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Backstory 85

5.0 (2 reviews)

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2 months ago

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4 months ago

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Belly of the Beast - The whole bar

Belly of the Beast

4.3(167 reviews)
16.7 mi

Definitely make a reservation here! I believe there are only like 4 booths!…read moreWe were able to secure a booth because someone missed their reservation. You will have to go through the main tikibar (Stowaway) and walk to a side door in the back. The theme is along the lines of Pinocchio. After you enter the side door, you will be transported and see a story book. You will walk through a whale's mouth to get to your booth. There is so much to look at all around so take your time admiring the decor while you drink. The tiki drinks are different from Stowaway and are delicious! It's definitely more intimate so you can talk to the bartenders. Though since it's all booths, you won't really see them make the drinks. Overall, fun spot - intimate if you want the tiki vibes in a quieter location

The Belly of the Beast - Pinocchio Speakeasy at Stowaway Tiki Bar, Tustin…read more The Belly of the Beast is a Pinocchio-themed speakeasy tucked inside Stowaway Tiki Bar in Tustin, and it's definitely a fun experience. You actually enter through the mouth of a whale, which immediately sets the tone. The decor and theming are really well done, with plenty of unique details that make the space feel immersive. The atmosphere is more intimate and private compared to the main tiki bar, which makes it a nice change of pace. The food menu is limited, but what we tried was good. The drinks were definitely the highlight. I had the Farewell Jimmy, Smoke the Monster Out, and Geppetto's Last Words--all three were great. Smooth, tropical, flavorful, and definitely potent. Service was okay, but nothing particularly stood out. Overall, The Belly of the Beast is a cool place to check out if you enjoy themed bars and unique experiences. For me, it's probably more of a one-time experience rather than somewhere I'd regularly return to. Still, the creativity, decor, and cocktails make it worth experiencing at least once.

Photos
Belly of the Beast - A shot of the entire speakeasy.

A shot of the entire speakeasy.

Belly of the Beast - Coconut shrimp

Coconut shrimp

Belly of the Beast - Small place inside Stowaway.. floor can get wet when it's raining

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Small place inside Stowaway.. floor can get wet when it's raining

The Blind Rabbit

The Blind Rabbit

4.5(3.5k reviews)
8.5 mi
•$$$

I finally got to visit this cozy, dimly lit speakeasy at the Packing District that I'd had…read morebookmarked for the longest time! Reservations are required since it's a small, hidden bar. The space has a Harry Potter theme with spooky decorations, creating a unique and intimate atmosphere. They offer a mix of classic tiki drinks and specialty cocktails. My favorites were the Philosopher's Stone Fruit and Eater of Death #2. Both drinks were creative, unique, and fun to try! We loved the cocktails and would recommend checking this place out!

The Blind Rabbit is no doubt a very neat place and definitely an experience, but the reason for my…read moreone star is because my friend and I were treated absolutely terribly by one of the bartenders. We were there on Sunday, October 3rd around 3pm. We asked who the owners were because we were really impressed with the place and thought they might be the same owners as another location we had visited. There was absolutely no bad intention behind the question. The male bartender told us that no one name drops anymore. I understood what he was saying and was more than willing to move on. But then I asked him if the bar offered whiskey sours and he responded, "You really don't know what you're doing here and what you want." I was honestly so taken back by that comment. I don't normally stay quiet when someone speaks to me disrespectfully, but I was so caught off guard that I didn't even know what to say. Before that, he had also yelled out to the host that she didn't need to worry because we didn't know the owners and that she could relax. The whole interaction was completely unnecessary and made us feel very uncomfortable. We came in wanting to enjoy the atmosphere and have a good time. Instead, we left feeling disrespected and uncomfortable. There is a way to speak to customers, even if you feel they are asking questions you don't like. We did nothing to deserve that kind of attitude. The Blind Rabbit may be a great place, but unfortunately, the way we were treated by this bartender completely ruined the experience for us. Customer service matters, and unfortunately, ours was extremely disappointing.

Photos
The Blind Rabbit - Make My Millennium: Berry, Anise, Bold

Make My Millennium: Berry, Anise, Bold

The Blind Rabbit - It's Showtime: Umami, Rich, Floral

It's Showtime: Umami, Rich, Floral

The Blind Rabbit - Dead Man's Party: Tropical, Funky, Spiced

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Dead Man's Party: Tropical, Funky, Spiced

The Speakeasy - Naked & Famous cocktail

The Speakeasy

4.1(707 reviews)
17.2 mi•Downtown
•$$

Definitely speakeasy vibes. You will need to message ahead of time for the password. There will be…read morea bouncer outside that'll ask for it. Inside is a surprisingly large space. So much seating! I've never seen the venue overcrowded. Large menu so many drinks to try! Great spot whenever I have guests visiting

