This distillery is more than just great drinks, the food is impressive. The menu pairs perfectly with their craft spirits, offering hearty bites and flavorful dishes that elevate the tasting experience. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff is very friendly. A must-visit spot whether you're here for a cocktail or a full meal. My favorite was the Tomahawk fingers omggg delicious they use a home made whiskey bbq sauce a little sweet but absolutely delicious.The seared tuna was fresh it was also very good. You also have to try the Brussels sprouts and the pork belly. And if you like salads the strawberry salad is really good.I loved everything that we ordered. Highly recommended, read more

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We held a company event here and couldn't be happier with the experience. Ryan made booking a breeze, the food and drinks were incredible, and the service was friendly and fast. The pulled pork was honestly the best I've ever had. Everyone was still talking about the Tomahawk fingers the next day. Their spirits were great too--I loved them all and took home a bottle of gin. Even the restroom was spotless, which I really appreciated. Fantastic venue all around. read more

This place came recommended by Charlie Fox First impression walking in: it's a nice place low light setting I would say it's a mixture of California and the midwest. Server did take a while to come to our table initially besides that the service was great. The food was great I recommend everything I took a picture of the food is savory and worth the money. In total everything we got was $195.57 Fun fact the wood pile is imported from Kansas read more

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Came to this location on Sunday. We ordered a beer, and Old Fashioned and Cheddar Jalapeño Hush Puppies. The beer was 8/10, the hush puppies were 6/10 and the Old Fashioned was 3/10 (due to it being about 2oz!) I realize the drink is traditionally made with a large ice cube... but come on! read more

Drift Distillery - Full Price Old Fashioned - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Drinks were great and food was amazing. We loved it and will definitely visit again. We had a party of 10 and we were well served.

We've been fans since they first opened on Calle Amanecer and were ecstatic to learn they were opening a new location just down the street from us. Came in this Saturday night for their grand opening and had a wonderful experience. No opening snafus, food & service was great ( Bree our server was awesome.) Can't wait to come back for more and now we can bring our kids! read more

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We've been here several times and everything is great! However they have my favorite salad and fries in South OC! If you haven't been I highly recommend! read more

Drift Distillery - Fries with BBQ sauce and Ranch - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

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AMAZING. Let's start small, the chairs are comfy, the music isn't too loud, the staff is attentive. (All things that are important to me) But the FOOD is out of this world DELISH! Must try when in town. We ordered the twinkies and quesadillas from the appetizer menu. Practically licked our plates. Drinks were amazing too. Thanks Ian!! read more

Drift Distillery - Twinkies and brisket quesadillas - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

Our band played at DRIFT last night. We received several comments from our friends and family about how good the acoustics were and how much they enjoyed the atmosphere. They also had great things to say about the delicious barbecue plates and friendly service. read more

The food is outstanding perfect smoke!! The brisket, turkey sandwich, ribs and pulled pork are all perfection!! The staff and owners are simply the best and Gianna is just the sweetest most hospitable she makes the whole experience special! And OMG their spirits and beer over the top!! read more

First of all the servers at Drift are very welcoming and well trained in all aspects of customer service. I have been here twice recently and they were wonderful. Way to go Fernando! Today I had the sliced chicken and bacon sandwich with fries. That might be my new favorite. Side of BBQ sauce had a nice smoky taste. My friends both had the tri tip sandwich and loved it. Portions are large and fillin read more

Drift Distillery - Bacon Chicken Sandwich - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

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This place rocks - great service ( Joey) - the atmosphere is relaxing. The food - ROCKSTAR !!!! Try the smoked brisket burger- my husband Ed it. I had tri tip sandwich - so moist - best tri tip I ever had. We will definitely be back. read more

