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    Proof Bar

    3.5 (559 reviews)
    Open 3:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

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    Thursday nights empty
    Rachelle Rare P.

    Was here briefly on a Thursday night. The crowd was sparse so we wandered over to the other club to the left of it. There is was more lively.

    Security
    Aubrey M.

    First time going here Friday night. My friend had to use the restroom really bad, there was a line to the women's restroom (of course). Men's restroom was empty, so she ran in real quick and security came. Unsure of his name and was not able to get a good picture of him. But he walked in on my friend using the restroom, even after we said she was in there. He then proceeded to kick us out for using the mens restroom and he threatened to put his hands on me. He also was cussing and calling me names. Overall, will not be going back here. Will not recommend this place to anyone, especially women. It's obviously not a safe space for us. I think he could have handled the situation better but what's done is done. Ladies, stay far away from this place.

    Tupac at proof
    Joe U.

    2nd and last time I'll be coming back to this location. I asked for vodka my second round and the bartender thought I said tequila, this is ridiculous how can you get it wrong , you' should be a professional at your job, if you're working as a bartender serving the drinks how the people ask , I'm not going to say any names. The bartender said I put the bottle in front of you to show you what I poured , but they defeats the purpose of what I asked for. Just please take the time to re- train your bartenders no matter the pressure, to get what the customer asks for. I wasn't on planning to get crossed but the bartender got me the way iam now. I just want to make sure that anyone is reading this to be aware of what they put into there body before drinking it. The music was great the vibes were right but the bartender was wrong. So my night was complete a disaster by 1am .

    Ray G.

    I love the option of bar hopping. There is no better place like DTSA (Downtown Santa Ana.) You have great bars and restaurants all walking distance from each other. Came with some co-workers for happy hour. Their drinks are stiff and priced great for your basic well drinks. The service on the other hand is why I have it 3 stars other than that I would have given them 4.5 stars. The bartender only had 2 others customers but was a little preoccupied with one of his friend and ignored us for about 10 minutes. So we left.

    Dianne R.

    This is my second time writting a review for Proof. Back 2017 I was thrown out by some old asian bartender. As a local , I have gone back serval times again. On one occasion, back in march, I left my debit card with an open tab. As I closed out my tab I saved my recipt, but total balance ended up spending about $67 but when I looked at my bank account the next morning, I noticed the charge me more than once after closing my account. So like anyone would I call the bar the next day and explain the situation, one of the staff redirected me to email the owner because he, " wasn't able to do anything about it, he only works morning's". I emailed both justin and joey with attached bank statements. We are now into July and no signs or interest to resolve my problem.

    Didn't know the top to the Tajín was a big hole and didn't have other lil holes to shake it up like. Salt shaker
    Alexia V.

    So I came came to the OC from LA to hang out w a friend and we ended up here. This is my second time here. Today is Sunday and it's still early. It's dead but is not lol The bartender is super cool. S/O to him for bringing me another glass of beer after I let half of the bottle of tajin flow in my cup HAHA. I didn't realize it didn't have the top w holes o be shaken tons much s I desired. Thanks ma dude! You the real MVP. My modelo was a lil more enjoyable The last time I came was way better. They had karaoke night but this was during the week and Let me say..... it was poppin. I loved how there were so many different ppl going up and singing. They were so carefree and feeling good that it made me want to sing. Too shy to do that. Maybe next time though.

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    Page 7 of 14

    Ask the Community - Proof Bar

    Does this bar still have LGBT night? 🏳️‍🌈

    Tuesdays

    Karaoke on Monday?

    Yes

    Is this place open sundays? Do you play top 40? Can you reserve a space?

    Yes, Yes, Yes

    Is there anything happening on Wednesday nights?

    Open Format DJ

    Is this 18+?

    21+

    What's their best drink? They don't have menus?

    What kinda music on Friday nights?

    Nightlife Club, Top 40 music. Mix-in alternative too!

    What type of music do they play on Saturdays?

    Top 40

    Is it 18+?

    Strictly 21+

    View All 13 Questions

    Review Highlights - Proof Bar

    (i'd write more but the effects of the new flavored vodka drinks are hitting me now.................).

