We're a couple of Dive Bar aficionados. Thus, in advance of our few day visit Avalon, we…read moreresearched the Best Dive Bars in Avalon. I was truly excited to visit the legendary Marlin Club. I'd read glowing reports. I'll confess we arrived before noon on a weekday, but my experience there's a degree of hospitality and camaraderie that pervades a good Dive no matter the time of day. Certainly our fellow patrons were engaging, whereas the bartender was nowhere to be found. We waited. Certainly our fellow patrons were getting beverages from somewhere. We waited some more. It was getting uncomfortable. Finally. Finally! (I was about to walk a person wearing a cowboy hat emerged from the back. No greeting. Just a very cold "What can I get you?" Someone was having a day and. not a good one. After this drink, we departed. However, on the plus side, I will say the fabulously artful UNDER THE SEA wall decor was worth the visit.

Weird, weird vibes. A local dive bar that doesn't seem to be the go-to place for locals, just…read moremisbehaved tourists. Prices are normal and there's a reasonable amount of seating, but the crowd the is just strange.

Was excited to try the local dive bar, but the minute we stepped through the door, there was no…read moremusic playing, dead quiet, and a white man at the bar shouted at his other white friend a racial slur that neither of them should be using... Immediately walked out. Bummed that this behavior is tolerated here! Terrible vibe due to the lack of music, but also terrible ethics it seems... This was 8pm on a Friday.

Chuck the bartender is a bit salty but worth the work ! Come…read morehere for a Ball game or a Lazy day of drinking

Every time I have come to Catalina since 2024 I have made sure to stop by the Flx Biergarten…read more Great beer, seltzer, and hard kombucha choices alone with N/A options like soda (coke products) Sizes are pints, steins, pitchers, and ((drum roll)) DA BOOT (64oz, don't worry you can share) They have yard games like cornhole and Beirut (beer pong). It's cool it being your own card games too. On the weekends I've caught some good live music, too! Hungry? They have all beef hot dogs, pretzel with beer cheese, polish sausages, pickled eggs, etc. Heatlamps and some fire pit tables are lit a night to keep you warm but keep in mind it's outside to check the weather and dress accordingly. I've been to Catalina solo, traveling alone as a woman I'm happy to report: I felt very safe and comfortable in the Biergarten. Bathrooms are in the back, in some of those fancy portable toilets (including a handicap ramped stall), so you don't have the leave the Gartën for anything. The owner Michael is so friendly and will remember the regulars from the main land (thanks for calling me a Legend haha), and shout out to Jack who works there too for his fun and kind energy.

FLX Beer Garden on Avalon Island is one of those places that perfectly captures the spirit of…read moreCatalina -- sunny, relaxed, and effortlessly welcoming. Whether you've just stepped off the ferry or spent the morning exploring Avalon's streets, this spot is a great place to pause, unwind, and savor the moment. Set just a short stroll from the beach, FLX offers an open-air setting that invites you to take your time, slow down, and soak up that signature island vibe. Grab a seat in the sunshine, order one of their cold craft beers, and treat yourself to a warm, salty pretzel -- it's a simple pairing, but exactly what fits the scene. The menu isn't complicated or overdone, which is part of its charm. Everything here focuses on quality, flavor, and the easy pleasure of enjoying food and drink with friends in the open air. The staff at FLX Beer Garden truly elevate the experience. Service is quick, attentive, and always accompanied by a genuine smile. You get the sense that the team enjoys being there just as much as the guests, creating a friendly atmosphere that makes everyone feel part of the moment. It's that kind of energy -- easygoing and kind -- that makes you want to stay for one more pint. If you're exploring Catalina Island and looking for a laid-back place to enjoy a refreshing beer with great company, FLX Beer Garden is definitely worth a visit. It's not just a place to eat and drink -- it's a little slice of island life that captures the carefree joy of Avalon. Come hungry, bring friends, and let the sunshine do the rest. Enjoy!

Great coffee spot stop with a nice selection of baked goods…read more Please come and create your own adventure.

After stepping off the boat and checking into our hotel, we wandered down Front Street, stopping in…read moreat Catalina Island Brewhouse for lunch. It wasn't busy as it was during the week, and we found a table on the patio. Mr. B ordered a flight to try and we ordered a pineapple jalapeno pizza. I know many say pineapple doesn't belong on a pizza, but we happen to like it. The crust of the pizza was thin and covered in melted cheese, chunks of pineapple and slices of jalapeno. It was the perfect amount of spice and the pineapple calmed it down by adding a hint of sweetness. The beer was great, the pizza even better and you just can't beat the views of the bay. Service was good, and we were off to a good start of eating on Catalina Island.

