Very cute little speakeasy inside the Marriott hotel, the staff was very friendly and accommodating upon arrival. The drink menu had a lot of unique cocktails on it which I thought was pretty cool. I went for this cocktail called the purple pancake and it ended up being delicious. My boyfriend ordered a pickled margarita which he liked. I was very happy with the lobster roll I ordered it was divine. Overall I would come back, I enjoyed my time here. Cocktails are about $20 each. read more

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Stopped by for a quick nightcap and ended up having a great time. Food: When you're at YNK, you can order off the Floe Lounge menu for food which is nice. My friend and I both got the autumn salad: mine with a crab cake, hers with steak. Another friend ordered the steak and fries. My salad was fantastic, and the crab cake (both as a topping and as a starter) was a hit across the table. Everyone was happy with their food. Cocktails: The current theme is classic cocktails, and the space definitely leans into that old school martini bar vibe, very classy. Drinks were solid. I ordered the mango cocktail (can't remember the name) and it was a little on the sweet side, but not overly so. Still enjoyable. Service: This is really why I'm writing the update. Erica was our server and she was AWESOME. She noticed my friend's steak was overcooked and immediately replaced it even though he said he'd eat it because he was starving. That kind of attention and care is rare. Someone please give her a raise. Parking: They validate if you park in the Marriott lot Vibe: For a Thursday night, it was surprisingly busy in the lounge, in a good way. Tons of people out and about adding to that chill, lively Thursday evening energy. I loved the blue glow from the outdoor fire pits. Next time, I'm definitely taking my YNK drink outside for a few sips. read more

YNK - FOOD MENU - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Was in the OC area wanting to try a new spot for cocktails, so decided to give YNK a try. Thanks to other reviews, we knew to expect that it's a speakeasy in the Marriott hotel. Parked in the outdoor lot and it was easy to walk right in and look for the YNK sign in the bar area. They validate parking, so bring the ticket with you. We were able to make last minute reservations since we saw this place is appointment only, but we had the whole place to ourselves for the first half hour. The interior has a nice dim lighting with a great almost-incense fragrance. Tried a total of 4 cocktails and they were all great. Staff was very attentive and welcoming. read more

YNK - Manhattan - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

This speakeasy is located inside the airport Marriott hotel. I made reservations for 2 people at open table for a 6:30pm reservation on a Thursday night. It was practically empty except for 1 person inside watching the football game. The service went downhill after more guest came in later as it was only one server making the drinks and serving. It's basically one big room with couches. The drinks were tasty but felt overpriced as nothing wowed or surprised me. We shared a truffle mushroom flatbread which seemed more like a square pizza. Honestly i preferred sitting at the bar area of the hotel which was just outside as it doesn't get as loud and easier to talk to people read more

YNK - Matcha whiskey - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Great place we ended up going to after dinner on a whim, as the bar we originally planned for was closed. Glad we found this place because I loved the vibe. It's a cute and cozy speakeasy with a different theme with decor and drinks weekly. When we went it was a New York theme. All of us enjoyed our drinks that Ben made. He also created a matcha drink for a friend of mine. The place has cozy sofas and a few bar tops. Don't forget to get your parking ticket validated - free for the first 3 hours with validation. The only thing I wish was different about this place is that they stayed open later. read more

YNK - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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It's a really cute speakeasy that I'd like to gate keep, but given how people flock to extravagant overpriced businesses in LA that deliver next to nothing, I think it works in everyone's favor if I don't. They are located inside Marriot, parking in their lot is comped/validated with dine in. They change their menu seasonally and their themes regions. We went during their south/spring season. Here's the menu. We tried the hanami (tea cocktail, 3/5 the earl gray overpowers), Tequila Ramos Fizz (3/5 can't taste the spice notes), Wanderlust (5/5, permanent menu item), Southside Hospitality (5/5, green chartreuse!). I think these are partly batched and partly done fresh but don't let that dissuade you, because what a stupid reason to not try something fabulous! For our anniversary they gave us a chocolate martini but I'm lactose intolerant so they switched it to paper plane riff off which was better than everything else we got (again, it's a compliment!). Service is fabulous! read more