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    Club 616

    Club 616

    4.6
    (190 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    When I said "Bar" and "Santa Ana" in the Yelp search - of course it said "Club 616" in the first…read morespot - OF COURSE IT SAID 616!!! I was lucky enough to stumble across this gem of the center of OC when they first opened - and I am proud to be a regular here. I don't know how to go somewhere else - because I feel like the staff are giant gems in this jewel of a spot. Winters is a curator of boozy information that has helped me learn about "gin" and "root beer whiskey" so I can sound like an adult-ish purveyor, when really I know close to nothing except being a willing student to his creations. Dan the Man and Jacob always see me raise my hand in the corner of the bar, like the student I am, and have been willing to fill in the blanks for me when I know I am of thirst, but do not have the words for what to order. Every person working in the well has treated me with kindness - they have taken the time to get to know me, and I will be forever appreciative of how they have taken care of me over the years. But the real joy has been the transformation that this spot has for building a community of people in Santa Ana for real recognizing real. I have been bringing my Dad with me to play pool for the past few years. Sometimes people ask me if he plays professionally, I am terrible, and my skill incline is slow, he is patient and plays with the same level craftiness that the staff offer the cocktails. My Dad is always stoked when we have time to go have a few hours of games at 616 - especially now that there are regulars on 4th street that are excited to see that he is there playing - and they rush to write their names on the chalkboard to challenge him - or beat him in a game they really earned the W. On lazy Sundays, I watch couples sit with their drink, listening to Jazz, and watching my Dad whoop my ass while making amazing shots. I am forever grateful to Memo who sometimes takes a break from his shift behind the bar to give my dad an actual challenge - which allows me the chance to watch my Dad enjoy fellowship around the table. Knowing the table was a relic of the bars former self, and knowing the history that this spot has in Santa Ana is a reminder that so much around us can change - but it is those moments of the crack of the rack, the cheer of getting the combo shot, and the shake of hands when it's over that shows that it's not just about the pool table - but about the energy of a place that is welcoming and curated by people who care about what they do - and care about who comes through their doors. Thank you Jason and Mike B to bringing this to 4th St and supporting the community that was already here - and for building a community for the future. Thank you to Christina and Brandon for always having amazing pictures, decor, and fun events at 616 that help introduce new folks into this great spot. Time is short. Learn about Root Beer Whiskey. Write your name on the Chalk Board. No one lives forever.

    I love the vibe here. It's about the energy and atmosphere for sure. Reminiscent of the bars /…read moreclubs in Baja California or Mexico in general, it's lively with a back patio area and even like a taquero there, at least on weekends. The drat beer selection is solid and the cocktails are well crafted. Highly recommend this spot. One of my favorite it's Downtown Stabba Ana

    Photos
    Shaken Not Shy cocktail
    Shaken Not Shy cocktail
    Lady In Red cocktail
    Lady In Red cocktail
    Garden State Of Mind Cocktail

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    Garden State Of Mind Cocktail
    Stowaway

    Stowaway

    4.5
    (784 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    Always a Great spot. Food, Drinks and Service never…read moredisappoints. Ambiance is what you would expect and more from a Tiki Bar.

