Such great ambiance! Always clean and it's so amazing that they have a live band every Friday and Saturday night, at least since I started going! The service is always fast, and it's nice that the bar opens at 5 pm to enjoy early drinks before the band comes on. Very sad that the MACARONI is gone! That was my favorite dish! The nachos were really good but too big for one person and that's why I've always loved the macaroni. Other than the macaroni being gone, excellent experience back after a year of not visiting! Bartenders are always super cool no matter who we have gotten. read more

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popped in on a thursday night a live show was happening. we just came into play pool. was a super chill place. staff member patrick (maybe manager?) made us feel very welcome. Everyone in the bar were keeping to themselves except these 3 grown men who would not leave me and my friend alone. they were making us super uncomfortable. another staff member who we didn't get the name of seemed to catch what was going on and asked if we were good. he was so kind and walked us to our car when the bar closed because the men were outside. he seemed to be aware of his surroundings. so yes there were weird gross guys there but minus that group we had a very nice time. we would return :) -pomegranate girl read more

The Wayfarer - $1 pool and scary men - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came to support a local band, and stayed for the food. This venue is 21+ and they do check ID's at the entrance and when you order at the bar. We got their nachos with carne asada, quesadilla, and 2 dozen wings (lemon pepper & buffalo). Of the 2 wing flavors, the buffalo definitely stood out and paired well with the ranch. The nachos were a pretty big and shareable portion. It also came with red and green salsa on the side. The wings came with celery & carrots. The quesadilla was pretty decent and came with salsas and chips. Sound system for the live bands were great and the lighting and fog effects definitely created a vibe. There are also couches and pool tables for you to enjoy. read more

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Came for an open mic night on first Wednesday of the month and the lineup was decent. But what really got me going was their Rib Plate special $13 and literally the best ribs I think I've ever had. Thank you Luke for tip and great service! Tots and slaw as well were delicious but the ribs melted right in your mouth and fell completely off the bone with just a tap. Also boiler maker special with Redemption Bourbon and choice of beer which was $13 as well. Can't be beat! read more

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Had a nice time at The Wayfarer tonight! The staff is always friendly and the service is prompt. The Friday night house band Sega Genocide delivers countless memorable hits from the 90's and 2000's that keep the crowd dancing and singing along. The food menu has a lot of stand out items, and there are a number of craft beers on tap. Other nights of the week are filled with touring and local bands, that help keep the OC live music seen thriving and vibrant. I remember seeing the Last Anarchists Standing here and they were memorable to say the least. Bring your friends and let yourself go at The Wayfarer. A good time is here for all comers. Enjoy! read more

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STEPH JUDGEMENT: Nice small venue for live bands. Former Detroit Bar (RIP). Came to see a friend's band and they sounded great. Nice sound and light system. The place felt quite roomy. They had a decent selection of draft beers from OC breweries. I tried a hazy from bottle logic and an ipa from brewery x--both good. The hubby had a non alcoholic Heineken since he was the designated driver. I think that was their only non alcoholic beer. Not much father than the observatory and had a nice, comfortable vibe. I'd be down to see more bands here. read more

Great small venue for live music! They book a lot of bands of varying styles and experience. We saw Creature Canyon on Friday and I don't think I've ever seen a better band in this intimate a venue. Didn't eat so can't speak to that but had a classic Old Fashioned and a couple Cold Snacks which are always nice to see in the cooler. Highly recommend! read more

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2 stars for the vibe (which was great) but the place is D.I.R.T.Y. It definitely has that dive bar feel if you like that. The music was great but I was turned off by the dirt. Unfortunate as I was really excited to try this place. read more

I am an old guy, came to see Wayne Hancock. Pretty crowded, most were standing, which I have a hard time doing for a long time. The stage where he performed was in a corner of the joint, with quite a crowd jammed in standing, it got hot there, so I went to a seat at a table in the rear near the pool tables. The sound was crappy there. The crowd was at least 2 deep at the bar so didn't bother trying to get a drink, was pleasantly surprised they had self serve water so just drank that. Think I'll stay with the shows at Campus Jax, costs more but you get what you pay for. read more