I have been coming here for their drinks and Smoked tri-tip sandwiches with extra horseradish sauce. I couldn't count the number of times I have had this dish here and every time it had been delicious, satisfying, and well-priced. This past week we ended up coming here around noon and found out they now do a brunch menu. It has been a few days since we tried it and we have already been here twice. I knew with the heart that goes into their regular menu, that I could expect nothing but the best. They didn't disappoint, their Monte Cristo is the best I have ever had. Today, I had the Avocado Toast with a side of bacon and it was delicious. I will probably be hooked on eating this for a while. It is one of the tastiest toasts I have had and this is even comparing it to fancy cafes with elaborate prices. The dish alone goes for $13 and if I could eat two I would just because of how much I enjoy every bite. There's this saying from one of the characters from the Demon Slayer anime show where the character is at a noodle shop and all you hear him say through the restaurant is "TASTE!!!". I find myself saying the same quote while enjoying the food here...TASTE!! %. read more

just went there and it's superior! Everything perfect!!! They distill locally and everything on the menu is unique. My pallate was definitely pleased. And, it was quiet ...a nice breeze with perfect happy quick service! read more

This restaurant is located in the heart of San Clemente. We tried the restaurant on a Sunday for lunch. It has an open setup offering booths or bar seating. We started with the Tomahawk Fingers which are black opal Wagyu beef in hose spiced rub with whiskey bbq sauce. They were excellent. We split a, not a house salad with blue cheese dressing. It was fine. We split the lunch special which was a smoked turkey breast sandwich. My wife liked it. I did not. I thought it had a gross almost chemical taste. Yuck. The waiter was a polite, attentive young man. Not hurrying back. read more

It's very difficult to get a table at the small, new restaurant in downtown San Clemente called Drift (use OpenTable, preferably days in advance) and after the first visit you will understand why. This family owned restaurant distills their own whiskey, bourbon and gin, offers amazing smoked meats and has the kind of relaxed vibe that successful San Clemente restaurants specialize in with great service and a diverse menu that has something for everyone. Our party of three on our first visit sampled pulled pork and that smoked brisket with the stunning pink smoke ring in both sandwiches and the loaded tater tots platter and walked away vowing to return, if only for the smoked duck spring roll appetizer or those kitchen sink beans ($8 as a side) that use all three of the barbecued proteins (chicken is the other one). There is also a whiskey sampler that we will be trying on future visits. They do simple things such as putting a solid, simple cheese sauce underneath those tater tots and top them with sliced red and jalapeno peppers. The funniest name for a signature mixed drink is "Where's my Two Year Old?" There is a small bar and live entertainment on the weekends, but anytime is a good time to drift into Drift. read more

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There food is awesome. Tonight was our fifth time here on a Friday night. But tonight the band was so loud, the table was vibrating. You couldn't even think straight. The table next to us were even plugging their ears. We complained and they did turn it down but by that time it was too late. Had huge headache and we stopped after appetizers and went to a place down the street. It was really too bad. We really do love this place and the food is excellent. I appreciate the music but they have to realize it is still a place to have a good dinner. We aren't there for a concert or dancing. If it was not for the sound,it would always be a close 5 star. Sorry guys. My recommendation would be to not go there on a Friday night. read more

Loved the atmosphere, service, food, drinks!! We had ribs, tritip sandwich and wedge salad. All so good. read more

We ate at Drift on my birthday and it was amazing. It was a week day around 5:30 and we walked right in. The vibes were so chill and they have tv's playing football highlights from last year. We were almost immediately asked if we want something to drink. We were waiting on the last member of the party to show up (and he was 30 min late) and not once did they say anything rude. While we were ordering my husband asked how much it would be to upgrade his side and the waitress said don't worry about it, which put a smile on all our faces. The food came out - I got the bbq wrap with brisket and ranch- and it was DELICIOUS. The bbq sauce comes on the side so you can add as much or as little as you want, and it was sweet and smokey at the same time. Then when she asked if we wanted dessert, my mom told her it was my birthday and she'd pay for whatever I wanted. We ordered the butter cake, which was a special dessert, and they brought it out with a candle! It was basically the size of a bread loaf tin; huge! And to top it all off it was so incredible and decadent. One of the best desserts I've ever had at a restaurant. They were so kind to us, wished me happy birthday three or four times, took our photo since we were trying to get a selfie, and just made the night very pleasant. Also there's a very small parking lot attached to the building and more parking up the stairs by the street, so we didn't have to worry about street parking. We didn't buy any spirits, but they sold bottles of their own stuff, homemade, which was super neat. Overall it was a 10/10 birthday dinner. Thank you to the awesome staff for taking good care of us! :) read more

