Balboa Saloon

Awesome vibe at cruisers, love this place Home away from…read morehome. Great food, great service, malia is the best from the minute we walk in, very attentive Come on down and say hi to her you won't regret it! She knows what she's doing behind the bar.

I've been to Cruisers a few times recently to watch the World Cup games and hangout with friends…read more My favorite drink has been the strawberry daiquiri and I enjoyed the quesadilla and grilled chicken wrap I've ordered. Service has been good and I like that they have the QR code to order at the table.

Great place to watch the Buffalo Bills!

Grilled chicken

See all

Tavern House Kitchen + Bar

4.3(1k reviews)

0.9 mi

•$$$

We love The Tavern House! Great food and view and service. Thank you Laurie for the awesome…read moreservice for our girls night out on 9/26/26. It shows you love what you do :)

This is an awesome place to eat. The manager Jeffery is such a nice guy goes out of his way to…read moreplease his customers. Maryam is the best bartender you will ever have. Great personality. Give it a 100. Will be back

Tavern Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes,Thyme Gravy, and Green Beans, So Good!

Double cut Kurobuta Pork Chop with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Cranberries and Honey-Balsamic Jus

Tavern House Kitchen + Bar - Salads Restaurants Newport Beach, California | The Sonoma Salad! We hear our Caesar Salad in Newport Beach CA is the best too!

See all

Salads Restaurants Newport Beach, California | The Sonoma Salad! We hear our Caesar Salad in Newport Beach CA is the best too!

The Place

3.7(184 reviews)

1.6 mi

The family run place is excellent. We almost didn't go due to other reviews and am glad we ignored…read moreit. It is definitely a local place. We are from the east coast and they treated us like family. The food was really good and the bartender Charlie was extremely friendly. I would highly recommend.

We came to The Place in CDM on a Sunday at 1:30 p.m. to watch the Eagles game. With the Chargers…read moreand Raiders also playing, I expected it to be a busy day and some TV competition. The place is small but decent, with a side room, pool table, outdoor area, and a fair number of TVs. However, it lacks the flow and atmosphere of a larger sports bar. The food was average: my medium burger arrived overcooked and dry, and the $3 upcharge for sweet potato fries felt steep. The bigger issue was that the TVs froze for about 30+ minutes, leaving us watching the game on our phones. I understand technical problems happen, but the response felt lacking. The manager or owner seemed stressed while trying to fix the issue, but there was little communication or customer recovery. A quick acknowledgment or small gesture would have helped - free beer or fries goes a long way toward recovering after your tech fumble. Overall, it wasn't terrible, but between the average food, TV problems, and limited response, I'd probably choose another place next time.

Great energy

You can see the steam coming off of the patty melt to the left, even after most of it was gone.

See all

Basket of half onion rings and half fries

Helmsman Ale House

Helmsman Ale House is a good place to go if you're looking for a couple of great beverages…read morealongside a few tasty bar foods. My girlfriend and I opted for the breakfast burrito before we went off to the beach, and our friends got the steak frites. The steak frites are more of a chimichurri sauce style, but it was still pretty tasty, and you can never go wrong with a lovely breakfast burrito. Furthermore, drinks are very affordable here. I would recommend getting a few of their World Cup-style drinks as well. From there, would love to come back. Thank you so much, Helms Ale House. Great service and great ambiance as well. Nautical themed but not a lot of seafood. Why? I don't know.

Came thru on a weeknight for a couple of appetizers and drinks…read more Thankfully parking was easy and found a spot close by. The space was fairly empty, so we snagged some bar top seats. Bartender was friendly and attentive throughout the visit. Put in an order for a pretzel and fried pickles & jalapeños. Food was quick to come out, and everything looked fresh and tasted delicious. Paired the food up with some beers that were on tap (a Mexican lager, pilsner, and hazy IPA that they currently had). Brews and food were great! Vibes were chill, would come back again!

Helmsman Mac

See all

The Village Inn

3.9(607 reviews)

0.6 mi

Great location on Balboa Island - in the busy tourist area but across the street from it so it is…read morespacious and nice inside. We came on a Sunday afternoon when many other places were crowded with lines but here we got seated right away at this restaurant. We ordered the prime rib sandwitch (Excellelnt!!) and the Burrata salad (Fantastic if you like burrata). Good portion size and good service. Great place to eat while visit Balboa Island.

I wish the food here was a little bit better. We have tried salads, sandwiches, tacos, entrees, and…read moreevery time the food lacks flavor or is too greasy. The drinks are great and service is typically good. Sitting on the patio is a lot of fun, and sitting inside is fun during a game.

