Newport Beach Nightlife
Newport Beach Bars
You checked in, hit the beach, relaxed at the spa, cruised the harbor and dined on the water. So what’s next? For many, that’s enough for one day, and our accommodations beckon. But others are only getting started. Whether you love to come alive at dark and like to boogie, or if an after dinner drink in an intimate lounge is more your style, the Newport Beach nightlife has got you covered.
Rooms With a View
See a perfect Pacific sunset from the upscale lounge at 21 Oceanfront or have a drink at 5pm and watch the nightly tradition as the martini is hoisted complete with bugle call signaling it’s happy hour time on the sand at the Beachcomber’s Bootlegger Bar. Enjoy stunning ocean and harbor views from these Newport Beach favorites: Billy’s on the Beach, Bluewater Grill, The Cannery, SOL Cocina and many more.
Resort Retreats
Often the best place to celebrate a visit to Newport Beach with a night out is in the lounge of your resort or hotel. The Resort at Pelican Hill offers live music in the Great Room Thursday-Saturday with Mix, Move and Mingle cocktail and small plate specials. Island Hotel Newport Beach features Jimmy Hopper on weekends, a must-see singer who puts on a lounge act that’s straight out of Las Vegas. The Lounge at Sam and Harry’s in the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa has a cool, cosmopolitan vibe, Bambu at the Fairmont Newport Beach is a must for Happy Hour and artisan cocktails.
Love it Live
The Blue Beet is a classic Newport Beach nightspot located in a 1912-built building just steps from the sand that features live bands and DJs nightly, while Muldoon’s Irish Pub is so popular among lovers of Gaelic groups that it features a Wall of Fame honoring artists of Irish ancestry. And sing along with the piano men and women at Bayside, The Ritz Restaurant and Mastro’s Ocean Club.
Party like a Local
For an active and upscale cocktail lounge, don’t miss Mastro’s Ocean Club and the buzzing “only in OC” environment at Javier’s Cantina and Grill, while The Ritz Restaurant offers a more sedate classic cocktail lounge experience. For a late night ultra lounge experience with table service, check out Ten Nightclub; while lovers of Latin dance satisfy their salsa appetite at Tapas Flavors of Spain. Other happening hot spots that locals and in-the-know visitors love include Bandera, 3-Thirty-3, The District, Billy’s at the Beach and Quiet Woman, and for a classic beach bar vibe bordering on the divey, don’t miss The District Lounge, Malarky’s Irish Pub, Balboa Saloon, Class of 47, Woody’s Wharf, Blackie’s by the Sea, Baja Sharkeez, and the Beach Ball.
Cocktail Culture and Wine Finds
Broadly defined as gastropubs, top Newport Beach bars for visitors with a taste for innovative eats along with a craft beer or artisan cocktail include Crow Bar and Kitchen, SideDoor, A Restaurant, Juliette Kitchen and Bar, Crow Burger Kitchen and Back Bay Tavern. For amazing selections of wines by the glass, discover the intimate Wine Gallery, or head to Fashion Island for Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar or California Wine and Cheese. Orange Coast Winery is an urban micro winery with a tasting room open on weekends, and be sure to look for vintages like Back Bay Cuvee from Newport Beach Vineyards on local wine lists. The vineyards are on the water in Newport Beach, and offers group tours and tastings by appointment.
Fan Favorites
See all the big games, grab a beer and a bite at Yard House, Rudy’s Pub and Grill, The Classic Q Billiards and Sports Club, Newport Beach Brewing Company and many more.
Cantina Cool
For a classic SoCal experience, check out Taco Tuesdays at Mexican establishments across the city, and don’t miss the munchies and Margaritas at SOL Cocina, Javier’s, Avila’s El Ranchito, Wahoo’s Fashion Island, Cabo Cantina, Taco Rosa and many others.
Sunday Fun Day
This Newport Beach tradition finds many locals riding bikes along the boardwalk participating in pedal-powered pub-crawl.
Well-known local Wing Lam, one of the founders and owners of the Wahoo’s Fish Taco group of restaurants, offers this itinerary:
“Start your day with a big schooner of mimosas at Mutt Lynch’s, ride your beach cruiser down to Balboa Pier, making stops at Blackie’s, the Beach Ball or Baja Sharkeez along the way, then take the ferry to Balboa Island for a Balboa Bar (the local sweet treat, not another lounge) and an Irish coffee at Village Inn, then back across on the ferry for Happy Hour at Woody’s and dinner at the Crab Cooker.”
*Photo Credit: Marriott Hotel & Spa