First time here and it was amazing! The brisket and ribs were very tender and had great flavor! Our server was very attentive and helpful! We will be back for sure!! read more

We absolutely loved our visit to Drift! The ambiance is cool, coastal, and effortlessly inviting--think industrial chic meets SoCal chill. I ordered the mule cocktail, and it was hands-down one of the best I've had--super refreshing, perfectly balanced, and served with flair. And my husband is still talking about the wings. Crispy, flavorful, and just the right amount of heat--he called them "elite-level bar food," which is high praise coming from him! Great service too!! The drink menu is clever and creative, the food is way better than you'd expect at a distillery, and the overall vibe makes it a spot we'll definitely return to. A total win for date night or just hanging with friends in San Clemente! read more

We came in for just a happy hour drink and snack and wished we had a bigger appetite because everything sounded delicious! We got the loaded tater tots which were WONDERFUL! Drinks were just as delicious as well! read more

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Delicious food and friendly service. The atmosphere and decor in the restaurant is great and I love the big open window behind the bar.

We went on a Tuesday night (perfect time to go) We were very well taken care of by our waitress. The food was Amazing! We've been looking for a good bbq place locally...This is it! We will be frequenting this restaurant in the near future! read more

Drift Distillery - TOMAHAWK FINGERS - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Felt like barbecue while camping at San Clemente State Park. But didn't want to wait in line at Heritage in San Juan Capistrano. So after a Yelp search found Drift Distillery in San Clemente. What a sweet find! Drift is a small batch distillery which sources their wheat directly from their own Kansas farm. The cocktails we experienced were delicious: The Whiskey Ginger and The rum pineapple and coconut cream pain killer. All of their spirits are distilled in house. Their whiskeys, in particular, are amazing. This distillery just bottled a five year aged whiskey that was so smooth, strong, and delicious. Drift also specializes in barbecue for eats. We ordered up a combo plate with baby back ribs and brisket. This came with sides of choice including Cheesy Potatoes and Mac N Cheese. Also ordered was a brisket arugula salad. Accompanying the barbecue was a house made sweet whiskey-molasses sauce. Everything was beyond tasty. Nothing disappointed. This place is off the beaten track tucked away in a business center. But it's just a short drive from the beach and the 5 freeway. Worth a stop for lunch or dinner if driving between LA and San Diego. And if you are living or beaching in the area, hit this place up. We will return. read more

Drift Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

We are so glad we finally got to try Drift! We have been wanting to go for years, but haven't since we couldn't bring our kids. Last night we took the whole family and we all loved it. My husband loved his pulled pork, I enjoyed my tri tip sandwich, our 10 year old loved the brisket smash burger and our 7 year old thought the Mac and cheese was great! We also enjoyed the party wings because the burnt ends were already sold out - yummy! Old fashioned's were delicious as well as the lemonade. We were sat right away on a Sunday evening and the service was great. read more

Finally tried Drift last week and couldn't be more pleased with our experience. The brisket sandwich was tasty and juicy. The cocktails were good and our waitress was amazing. She was friendly, answered our questions and was attentive. We're definitely going back. read more

My kids absolutely love this place and always choose it over anywhere else in town! The service is amazing--Julie was especially sweet and friendly. The tri-tip and ribs are my favorites so far. You won't be disappointed! read more