LADIES, PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Save your money and think twice before visiting this business!…read more Just as I have recommended this place to several people in the past, I believe it's equally important to share my negative experience and be honest about what happened. I visited with a group of new friends who had never been to this establishment before. Less than 20 minutes into our visit, we were dealing with a clearly intoxicated male & female sitting next to us who repeatedly accused us of bumping into him, not saying "excuse me" etc. despite the fact that we had only just arrived. He was clearly intoxicated. The situation quickly escalated into verbal harassment, and my friend and I were insulted and made to feel extremely uncomfortable. The man physically got out of his chair and yelled at us on two separate occasions, leaving us feeling unsafe and concerned that the situation could turn physical. We brought the issue to the manager's attention, expecting the situation to be handled appropriately. Instead, the individuals involved were allowed to remain at the bar. We were essentially told to sit at opposite ends of the establishment rather than seeing any meaningful action taken to address the behavior. As a customer, I should not have to leave a business because I feel unsafe after reporting aggressive and intimidating behavior. My friend and I ultimately decided to leave, despite having every intention of enjoying our evening. Several other people witnessed what happened. I am extremely disappointed in how this situation was handled. A business has a responsibility to take its customers' safety seriously, especially when someone is visibly intoxicated and behaving aggressively toward others. I genuinely wanted to love this place and had previously encouraged others to visit. Unfortunately, this experience completely changed my opinion. No one should have to choose between their personal safety and enjoying a night out. I hope management takes situations like this more seriously in the future, because the way a business responds to its customers when something goes wrong says everything about its standards and values.

Photos
The Speakeasy - Tables and pictures at the end of the bar

Tables and pictures at the end of the bar

The Speakeasy - Bar area

Bar area

The Speakeasy - Christmas decorations!!

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Christmas decorations!!

The Exhibition Room - Fried zucchini

The Exhibition Room

4.1(494 reviews)
14.1 mi
•$$$

It's a IYKYK kind of place here. We didn't know about it as we were here meeting some friends for…read moredrinks. They made all the reservations. Honestly thought it was the bar that we came inside. First impression, why did we need reservations.... Since we didn't know the hidden entrance. Well, it's a cool concept once we entered. There's a dress code so be advised. What I found out was the entrance of the speakeasy was through a phone booth that next to the pool table of Roxanne's bar. Once reservations is made, you'll received an email with a password to enter. Enter phone booth and to connect to the inside and they'll open the door for you. We had the first reservations I believe they opened at 7pm. We were the first group to arrive. As it was my first time, we had ordered bar food and were waiting for it inside the main bar. So half an hour was used from our time limit. The speakeasy, dark and moody but perfect for the place. Special crafted cocktails by the bartenders which were great. They also have food as well, found out later. We did try the meat pie, which it was just ok. Basically an empanadas, the pickle veggies accompanied it was my favorite. It was good but nothing major to rave about. The drinks were quite nice and tasty. What they offered on the menu did have a load of good choices. Tables scattered throughout as well as bar seating. There's a piano which maybe used for live music. Overall, the moody speakeasy vibe was great. Friendly staff and bartender made some great drinks. What we had to snack on, the meat pie was just ok. They're very strict with the time limits. Once it's reached they'll let you know.

Honestly for a super cute speakeasy, the drinks were very lackluster and not really well thought…read moreout. I expected to pay so much for cocktails that don't really seem balanced or designed with intent. It also took a very long time to receive drinks, the bartender seemed more into doing his sub par flair than getting drinks out at a decent time. Definitely not coming back, such a waste of money and time.

Photos
The Exhibition Room - Fried zucchini + yucca chicharones

Fried zucchini + yucca chicharones

The Exhibition Room - Smoke and fire!

Smoke and fire!

The Exhibition Room

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The Cauldron - Devil's Margarita(front) Cotton Candy Martini(back)

The Cauldron

4.3(1.6k reviews)
6.6 mi
•$$

Great spooky spot to have well crafted drinks & grab small bites (but filling!)…read more We came in on a Thursday evening so the wait wasn't bad, we got seated right away but there was also only 2 of us. Our server, Courtney, was awesome & so friendly! it's right across from Knott's Scary Farm so many ppl are popping in before heading to the event. It was very dim & decorated to for the Halloween vibe, which we loved! We started off with bacon jam as an appetizer. It's sweet jam with pieces of bacon so you get both savory & sweet with a handful pieces of Crostini. I ordered the French margarita & French dip sliders - delicious ! my fiancé ordered the inside job (reminds me of an old fashioned) & then we both tried the libra zodiac cocktail - which was pretty good too! We both enjoyed our first time visit, will be back!

Decent option for some spooky bites before going to any scary event! (In this case, me and a crew…read morewent to Knott's Scary Farm!) Since it was a Saturday, I'd recommend having a reservation or being on the waitlist! It was still quite a wait for our party of 6. The hostesses where wearing costumes which was cool, but they werent very friendly. When we were all able to check in, we waited and additional 25 mins with no system in place of where to wait. So we all just kind of stood there as we didn't want to get missed when they had a table for us. When we were called in, we did get the worst seats in the house and wished we were placed literally anywhere else. Being so close to the bathrooms and the curtain separating the stock room kind of broke the immersion. The food was fairly priced, but I think it was because the portions were pretty small. I tried the Cordon Bleu chicken sliders- they were fine, nothing stand out. Their seasonal menu was very interesting and the butternut squash salad was good, but again, pretty small in portion. Brussel sprouts were delish, but also small in portion. Drinks are a standout though! The bartenders are super friendly and my drink (the ravens claw) was very strong. The props and projections were fun little details that activated the space! Would've enjoyed it more if we were in a more optimal area. Overall it was fun because of the people I was with, so I'd give this overall experience a 3.5! If they weren't there, I'd give a solid 3 stars. I'm open to trying this place again and hoping for a better experience next time.

Photos
The Cauldron - The inside

The inside

The Cauldron - Cheese charcuterie board

Cheese charcuterie board

The Cauldron - French 75, Margarita & Peppermintini 17

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French 75, Margarita & Peppermintini 17

Backstory 85 - speakeasies - Updated October 2026

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