Came here for a night out and the live music was great! It wasn't too busy on a Friday and we walked in easily. The only downside is the cover fee was about $15 and doesn't come with a drink or anything so it ends up being a bit pricey off the bat for a dive bar. However the band was fun and had great energy. The drinks were relatively affordable and the people there all danced which was fun. It's located in a really quiet shopping area so there's lots of free parking. read more

Drove out here to see another tribute band called Legend Zeppelin. I had bought my tickets in advance through Eventbrite and had the ticket loaded on my phone's wallet. They don't have a scanner for the QR code so I had to show an email or be on the printed list with the names of all the prepaid tickets. Despite this drawback the staff was very nice and I enjoyed a night listening to some classic rock music. read more

The Wayfarer - Legend Zeppelin JUN2025 - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Never ate here before but this is a great place to come for y2k night on Fridays. The live band is amazing and the dj is also good. I also like that they have their own beers and have a full bar. The place is nice because they have a section where it feels more like a concert venue, then a billiard area, and then a drinking lounge bar area. I love coming here. The service is also pretty good. I am able to get a drink pretty fast. read more

Love the band that was playing but the guys running the soundboard were horrible!!! Will never go back. The music was so loud I asked the soundboard technician to tone it down and he gave me the double bird. This place sucks read more

Cute little bar tucked in a shopping mall! Made for a cool intimate venue but definitely wear ear plugs. Where the concerts are, there's no where for the music to travel so it bounced off the walls and straight into our ears! It was so uncomfortably loud. But I did have good time. read more

I was so looking forward to this reggae event (Stylie and Vana Liya) last week, as it was my first time here. I want to give it 5 stars, but my 'VIP experience' makes me have to give it THREE. So I purchased a VIP pass for $90, which allows you to enter the venue early and hear an acoustic set by the artists and talk to them. I was first in line and did that. So I'm sitting there waiting for the main event to start when I was approached by staff with a clipboard. "Are you on the list?" I was asked. Umm, "I'm VIP" I said as I showed him my VIP lanyard around my neck. He said I had to have GA as well. WHAT?! So I paid $90 for THREE acoustic songs? $30 per song? Are you kidding me? So my ticket wasn't good enough for him. He made me look up my email for the event, and that took some time as I am now in panic of being removed from the venue. I found the email but that still wasn't good enough. So he walked away but then I lived in fear for the next few hours that I would be taken out. And I couldn't leave my perfect table I had claimed for the same fear. I was trapped by this nonsense. What I did find on my ticket was '5:30 - 9:00pm'. So if they came back at me one more time I would have said 'I paid $90 to be here from 5:30 to 9pm. I will leave at 9:01, thank you.' I did at one point ask for a hand stamp to be able to go to my car, and the same guy begrudgingly stamped my hand which finally 'made me legit'. But is this how you treat VIP? $90!!! The bands were great, the venue is not. If this is how they conduct business, they've lost mine. And I'm retired and go to a lot of shows, but not here anymore. It was cringy and weird and ridiculous. VIP, my ass. Who makes you buy VIP AND GA?! NO ONE! read more

Service is suck - One of my favorite places to go in the area - the bouncer with the backwards hat and neck - arm tattoo is whatever is so rude . I think they change with new owner so that's why. read more

Go for a cover band sega genecide Drinks are good but bar get really packed Sometimes they ignore you But over all vibe is cool couch on the side of the performance and decent space to sing and dance read more

pretty divey imo but it was a cool space. the workers all work very hard here and are constantly picking up after people who leave their finished drinks on the tables, etc. and the bartender did not have me wait long and was very friendly. music was fun also! it's a standing room / open concept vibe. read more