Food is good but drinks are expensive and they put too much ice on the drinks…read more We went and told the waitress she just gave a generic excuse

Local place to get some good local catch lobster. Unfortunately the season for catching fresh…read morelobster was Oct-March. But they still have some frozen catch from the season. Food: * coconut shrimp *lobster-good but was drench in some cream/butter, wish I knew,I like it just steamed. *clam chowder - very good, very filling. *sea bass- fresh and tasty (lemon and garlic) * halibut- fresh and yummy (garlic and caper sauce) The seafood is very fresh, maybe not the healthiest prepared..., but a ll very tasty and casual atmosphere. Service is really good. Seems to be a local spot.

A fun little divey bar and dance club in Catalina! Every now and then there's a DJ here, but I came…read morehere on a Sunday night and it was just the jukebox. Still a super fun vibe, relatively cheap drinks, shuffleboard, and a pool table! A fun place for a night out that had a very comfortable number of people on a Sunday night. Played some shuffleboard, stayed for a while. A friend was celebrating their birthday and they had watermelon shots for around $3 or so. I don't drink, so I just simply enjoyed their soda water. No tap water, bottled water only, but they are pretty reasonable in charging only $1 for it. All in all - def a fun place to spend a night out!

Please fire the 40 year old lady DJ…read more She is horrible!! Doesn't take request and changes music every other second. She literally cleared out the dance floor early and gets upset when anyone request a song. She is sabotaging your club. Hire someone better. If she is there you're better off playing your own Spotify playlist from your personal speaker.

The beers are 22oz! The burgers all come with crispy fried onions on top of the meat…read more One of the few authentic tiki bars left- the staff is so nice! Don't miss this!

Bro what a joke, look at this serving I got. Anyway I'm here to rate the food. The fish was deep…read morefried to oblivion, pretty bland as well, not much kick to it and the tartar sauce didn't help. The fries were like frozen generic slop you get at a them park. Overall the meal was far below average. They charge a grip too. Fish: 5.0 Fries: 6.4

We came here for the simple fact that I searched the BEST poke nachos multiples times (because of…read moreinternet issues) and they came up with an insane picture! Turns out the place more than matches the picture of just the nachos. Leah, our waitress, is simply fun. She was so welcoming and fuming to chat with that we should have just bought out her day-time pay rate + tips and had her sit with us! The view...cmon.. Avalon harbor...not too shabby. Checkout the pic! The one questionable...the Famous+Naked drink. The green chartreus threw me. No idea what it was, but Leah came to the rescue...she said...try a little taster of the green chartreus...so I did...and wow, a stronger version of a Jäegermeister with green pine needles thrown in. The drink...'amazing.... The nachos...ok, the nachos are simply the best we have ever had. No poke out matches the wonton chips, no bland poke stack...this was a legit flavor bomb of mangos, spicy mayo, tuna, with nori powder over every chip!!! Don't question it, just come here...

Seeing Poke Nachos on the menu was what led us to The Naughty Fox. It was the right move. Located…read moreright across from the beach and moorings, it was a great spot for people watching on a warm early May day. Small spot, so likely to always be busy. It was just a snack, so that's all we had to eat. The portion size was generous. I've had better Poke (Bear Flag in HB/NB for the win), but it was still very good. The crispy wonton chips were quite nice. Beer menu was slim, but they had one of my favorites... Mango Cart. If you want a refreshing fruited beer. This one is for you. Not quite 5 stars because the service was incredibly sloooooow. We were seated and not even provided a menu.

Oh my gosh, this place was AWESOME! After my husband I hiked…read moreup the Botanical Gardens, on our way back to town, we decided to stop here for lunch. I'm so happy we did! The food is sooo good and the dinning area is so casual and nice. I got 2 chicken tacos and one Asada taco. Personally, the chicken was my favorite, especially with the spicy sauce they bring out with it. The chips were super good too. My husband got a sandwich and the tostada ceviche, which he loved. Said it tasted so fresh. The outside patio is so nice, even on sunny days, there's plenty of shade with the tent and the trees around. We got to watch little birds and squirrels in the area. It really was a great time 10/10

Amazing! It's a hole on a wall kind of place, but everything was delicious! Happy hour menu was…read moregreat, but i would not care if there was no happy hour! I would go back for sure whenever we go back to the island!

The host was very nice Great service and food…read moreI had the fish tacos My friend ordered the calamari We will be back

We went to Bluewater Grill on Catalina Island for my birthday at the end of April, and overall I…read morewould say it was a good experience. The atmosphere was probably my favorite part. We sat outside with a really nice view, the weather was warm and pleasant, and overall it just felt like a very relaxing birthday dinner by the water. We both ordered fish, and it was good. Nothing super unique or unforgettable, but definitely tasty. The oysters were also fresh and really enjoyable. The only thing that felt a little off was the service. The food took a while to come out, and different servers kept coming to the table, which made things a bit confusing at times and caused some mix-ups with our order. But overall, we still left with a good impression. They even brought out a birthday dessert for me at the end, which was a nice touch. I'd say it's a solid 4 stars for me. Not perfect, but definitely a nice spot if you're visiting Catalina.