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

I don't normally like the OC businesses so much, but I LOVE this place! It's very down to earth,…read morethey have the most amazing beer selection, and terrific prices. It's packed and happening, super fun. I'll be back.

This place is fucken wack now. With all the bars n DTSA. This is the last place you want to be at…read more The bar tenders are wack af. The bald headed dude tried to run the thing like it's his.. Go to the 3rd. Fuck this place.

Fun ambiance. Great cocktails! Service was also great too. It feels like the Tiki room. Very…read morenostalgic.

Came here today for lunch and had a great experience! We loved the decor and theme. Had a 2:30pm…read morereservation in the cabana. Our waiter was so nice too. We sat in the cabana near the cave, but the whole place is so cute. The food was good we got the edamame, spam musubi, coconut crusted tofu, poki bomb, loco moco, chicken tenders and fries and macaroni salad. The drinks were pina colada and the flamingo. Everything was good and fresh. I will definitely be back. It's such a cute place it felt like we were in Hawaii or on an island. **only thing my husband complained about was the floors were super sticky -

Mission Control is a BLAST! It's a not-so-hidden gem on the second floor of a market in DTSA, which…read moreis the perfect way to spend the evening after walking around and eating in the area. There's a variety of pinball machines and classic old school arcade games to choose from (as well as some new machines which were recently added). You can exchange cash for tokens and all the games are reasonably priced, either 2 tokens (50¢) or 4 tokens ($1). They've got a DJ bumping live music to set the mood, a couple bartenders dishing out fun themed drinks, and there's even a dance floor with a disco ball if you feel like getting down. It's got a little something for everybody, even if you're bad at the games you can still have fun with friends, on a date, or even on your own! HIGHLY recommend you check this place out, it's a guaranteed good time that isn't expensive which is rare nowadays!!

I hadn't been to Mission Control in about two years, so I was really looking forward to going back…read more Unfortunately, it just wasn't the same experience I remembered. There used to be an area with around a dozen pinball machines, but that area was completely bare this time. There were still pinball machines along another wall, but I remember them being in both areas, so it felt like there were quite a few fewer machines overall. A few of the other games weren't working either, including the air hockey and basketball games. I also noticed there wasn't a DJ that night. That may have been something that simply wasn't scheduled for that evening, so I'm not going to hold that against the place. I'm just mentioning what I experienced. I did get to play Galaga, which was fun, but I was hoping to play Centipede and it wasn't there that night. I ended up playing only two games before heading downstairs to the tiki bar. Maybe it was just an off night, and I may have caught Mission Control at a bad time. I just remember it being a much more lively and fun arcade the last time I was there. I was disappointed because I had really been looking forward to coming back. I hope it was just an off night, because I'd like to see it get back to the place I remember.

I'll be honest, Copper Door has had a little bit of "bad juju" surrounding it throughout the years,…read moreand I've heard about some pretty gnarly things happening here that actually made me hesitant to come back. But I decided to give it another shot, and I'm glad I did because we had such a good time! There was security there, which definitely made me feel more comfortable. Frank was taking care of the bar that night, the drinks were flowing, the music was good, and we were able to just dance and enjoy a fun Friday night out in Santa Ana. The crowd was definitely a lot younger than I would have preferred , but that didn't stop us from having a great night. At the end of the day, we're just trying to come out, have some drinks, dance, and have a good time! Stay safe out there, people.

This place was really cool. The music was good, the crowd was fun/dancing, and the service was…read moregood. I'd come back.

Had a great experience at Twisted Tiki! The bartender was incredibly personable and made us feel…read morewelcome from the moment we sat down. I can't remember his name, but he mentioned he was from Virginia, and his friendly service really stood out. The tiki drinks were delicious and had a beautiful presentation--almost too pretty to drink! Their happy hour is a fantastic value, and we also tried the chicken skewers, which were very tasty. The tiki-themed decor is fun, colorful, and adds to the overall atmosphere. Between the great drinks, good food, and excellent service, we'll definitely be back. Highly recommend checking it out!

