Sips & Suds

Whether you’re soaking up Buena Park’s sizzling Koreatown vibes or screaming on a Knott’s Berry Farm roller coaster, these five local watering holes are a must if you’re thirsty.

By Greg Nagel

The Calico Saloon In true Buena Park drink-and-a-show fashion, the old west saloon at Knott’s Berry Farm is a time capsule into gold rush-era California, with fruity boysenberry beers (Buena Park is where the boysenberry was created) as well as the spicy Calico Bonfire, where cinnamon whiskey is mixed with refreshing sarsaparilla. Don’t miss the show! 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, knotts.com/ dining/calico-saloon

The Cauldron Sprits & Brews If Bella Lugosi were to open a cozy French countryside Brasserie, The Cauldron would be it. The atmosphere beams witch-kitsch along with a cultured list of tasty craft cocktails, no doubt stirred with wizardly wands. Halloween-time is an especially fun time to visit, but they keep the spooky vibes up year-round. Try their pommes frites topped with house-made bacon jam, paired with the Raven Claw’s cocktail, swizzed with dark rum, pineapple juice, and a fruity berry cobbler float. 8028 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, (714) 484-2733, thecauldronbar.com

EKO Karaoke Lounge Pass the mic! Pass the drinks! This karaoke lounge at The Source OC has private rooms that are bookable by the hour, complete with bottle service for your crew featuring whiskey, vodka, champagne, rum, and tequila, as well as beer, wine, and sake. Definitely try the Korean steak pizza with the latest seasonal craft IPA while singing your favorite song. 6920 Beach Blvd., K223, Buena Park, (714) 752-6314, ekokaraokelounge.com

ISLA Cuban-Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar There’s a reason the conga line to get into this place extends past fifty-plus palm trees to the parking lot. Inside, Dominican, Jamaican, and Trinidad rums flow. Regulars swear by the mofongo, a Caribbean dish mashed with green plantains, garlic, salt, and choice of juicy pork, steak, or garlic shrimp, paired with a fresh island daiquiri, of course. 30 Centerpointe Dr.., Ste. 12, La Palma, (714) 735-8597, islacubankitchen.com

Olympic Golf Zone All sports bars of the future should feature an indoor virtual driving range and a place to hit baseballs safely indoors. Until then, there’s Olympic Golf Zone located at The Source OC that has pioneered the next-level bar and restaurant. The bar features a nice selection of Soju, beer, wine, and cocktails that awaits your next holein-one celebration! 6988 Beach Blvd., B208, Buena Park, (714) 228-9900 or olympicgolfzone.com

Prime & Beyond Steakhouse To call this steakhouse a hidden gem is putting it lightly, as it sits nonchalantly amongst a quiet neighborhood. Experience sizzling prime cuts and premium bottles of wine, such as Stag’s Leap Cabernet, which is famous for putting the Napa region on the map at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Pair a bottle with a Flintstone-like tomahawk cut... you only live once. 6291 Homewood Ave., Buena Park, (714) 735-9291 or primeandbeyondca.com

Rock & Brews Where comfort classic food meets comfort classic rock & roll in the grooviest way possible. The menu features rockstar burger collaborations like Alice Cooper’s Poison Burger, complete with his tongue-sizzling Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce. The antidote? One of the fifty or more beers on draft. 7777 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, (714) 266-0314 or rockandbrews.com