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YNK is a speakeasy in the Irvine Marriott. If you walk into the hotel and walk to the right side of the bar you will see a sign for YNK. It stands for "you never know" and thought it was pretty clever! Recommend reservations on OpenTable as the space is small and it is timed seating of 1.5 hours. We had reservations at 10pm and was greeted cheerfully by Ben. He explained the concept of YNK and how they change the menu every few months to base it on a region. They are currently on the southwest so the curated menu is themed Dixieland. All cocktails have a southern taste and are a presentation. Cocktails are about $23 and up but absolutely delicious! They also have a solid food menu but since our reservation was on the later end we just came for drinks. As it is a speakeasy they don't have a lot of hands so be patient if all the tables are taken with ordering. It was only Ben and another bartender Sean. However, they both provided exemplary service and had really great conversation with us. They both are extremely creative and curated the Dixieland menu themselves. I give them kudos as all the drinks were fantastic! This was a pleasant gem in Irvine and will definitely be back. I chuckled as Ben closed out our tab he said you went from "you never know" to "you now know"! Clever YNK until next time. read more

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This small themed bar located in the back of Irvine Marriott mixes some cleverly unique cocktails with a cozy vibe. We stopped by on a Friday night and enjoyed some surprisingly stiff drinks accompanied by a DJ playing some nice tunes. The space is quite small and there is only one bartender, but this turned out to be a perfect little spot to grab a drink after having dinner nearby. read more

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It's not really a speakeasy. Just a little cubby bar inside the hotel. It doesn't seem like they take their reservations seriously because they didn't actually reserve any tables and had another party of 3 sit outside.. when they reserved. The drinks are ok but the live music was a little vanilla. Very corporate vibes so we only had 1 drink and left. The service was fine but not amazing enough to contemplate going again. read more

Waiting this for it is - a hotel bar and restaurant. The place is fine. Wait staff are fairly attentive and the prices run high. The salads looked wonderful my pork belly bao buns were decent. The drinks are strong. There is limited outside seating with fire pits that is overlooking the pool. Parking is expensive in the controlled lot. read more

YNK - Pig - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Great service! Couldn't be more satisfied. Drinks were tasty and strong- just how I like it. Great lounge area where you can just have a conversation with your friends. I'd love to come back read more

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Very nice staff, but this place is fortunate it's in a hotel lobby cause it would never survive otherwise. Cocktails are sub par and the most expensive I've had around here lately ($21). You're much better off at p10neer or ARC, or Verde. We were excited to try YNK but left very disappointed. Fortunately they validate parking so you're not on the hook for the $35 parking charge, but keep that in mind if you valet. We crossed YNK off the list... read more

I've been here many times now, as they update their interior decor and drink menu every couple months or so to reflect a new theme, and it happens to be in my area! In the past it's been a tiki bar, ski resort themed, and now, new york themed. It's refreshing to come back to every now and then and have a totally new menu to choose from! It's perfect for a date night or gathering with 1-2 friends, but I find that the space is a bit small and can be sometimes difficult to get a spot (if the hotel happens to have a lot of guests or an event going on) read more

YNK - Midnight Oil (middle) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Intimate bar with great ambiance and awesome service. We had a reservation here for 07:30 PM on a Saturday highly recommended since if only seats 15 ish people. Parking is either valet or self parking (self is validated 3 hour max). The bar is located in Marriott hotel, small space but it was decked out with Christmas decorations when we went. Benjamin is a master, all the cocktails he made were amazing. My favorites were the KAMP AI and double smoked old fashion. The cocktails are $20 plus but they are worth it since they are strong and are very refined. Would love to try the other cocktails and food my next visit! read more