This was my first time at Twisted Tiki, and I really wanted to like it because I love tiki bars…read more It's a fun little place, and we enjoyed the two drinks we ordered. They were both tasty. I ordered the Zombie, which was really good and came with a cool zombie hand. We also had a nice time talking with the bartenders. Unfortunately, the air conditioning wasn't working that night, and it was really hot inside. We sat in the corner at the bar, and one of the bartenders was nice enough to turn the fan on the bar toward us. I appreciated the effort, but at that point it was basically just moving warm air around. We also ordered French fries, but they never came. We asked about them and were told the kitchen might be backed up. After we finished our drinks, we were ready to leave because of the heat, so we asked about the fries again. They went to check, but there still wasn't an answer as to when they'd arrive, so we canceled the order. I don't want to be too hard on the place because the drinks were good, the bartenders were friendly, and the broken AC may have just been an unfortunate situation that night. We actually went to Twisted Tiki because Mission Control wasn't quite what we remembered, so I'm not sure I would make a special trip just for Twisted Tiki based on this visit. That said, we're fans of tiki bars, so if we're in the area again, we'll definitely give it another try. Hopefully the AC is working and the French fries make it to the table next time!

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.

We finished off the night with our friends grabbing a drink down the way from the restaurant we…read moretried out. They had a good deal on beers so we went to have a pint. Its a decent sized place but not a lot of seating. Im guessing this place gets wild later at night but we still found the seating found to be comfortable. Loved that they had a Street Fight II arcade inside and plenty of TVs to check out games. I will definitely return for more time to drink up

Hosting Comedy Shows Thursdays 8pm, downstairs in the underground room…read more Love the low-key feel, great staff, happy hour 5pm-9pm.

Food was bad on Easter Sunday at 8: am. Cook was lazy Served…read morerecycled potatoes Cold & w rosemary!! Ribeye cold & Fatty Enfrijoladas beans cold & thick Pozole thick & recycled & too too spicy to eat For the price? Very bad !

Everything was delicious! Found this spot randomly on a Friday afternoon. It was empty when we…read morewalked in. We were greeted by the bartender who prepared our drinks quickly. We then sat on the a table. All of our food came out very fast. Our server was friendly and attentive. We tried a few menu items and everything was tasty. Portions were good and the aesthetic was super cute! Definitely recommend this place!

The absolute best speakeasies are transportive, sending the guest into an immersive state of…read moresuspended reality for a while. From the sign as you enter, through the teeth, to the throaty-red textured walls, The Belly of the Beast encases guests in the whimsical journey down the whale's gullet. Who knew getting "swallowed" would be such fun? Keeping with the throaty theme, the space inside holds a few tables. It's an intimate space with ambient lighting and cheery Hawaiian/beach music. Puppets hang here and there, as well as other thematic, decorative details. My friend and I shared a few mouthwatering apps and imbibed a few delicious concoctions. Our wonderful bartender frim "outside" even came in with us, which made our experience even more personalized. We especially appreciated the complimentary shots! Our food was delicious and plentiful for apps: spam musubi, edamame, sliders, and shishito peppers. Now this is a big deal: my friend has celiac disease. She needs to be very cautious when ordering food. She self-advocates but much relies on the knowledge of servers. Our wonderful bartender, now our server, was very diligent and knowledgeable, and double checked ingredients with the chefs. Accommodations were made. Good times rolled on! Extra heaps of thanks on that! We fully enjoyed every minute of our (generous+) 90 minute time slot here. The service was amazing, the food delicious, and the cocktails made with magic. It was worth the drive, and one I'll gladly make again at next opportunity.

The decor and theme are amazing. I love the immersion and attention to detail. The service was…read moreoutstanding. Brodie was on his game all night with drink recommendations, food suggestions and just being a great host for our table. This was our first time to TBotB, so we're went sure what to expect, but we've been to Stowaway many times. The only knock I had with it was the selection of cocktails is limited. While I understand TBotB is it's own thing separate from Stowaway, I wish you could get some of the drinks from there. Most of the cocktails we had were good (but I'm not sure I'd order them again), but the menu had a number of drinks I won't order, they're just not my style. We missed being able to get some of our favorites from Stowaway. We ended up getting a table at Stowaway after our time was up in TBotB anyway because we were having a good time so that was fun. All in all, I think next time we'll stick with Stowaway and sitting at the bar. At least we can check TBotB off our list. It's worth checking out for sure, but for me I enjoy the more classic tiki cocktails. It's fun to venture off the beaten path once in a while.