    (Drank/Snacked 06/27/2026 SA @ 9:00pm): I'd gladly be a stowaway at this enchanting tiki bar and…read morelounge! After a farewell dinner to/at Gulliver's Prime Ribs Of Beef, our party of six continued the evening several miles away at Stowaway for some light bites and libations. Personally, I was all about the Hawaiiana tiki culture and tried to live it every day. Founded by co-owners Leonard Chan and Dominic Iapello, its current home of barely three years in a former dive bar came about when they unceremoniously had to leave the original location. With its proximity to Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room and the very niche underground-like society of tiki culture, they found their footing with a consistent customer base and the thrill of island escapism through colorful cocktails, pleasurable pupus, and tropical trimmings. Would I stow myself away somewhere inside and never leave!? PURCHASE(S) Don Q Punch Bowl ($38.00): Made with Don Q's Cristal Silver, Anejo, and 151 Gold Rums, respectively, peach brandy, passion fruit, pineapple juice, and citrus juices, this flaming concoction was rumtastic in every way possible as the tropical juices just made it that much sweeter. There were more ice chips than I liked, but it was a fun trough to drink out of for the four of us who wanted to imbibe. Coconut Shrimp 6pc ($12.00): Breaded and flash-fried plump shrimp served with a sweet chili dipping sauce, these were tasty and perfectly paired with the Don Q cocktail I was drinking. Stowaway Fries ($17.00): Constructed with a pile of crisp golden spud sticks, rum braised pork, and topped with a hearty gravy and sunny-side up egg, this loco moco fries dish was slamming while the slightly charred juicy pork had me squealing with enjoyment. SERVICE We had reservations, so once our entire party arrived, they quickly seated us in a cool cave-live separate alcove for more privacy. Our server arrived with menus, suggestions, and glasses of water. Minutes later, we all ordered at once, and everything (drinks and food) arrived within ten minutes. Because we had another reservation inside the same bar, we informed our male server and to let us know when we were allowed to go there. All was casual, chill, and somewhat on island time - aloha and mahalo! PARKING (FREE): They shared a medium-sized private lot with several other businesses who were closed at this time with plenty of spots - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE Located within a strip mall, you opened the front door and walked into an island oasis as if you were a cast member on "Gilligan's Island" with thatched roof material above you, tiki statues displaced on all of the volcanic-looking walls, collections of tiki mugs past and present for purchase, a central square bar with plenty of stools, and seemingly small dark nooks and private spaces where naughty things could happen. No natural lighting whatsoever while an assortment of extremely low-lit electric lights barely guided you along. There were no TVs while I recalled various styles of music played in the background along with chatter and clamor of conversations in all directions. ATTIRE Although I was actually dressed appropriately for the occasion in an aloha shirt, linen pants, and flip-flops, this place was totally casual, so a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops would suffice. OVERALL I had a cowabunga time at Stowaway, and I couldn't wait to return to try more of their awesome-soundling elixirs. I loved tiki bars, and although this was generally out of my range, I'd make a special trip or two here. My one drink was lip-smacking good, the pupus were yummy, the prices were reasonable enough, the atmosphere was stupendous, and the service was friendly and professional. While the drinks menu was loaded with tropical cocktails, an impressive rum selection, and a decent assortment of local craft beers, the food menu was somewhat limited. And, the bar had happy hour TU-FR 4pm-6pm. Plus, I always preferred to support small local mom & pop businesses. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $75.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Pokebombs
    Pokebombs
    Stowaway Fries $17

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    Stowaway Fries $17
    Native Son OC

    Native Son OC

    3.8
    (452 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Native Son is a solid 4/5 stars…read more Parking is easy to access in the garage behind the building. They don't validate, but the 1st hour is free. To locate the restaurant, go up the stairs on the side. Happy hour is every day, 4-6PM The drinks are good and they have a good selection of beers and cocktails. You order at the bar and the service is quick. The food, however, is underwhelming. Regular fries are not great but the Cajun fries are better. Fries are enough to feed 2-3 people. The chicken tenders on the other hand are very small, and you get more sauce than chicken. The good thing about it is that the food was cheaper during happy hour. Some of the chairs/benches were uncomfortable, but overall, sitting outside is nice.

    I've been coming here for years, but after my most recent experience, I will not be returning. I…read morewas treated with clear disrespect and unfair service by one of the staff members. I came in with friends and ordered a pitcher along with several shots. The server, a young white male, brought the shots and only one cup of beer. I immediately told him I had ordered a pitcher, but he insisted I never said that -- even though I had already been charged. To avoid arguing, I told him to just bring a pitcher and charge me again respectfully. He refused and told me I would have to go back and wait in line if I wanted one. When I asked to speak with a manager, he said the manager was unavailable. We later noticed him walking around the patio taking pitcher requests from other customers and bringing them directly to their tables without sending them back in line. We politely asked again, and he said "okay," but repeatedly ignored us, walking past our table multiple times. When my friend followed up, he suddenly claimed he couldn't serve us and again told us to get back in line. There was no clear reason for the difference in treatment. Watching others get served while we were repeatedly refused, despite being respectful customers, made the situation feel discriminatory. As Latino customers in a predominantly Latino community, the behavior came across as biased and unacceptable. It's extremely disappointing because I've supported this place for nearly a decade and had never experienced anything like this before. Unfortunately, this interaction completely changed my view of this establishment. I would not recommend coming here if respectful and fair service matters to you.

