Okay, so technically the Beachcomber Café is a restaurant, but as anyone who has tried to eat lunch there on a weekend knows, the typical wait for a table is one to three hours. Which is why the tiny bar around the corner from the eatery has easily the best location anywhere in Orange County. Although you won’t find any beers on tap, the selection of bottled, local craft ales easily makes up for that fact. And while you can always find a nice glass of wine, it’s really all about the cocktails, particularly the Real Deal Margarita, made with Casamigos blanco tequila. Stick around for the blowing of the bugle and the raising of the Martini flag at sunset.
15 Crystal Cove, Newport Beach, (949) 376-6900; thebeachcombercafe.com.
Readers’ Choice: Mission Bar