YNK - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Super secret! . Check it out! Park at the hotel, go inside and find it. It's not the bar.... It's hidden. Super cool theme read more

Follow me to this speakeasy bar. Such a cool vibe! I tried: 1. Espresso martini 2. Old fashion read more

I've known about YNK for years but have avoided it due to the mixed reviews I saw and heard from people. Mostly it was about slow service. But you know...it's been a few years, we didn't have anything to do on a Friday night so imagine my surprise when I made a reservation for 4 with no issues just a few hours in advance. The ambiance was cute. It was winter time and they had it all decorated with an alpine theme. We did have to crane our necks a bit to see because we were seated at the entrance and looked out into the area outside the bar. It took a bit for our order to be taken by the bartender. To his credit, he spent good time with us and didn't hurry us at all. But that also meant he did the same with everyone and when he's the only person working the room, things got a bit slow. We wiled away the time with a couple food items, the nachos and pretzel sticks. Both were pretty tasty. For drinks, I forgot what I got first (remembered I wasn't a huge fan) but I really liked my 2nd drink the Smoke and Mirrors. My husband got a mocktail which he said was nice. As the bar cleared out, the bartender did become more available so we were able to get in round 2 pretty expeditiously. I'm glad I finally made it here and would consider visiting again, maybe with a seat further into the bar. Check it out! read more

The atmosphere, drinks, and service is phenomenal here. This has to be one of my favorite speakeasy's I have ever been to. Benjamin and his manager work hard to change up the drink menu every few months. Drinks are well balanced, strong, and very unique. Parking can be validated. Benjamin does a great job reminding us about validating when we leave a little tipsy. I definitely recommend this bar 100/10. read more

YNK - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

YNK is a small speakeasy inside the Irvine Marriott next to the hotel lobby bar. They focus on 1920s Prohibition drinks but add a modern twist. For parking, you can do valet or self-parking with three hours of free parking with validation. We ordered the whiskey sour ($18) and the disparo squad ($19). I was interested in the whiskey sour because it had overproof rum in it but it didn't taste too different from a normal one. The disparo squad had a spicy kick and was decent. It was a slow night but the service was not very good. Even when there were only four people inside (including the two of us) it took a while to get our bartender's attention. Also, even for a small menu multiple drinks and ingredients were not in stock. The interior was pretty cool but the drinks and the service were okay. read more

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Having moved here from NYC, I knew it was going to be pretty hard to find something comparable in OC but I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately YNK did not meet the mark... It's really just a walled off room within the lobby of the Marriott hotel, and how you get in is just a set of sliding doors. When you walk in, initially it looks OK but once you take a closer look at the decor, it just looks like a cheesy version of what could be a cool 1920s prohibition vibe place. Seating wise, there are a couple of couch areas and also some high tops. It was pretty filled the day we went, but they somehow only had 1 person working there. He was obviously very overwhelmed so service was pretty slow. Now let's talk drinks. I wanted to order the Wanderlust $16 but they said they were sold out. I tried the Pocket Sage $18 and it was OK, nothing too special (I couldn't taste the chamomile or honey in there). Airbuzz $18 was the most bizarre drink with the buzz button foam on top...didn't look pretty and didn't taste that great either :( I ended the night with Smoke and Mirrors $18, this was probably my favorite out of the drinks we had. And the search continues...! read more