Filet

Bruschetta

See all

Wedge Salad

Muldoon's Irish Pub

Wow wow wow! Love me a pub! Love the ambience! Love the drink choices! Of course had to get the 1/2…read morefish and shrimps combo!!! Damn!! Those shrimps were big & delicious! The fish was spot on!!! The varieties of sauces yummy!!! Definitely a place to checkout! I wanna come back again to try all the other unique dishes and drinks! It's just something different!

Today was our third visit here. There was no wait and we sat inside which made us feel like we were…read moretransported to a pub in Ireland. The waiter was very courteous and made the dining experience very enjoyable. I will say that the staff seem overwhelmed with how many tables they are responsible for. The food was hot and fresh when it was put on our table. I ordered the French Dip with chips. The sandwich and au jus was perfect. The chips were kinda stale and meh. My wife ordered the corned beef and cabbage. It was cooked to perfection and the sides held up well. We will come back to explore the rest of the menu.

Pub favorites: Shepherd's Pie paired with an Irish coffee

Muldoon's courtyard

See all

Crab cakes

Wild Goose Tavern

Went looking for a good spot to watch a World Cup game and originally tried the Harp. Big mistake…read more It was absolutely packed and standing room only, so we headed over to Wild Goose Tavern instead. Great decision. We got there a little before the game and had plenty of choices for seats. It definitely filled up as kickoff got closer, but with TVs everywhere, this place is pretty much built for watching sports. The food was surprisingly good, plenty of choices, good beer selection, and the service was excellent. Our waitresses were friendly and attentive even as the place got busier. The whole crowd had a fun energy, which made watching the World Cup even better. I've heard Wild Goose really cranks up at night with a younger crowd, but I haven't experienced that side of it yet. For a big sporting event, though, I'd absolutely come back. Great atmosphere, good food, cold beer, lots of TVs, and friendly service. Hard to ask for much more.

Tried this place after discovering on yelp. I was looking for a good espresso martini and this…read moreplace was a suggested result. I will say the espresso martini was not 5 star, but other drinks were good. We tried the blood orange marg, the spicy strawberry marg, and the cowboy marg. My mom liked the blood orange but the second round did not taste the same as the first. A bit of a consistency issue but she nursed it and finished it. My favorite drink was the cowboy marg. It was on the sweeter side but refreshing. For food. We had an assortment. Standouts were the steak dinner and onion rings! I would come back to try other things. The short rib grilled cheese was mid, but would be great to soak up alcohol. Cassidy was an excellent server, even as it got really busy for a UFC fight. Ambiance is definitely fun and unique. Generally, the experience was good. I would give it another shot to try other food and drinks.

Margaritas

NEW Ahi Salad

See all

Turner's Pub 33

3.9(249 reviews)

2.4 mi

I love Cali so much , she's the reason I come here. Please don't be wired - this is the most…read morebeautiful spirited person you're going to meet whether she serves you a drink or not . God bless this bae! Her and Helen are an amazing team, no doubt you'll have a great time at Pub 33 with them 2 bartending!

Bar is a hell of a quality environment to get your drink on. I love Pub 33. Everything was litread more

Bouncer assaulted me last trip. Bartender trying to hustle us this trip. One more try and never again.

See all

Stag Bar + Kitchen

Awesome spot chill vibes and Awesome knowledgeable bar tenders. Amanda went above and beyond to…read moremake sure we were taking care of.

Cute, dive-y bar with really good food. Came in on a Tuesday night. Had a half price pizza. $8 for…read morea cheese thin crust. Kinda greasy, but in a good way,delicious. Ceasar salad had cherry tomatoes, the dressing was light & tossed perfectly. Also got a huge pretzel. Soft, and delicious. The honey mustard & cheese dip was yummy. We only had water, no Dr Pepper or sweet tea available. Next time I'll have a beer. The bartender was our server, super nice, refilled our water.

Award-Winning Pizza! Personal size or large. Gluten-free crust available.

Steak Salad

See all

Stag Burger with Grilled Beef, Cheddar, American, Grilled or Raw Onion, Pickle, House Dressing, Lettuce & Tomato

Class of '47

3.7(200 reviews)

0.1 mi

Stumbled upon this bar after we went to Cruiser on our way back to our car, thought we check them…read moreout. As soon as we opened the door we're greeted by a pic of John Wayne. Yvonne greeted us warmly and ask what we wanna drink. 2 pool tables, few booths and roughly about 12-15 seats by the bar. Lots of selection of beers, spirits and seltzers. Cool set and just overall vibes as we met a couple from Arizona celebrating her birthday (Happy Birthday, Lisa!) and few college kids. TVs playing live sports game or a movie if you ask the bartender nicely.

