remember your face and conversations had. Knucks is a little bit of everything rolled into one. Dive bar, sports bar, music venue, and Psychiatrist office. They have many fine beers (both on tap and bottled), as well as your usual well drink offerings and top shelf liquors for the snooty. The beers can come big. Bud Light, PBR, Heineken and others come in the 22oz size if you ask, and they also have pitchers and regular bottles as well. Drinks are poured strong and are not expensive. I suggest that if you like Depth Charge style drink (Jägerbombs and the like) order them 'Kat Style.' Aside from the group of regulars you see throughout the day, there is no telling who you will see coming in. Popped collars, pompadours, old salts, businessmen, bikers, Wedding Parties, and lawyers have graced the building with their presence. You can walk in on a Saturday afternoon and see two people, or thirty. No two days at Knucks are ever the same. The All-Female staff makes sure that service comes with a smile, and you can bet that if you engage in conversation with some of the regulars, you will stay longer than you anticipated. I feel what makes a true dive bar is a communal vibe, and you get that at Knucks. The owners (Brick and Amy) are big hearted people who believe in taking care of others. One time a regular found out he had skin cancer and no insurance to cover the costs. Brick and Amy set up a fundraiser and turned the inside of the bar into a carnival theme and had a silent auction to help out. You don't see that just anywhere. Reasons to Go: The people, the strong drinks, the friendly atmosphere, Sunday Football, minimal drama (most of the testosterone stays at The Triangle), outdoor patio where you can smoke and drink, in-bar cigarette machine with most popular brands of smokes for $6, pool tables at $0.75 a game, and Bud's Famous Hot Dogs operating out of the back (THE BEST Americana style bar food in Orange County). The only downsides I can think of: The Men's Room is very divey and cramped (the toilet is out in the open with no stall, a foot and a half away from the trough that people piss in. Lock the damn door if you're gonna pitch a loaf), HD Televisions without HD Cable (which can suck for football sometimes), and single, attractive women are scarce (if they show up, they show up in packs. Bring a wingman). Past that, I love this bar, and I wish everyone would come down and give it a look. read more