Was in the OC area visiting friends and decided to try YNK, a hidden speakeasy located right inside a Marriott hotel. There was a big private party reservation coming in later, but the bartender was super accommodating and let us sit and enjoy a few drinks beforehand, which was a huge relief. The interior is on the darker side, but they have TV screens displaying a skyline view, they also had incense, which added to the relaxing, chill vibe. Even though we were the only ones there at the time, the staff remained genuinely welcoming and attentive. And the drinks were great! I would definitely recommend stopping by if you are in the area! read more

This is a cute little speakeasy inside the Irvine Marriott off to the right side of the bar in the lobby. You have to SLIDE the door, not pull it, so I didnt think it was open. Someone from the inside opened it for us as my friend said, you have to pull :) Our server was amazing, she was so friendly and fun. The drinks were delicious!!! I ordered the Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls and they were good, but they were definitely not Philly cheesesteak material. The doors make it so its not fully dark in here, but it does have a nice ambiance. All staff was very friendly and we had a nice time. read more

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Did not know there was a speakeasy in the hotel. But IYKYK. Its around the corner of their main restaurant, Floe Restaurant. When you go thru the sliding doors it immediately transports you to a different time and place. Its very dark. Sleek. And modern. Yet simple. I love the big screen tvs with areal views of New York. It just made it feel like we were in a high rise building or a blimp with a birds eye view of many of New Yorks beautiful landmarks. The couches were extremely comfortable too. Great cushion. You just sink into them. Its a small area but great utilization of the space, making it seem large and spacious. The chairs too were really comfortable to sit in. We spent 3 hours in there and it flew by so quickly. The ambiance and feel here was just truly top notch. Our waitress was Brandy, or is it Brandi? She was super cool. She was a one person crew. Basically getting orders, making drinks, cleaning tables, and checking in on us. And she did it with great charisma, attitude and personality. Super knowledgeable about the menu. Made great drinks quickly. And was just super personable. Great job from her!! Her attitude and demeanor really matched the top tier aura they were going for here. They have a great selection of drinks. From more alcohol forward drinks to light and fruity drinks to refreshing drinks. I really did enjoy their drink selections. We had a total of about 6 drinks and they were all really good! We got there: 1. Fox's wedding- light, seeet and refreshing. I love the origami piece that Brandy put on it as well. Looked so beauitful. 2. Guava chiffon pancake- it was tropical, light but also had a coconut feel to it. It was really good. 3. The Monroe- this was light but tart, but not too tart. Silky with fruit forward notes. 4. Miso honey butter corn- rarely is a savory cocktail good. But this one was pretty good. The butter fat washed burbon was super intriguing. But it works well 5. When pigs fly- came with a paper airplane on top!! Haha. Love the playfulness. But the drink was so complex yet smooth. It was really good. For the bourbon drinkers, this one is for you! 6. Smoked Old Fashion- presentation is amazing. Comes in a big glass case that has cherry wood smoke inside. When you open it, you get that intense smell of burning cherry wood. Drink is smokey but in a very good way. Tasted amazing. A true classic done right. Their food menu is very encompassing and thorough as well. From full on burgers, to flat breads, to appetizers and small bites, to salads. They have a little of everything!! We ordered the following: 1. Pub nachos- this was an extremely large plate of loaded nachos. Super crunchy and fresh. I loved the generous amount of Chipotle chicken on top. The pepper jack queso sauce and jalapeño crema was a really good sauce. It just binded everything together. The beans and the fresh jalapeño just really all worked together. It was super good. Kept you grazing and munching away, but never becoming too full (more room for their drinks!!). 2. Figgy piggy flat bread- it was ok. Sweet caramel onions and fig jam, paired with some pungent cheeses. I thought it was pretty good. 3. Shrimp street tacos- 1 order comes with 2 tacos. They were good sizes. I love their tacos. So flaverful. Everything works together. Just tasted amazing!! Overall everything about this place is 5 stars. The ambiance, the decor, the exclusivity. The service. The drinks and the food. As i said 3 hours went by so fast!! Definitely a must try when in the area. And when you stay at the Marriott, its just a simple walk back to your room. And we left feeling happy and amazing. Thank you very much Brandy!! read more

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This is a cute little "hidden" speakeasy inside the Irvine Marriott. The DJ was awesome. I forgot her name, but she played a lot of nostalgic early 2000s R&B. The drinks are pricey, but thats part of the novelty. The drinks were delicious and picture worthy. The service was great. I'd love to have a drink here again. read more

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

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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

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

The #1 thing that made our visit to YNK special was the bartender (sorry did not get her name). I had no idea what I wanted to order, so I just told her about drinks that I liked and why. She listened patiently and then brought back a wonderful variation of a Sazerac using scotch. If you are tired of your usual drink, give YNK a try. The price for my original creation came to $24.98 and it was worth every penny! read more

Went to YNK to just chill and get a drink before reservations at another restaurant. It was fantastic. Brandy really went the extra mile with our drinks. We will definitely be back read more

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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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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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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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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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

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

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

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

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

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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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

Great drinks and atmosphere! Very friendly staff that make their clients feel very welcome! Will come again!

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

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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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 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

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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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

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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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

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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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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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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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