We stopped by this bar after the boat parade since it was the closest spot once we docked. I…read moreusually am not into dive bars, but this one pleasantly surprised me. The crowd was much more dressed up than expected, which gave it a fun, lively vibe right away. The bar was decorated beautifully for the holidays and already has a lot of character on its own. It felt festive without being over the top. There was also a taco stand right outside, which was such a great touch. My friends grabbed a burrito along with chips and guacamole, and it was perfect late night food after being out on the water. The bartenders were friendly and welcoming, and overall it was just a really fun place to spend time with friends and people watch. Definitely a better experience than I expected and a great stop after the boat parade.

See more unrecommended reviews

John Wayne used to drink here.

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

29 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Monica C.

12 years ago

The duelling banjos from the movie "Deliverance" should be the background music playing in this bar. It would be a subtle warning that "outsiders" are not welcome! We held a reunion at a friend's residence along the bay front on Balboa Island on Halloween. We attended at this premises in the afternoon of October 31st dressed in our Halloween costumes. As we entered the premises we noticed the bartender was wearing a wolf mask. We figured we had hit on a fun bar to celebrate our reunion before the kids came around for their treats. One of the men in our group and I walked up to the bar to order a drink. The bartender was unbelievably rude to my friend when he ordered a Tab soft drink for someone in our group. The bartender proceeded to mock my friend and said "Tab?? Oh you mean the drink my dad would drink?" and when filling the beer order I observed him loudly using very vulgar language directed at my friend. We were appalled but thought possibly he was joking. We had two drinks and upon exiting the premises we filled the plastic drink cup containing the soft drink with the remaining ice from the drinks. We were walking toward the ferry when all of a sudden the bartender came running out of the premises and proceed to scream at us from the top of his lungs. He accused us of leaving with a glass of liquor. We attempted to explain but he was extremely aggressive and started to scream obscenities at us. He was out of control and so aggressive that we quickly walked away. We were extremely shaken up by this experience and I want to warn everyone that you are at risk of verbal abuse should this bartender be working. We are all professionals and simply wanted to have a quick drink before Halloween. We frequently meet up on Balboa Island from across Canada and the U.S. and it was our first and last time ever attending this place. I so wish I would have read the reviews below before wasting my time and money here. There is clearly no point in advising the owner either based on another reviewer's experience dealing with him. I suspect the bartender must be a relative of the owners. NOBODY in the hospitality industry would have someone like him employed in their premises. I did a bit of research on this Saloon and read elsewhere that the police have numerous charges filed against this bar. Our biggest mistake was not walking out as soon as my friend was subjected to round one of the abuse... read more

Bridget V.

2 years ago

If I had the option to not star this place and just post a review I would! Do not recommend this place to anyone. I came in with my sister in-law to have a drink and play some pool while we waited for my husband but the bartender decided not to help us. Her tone and rude attitude was felt as soon as we approached the bar. We were looking forward to having a drink while needing to wait but unfortunately ended up having an awful experience at this place. They need to hire a new bartender that can provide a friendly customer service. read more

Amber B.

5 years ago

This place is a filthy, stinky dump. Me and my girlfriends stopped in to have a drink and the disgusting smell almost choked us out. On top of that, some creepy old dude, who said he owned the place, tried to block us from leaving and intentionally rubbed himself against us as we tried to get passed him and out the door. Thank goodness we never even sat down long enough to order. Ladies... if you find yourself at this bar, be careful and stay clear of the creepy owner. read more

Brenda A.

108

6 months ago

Angelica at Balboa Saloon is hands down one of the best bartenders I've come across. She's friendly, attentive, and knows exactly how to make you feel welcome from the moment you sit down. Her drink recommendations are always on point, and she makes everything with care and consistency. Even when it gets busy, she keeps a great attitude and makes sure everyone is taken care of. If you're stopping by, definitely ask for Angelica you won't be disappointed! read more

Shea R.

16 years ago

Love love love love this place!! O HEY $4 vodka tonics! And its not even happy hour! What's not to like about this place? Even better i tried this new drink called ty ku witch i loved even more....love love love!! The saloon is large and spacious, there are pool tables and arcade games. The bartender, Eric, is really really nice and hilarious. The BF and I came here between whale watching and dinner, and for $20, we got pretty buzzed and happy. read more

Amber D.

654

10 years ago

Never have I ever been so disrespected in my life. Apparently the older lady bartender likes to run out and defend her old perverted boyfriends who tend to harass girls at the bar. First time at this bar and will gladly say I'll never be back. Older crew that comes here. And they apparently have territory at every seat of the bar even when there's only 10 people inside. It's a joke. Don't come here read more

Dana E.

