Best College Bars In Orange County
(credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
Catering to the surrounding college and beach communities, restaurants and bars have created environments that allow for students to hang out, eat affordably and blow off some school steam. Happy hour, karaoke, weekly football games and Sunday brunch are just a few ways the kids enjoy down time with their friends. It's the social scene you won't want to miss out on. Here are the best college bars in Orange County.
Muldoon's Irish Pub
202 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 640-4110
www.muldoonspub.com
Happy hour at Muldoon's Irish Pub brings the college crowds unlike any other Newport Beach watering hole. Known to college kids as Wilde Hours (after Muldoon's beloved Irish brethren Oscar Wilde), the happy hour deals are appealing to students on a budget. Pub plates range and beer, wine and cocktails are inexpensive (you must be 21 years old to drink alcohol). Muldoon's is a real venue for live music where entertainment is free and no cover charge is just an added plus for the college crowd. The bar also hosts dance party bands on Friday and Saturday nights, Celtic rock bands during Sunday brunch, and local group Blue Deux who perform Bluegrass, Americana and Irish traditional music.
Woody's Wharf
2318 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 675-0474
www.woodyswharf.com
Woody's Wharf has been drawing crowds, including John Wayne, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Mickey Mantle, to its harbor waterfront location since 1965. Back in the day, actor and karate champ Chuck Norris bought the business and hired Jean-Claude Van Damme as one of the restaurant's doormen. Today, Woody's Wharf is owned by four friends who grew up together in Whittier. Woody's Wharf brings out local college students for live music, karaoke and a DJ on Tuesday nights. On Thursday's, enjoy live music, which starts at 4 p.m. Students watching their wallet can enjoy dinner specials such as live Maine lobster dinner for a reasonable rate which includes delicious sides too.
American Junkie
2406 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 675-4444
www.americanjunkienb.com
You can't beat this waterfront social scene. American Junkie is one of the favorite haunts among the college crowds. College kids come here for everything from happy hour, Sunday funday and televised sporting events to late night hangs and yes, dinner with the parents. Happy hour is all the rage though for its gastro pub menu items - a nice alternative to dorm food at five bucks per item - chicken tenders and fries served with a honey mustard and Sriracha ranch dressing, bbq pork sliders, grilled chicken skewers, ahi tuna sliders and steak jalapeño poppers. You'll find football fans gathering at American Junkie on NFL Sunday, featuring an $8 all-you-can-eat brunch plus $10 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.
Beach Ball
2116 W. Oceanfront
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 675-8041
www.beachballbar.com
Newport Beach's Beach Ball is a great hangout for early birds and the late night owls. The bar, which opens at 6pm and closes its doors at 2am, is not only a local college favorite, but Beach Ball gets quite crowded with tourists as well due to its fabulous location off of the Newport Pier. Squads come to this bar for catching the latest sporting events on multiple TVs, playing pool and capturing those college days in the very popular photo booth. Guests can also use their own smart phones to play favorite songs on the jukebox. Bartenders get to know their patrons while crafting specialty cocktails (spicy Red Beer) and pouring unique shots.
Baja Sharkeez
114 McFadden Pl.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 673-0292
http://sharkeez.net/newport-beach/
Baja Sharkeez in Newport Beach is great for both a fun night out and that if you have a hankering for great Mexican fare. A collaboration of father-son team Ron and Greg Newman, who together bring restaurant experience (dad is founder of the Red Onion chain) and a youthful collegiate vision (Greg graduated from USC), Sharkeez brings a casual experience with an engaging line-up of events, and sporting events including Fantasy Football night, weekday happy hour featuring sharing plates (Mexican fire-roasted crazy corn is a favorite), South of the Border brunch, a weekend bottomless Bloody Mary bar and a bottomless coffee bar (spiking with Kahlua or Baileys).