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This is a hard find mini bar in OC for us to find such a classy soot with good complex cocktails. The bar tender works alone on a Thursday night of January since it's tends to be slow after the holiday, but the we enjoyed it not too crowded. Moving from Hollywood, I appreciate the reasonable amount of peoples so I don't have to what too long. The parking is a puzzle, so you have to drive pass the Hyatt's drive way toward the right where it says "self parking", take your ticket and can get it validated at the bar up to 3 hours. The entrance is another puzzle, walk into the hotel double door, turn right, pass a mini bar on the left, you will see the small double door with the bane of the bar on them on the left. The moment we walked in, I was a bit surprised of how small the lounge is, technique squeezing 4 tables and the bartender's table, that fills up the whole bar. But we found our comfort in a table by the corner of the bar. And that's good enough. The bar reminds me of a library and a little Harry Potter vibes, book cases, dictionary, leather couches and chairs, and that cigar lounge kind of theme. Small but matches the complexity of majority of their cocktails. We were satisfied with our drinks. My Smoke & Mirrors was strong mezcal and smoky enough to enhance the sweetness of the pineapple juice. I definitely enjoyed the big five of ice in my glass! We also got Old Samurai, really complex and aromatic, sweet and sour tastes was really fun to drink! I'll give the bartender a thumbs up for it! The bartender himself is from Illinois area, very friendly to spark conversation with. Since he worked alone that night, he came to check on us when the glass was empty. We'd love to come back! Hopefully it doesn't get too crowded next time! read more

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YNK is a speakeasy located with in the Irvine Marriott hotel. If you don't know it's there, you would probably miss it. Definitely get a reservation because it's pretty small and they don't take a lot of people in there. It's got a cool vibe. The bartenders are very talented and they will make you some really fancy libations. It's definitely worth a try if you're staying at the hotel or stopping through. But again, make sure you get a reservation or you probably will get a seed. Good stuff and good drinks for sure! read more

YNK - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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You're... in a Marriott?? We asked the front desk where the bar was, and a lovely, tall gentleman escorted us to the little bar. He had long legs that my 5ft legs were struggling to keep up, but my 6ft partner/giraffe walked with me and used his long neck to keep our hotel gentleman in his line of sight, It is a small, cozy bar with an interesting selection of interior decor, but we were explained by Ben that YNK stands for You Never Know (where we'll go next), so they have different cocktails inspired by different foods of cultures. When we went, they were in their Latin American Era. All the drinks were carefully crafted, and Ben took care of us well. ALSO we cannot ignore Mr. Sean from hawaii, but also from Nashville(?? lol what a random place). Thank you for interacting with us and recommending us Tequila. All in all, there is Kind staff, an intimate and cozy bar, good drinks, and they have many encyclopedias for when the date starts getting boring, you can look stuff up from a nearby encyclopedia and learn something new (I had to do this many times in my time there. LOL jk my partner is aight). Baking Soda (see soda) got me tho LOLOL read more

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It's a small speakeasy bar but a very cozy/intimate one. We didn't tried the food but drinks are really good. Its inside the hotel and they do validate the parking, or at least when we were there. read more

It's a cute little speakeasy that you wouldn't have known existed inside the Irvine Marriott. When you walk in, it's towards the right side behind sliding doors. There's a sign on the wall, you can't miss it. Make your reservation online as it is very small and seats only a certain amount of patrons. Just walk through the doors when you arrive for your reservation. Parking can be validated, just give your ticket to the mixologist. We only went for drinks but were asked if we wanted food as well which we declined. Drinks change with the season because.. you never know. We ordered wanderlust, te-kill-ya, nightmare on jamboree and smoke and mirrors. It was dark with dim lighting. It matched the fall, Halloween theme as it is October. They even played a black and white movie. If you want a chill, intimate vibe for a speakeasy try this place. You never know.. read more

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YNK stands for "you never know" and they change the theme all the time. The night we went it was winter wonderland and so cute and cozy! It's a tiny speakeasy inside the Marriott. Parking is free for three hours with validation. The Sat night we went as a group of four and we all loved our drinks! Mine was the wanderlust it was amazing! I would def go back for drinks. My friend said the food just comes from the hotel restaurant and she didn't really recommend it. seating is very limited and we made a reservation in advance. Service was great. My bubble for my drink burst and the bartender redid the bubble just so I could pop it. lol made plenty of great recommendations. Def recommend making reservations but will be going back! read more

