Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
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Here are the top picks for Best bar:
1. Strong Water Anaheim
270 S. Clementine St., Anaheim; 714-844-1875; strongwateranaheim.com
The owners Strong Water Anaheim don’t want to serve you drinks. They want to take you on an immersive shipwreck-themed tropical cocktail adventure. Chances are it will feel exclusive as the bar entry is reservation only to ensure patrons don’t come in cranky after a long wait outside of the popular spot.
Robert Adamson and his wife Ying Chang are no newbies to the bar scene. They previously owned and operated a small speakeasy in Anaheim where they experimented with the concept of Mahalo Mondays, transforming the space into a tropical oasis. The theme went over so well, it inspired Strong Water Anaheim, which opened in November 2019 to serve drinks built around fresh ingredients, premium spirits and respect for the history of tropical cocktails.
Zombie King, described as “bold, boozy and molassey,” has become a customer favorite as is the Mai Tai. An Asian-inspired food menu complements the bar offerings. On the food side, Lumpia Shanghai seems to be the dish to order as are garlic noodles, garlic shrimp and pork belly.
The attention to details, from obsessing about drink and food quality to the elaborate decor, have earned the bar major industry accolades, including being a James Beard Award finalist in 2024 for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. However, Adamson says it’s the Strong Water community that makes them the proudest.
“At the end of the day, our mission is simple. We want every guest to feel welcomed, cared for, and transported somewhere special for a few hours. Everything we do starts there.”
2. Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
Irvine, Orange; bosscatkitchen.com
There may be some discrepancy in the origin of Bosscat Kitchen & Libations’ name. Depending on whom you ask, it either came from founder Leslie Nguyen, aka Bosscat, or co-founder JT Reed. What’s far less debatable is that Bosscat has been making its name on the Orange County restaurant and bar scene.
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Bosscat Kitchen & Libations opened in Newport Beach in 2014, opened another location in Orange in 2021 and moved from Newport Beach to Irvine in 2023. The idea was to have a modern style whiskey bar that also serves craft cocktails along American and Asian dishes. All this happens in an unpretentious atmosphere where customers don’t feel rushed to get out. While the Orange spot is more family-oriented, the Irvine crowd consists more of business people and tourists.
Although Bosscat keeps growing (there’s a third location in Texas), the management runs it as a mom-and-pop shop, always on site and connecting with guests on regular basis.
3. O’Connell’s Sports Pub & Grille
19047 Bushard Ave., Huntington Beach; 714-964-6741; hboconnells.com
Family-owned O’Connell’s Sports Pub & Grille is an understated neighborhood bar with a non-touristy vibe where locals stop by regularly to grab a drink and a bite and catch up. Think West Coast version of the “Cheers” bar. The owners don’t try to make the place extra fancy. They just want their customers to feel welcome and have a great pub experience.
For more than 10 years, Chef Pedro has been whipping up popular dishes, including meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and chicken fried steak as well as daily specials. The expansive menu accompanies the full bar with 10 beers on tap.
But perhaps one of the biggest draws to O’Connell’s are the 26 flat-screen TVs airing just about any sport. So, if you’re looking to enjoy a big game on a big screen with a drink in your hand and friendly fellow enthusiasts around, this is the place to be.
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