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Anchor Bar
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live, Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
8 reviews for Anchor Bar
8 reviews in English
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Review from Dan H.
Updated - 3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Uh boy, I am so confused. I thought the upstairs and the downstairs places were both called the Anchor Bar. Not so Mr. Alzheimer's. The larger upstairs family pizza parlor is called Original Pizza II (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Soooo, my two previous reviews are for the pizza place. Upstairs. Is this what old age is all about?
So lets review the downstairs (both owned by the same guy, Steve) Anchor Bar this time. Jeesh, no wonder there aren't many old folks on Yelp eh?
Tiny, dark space with a very relaxing vibe. I have been here twice previously around the same hh time. All 3 times its been fairly dead. Our btendress was very friendly and mighty purddy too. Couple a regulars and the very affable owner Steve were there to make us feel comfortable and welcomed. We liked!
Although I didn't eat, the others in our crew ordered tacos (taco Thursday here) and pizza and they seemed pleased with the offerings. They liked! My Beringer Select Chard was a very nice pour for $5.50, and Ms. Congeniality was on it like blue bonnet whenever it got to panic time emptiness.
I will definitely be back as its on the Monday-Friday drive home, and will try some of those tasty looking tacos. That is if I can find my way back here...er there.... wherever....2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/21/2011
Monday hh vs Friday hh. Monday: not as friendly not so hot btendress's. The "b" team i'm guessing.… Read more »
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Review from Boris B.
Huntington Beach, CA
5/20/2012
The Anchor is a funky little bar hidden underneath a pizza place. It's small and decorated with a tiki vibe. Some nights they have live music, and others some comedy. I've never really had a bad time here and the staff seems to be fast and pleasant. I can't speak for all nights here, so experiences may vary, but for myself, it's a decent place to meet up with friends and have a few laughs. Sometimes the patrons can be kinda the loud oaf type, but that's to be expected. This isn't some posh lounge, but it's a step up from your run of the mill OC bars. Full bar. Decent beers on tap.
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Review from Joe L.
3/24/2011
This place is downstairs from Original Pizza II, who will deliver pizza to you in the bar if you ask.
We were here on a Saturday night when a duo was playing songs by The Cure, Joe Jackson, Tom Petty, et. al. The crowd here was middle-aged and whiter than NASCAR. We ordered draft PBR which they must have gotten from upstairs because I saw no spigots at the bar. They do have a small but good booze selection. The tiki theme is a nice touch. They were showing something on the plasma screen that featured a lot of women in bikinis.
This is probably not where you want to spend most of your Saturday night, but if you're hungry, it's not a bad place to start it.Listed in: The Heart of OC
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Review from Hazel Q.
11/1/2010 2 photos
A tiki bar in OC that I didn't know about? Hot damn! ...well, that's what I thought anyway. Turns out that it was.... okay. Average. And didn't live up to my tiki expectations.
I did go on a Saturday afternoon, so maybe it was just the shock from coming in from the daylight, but I'm pretty sure this is damn near the darkest bar I've EVER been in. The decor was decent enough, kinda like someone wanted to do tiki and then gave up halfway through.
The drinks are strong, and they've got a few craft brews on tap. The bartender was a peach. And it's pretty kickass that you can order pizza from Original Pizza upstairs without leaving your comfy bar seat.
What's not kickass? The prices of pizza and stuff - maybe it's because I was a spending spree this particular weekend anyway, but yeesh - that was some pricey pizza and salad. Also not kickass: waaay too inebriated 60 year old dudes causing a ruckus... like seriously a ruckus, with so much singing and shouting and just... yech. Not a fan of that part.
Would I come back? I wouldn't go out of my way, but it doesn't seem like the worst place in the world to grab a drink.Listed in: Orange County Bars, Costa Mesa Bars
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Review from Mike Q.
1/28/2011
Wait, how is it that I'm only the 2nd person to review this business after Hazel... and we actually went together? I suspect this place is operating in secret. Maybe Anchor Bar is a code name, like when you put someone else's name on your contacts because you don't want your significant other to know who's been texting you. When I say "you" I mean some generic fictional person; I don't mean "you" as a stand-in for "me" as people often do, because I don't text anyone. I barely even have friends that qualify for my contacts list. This is just a move that kids do, I saw it on TV once.
Anyway, I'm rambling now because Anchor Bar was just ehh, ok... but I wanted to catalog all our forays during our Epic Saturday™ so I'm being a completist.
Anchor Bar was a decent enough place, but in the grand scheme of our adventures that day, it paled in comparison to our other pit-stops. But hey, if you're ever in this neck of the woods and you want to walk downstairs to a dimly lit bar that looks like someone half-heartedly tried to decorate their basement as a Tiki Bar, have I got the right recommendation for you.Listed in: Epic Saturday™
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Review from Taylor D.
Newport Beach, CA
3/3/2011
Walking into the dark, tiki-style grotto sets the mood. They've turned the lights up a bit, but it's still pretty dark. Usually fairly empty except for the locals at the bar. Between the 50s-esque furnishings and the poor lighting you'd wonder why I'd go back. But this bar has a few redeeming qualities.
First and foremost, the bartenders and staff are very polite and courteous. I've never felt rushed or put off by them. The people working there are probably the best part of the place.
Second, on Thursdays they serve $1 tacos which are pretty decent--for a bar. This place also usually has the Lakers or Angels on and can serve as a good place to watch the game with friends. They finally put in two new TVs so now you can watch the games in the dining area and not just the bar.
Lastly, this is pretty much they only dive bar around in the back bay area. If you don't fell like driving deeper into Costa Mesa (towards Triangle Square), this is a decent local spot. You just have to look past the decor and the occasional obnoxious patron. -
Review from lya x.
Costa Mesa, CA
6/29/2011
Chi-ching! Found my new local spot thanks to my new roomie. Been there a few times now and it seems like if you ain't a local you might have some problems. EVERYONE knows each other. Just think of the show Cheers when entering cause if no one knows you they won't be that happy to serve you! haha naw not really but, it's super chill for cheap beers especially during the "special" days ;) $1 taco Thursdays & beer specials. They close at midnight most every night and live bands play on weekends. Love the staff especially the lady tenders!
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Review from Janet r.
Newport Beach, CA
5/10/2011
We used to come here when it was the Rabbit hole, the food was awesome then. The atmosphere then was just OK. Now under new ownership and a new name - the Anchor Bar has great atmosphere. The food not so great as it is provided from the pizza restaurant upstairs. Again much better when the restaurant upstairs was a gourmet one. The bar tender was OK, drinks were good and they had a blues band which was really good. Unfortunately it was really loud, the place is very tiny. It works for a "hey lets grab a quick drink" especially since we live in the neighborhood. But would not recommend it as a hang out.
