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    The Boulevard

    3.7 (155 reviews)
    Closed 3:30 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    The Boulevard Photos

    Business Info

    THE BOULEVARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups
    Good for dancing

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    Recommended Reviews - The Boulevard

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    Reviews With Photos

    Stevedub.
    Ken H.

    Before I start this review, I would like to note that the auto-suggestion prompt does not know how to spell "ambience" properly. All right, back to the B-L-V-D. I went to the Boulevard about a month ago. I ordered a whiskey, the bartender brought me a whiskey, then I drank the whiskey--after that things took a turn to the outright sublime. Some random beach city woman who was probably seven years younger than me stopped dropping it low to the house music to hold a terrible conversation with me--until DJ Stevedub came out of nowhere, set up his dopest Stevedub turntables and turned the whole bleeping BLVD into a raucous dance party. The first hip hop beat Steve dropped sent the beach city woman sailing back to her friend group, and they all began dancing like absolute freak-a-zoids. Much like the rest of the people present at the bar. Somewhere between the first of many delicious Stevedub mixes and the moment when everyone was shouting the lyrics to an Afroman song--all boogie broke loose like an old booger. Even the muscled up frat/college boys had nothing better to do than twerk to the Yin Yang Twins and Nelly Furtado whilst Stevedub cued up or scratched in another banger. Credit to the BLVD for having a practiced master of the turntables like Stevedub come through. 5 stars.

    Whiskey sours
    Lanze A.

    Walked in with friends cause we needed to pass time. If you like punk rock from the 2000's this is the place to be. Music felt very nostalgic for me so I loved it. My friend and I loved the whiskey sours we had. Might be the best we've ever gotten. They also have a taco truck that regularly comes by and they're nice enough to allow food inside from the truck. Everything you need for a late night.

    Amazing selection of whiskey& bourbons
    Darcey H.

    I don't know where to give this five stars because it's a top-notch dive bar or four stars because it's kind of a grungy whiskey bar. I landed somewhere in between. We came on a Wednesday night when it wasn't super crowded. In fact there was no one in there when we arrived at 8:30 PM which is fine with me given that we got to talk to the bartender, Madison,Who despite her youth was extremely knowledgeable in the impressive selection of whiskeys and Bourbons. She made us to exceptional Old Fashions.

    Whiskey Sour - Made with egg white... So good!
    Howie C.

    If you appreciate finely made cocktails in an old school setting, you will love the Boulevard. We stopped by one afternoon while it was quiet just to check out the throwback red booth seating and muted gold ceiling tiles and couldn't resist ordering a drink. We were the only ones in the bar so our bartender put time into crafting standard drinks that wowed us. Old Fashioned - Rye, bitters, sugar and a fat square ice cube with an orange peel. This was done so right and so proper. The guys that ordered them kept on repeating to me, "This is a really good Old Fashioned." I know it is because I had some of it. Whiskey Sour - When I saw him cracking open an egg and rolling the egg yolk back and forth between the egg shells to get all the egg white out I knew I was in for a treat. Old Forester was the base whiskey, then shaken with egg white, lemon juice and couple of dashes of bitters over the lightly foamy top. Creamy, whiskey goodness. I could've stayed here for a couple of hours and put away four of these if I wasn't with co-workers. They have an extensive and impressive whiskey selection. Pappy Van Winkle, are you serious? YES! Laphroig, Macallan, Whistle Pig, Glenfiddich... Physically the lounge is pretty big as it has a row of booths in the main room and then an equal number of booths in the room right behind it. It's right next door to Goat Hill Tavern and they share the same entrance area. Both bars are great, but if you're feeling that 60s meets hipster vibe, slide on over to the Boulevard. I'm sure it gets crazy on the weekends with a full crowd and local bands playing. Question is... When are you going to go with me?

    Victoria S.

    DO NOT GO HERE!!! THEY ROOFIE PEOPLE!!!! Speaking out about this as it seems like nobody else will. Was here for the first time on Saturday night April 17th to meet for a drink and catch up with my friends. Me and one of my girls ended up blacking out within the 30 mins after barely sipping ONE DRINK! We hadn't been drinking anywhere else that night. Thank God for our friends who ended up taking care of us as we were completely incoherent. The next day to say we were ill would be an understatement. Never felt anything like this. Decided to go take a drug test and it came back positive for OPIOIDS AND BENZODIAZEPINE. We filed a police report and the officer did not seem to care much. Instead he made a remark about the drink we ordered being possibly "too strong". The manager of the bar refused to shows us video surveillance footage of that night and said we don't have enough evidence. I took this matter to social media and more victims came forward. THESE PEOPLE ARE SCUMBAGS!!! Me and my friend were absolutely lucky to have the help we needed. Next girl or guy might not be so lucky. BEWARE!!!!

