The Bootlegger Bar

A cool spot in Crystal Cove below the iconic Shake shack. If you know the area you know that parking is a hard task & a 15-min walk to get from the parking lot to the restaurant/bar. While the food was good - We ordered the clam chowder and really just wish there was more of it, portion sizes are pretty small & although they are just an appetizer/drink spot, $14 for a bowl of clam chowder could've warranted a larger portion. I get you are paying for the location, but still!The drinks were yummy, I got the blackberry tea in the large jar and it was even bigger than expected. It was Thursday eve and they had live music, which was an awesome contribution to the overall vibe.

This was a small cute bar located on the edge of Crystal Cove state park, right by the shorelines. It's a nice place to grab refreshments if you want to take a break from the beach. Vibes were good and the waitress was friendly. Seating was self-serve and not hard to find on a Saturday afternoon (9/14). My friend and I ordered a Skinny Mule. It was my first time having a Moscow Mule, so I don't think I'm qualified to critique but overall I thought it was a decent drink. A lot of other people around us were ordering Blood Mary's; those looked really big.

Fun outside bar with an amazing ocean view. Appetizers, soup, & salad are on the menu. We shared their chicken rolls, which were a perfect accompaniment to our drinks. It was the end of the night, and the bar tender seemed a bit tired. Not as friendly as they usually are.

What a cool little hidden gem of a beach bar. Stopped in around sunset, and it was a great visit. There was some cool jazz playing; and bartender was very friendly. I ordered the baked tomato soup topped with a puff pastry crown, served piping hot, which was perfect on a chilly beach evening. Plenty for 2 as an appetizer. Then I ordered the signature Beachcomber cocktail, which was good, but a little sweet for me. Next time I might try a mai tai if they can make it less sweet, and the chargrilled artichokes. But looking forward to next time at this unique retro beach hangout.

Watermelon drink was yummy! View and ambience was delightful - can't beat crystal cove

This what seems like a hidden gem is a whole vibe on the beach. -you can pay for parking, take a shuttle down ($2 per person) and get your ticket validated or you can take a nice walk down.Best to make reservations but since we just showed up to check it out, we sat at the bar, ordered some appetizers with drinks and enjoyed the live music and the beautiful sunset. The appetizers were delicious and my mojito was a lot bigger than I expected (came in a large mason jar). They also have cute little cottages you can rent out for the night. Highly recommend this place.

Fun little bar to have a few drinks. Menu is just drinks and appetizers. The calamari, steak skewers and ahi tacos were good. Service was good. Seating is first come first serve

Great place to drink and get a bite to eat! Alex (bar tender ) is rock star brought his full energy and made us feel at home at the bar and made us fill at home

Great bartender, Alex! Was helpful & accommodating when ordering Big Bloody Mary's, calamari, & artichoke appetizers! Weather was great & sunny the 2 days we went. Had to return for another round of the marvelous Bloody Mary's $21. Hey, if you're on vacation, you deserve to try it! Sooooo yummy & ambiance was perfect for a fun time near the beach!

I've been coming here for over 10 years now with my family and sometimes I come alone during lunch. The service is definitely good especially the bartenders (they don't skimp out on the drinks). I've had the crab cakes, ahi tacos, lobster sandwich, micheladas, mai tai and today I tried the dragon fruit tinga tostadas. They were very tasty with a hint of spice. I stood at the end of the bar seats closest to the bungalow till about half way through my meal until someone near me left, I was able to grab a stool. About 2min after I had grabbed my own stool the manager came out and told me to keep my dog under my legs so that he didn't block the passage way, which I understand. I just don't understand why if I was at his eyes view he couldn't bring me a stool when there was one open seat in a three group table. Overall like I said before I've been coming here alone or with family and friends I will continue to come and enjoy the pretty view, ambience and food/drinks. Definitely would advice all my friends and followers to come and enjoy this enchanting spot. My Latino/ Asian and Black community especially! A more diverse crowd would be perfect.