It's nice to still see a good performance room in Orange County. This bar has a nice stage and a soundman which is tops. The only downside is the seating is barstools and folding metal chairs, ffs! The live entertainment they have most nights is pretty damn good. But I would avoid Wednesday night Open Mic Night with an MC asshole named Chris like the plague. THE EMCEE WAS THE HECKLER! He's as unprofessional as they get, changes his rules to let other people get more time before you get yours, and takes no accountability for interrupting your act because he wasn't paying any attention to begin with. But aside from Chris being an unprofessional loser, the room itself is amazing read more

Great little live music venue. Good beer list and full bar. The burgers were ok. Also has a couple pool tables in the back. read more

Been here before but tonight a guy started a mosh pit out of nowhere when the space was so small and everyone was cramped. He knocked me fully down and my husband tried to get him to calm down - no swings at all and the other guy wouldn't calm down. Tell me how we got kicked out the club. Do better at seeing who actually was causing trouble. read more

Had an amazing time a the Y2K event last Friday. Everyone was dancing and you can really feel the community. Loved it when the singer swung around the stage and that white boy rapped. Even during the band's break, the DJ was playing fun music and people danced along. Someone did break a bottle, but some guy cleaned it up pretty quick. There was a guy smoking inside even though there was a patio, but it's not the bars fault. Definitely coming back read more

These types of venues are always my favorite when it comes to live music. Great ambiance, quick service, easy parking, and some kick-ass doom metal! Didn't get a chance to try their food, but it looked several grades above most other bar food I've seen. The couple working the doors were exceptionally pleasant. Definetly worth the trip from LA. read more

I don't visit the The Wayfarer often, but when I do I always have a good time. The food is worth a visit in its own right. The pulled pork sliders, for instance, are a thing of beauty. I've never had better pulled pork anywhere and heaven knows I've eaten my share of it over the years. The service is friendly and on the ball every time. Ambience wise, it's a roomy, comfortable place with lots of places to sit. I like to sit at the bar, but that's personal preference. Booze wise its full bar with a nice selection of craft beers. The place attracts some really good bands, including some that tour nationally. Last night, we saw Jerry Joseph. He was great. The Wayfarer is a good place worthy of your attention. Cheers! read more

The Wayfarer - Pulled Pork sliders - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Went there to play their Open Mic which is promoted by Chris Cruz. Very busy night with lots of musicians. The sound and stage are top notch, and their sound man made everyone sound great. That is rare for an open mic. Will definitely go back to play their. read more

This place definitely deserves zero stars! I came here with about a group of 20 people for the Death Cab Karaoke event last Saturday night. We were all having a great time until the bartender started being rude to my fiancé! When my fiancé and a friend of ours went to the bar to grab another drink the bartender responded by saying, "Fuck that! You tip like shit! I'm not serving you"! He also slammed the bottle that was in his hand against the bar top as he said that comment. First of all, my fiancé was tipping every single time he bought drinks! Secondly, tipping is not mandatory! After the comment was made, my fiancé walked away and went outside because he no longer felt welcomed. He did not react or talk back to the bartender whatsoever but as he walked outside of the venue one of the bartenders walked outside and stood in front of venue with one of the staff members at the entrance booth. They were watching my fiancé because they probably were assuming that he might react to what the bartender said. When our party decided to leave the event my fiancé said have a good night to the bartender and the other staff member standing in front. But they both defensively responded by saying, "What did you say"!? As my fiancé repeated himself both the guys ignored him and didn't say anything back to him. It was a bummer because we had a great time at the event and the venue was nice but the bartender was just rude! Here's a photo of the bartender that refused to serve my fiancé! read more

The Wayfarer - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely wonderful food for a bar. Nachos were amazing and would come back just for them. Cesar was a little underwhelming but the flavor of Nachos made up for it. Cute place for live music. pool. relaxing. read more

The Wayfarer - Nachos and Chicken Cesar - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food here was actually way better than I was expecting. The food was a 5/5 and was a good price. Unfortunately, the guy I ordered from was weirdly mean and sassy and I wasn't really sure why so I gotta drop the review down to a 4 star. I kinda wanted to ask the guy why he was upset and if he wanted to talk about it. Like I'm a good listener. Like tell me your feelings big boy. Like rest your head on daddy's shoulder and tell me what's going on. After writing those last 3 sentences I think I gotta drop the review down to 3 stars lol. read more

