Katrina V.

I had a 6pm dinner reservation so got here on a Sunday at 5:30pm and there were already people waiting outside. Upon entering it's dark inside but by the time you adjust it's a small and quaint setting. Being solo I was seated at the bar where the fun stuff happened as I watched the different drinks made. I was served a variety of rice crackers before my whiskey highball drink came. It was smooth and a nice palate cleanser to prep me for my omakase meal. They do accept walk ins but depending on group size and how busy they are be prepared to wait

Jessa R.

What. An. Experience. To start off, I had the idea to stop in for one before our dinner reservations, and as soon as we were seated, I realized that would not be the right way to go about this experience, and I quickly adjusted our dinner reservations to allow us more time at Highball. This is a sip and savor kind of place, and rushing the experience would have been a crime. From the start, you know you're heading into something special when you're greeted outside and led into an intimate setting of low amber lighting, just a few high top tables, and some bar seating. It's beautifully decorated inside, which adds to the overall experience. We arrived pretty early on a Friday, and were welcomed quickly, with a very short wait. (Tip: get there at 5pm when they open for quicker service, as they don't take reservations and they WILL fill up quickly. But even of you have to wait, the wait is absolutely worth it.) Our bartender was Tony, and working the other half of the bar was Justin,, and both of them made the entire experience special from start to finish. Tony explained the menu, the artistic mastery aspect of Japanese cocktail-making, a bit of Japanese history and lore, then walked us through which drinks we might like.... and let me tell you, each of these drinks was an experience in itself, and beautifully made. This is NOT a quick cocktail made by someone who doesn't care; it's a crafted experience by people who care very deeply about the work they put into their art. I could go on and on about the entire experience, but I think you should just go check it out for yourself. Trust that you will not be disappointed. You also won't want to leave! 10/10 recommend! We cannot wait to return! As soon as we left I was looking at the calendar to try to find the next date we could return.

Teresa B.

A very intimate bar with a speakeasy. Most of the tables are filled with diners for the speakeasy, so there will be a wait for the bar. We arrived ten minutes after opening and there was a wait. We waited about 20-25 minutes. The bar is small with 4-6 high top bar seating, two regular height bar seats, and about 2-4 tables. We walked into a pitch black bar with contrast from the bright sunlight at 5:30pm. I do appreciate the mixology approach to this bar. Every drink is curated and the menu is divided into categories to find the right one for you. The service was very attentive and interactive. Our server took the time to introduce each cocktail section. I had the clover club, which was well balanced with fruity and tart flavors. My boyfriend had a highball which was standard to us. But then tried the mint chocolate chip cocktail. If this is your favorite ice cream flavor, then it tastes exactly like it. They also garnished with mint, so it enhances the mint chocolate chip flavor and aroma. Also, their bar snacks are Japanese rice crackers which I love!! I would definitely come back to try more cocktails and hopefully their speakeasy too!

Brian F.

Highball is a new bar and dining concept located in a small plaza in Costa Mesa. The front is Highball, a Japanese-style cocktail bar, and the back is Naisho, a omakase restaurant behind a door. They do not allow reservations at Highball and have a max party size of four people. It's not a big bar but we were able to get one of the tables. We got some Japanese bar snacks to start; note that the first is complimentary and you have to pay if you want refills. BUTTER MILK ($17) - this milk punch was sweet and downable. I liked the brown butter and the strong chocolate notes from the white cacao. This was my favorite. 5/5 DAIFUKU ($17) - this was tart and sweet with a foam that's thicker than a typical egg white foam. 4.5/5 SHIO UISUKI ($18) - this has a similar style of an old fashioned. They give you the glass with the drink on the side so you can choose your preferred level of dilution. 4/5 CLOVER CLUB ($16) - this is a classic drink and while I know it doesn't have any shiso, for some reason my taste buds had that note. 4/5 We saw a lot of people grabbing a drink and asking if there were any seats available in the omakase before heading in. There were a lot of people coming in and out for the omakase experience. The door kept opening which reminded us of the brightness from the outside, ruining the vibe a little bit. I understand the space is small but it still ruined the feel knowing there was light outside. This was a cool vibe other than the light issue. If you go later in the night then you won't have that problem. It'd be cool to check out Naisho when the hype dies down so reservations are easier but this is a cool new bar addition to the area.

Ellie G.

Came to The Highball before omakase and loved the hidden speakeasy vibe. The space is dark, intimate, and perfect for date night or drinks with friends. Cocktails were creative and well balanced, and the bartenders were friendly and attentive. I liked that they explained the menu and the story behind each drink, which made the experience more interactive and interesting. One of the coolest parts is the hidden omakase experience tucked inside, which makes the whole concept feel unique. Overall, a fun spot in Costa Mesa with great ambiance and service.