1 year ago

I just heard the new owners of the Balboa Saloon fired all the staff . Bartenders who've been there for 35, 22 and 18 years amongst the others. This is a local bar and the locals attend because of their relationships with the people across the bar and the friendships we've all developed because of The Saloon. My sincere wish is these owners suffer severe financial hardship. Stupid Focks! read more

Philip C.

11 years ago

Douchebag bartenders, every one of them. They all act too cool for school and serve only their friends. If you go there, only order beer because the bartenders get pissy with liquor drinks. I literally cannot figure out these guys, they seem like hippie, down to earth people, but they're really just complete assholes. Good luck if you go there. P.S. Their bathrooms smell like dick. read more

Salem B.

11 years ago

One of my favorite local places! Always a great time, excellent bar service and amazing drink prices. Friday/Saturday nights are the most captivating. Rod and Jeff are consistently going above and beyond to ensure everyone is feeling welcomed and appreciated! Engaging local crowd with some noteworthy stories into the history of the place!! read more

Jenna K.

8 years ago

I would give 0 stars if I could. Can't believe this place is still in business, please don't support a racist establishment. I wish I would've read the reviews before going. Hope to see this place close soon, I'm all for fun dive bars with cheap drinks and pool tables. But not discrimination. read more

Harpreet D.

1 year ago

I had an amazing experience at this bar! The atmosphere was comfortable, the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. The music and vibe made it a perfect spot to relax with friends or enjoy a night out. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Ken T.

9 years ago

Friends came here and were turned away for being Asian. "We don't serve your kind here." Please dont support an establishment like this. They don't deserve the patronage of Americans when they don't support American ideals. read more

Raul C.

9 years ago

Sadly this place has become a haven for racist bartenders/management. Stopped coming once my buddies told me they were subjected to a racist encounter by their bartenders. Disappointed, will never come back. read more

Saylor r.

16 years ago

completely love this place first timer going here had alot of fun best part they have my favorite drink called tyku witch is hard to find places but i love it! so yummy top my night and its low cal yay! read more

Allie D.

1 year ago

So happy Jeff and Darla are still employed at the loon! Super great people, super friendly, we can carry on our continued relationship at the Balboa Saloon!!!! It's family read more

Nate M.

12 years ago

The stoner bar tender seriously just left the bar whole people were waiting to get drunk to go out back to smoke a join... Come on what happened to service. read more

Jenny M.

2 years ago

The bartender was rude AF. Don't come here unless you want bad service. A-hole with the beard was mean idk what his problem was terrible place read more

Mike S.

13 years ago

Bad service and food was par at best for price. People were nice in general but seemed to be a click and we felt it was a local place.

Venus G.

3 years ago

If you want to go to a bar with absolutely ZERO hospitality this is the place. Grumpy Roddy behind the bar needs to just stay home

Karl H.

101

152

2 years ago

Came in today , NEVER AGAIN. RUDE OLD HAG WITCH running the bar. nothing but local drunks. FK this place read more

Balboa Saloon - sportsbars - Updated October 2026

People who viewed Balboa Saloon also viewed

Class of '47

3.7

(200 reviews)

Turner's Pub 33

3.9

(249 reviews)

Bar is a hell of a quality environment to get your drink on. I love Pub 33. Everything was litread more

Tony's Place

4.2

(83 reviews)

8$ Guinness. Cash only. Vibe was dingy and divey. Patrons were eclectic and grimey. Two motorcycles…read moreparked outside. Bartender ran my card twice and asked for my sign. This is a hole in the wall! There is nothing more I could ask for.

Place was stinky, dirty and looked almost abandoned. The bartender was rude and only had polite…read moreconversation with the old white people, I didn't get a second drink.

Mutt Lynch's

4.1

(1.3k reviews)

Visited Mutt Lynch's last night and our food was absolutely amazing. Our waitress Alex was awesome…read more Very attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back. Chicken tenders and Mac and cheese were perfect!!

