Kitsch Bar

A dimly lit dive bar that serves unique and delicious cocktails. Kitsch is interesting because it’s kind of a hybrid between a hipster bar and a dive bar. Or like a dive bar that got a face lift. It was dark with booths with the walls all black, but there were chandeliers that gave it a classier feel. They also play Netflix movies at the bar which is kind of cool. The music/​DJ was WAYYY too loud in this tiny venue, and it was hard to have conversations with the person right next to me. I thought only clubs were supposed to be this loud?
Anyway, I really enjoyed the unicorn milk– rumchata, cinnamon, etc. It was a dessert drink but very tasty. The lavender mule was also very good– they burn a piece of lavender on top of the drink, so it not only gives it a unique taste, but also a enchanting aroma. My friend got the raspberry old fashioned, and just a heads up– it is pretty bitter and very strong. Make sure you like the liquors that are in it before you order. This is a great place to pre-​game, but I would go somewhere else if you want to dance or have a more intimate ambience.

Awesome place for a good time with friends, colleagues or socializing with complete strangers. The drinks are always great and the bar tenders are awesome.

If you were to ask me where I think is the most diverse place in the world, I would respond with «Kitsch Bar».
I came in tonight because a friend had invited me out for the «Like.Minded Sundays». I’ve only heard about this place but never have stepped foot inside. I arrived around 9:20 PM and managed to find parking. I know this area before, due to Kitakata being a few doors down, and it’s IMPOSSIBLE to find parking here, which is why I try my best to avoid coming here. However, because Kitakata closes at around 9, it opens a lot more parking for Kitsch.
Happy hour is from 7 — 9 PM. Sadly, we missed happy hour so beers were $ 6 per bottle. The music was pretty deep, my type of music, and they switch off DJs every 30 minutes. There were only a few tables in this pretty small bar. There was only 1 bartender the entire night and it seemed as if he was the only one working in the whole place. When there was a spill or broken glass, he would have to move from the back of the bar to get the broom and clean it up. However, everyone seemed to have a drink in their hand so he seemed very efficient.
Now, the reason why I said that it’s the most diverse place is because all types of people you can think of, you will find them here. The crowd that Kitsch Bar draws is very interesting. All races (whites, blacks, asians, mexicans), all ages (young and old), all orientations, midgets, girls screaming at guys, girls wearing hats when it’s inside and night time, guys in hippie shirts, you name them, Kitsch Bar has them! If you need to find a place to people watch, this place is definitely fun to look around. People seem to dance however they want and have a good time here, which I liked most about this place. Overall, I give this place a 3.5 stars.

I can prove to anyone who’s interested that the two huge mirrors in their men’s bathrooms is a one way mirror. When touching a mirror, your finger should show about a 5 millimeter gap between your finger and its reflection. If the finger and reflection look like they’re touching, it’s a one way mirror.

Only a couple of miles from my apartment in South Coast Metro, this is the perfect bar to stop and grab a drink or two when you’re a bit too late for the standard happy hour. Their happy hour starts at 7pm and goes to 9pm. Happy hour prices are very nice, with well drinks and cocktails starting at $ 3.
Cozy, dimly lit and modern. Draws a crowd after 10:30pm on weekends. Great music and DJs.

I used to like Kitsch Bar a lot. Especially on Friday nights when the practicing DJ’s would come in and spin some of their stuff. The ambiance is dark and cool and the drinks are well made. The HUGE downside to this place is how loud the sound is coming out of the speakers. If they would lower the sound a bit then I would definitely change my review and start going back to Kitsch. Whenever I’m in there too long my ears start to hurt and I can’t hear what anyone else is saying because it’s such a confined space with how loud the music can get. I go to raves on the regular and that doesn’t even hurt my ears. I feel I need to bring ear plugs just to defend my ears from how loud it gets in there. :(((

Super divey bar. Booths inside, and parking is really hard to find!!! Bartenders are nice but I wouldn’t come back again because I don’t care for divey bars. If that’s your thing, this is your spot! Kind of sticky, really dark inside, don’t know if tables are cleaned, etc.
Would I recommend this? Not really

4 stars for the happy hour everyday of the week, 7pm-9pm.Great place to start the night; cheap drinks and cool spot. It was clean and the décor was nice. Bathroom were unique.

This bar is in a strip mall and is very tiny. The layout is strange. When you walk in it feels a little as if you just walked into an awkward house party you weren’t invited to. Maybe it was just on the earlier side– it was about 1030pm.
The walls are lined with booths and in the center there were three small tables with a few chairs around them.
If it was double the size with maybe a pool table or a small dance floor area it would feel more like an actual dive bar and less like someone’s living room.
The bartender was friendly, drinks are fairly priced.

pretty cool spot– drinks were decent but nothing to rave about. Cool hip hop/​danceable music.

Kitsch-​I kitsch-​I ya ya da da
Kitsch-​I kitsch-​I yay a hee
Maybe that one was a stretch, but you certainly won’t hear that music here. It’s a lounge right? We sort of. It’s an Orange County Lounge and by that it’s like Mesa, Commissary also nearby and similar scene.
The truth of the matter is that Orange County lacks a club scene so all the lounges try and capitalize and vibe more with DJ’s and they end up doing neither well. With that being said it’s also true that OC lacks real lounges and whiskey bars, just places trying to be a little of everything.
It’s on the small side for a standalone, but tucked in this strip mall it’s chill, intimate. It’s dark, it’s a good place for people to unwind with a cheap beer or a strong drink (not a cocktail). Trivia night is what people really get into. We get it, you like to drink nerdy, but don’t like to discuss or argue. It’s the old «google» mentality. Steer clear. I dig the HH, but am more of a cocktail and whiskey sort of lounger and more of a craft beer and fire pit sort of relaxer.
The music is eclectic based on who is playing, but it’s mostly EDM to match the closet hipsters who come here to hide while their mustache grows out. The staff are nice, engaging even, no draught so bottle beer only. The drinks are good, but lack the ingredients for real cocktails. I believe the bartenders are so engaging because the people who come here are pretty closed off and keep to themselves, as in bring your own entertainment and friends as you won’t make one’s here. I mean I do, but lots of people strike out. It can get loud making it un-​loungy. With each night being a different vibe it’s like a different bar each night. The single rolling lounge chairs are strip club-​esque no matter how you light the tables. Single stall bathrooms are a log jam literally.
It’s a chill escape if OC’s pseudo clubs are not your scene and dive bars don’t do it for you. I highly recommend playing nice with the staff and they often hook it up for the regulars.