    Photos
    Native Son OC
    Native Son OC
    Bottomless Mimosas, Happy Hour,  and wifi

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    Bottomless Mimosas, Happy Hour, and wifi
    Belly of the Beast

    Belly of the Beast

    4.4
    (154 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Love this place. Nice service, nice food, very interesting…read moredrinks. But they had not fix the Lorem ipsum text on menu =p

    (Drank/Snacked 06/27/2026 SA @ 10:00pm): This was a monstro feat as we all ended up in a beast of a…read morewhale's belly for drinks! After our party of six chatted over cocktails and preyed on pupus, we moved to a "secret" room tucked in the back of Stowaway and walked into a Belly Of The Beast. The founders and co-owners of Stowaway, Leonard Chan and Dominic Iapello, created this extension to the tiki bar with a wildly interesting Pinocchio theme and the famed encounter with Monstro the whale all the while serving the same offerings in Stowaway but with also an exclusive limited menu just for this adventure. With its proximity to Disneyland and its Enchanted Tiki Room, with the very niche underground-like society of tiki culture they found a consistent customer base and the thrill of island escapism through colorful cocktails, pleasurable pupus, tropical trimmings, and nostalgic know-how. How would my belly handle the beastly drinks concocted here!? PURCHASE(S) Gepetto's Last Words ($16.00): Intrigued by the cocktail's name, this elixir was crafted with Fid Street Gin, tangerine, creme de violette, lemon, and cucumber, it was a citrusy refreshing sweet drink that was decorated with bright yellow petals. It was nice, but for whatever reason it just didn't quite hit the spot. [ONION RINGS/STRAWS/STRINGS ALERT - 4.0 of 5.0 STARS] Onion Rings ($9.00): A decent portion with rings of medium to large sizes, these were hot, dark golden browned, crunchy, and had a slight tendency to crumble when bitten into while the onion ring (sweet Maui!) rarely pulled out at times. They were lightly oily while the catsup wasn't needed but used. SERVICE While in Stowaway, we informed our male server to let us know when we were allowed to enter the belly. Once inside and situated, we had the place and bartender to ourselves. After we all perused the menu, we placed our orders, and everything arrived within ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent chatting, picture taking, and our bartender checked in on us also giving a Dole Whip taster. All was casual, chill, and somewhat on island time - aloha and mahalo! PARKING (FREE): They shared a medium-sized private lot with several other businesses who were closed at this time with plenty of spots - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE "Hidden" inside Stowaway which was located within a strip mall, the entire theme was based on the Pinocchio story, the interlude in time spent inside Monstro, and as we entered it felt like the beginning of the Disneyland "Storybook" ride as you road a canal boat into the mouth and sharp teet of a whale. There were several marionettes (appropriate and non-appropriate) that hung from the ceiling and belly walls, along with other Disneyesque memorabilia, a few sitting booths, and a tiny bar at the end of the roo. No natural lighting whatsoever while an assortment of extremely low-lit electric lights and table candles glowed. There were no TVs while I couldn't recall any background music. ATTIRE Although I was actually dressed appropriately for the occasion in an aloha shirt, linen pants, and flip-flops, this place was totally casual, so a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops would suffice. OVERALL Belly Of The Beast was an adventurous fun evening with friends, it left me feeling childlike with the need to watch "Pinocchio", and I couldn't wait to return to try more of their awesome-soundling elixirs. I generally loved all-things Disneyana, and this new wrinkle, albeit probably not approved by the mouse ears brass, caught my fancy. My one drink was tasty but just didn't hit the right spot, the onion rings were very good, the prices were a tad elevated, the atmosphere was awesome, and the service was friendly and professional. They had an extremely limited menu, and there was some doubt whether or not ordering from the Stowaway menu was an option. Plus, I always preferred to support small local mom & pop businesses. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $27.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

    Photos
    A shot of the entire speakeasy.
    A shot of the entire speakeasy.
    Coconut shrimp
    Coconut shrimp
    The entrance is the mouth of the wale

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    The entrance is the mouth of the wale

    Proof Bar - danceclubs - Updated July 2026

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