Came here for breakfast right after a fun surf session at Blackie's. It was right next to the…read moreparking lot, we were hungry, and we thought, why not give it a try? Big bonus... it was already open! The three of us sat at the counter facing the boardwalk, so we could people-watch and enjoy the outside. This place is definitely a local's/dive bar... but not in a bad way! It's fun, has lots of ambience, great service, and really good food. It wasn't overly crowded, so we had no problem finding a spot...but then again, it was only 8:45 a.m. One friend ordered the huevos rancheros and, oh my gosh, that thing was HUGE...and delicious! Another friend ordered the breakfast burrito, which was also big and packed with bacon crumbles and egg. It looked really good, too. I've eaten a LOT of breakfast burritos over the past couple of weeks, though, so I wasn't overly interested. I ordered the corned beef hash with hash browns and two eggs. It was really good! The hash was homemade, so it wasn't overly salty, which I loved. Didn't take pictures of our food... we were hungry! Highly recommend this spot. The portions are big, the food is delicious, our server was so friendly and nice, and we really enjoyed the whole vibe. Definitely feels like a fun local place to grab a good breakfast after a morning surf! ‍

Goat Hill Tavern

3.5

(849 reviews)

Came here to celebrate a birthday and it was so much fun! I…read morereached out to them to see if I could get a spot reserved for me and my friends and Joe the bartender helped me set it up! He was our bartender as well and was great and kept checking up on our table to see if we were all good! We got pitchers which was great to share with everyone. The music was good and the vibes were 10/10

Goat Hill Tavern is one of those places I somehow keep ending up at every Tuesday at 7 PM with…read morefriends. It even showed up on Season 19 of "Real Housewives of Orange County", which honestly shocked me because I wouldn't expect those rich ladies to come here, but I guess they like to slum it sometimes lol. It's a laid-back dive bar with easy parking, solid drinks for my friends (I don't drink), and a casual, no-pressure vibe that makes it a reliable weekly meetup spot in Costa Mesa. Just keeping it real, the bathrooms are gross, and yeah, people smoke inside like it's part of the ambiance. The bar is outdoors and indoors because the game room area has an open roof so you're not technically smoking indoors (doesn't mean I love the smell though). Still, I keep coming back.

The Blue Beet

3.6

(363 reviews)

The bar is cool on weekend nights for live music…read more Sucks that you have to pay a $10 cover I get it... like gotta pay the band But like discouraging when you trynna roll deep and they only take cash. Still a vibe for sure

The drinks were fine and the musicians were good. But it's definitely a crowded place, so be…read moreprepared to wait at the bar

The Boulevard

3.7

(155 reviews)

Another great Monday. Rory makes a mean Sugar Free Redbull…read more Can't wait to cruise back for some good times. Thanks

This place is always trashed. This trash and vomit (?) in the vestibule has been there for over 3…read moreweeks. If they don't care to clean this, then what else are they not caring to clean?

Blackie’s by The Sea

4.0

(306 reviews)

Another week down in Newport... Blackie's ALWAYS delivers…read more Thanks to the amazing welcoming staff. See you all soon

I went to this establishment after taking my husband out to dinner for his birthday. And they asked…read morefor my ID. Really!? Eddie and Steven. One was the bartender and said get the fuck out! Really! It was a Sunday nite! That was rude! I'm clearly 60 plus! I took my husband for his birthday and he's 65! No one was in the place! Whatever dudes! Good! I asked a younger guy to go in and they served him cuz he had his license. Really! I'm/ we are old! That bartender was rude! Clearly no one was there! Very bad attitude and lost great happy friendly customers!

The Harp Inn

4.0

(349 reviews)

The harp is definitely an institution in Costa Mesa. I mean I cannot tell you how many times I have…read morebeen here. Long before Yelp was even a thing, and long before the internet really was put into the hands of the cow in person, this was the hub. This is where you went to meet people, exchange ideas, have conversation and more. The harp is really an institution in Orange county. And not just because it has longevity, there's a reason that it has sustained power. This place is probably one of the most authentic Irish pubs I've been to. Having been to Ireland. I can attest that this is right there with a standard pub in a small town. Which makes it wonderful. The people that run the place, especially Paul, is one of the reasons why I keep coming back here. He's personable, funny, and no-nonsense right. I like his way of thinking and his approach to customer service a second to none. Now let's talk about the food and drinks. From a drink standpoint. You cannot go wrong with this place, the drinks are thoughtfully made, this guy knows how to pour a beer. As far as food goes. I highly recommend the beefeater sandwich, and you cannot go wrong with the chicken wings. Some of the best wings I've had ever. Friday and Saturday nights is usually popping pretty hard when they have bands playing. So, good luck trying to find a seat anywhere in the place. When there is an event that night. You will have to get there early for sure. The bottom line? This is a go-to hangout. If you are looking for a good watering hole to meet people, just hang out and have a good time, or watch a game on the big screen TVs. F*** I would highly recommend the harp to anybody and everyone in the Orange county area.

Great food and great drinks. There is always fast and friendly service. It is always peaceful and…read morequiet inside.

Helmsman Ale House

4.4

(704 reviews)