The place is a nice small spot tucked away in the Irvine Marriott behind sliding doors. The sound insulation isn't great so you can get a lot of sound from the main bar outside. There's also no food, only drinks. The menu changes by season "You Never Know" and it feels like there's a lot of thought put into the themes and drink selection. When we arrived, it was pretty quiet with one other couple and we briefly had the whole place to ourselves but it quickly filled up (make a reservation!). I got a Wanderlust which was a gin based drink and very delicious (maybe a tad on the sweet side) and the bartender, Nick topped it off with a giant white bubble which he gave me a stick to pop it with. The bubble released smoke that smelled like lychee when it popped! So fun! Hubby got the Tea Ceremony (scotch drink which he loved) and the Paper Crane (Japanese whisky which he thought was too sweet). Nick was super friendly but it got pretty busy at the end so it was hard to get his attention to close out. Drinks are on the pricier side (~$20 before tax/tip) so definitely not a regular hangout spot but worth an experience if you're into cocktails. read more

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This place was great!! AMBIANCE: Small, very cozy, and pretty cool. Has a relaxing vibe with candles and books all over. A couple of tall tables, and some sofa seating. They change up the themes to different parts of the world and match up the drinks. SERVICE: We had Nick, who was great. He took the time to make the drink presentation an experience and also spent time explaining everything about the place. FOOD: (well drinks) They were fabulous. I had the Tongue Thai'd which was basically a spicy margarita...(but beware) that Thai chili was SPIIIICY!! But good. Only open Thu-Sat so if you are staying at the Marriott, or work nearby, go give them a try! read more

YNK - Asian Theme Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Been here a few times. Cool speakeasy tucked away in the back of the Marriott. It's relatively small, but can be enough room for parties if you make a reservation. The service has been okay each time I went. The bartender is overall nice, but seems nicer when you're not in a larger party of 4+. The menu concept is really cool. When I went, it has been very travel-centric with one of the themes being Asian-inspired. The cocktails themselves were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. I think a big reason I've been back was because of the ambiance and concept of the bar more than anything. Definitely worth a visit read more

A friend brought me here for a birthday speakeasy experience and I loved it. The craft cocktails are super fun and the bartenders are extremely knowledgeable. The inside is whimsical. You can order whatever food you like off of the unattached restaurant menu- and it was all pretty good. The real standout here is the experience of sitting in a small, secluded, exclusive setting and having the focused service of a cocktail master. One of the most memorable speakeasy experiences I've had. I can't wait to bring my husband back! But they might need to put football on the big screen if it's game night. read more

YNK - They make a crazy drink with a bubble that doesn't pop for a while, in spite of a few pokes. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

This may be one of my favorite speakeasies. It has such a classy and cozy vibe with seating for maybe less than 20 people. Environs are upscale with couches for lounging and is well-appointed with decors based on a specific theme. It was "winter wonderland" during my last two visits so there were snow globes everywhere and a backdrop of snow on the walls. I felt like I was somewhere in the North Pole and their drink menu was well-aligned to the theme as well. The mixologist was great at explaining the drinks on the menu and he was even better at making them. I had his version of a frothy whiskey sour as well as a smoked old fashioned and both were excellent. There was one drink that came with a cotton candy which was served so artistically. It also served as a sweetener to the drink. Another cool cocktail my friend ordered was something that tasted like a hot chocolate. Also nicely presented. Since this is located inside the Irvine Marriott Hotel, valet is available for $20 or you can self-park for free for the 1st 3 hours with validation. Don't forget, you can only come here with a reservation so plan ahead. read more