Kimmi C.

Amazingly delicious dishes with extensive cocktail menu. There are 2 omakase options and we choose the $100 and all the optional selections including uni toast, uni noodles and tin fish. They start the evening offering you a sake box to select a cup. They provide you a sake shot with essence of stone fruits. It was very aromatic and the perfect start to the meal. All dishes were unique and exceptional in quality. We have been of the chefs since he was in dtla and happy to make the drive to Costa Mesa. This is a must try location. The front bar area bartenders all greeted us and said goodbye. Exceptional service

Came here twice now and the vibes and drinks are great. Really fun experience both times, the staff are super friendly and host/bartender was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, felt like he was taking us through a journey. You can tell they care about the craft here. The highlights 1. Junishi - stiffer drink but super complex like a mezcal Negroni with a hint of tomato and grapefruit for brightness and umami flavor, can't say I've had a drink like this before 2. Cantaloupe island - crowd pleaser, tasty melon and banana hints, served up. 3. Melon bar - it's like a reward, sweet, fun cocktail. If you like the melon bar you will love this one. I already want to come back and try some other drinks! Some tips: 1. Very limited bar seating so be prepared to wait, but there are really good food options nearby like afuri, currydo, anjin. Put your name down and then go eat. It was roughly 1 hour and 30ish min wait.

Nicole C.

I've had quite a lot of cocktails through my life and been to many bars all across the world - from NYC, London, Paris, Japan, Barcelona, etc. I'm not sure how many people travel specifically for bars and restaurants, but I'm certainly one of them. The TL;DR is the OC area is lucky to have an establishment like Highball, and if you love curated cocktails you are missing out if you don't come here. Its been quite a wait for Highball to open following DTTN 2.0s closure. The lead bartenders from DTTN 2.0 spearheaded the menu and curation at Highball, and they did an exceptional job. The bar is well stacked, the alcohol selection is top notch, and there is no lack of talent coming from both Justin and Tony. Justin is serving as the main bartender, and he's exceptional. From the OC area he's one of only 3 bartenders I've been impressed by. As of writing, advanced reservations are required and the entire concept mirrors the recently opened Bar 109 / Corridor 109 in LA. The bar serves as the front of the space, and there is a speakeasy restaurant specifically focused on a sushi omakase experience. The front bar area is very cozy and modern, my only real concern is it may not be big enough should traffic ever increase but with the reservation system hopefully they can keep it steamlined. Overall, the opening of this bar makes it one of the best in the area alongside Stone Groove Stillhouse. Couldn't recommend it more, so happy that it's finally open!

Andrew L.

Good cocktail bar with good ingredients and preparation that justifies the prices they charge. Ambiance is modern and chic. Drinks can take awhile since they are servicing a restaurant in the back in addition to the bar. Music is too loud here and should be dialed down.

Jasmin P.

The cocktails are made to perfection and the vibe is cozy and intimate. It is a small space with limited seating which honestly makes it feel even more coveted. We started with the Whisky Highball and Clover Club, both drinks super clean and balanced. We loved watching the bartenders craft each drink. They even cut their own ice which made every step feel intentional. For our second round we tried the Shio Uisuki and a Negroni. The Shio Uisuki quickly became our favorite! Thomas was incredibly welcoming & friendly, and we really appreciated that he took the time to chat with us. The service was wonderful. Hope to be back soon!

Elaine P.

We came here on a whim but ended up staying for 2 hours. What a wonderful experience this place is. With pages of cocktail options in their menu, there's so much to try and experience. We sat at the bar and our bartender was attentive and patient with us. The inside is curated to perfection. I honestly came here because I thought the glassware was perfection and come to find out, the drinks were made great too. They were on top of service and the music, the lighting, and vibes overall were wonderful. We are already planning on coming back here with friends.

Overall, very nice experience. Justin was great and very knowledgeable, the entire experience made it seem like we were in a speakeasy in Japan. From the mixologists/bartenders to the descriptive menu and drink explanations. My only gripe was the drink I ordered. Only after another server gave me my drink, they said I only had 10 seconds to drink my drink at its most optimal state before the egg white separated; by the time he explained it- more than 15-20 seconds passed, I took a picture of my drink as pictured, and then Justin made a comment that "I missed the window and I'm too late" essentially sort of spoiling my experience in a way that was negative. Again, it's not that deep, but maybe warn your customers about any timing to maximize the drink experience prior to serving. My party felt slightly suffocated with the amount of interaction and explanation we were given, but overall it was exceptional service. I'll be coming back for sure and would highly recommend this place.