All I can say is «wow!» Love the atmosphere but too clicky for me… I’m out quick after my drink. Staff nice and drink was good.
I gave 3 stars for drinks /​price. Ok
The place needs to be bigger. People are standing in aisles and near the bathroom. It’s odd to have people hanging out near bathrooms. It’s a place to bring your girls or girls but to be social… Not so much.

Snapshot:
⁴⁄₅ Vibe, ⁵⁄₅ Music, 3.7÷5 Drink Menu ³⁄₃ Price Point
Dive ultra lounge that plays Motown to EDM. DJ comes in after 10 spinning vinyls. Cool young vibe that fits the spot.

Kitsch is by far my favorite bar in the area. I love the ambience, it is so dark and cozy. The staff is wonderful, very friendly, and the female bartenders are super cute. There is always a great group of folks populating the place. The prices are very reasonable and the drinks are strong. There is almost always a DJ spinning some great EDM-​like tunes.
If you’re looking for the most unpretentious bar in the area, try Kitsch.

LOVE kitsch! My all time favorite. Best bar in costa mesa. Dark, social, comfortable, neighborhood, good music ALWAYS.
The bar tenders are all hot and really good. Trust me, my husband used to be one of them!

Divey hipster dark whatever style neighborhood you want it to be. Fairly strong drinks at normal prices for OC ($ 7 cocktail).
Bottled beers only. A few good choices for that, but don’t go here looking for a craft beer. Good place to have a drink while killing time or waiting for a table for BBQ or ramen in this extremely cramped plaza @ Baker/​Bear next to the 73.
DJ music around 9 most nights, otherwise it’s just elevator and whatever movie on the TV behind the bar. Some cozy couches and seating if you’re looking to lounge around :-)
Prost.

Highlights
± Small Place
+ Strong Drinks
+ Loud Music
+ Cool People
Surprised to see how small it is, looks so much bigger in the pictures;). JK. But really it’s a small place. IIRC it was like 2 booths on one side, 3 booths on the other, a small elevated dj turntable, 4 island tables with 4 chairs each and a photo booth. It was really loud like a club, but no dance space. Line to use the restroom (even for men). These seem negative but somehow it meshed well together for a nice vibe. Oh and they were also showing some kind of retro film behind the bar.

We were in town for a wedding and came here for a little nightcap based on a friend’s recommendation. When we arrived the bar looked like it was being swallowed up by the generic shopping center around it. We were pleasantly surprised upon entering the bar that it was not the same inside as it was outside.
Don’t just a book by its cover, eh?
It was spacious and had a lounge-​y feel. Is that even a word? But the bar spanned along the backside and the bartenders were really quick to serve drinks even when it started getting busy. Drinks were not that expensive, IMO. We ordered and found a couch nestled in the corner and that’s when the fun happened (amongst our group).
I would say this is a good place for pre-​drinking before heading downtown or wherever your night takes you. It’s a good starter to anyone’s night and is no frills.

I might have had a private UYE for two here recently with someone I’ve crushed on a long time.
I’ve been here before on trivia night. Apparently I like to be quizzed while I have a drink. It turns out I suck at trivia whether I’ve had something to drink or not. I will take the blame given that my trivia partners don’t attempt to write anything. If I fail and we’re a team and on the only one answering means that I am the reason we failed, hence my failure it’s our failure. Lol
I like the décor and the staff is super friendly and nice.
My friend did get up to get us more drinks *there always isn’t wait staff* but I think we both had a good time. He and I didn’t go on trivia night unfortunately bc he has boasted about his superb ability to correctly answer to random facts, I hope I get to see him in action. Every time I’ve been there people have struggled with the questions, but some seem to be speaking in cursive when they feel the challenge lol
I like this bar a great deal, I’m not a bar person but I enjoy places where people feel engaged and this is certainly one of those.
This feels like a perfect place for an UYE!!!

Solid bar — had a really fun time here playing trivia last Tuesday night.
My friend was a part of a MeetUp group that was meeting here for a trivia night and invited me to join her! I’m always down for trivia — and wasn’t quite sure how it would work out in a bar setting so I was down!
We got there around 8:30, just in time for the last of happy hour. Wine was about $ 4 and beer was as cheap as $ 2 or $ 3. After 9 though it goes back up to full price.
The environment was very chill, very hipsters that don’t want to be called hipster because that is way too mainstream. The trivia was super fun — it’s definitely geared towards a certain audience (example: the music you had to identify was all 80’s rock — bleh) and the movies were definitely all 90s bro-​type movies but if that’s your thing, you’d probably be really good at it. The other trivia questions were really fun. I especially enjoyed the name that flag portion.
I stayed until around 10:30 and had a few glasses of wine. Was definitely worth an evening out — I“ll think of this place again on random Tuesday nights when I feel like doing something that’s not sitting on my couch and watching Netflix.