Ok, I have always loved Drift! Love the owners and have always loved the drinks and food! Their new spot is really a great location and looks awesome! I was really bummed today because our food was no where near as good as in the past! Could have been an off day but they changed up the menu some! I would really love for you guys to bring back your old arugula salad! The new one is not as good! I used to come in Just for that with the pulled pork but the salad today wouldn't make me want to come back and the pork was not as good as normal! I'm only sharing in hopes maybe you will bring back some of how you used to do things! Please bring back my fave salad! We aren't going to let today keep us away. We are loyal customers and really like the owners! Service was great and friendly! Drinks are still awesome! The menu is more extensive so that is fun and gives lots of options! read more

The happy hour menu has good selection of savory dishes with reasonable prices. The liquor which is distilled at place is very good and priced right. I recommend this place. read more

Great atmosphere! Beautiful remodel . Ask for the bartender Jon michael. Some wonderful Craft cocktails like the "pain killer" made with rum. Will return read more

Drift Distillery - Drinks - Distilleries Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Food, service, and atmosphere were great. With so many of the same types of restaurants, this distillery with food is a refreshing option. We had a gin drink, Brussels sprouts, smoked fried chicken sandwich, and the pulled pork sandwich. So tasty and filling. Will definitely be back. Our server was friendly and helpful. read more

The Drift is INCREDIBLE! Highly recommend coming here for lunch, dinner or just to sit and sip and snack. The owners are salt of the earth. The service is perfect. The food is SO good, and I am finicky. I am now a regular!!! read more

The food was incredible ! Everything we had was delicious the tatter tot nachos and the strawberry salad - not to mention the brownie Sunday desert. All the sauces hit the spot. Will definitely be back. Great value for price point as well :) read more

Drift is a tough one for me to review. Their whiskeys are decent, agave liquor is not my favorite, but their gin. I don't like gin, but I like theirs, which makes little sense but if anything, a testament to their distilling. Personally, I think their food shines a little bit brighter. For BBQ, the price is reasonable, the flavor is decent, but the best thing they've got are their tater tots. Whoever is working that fryer is crushing it. read more

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I've been a customer of Drift from their earliest days. And in that time, the owners Ryan and Lesli, have always been customer-centric and have a wonderful concept of blending their familial roots in Kansas with the local San Clemente culture. Their cocktail list is a virtual greatest hits of craft cocktails, made from their own premium spirits including Vodka, Gin, Whiskey (wheat, aged and unaged, bourbon), Rum and their special agave-infused liqueur. My favorite food menu item is the Cuban sandwich, which is hands-down the best in town. I also love their "Not a house salad"...salad, which is always fresh and loaded with crispy bacon...and be sure to add their chicken. If you're looking for a fun night out, or a quick drink and bite here in San Clemente, Drift is definately a place you should consider. And now with the new and more roomy location on Camino Real, I expect the atmosphere at Drift will be ramped up significantly, so you'll definately want to be part of the action! read more

Super Cool country vibe with great bbq and whiskey. Bartender Emigdio is the man and pours a beautiful drink. Really great south OC Country vibe. Highly recommend. read more

Had a GREAT time ! The meat was delicious, but my only suggestion would be to offer a variety of BBQ Sauces.

The pork lollipops appetizer was 5/5. The smash burger was 4/5. The fries were small/skinny & cold when we got them. The tri tip sandwich was 3.8/5, meat had little flavor & bread was soggy. We got there at 6pm & there was 6 employees standing around and we didn't get our entrees until 7:05pm, there were 2 other tables with customers in the restaurant. They charged $3 for a coke refill and didn't tell us there was a charge for that. I won't be returning for the wait time alone for my entree. read more

Amazing food and service. Atmosphere was awesome, perfect for a date night or just to grab a quick bite. We had the brisket, octopus and macaroni. Although the flavor was incredible on the brisket and barbecue sauce, it was on the dryer side. Other than that everything was perfect. Presentation is on point. Would return read more

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