    Weller special reserve bourbon
    Stephen G.

    I looked back to my review from 9 months ago and I had to think, wow!..., was that only 9 months ago?! Hanging out late on a quiet industry kind of Monday night has turned into a friend soaked venue of whiskey loving and good times. The Boulevards sorted love affair with the brown spirit has given birth to the '1824 Whiskey Society'. Nothing ominous or stuffy, just people with a common appreciation for whiskeys and all things about them. Neat, on the rock or in a cocktail, this is the place you are invited to share in the experience with the rest of us. If you happen to frequent any of the Newport/Mesa restaurants odds are you'll run into one if not a few familiar faces from the scene. Come by, grab a dram and toast with us, you're always welcome.

    Blood orange cosmo
    Mel D.

    Blood Orange Cosmo!!! My friend and I were in the area and decided to drop in at the Goat Hill Tavern for a beer. As I pulled into the back parking lot I saw that the Helm next door was gone and now The Boulevard. Curiosity got the best of me so I sent a text message to my friend asking if he wanted to meet there instead. The interior was nice, a huge difference from the Goat Hill's divey feel. Their menu seemed to consist of craft beer and cocktails. It is definitely a nice place to meet co-workers after work or even host a birthday get together. I read that they encourage groups to have their party there and they can put together some special priced drinks. My Blood Orange Cosmo was very good and I felt $8 was quite reasonable. That same drink would probably cost about $12 at most bars in LA. Make sure to look on the chalk board at the bar for their daily specials. The day I went they had a buy 1 get 1 free deal on Moscow Mules. Not bad...I didn't get a chance to try it but next time I'll make sure to look on their board first. Minus one star because I did ask if they had any drink special and the bartender answered "All our drinks are special". I wish he would have pointed at the board with the special. We were there on a Sunday around 4pm so I hoped they had some sort of special which they did but didn't tell me. But this place is much more "me" than the Goat Hill so I'd be open to going back to see what sort of crowd they bring in on Friday's and Saturday's.

    Daniel G.

    Always a great place for drinks with friends. They have a great selection of beers and and an even better selection whiskey! You'll be surprised at how many amazing whiskeys and bourbons you'll find here.

    One of my personal favorites out of a large selection
    Sean R.

    I've been coming to the Boulavard for over six years now and I have enjoyed myself throughout my years through the experience of the bartenders and the amazing cocktails now that the Boulavard is offering this amazing whiskey society that offers an even vast selection with a love driven focus on all different regions and vintages that give a society a real image if you have a chance to ever come down I definitely recommend coming in and asking about the whiskey society and see what you think!!

    Fantastic DJ! Read the crowd perfectly! Clever transitions - would be back just for him!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Boulevard

    What was the previous name of the Blvd bar?

    The Helm

    What type of music does this place play?

    We rotate DJs on the weekends and play a mix of music styles for dancing, throwback jams and more.

    Do they have a happy hour. If so, what time?

    Yes - every day 5-7pm HALF OFF all drinks for happy hour

    Is 21+ every night?

    Yes, we are 21+ at all times.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Pioneer - Transfusion...sooo good!

    Pioneer

    4.6(212 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    We made a reservation at Pioneer and really enjoyed this little spot! It's tucked inside a diner,…read moreso it can be a little hard to find at first, but it's just inside the back patio area with a cute wooden saloon-door entrance. The space is small, cozy, and intimate with just a few tables. Our waitress was super friendly and took the time to explain the menu and different options to us. - Guava Y Queso (4.5/5): I loved this! It was really unique with the cream cheese topping, but the combination worked so well. Definitely a fun spot for cocktails and something a little different!

    This place is well hidden, but unfortunately the experience was ruined by how rude and dismissive…read morethe employees were. I asked about seating for two and was simply told to wait outside with no explanation. After 15 minutes, I asked for an update and was again given a vague, dismissive response. Why not give a yes or no answer to whether accommodations can be made? There were several parties waiting in the brightly lit hallway with no A/C, despite plenty of tables seemingly available. At one point, another party peeked inside and a young kid employee with an Afro came out and rudely waved his hands in a "what do you want" manner without saying a word. Two waiting parties immediately left, and we decided to do the same after witnessing that. Another party with a reservation waiting told us this happens regularly and that the staff can be rude. Whether that's their normal practice or not, it was enough to make me not want to give this place my money. We ended up going to two other bars nearby that the one party waiting there recommended and had a completely opposite experience, welcoming and respectful. Definitely disappointing and don't recommend wasting your time as there's so many other places to try.