The great band legend zeppelin was there for concert I'd enjoy the drink and play pool

Great Dive Bar! They made me a blood Orange drink that was excellent. Band was fun. Pool tables here. $10 entry for the band. read more

The Wayfarer - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Convenient local spot for live music. Casual, comfortable and great staff! Keeping the alerts on for future bands. read more

Good times and cool staff..saw avalon last saturday and had a blast. bartenders were on their game and the vibe there was killer with the small stage effect read more

This place is an anti-American establishment. I would not recommend this place. Food was subpar. Prices were not the best. Service was terrible. And they made fun of a father who got assassinated in front of his children. read more

A really dope spot! Clean! Clean restrooms, full spacious bar! Went to catch a show, some technical difficulties, but nothing major! Loved the show! Super intimate. I want to come back to try the food. read more

The Wayfarer - Kendra morris - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Cool little dive hidden in Costa Mesa. Went for Y2K night. The crowd was lively, the band was awesome and the sound was great. Intimate dancefloor but still spacious enough to not feel stuffed. Bartenders were friendly and quick! read more

A nice place on the beach that is a bit more than bar and grill casual. The food is outstanding and the room is thoughtfully decorated. A great place to go for a nice dinner in Virginia Beach. read more

Yo! The Wayfarer is the spot! Whoever selects artists, is a cold beast. Thank you for hitting every time. Everyone I have dealt with there has been super cool and welcoming. The food specials are absolutely amazing and priced insanely low. Not to mention the food is SO Very good. The locals/regulars are conversational and kind. I am Supremely blessed to have found this amazing hotspot. read more

The Wayfarer - Wednesday Rib Special!!!! - Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Terrible time. Security accused me of doing drugs in the bathroom after simply peeing in the stall, then kicked me out without any proof, ruining my night. read more

"I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do My gift is my song, and this one's for you." -Bernie Taupin and Sir Elton John The Wayfarer chose wisely to welcome Bobby Vegas, the esteemed karaoke tycoon, onto its stage every Sunday night. Bobby is a gift to the karaoke world. He has successfully coordinated and run plenty of karaoke events throughout Orange County. I've attended my fair share of Bobby's events, and Bobby always manages to inject a little extra pop into every song sung. I remember he clapped during the entire refrain when I belted out Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll." Bobby's approach to the craft of karaoke jock goes beyond just building up the random singer. Mr. Vegas begins every night with his own impassioned rendition of whatever track he happens to be feeling that night. I have never seen him mail it in; the extra effort he invests in his opening croon usually inspires those few hesitant members of the crowd to fill out one of his tiny white slips with a request to sing a cherished ditty. Bobby sings well. He does a very good version of Aerosmith's cover of "Come Together." I presume he can probably pull off most of the songs in his songbook without stringing one bead of sweat. This man practices. Fans of Bobby's karaoke night really mirror the energy Bobby exudes. On 11/10 I saw a group of women shouting the lyrics to System of a Down's "Chop Suey." That performance was a hilarious trainwreck. The best song I saw had to be an older gent singing Bowie's "Let's Dance." Singer had a smooth voice that packed much sonic wallop. As for myself, I serenaded the Costa Mesa locals with the very best version of Macklemore and Wanz's "Thrift Shop." I remember getting a few compliments, and I am not exactly Whitney Houston, so I can say the Wayfarer crowd on a Sunday is almost as cool as Bobby Vegas. Go to see Bobby be a bad man; stay for the singers. And, maybe try out that song that has been on repeat in traffic. The entire Wayfarer will be your back up singer. read more

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First time coming here on Tuesday for trivia, tacos, and tequila.. this was fun to do with friends. Taco Tuesday special was $3 each. Took a bit to come out but it was also very busy. read more