Best of Nightlife
Where to go and things to do once the sun goes down
Edible Drink
You can’t help lovin’ the deconstructed mojito by Kristin Markley, former drink-slinger at Oysters Restaurant in Corona del Mar—a slice of lime, topped with a mounded mint gelee, a shot of Zaya rum, and a spoonful of lemon-lime foam crowned with candied citrus zest—to be nibbled and sipped slowly and in succession, from left to right. The rum is a satiny 12-year-old Guatemalan served in a sake glass. Markley has left Oysters, but the popular drink stayed. 2515 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-675-7411.
Cheesy Evening Experience
The Gourmet Detective murder mystery dinner shows have been an entertainment staple in Orange County since 1990. Actors (doing double duty as servers) are in character from the moment you arrive, and tales of murder and motive keep even the most cynical theatergoers amused. Your job: Solve the mystery before dessert is served. It’s a speck in a sea of office buildings, so finding the restaurant is half of the evening’s mystery. The Gourmet Detective, The Mezzanine Restaurant, 19800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine. 866-992-5424. www.gourmetdetective.com.
Gay Bar
We’re officially retiring this category for two reasons. First, Laguna Beach’s legendary Boom Boom Room closed last fall. Even worthy pretenders to its throne, including the Tin Lizzie Saloon in Costa Mesa and the Frat House in Garden Grove, are just nice bars rather than cultural landmarks. Mostly, though, the gay bar scene doesn’t represent a haven from the intolerant mainstream that it once did. The closet doors came off their hinges years ago. And in the wake of the recent state Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, out is in, and gay men and women can toast that reality anywhere they please.
Cougar Bar
Javier’s Cantina & Grill at the Crystal Cove Promenade, with its fine food, excellent bar, and exquisite ocean view, is proving to be the county’s prime habitat for single women of a certain age and the men who hunt them, or are hunted by them, or whatever. 7832 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-494-1239. www.javiers-cantina.com.
Irish Bar
Nothing offends the stout drinker more than watching an unschooled bartender dump Guinness into a glass as if it were just some beer. Finding a public house in Orange County where the perfect pint is poured can be tough. None does it better than the Shamrock Bar & Grill in Newport Beach. The careful attention when pouring the blackest of beers makes this place as legit as an Irish bar can be hereabouts. 2633 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-631-5633.
Place to Lose Your Tie After Work
The ceiling of the Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse is bedecked with the cut neckties of patrons who dared wear them into this high-protein haven, which features denim placemats and an old cigarette machine in the foyer. Pop in after a day at the office and kick back at the bar. What’s not to like? The meat is good, but it’s the quirky ambiance that sets this beef palace apart. 20782 Trabuco Oaks Drive, Trabuco Canyon. 949-586-0722. www.trabucooakssteakhouse.com.
Bar Sinatra Would Love
Ol’ Blue Eyes, currently experiencing a predictable post-death comeback thanks to image and name licensing, would appreciate the elegant mustard-hued
armchairs lining the wide, dark bar at Mastro’s Ocean Club, on the edge of Crystal Cove. You can almost hear him crooning into the wee hours out in the garden. 8112 E. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-376-6990.www.azeats.com/oceanclub.