5305 E. Santiago Canyon Road Orange, CA 92869
714-563-9778
http://www.james-events.com/oakcanyon.html If you’re an outdoor festival kind of person, Oak Canyon Ranch is the closest thing to God’s country
you’re liable to find in OC. From Hootenanny to Punk Rock Picnic, there is no car show, carnival or hippie
revival that doesn’t pass through here without stopping at this 100-acre property complete with camp
sites, RV park, crystal blue lake and green grass (not the kind you roll up in the back of the van). Nestled
in the mountains of Silverado Canyon, it’s far enough away to feel rural and unincorporated but close
enough to a gas station that you’re not totally fucked without a map and compass. More >>
3503 S. Harbor Blvd. Santa Ana, CA 92704
714-957-0600
http://www.observatoryoc.com If you visited the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana a couple years ago, you would've been met by cover
bands, one-hit wonders or closed doors. It had its moments, of course, but those moments were rare
thanks to a lengthy closure and lackluster booking. Enter Jon Reiser, former partner and booker for
Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. Reiser purchased the venue and made several significant changes: booked
popular acts, upgraded the sound system, added a smaller venue-in-a-venue called the Constellation
Room. The Observatory now hosts popular acts such as Method Man , GWAR, Tiesto, Waka Flocka
Flame and many, many more. That also includes residencies from local acts. Selling out shows is now
a habit for this place. Most of all, it provides a valuable service to the whole county by bringing in acts
we could usually only see by driving to Los Angeles. Oh, and it even—gasp!—makes Angelenos cross the
Orange Curtain for a show. More >>
210 Fisherman's Wharf Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-374-1442
http://www.oldtonys.com It doesn't get any more “on the pier” than Tony's, the 50-year-old wooden seafood shack that actually sits aboard the planks of the Redondo Beach pier. The upstairs bar offers views that are a full 360 degrees, from the watery horizon line back towards the apartments that stretch for a sight of the shore, but you'll just as likely be staring down into your Mai Tai all night. It's a beguiling concoction splashed forth by a surly middle-aged bartender, at once simple and fruity, with an unexpectedly strong rum kick. Best of all, the glass it comes in doubles as a souvenir, a quiet reminder that not only is Tony's still serving the best Mai Tais you can find in Los Angeles, the place hasn't lost any charm in the process. Tony's boasts “romantic or family dining” and you'll see a bit of both – with dozens of seafood and shellfish options as well as steak and the inevitable surf and turf. More >>
http://www.originalmikes.com This spacious place has something for everyone: karaoke, two separate bars, an outdoor patio with live music, and a quieter dining room in which to enjoy classic American fare such as burgers, shakes and steaks. Don't place your drinks on the classic cars lest a burly bouncer yells at you! More >>