A delightful jewel box of a speakeasy bar that sits unexpectedly in the Marriott Irvine. It's like a little treasure to discover. We've been a few times, as our travels take us to Irvine frequently. What's cool about this place is that they reimagine it on a regular basis, like every three months. Incidentally, that's how often we are there so you never know what you will find. Ben, the mixologist, creates very unique cocktails with interesting and creative presentations. This time the bar and cocktails were dias de los muertos themed. The speakeasy is cozy and feels special. Ben the bartender takes real pride in his work and his care for his customers. This is a rarity these days. You can get food from the bar, which is the same menu as the lobby, and it has always been good. We split a crazy big burger and it hit the spot. For us, this is a must do. Reservations are probably a good idea because the place is truly tiny, but you can always try popping in. read more

YNK - Exterior - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had a lovely time with friends at the quaint little cozy bar. The drinks are a fantastic show and you can get food brought in from the restaurant next door. The bartender was attentive and took care of the room. It was a quieter Wednesday night because of the rain and we had a really great experience. Worth a visit, especially if you are staying in the hotel. read more

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I came to YNK during the week and it was neat that me and my partner got the place to ourselves. To start off, they could have done a better job hiding this speakeasy; it's just located behind some sliding doors in the restaurant area. The decor inside the speakeasy was pretty cool to look at. My partner and I both ordered two rounds of drinks and they were pretty good but nothing that was insanely memorable. There was a drink we ordered but they ran out of the ingredient for it, so we had to pick another. The bartender was friendly and we had a good conversation. I would be back read more

I came here on a double date and ordered the Smoke and Mirrors cocktail, which was smokey and delightful. My friend ordered a cocktail that was actually custom with egg whites and vodka, and it came with a beautiful garnish of edible flowers, which was light and frothy. The space was intimate and halloween themed with a comfortable couch. Our bartender/waiter forgot to put in our friends' food, and he didn't have his meal served until we had already finished our meals. Luckily, they did comp his meal and one drink and apologized profusely. Overall, the experience was incredible, and I highly recommend that you make reservations in advance for this experience. read more

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We came across this speakeasy and were not disappointed. It is highly recommended to make a reservation but I think you may get lucky if you walk in on a slower night. The bar is located inside of the Irvine Marriott. Parking is a little confusing outside but if you Valet it would be very easy. The bar does validate if you decide to self park. We entered into this small bar and were pleasantly surprised! The decor was Halloween themed and they had the original Addams Family show playing which was entertaining. There was one bar tender who was helping all the patrons who were in the bar. It was only about 8 people in total at the time we arrived for our reservation. We had a great time! The drinks were tasty and gave a good buzz! Pricing is average. About $20 a drink. Casual wear but perfect for an intimate date night read more

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Amazing cocktails!! Cute speakeasy, New York style vibe. They have good djs on the weekends too! Such a nice place to start or end your night. Check it out, friendly bartenders and staff :) read more

We were able to make a last minute reservation at this Speakeasy after our dinner nearby. This is such a cozy and intimate lounge inside Marriot Irvine. The specialty cocktails looked very good and I almost wanted to order one just to take a photo. Hubby ordered his usual classic Vesper martini. The bartender didn't make it right the first time but he did a great job the second time. The green tea mocktail I asked for was very refreshing and yummy. We shared very delicious poke nachos appetizer to snack on. We really enjoyed the low key and relaxing time at this little lounge. Drinks were good and bartender was very friendly! Ps. Validated parking was $10. read more

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Found this place by doing a search of speakeasies in the area. While technically it may not be a speakeasy, it definitely has an intimate & slightly secretive vibe. It's tucked inside the Marriott & looks like it might seat about a dozen people. They had just updated their menu to be Prohibition era (they said they update the menu frequently). I had the Momoe & my friend had the Midnight Oil- both were fantastic (mine was served two ways- hot & cold). Our mixologist was great & it was fun to watch him make drinks. Ambiance was dim, cozy, & nicely decorated. We were only able to stay for one drink but will definitely be back (& stay longer)! read more

YNK - Midnight Oil & Momoe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Small, calm and reservation based speak easy bar. It doesn't get too loud and the drinks are really good!