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    EL CAPITAN Grape Leaf * Soft Herbs * Pomegranate Summer 2026

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    Sourdough bread

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    Habana - outdoor patio, late night dining and cocktails by the fire pit

    Habana

    4.1(6.1k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$$
    Hipster vibe
    Outdoor seating

    Took my friend here to celebrate her birthday and we had such an amazing time!…read more We were greeted with complimentary drinks and given the choice of rosé or a tequila shot, which was such a fun way to start the celebration! We ordered the beef empanadas to start, and they were perfectly flaky on the outside and so savory and flavorful. For our entrée, we had the ropa vieja, which had just the right amount of flavor and was absolutely delicious. The ambiance was beautiful and made the whole experience feel extra special. They even brought out her birthday cake with a sparkler, which was such a sweet touch! We truly had such a wonderful time celebrating here. Everything from the food to the atmosphere made her birthday feel so special. I would absolutely recommend coming here, especially if you're celebrating someone you love. We'll definitely be back!

    We visited Habana around 12:40 pm on a Tuesday and were seated almost immediately. Parking at The…read moreLAB can be a different story though, and honestly may be harder than getting a table depending on when you visit. We ordered the Cheese Empanadas and El Churrasco. I originally wanted a different empanada, but one of the ingredients conflicted with an allergy and couldn't be removed. The staff was welcoming and helpful in pointing out which dishes and components contained it, so we went with the Cheese Empanadas to be safe. The food came out within about 10 minutes. I really liked the pastry on the Cheese Empanadas because it was light and airy, although the cheese filling itself was a little heavy for my personal preference. The El Churrasco was good overall. I enjoyed the chimichurri, corn, and rice, but the skirt steak itself was just okay compared to others I've had. The restaurant itself is beautiful and has a great atmosphere. Overall, Habana is a solid option for Cuban food and everything we tried was good, but nothing particularly shined for me. I'd still be interested in coming back and exploring more of the menu.

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    Habana
    Habana - Outdoor patio

    Outdoor patio

    Habana - Habana costa mesa patio

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    Playa Mesa - Plato del Patron. Roasted Jidori chicken, confit spare ribs, cesina, chile toreados, pico de gallo, ceboilltas, papas bravas & refried beans

    Playa Mesa

    4.4(3.5k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Late review but I felt like I should leave this here just in case people are wondering cause if…read morethey closed down cause of the food quality. -- Came back to Playa Mesa for my friend's birthday. The chips and salsa were really good. The aguachile had a nice spicy flavor that made it stand out. The queso fundido was SO good super cheesy, and paired with the handmade tortillas it was one of my favorites. We also ordered the calamari and I was surprised by how good it was. Everyone ordered different rounds of cocktails throughout the night and honestly, not one missed. Service was a little slow, but it was a busy Friday night, so that's somewhat expected. I've been here before and the grilled octopus tacos and carne asada burrito were just as good as I remembered them. They also made the birthday celebration really cute. They sang happy birthday, brought out a small ice cream, and gave my friend a big mariachi hat. Good food, great drinks, and still consistent as I remembered it. So long Playa Mesa. 9.5/10

    Playa Mesa has a great atmosphere with beautiful aesthetics. In the evening, the open windows…read morecreate a nice breeze, though they do let a few flies in. The hostess was friendly, and our server was funny and kind. He was a little less attentive as it got busier, but the staff worked well as a team, so we never had to wait for refills or anything we needed. Parking in the back can be a little tight. The birria tacos were packed with flavor, and I loved the inside-out cheese crust. My husband's fajitas were flavorful, although the chicken was a little overdone. The guacamole was excellent, especially with the pepita seeds adding great texture. Overall, we enjoyed the flavorful food, service, and atmosphere. We'd definitely come back!

    Photos
    Playa Mesa - East Side Sunset

    East Side Sunset

    Playa Mesa - The eastside cocktail - all the drinks here are delish!

    The eastside cocktail - all the drinks here are delish!

    Playa Mesa - Lovely interior...

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    Lovely interior...

    The Boulevard - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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