Why the Best Bar in Costa Mesa Stands Out From the Rest

Who wants another deafening room when Costa Mesa has more appealing alternatives by 2026? Dozens of eateries, from LAB speakeasies to brewery patios, can be reached within two miles of South Coast Plaza. Today, locals evaluate an evening out based on the same criteria as a dinner party.

Looking for your new favorite bar in Costa Mesa? These three qualities come up more than others: an exact cocktail list, food you share over a few drinks, and a comfortable room that works for drinks before and after your show. Those three points elevated Dinner Spanish Cuisine LA to a state standard and helped show downtown chefs how sherry and tapas can form the core of an entire night out.

Here's how standouts distinguish themselves from the pack, according to the 2026 rankings, menus, and chef histories:

What Makes the Best Bar in Costa Mesa Truly Exceptional

A Bar Program With Spanish Roots

VACA will feature some of the most iconic Spanish cocktails, Spanish wine and beer, plus their craft drinks. ViaMichelin indicates that they boast a huge list of Spanish wines and sherries in a rural tapas bar, with a gorgeous bar space and kooky banquettes.

Sherry matters because low-ABV fino keeps you sharp through a second round of tapas, pairing naturally with salt and fat instead of sugar-heavy mixers. You can move from a dry manzanilla to a vermouth spritz without losing the thread of the meal.

Food Designed to Drink With

VACA serves up the bright tastes of Andalusia and the Basque region, from traditional tapas to high-end, artisanal cuts with classic Spanish flavor and a Chef Amar Santana twist. Highlights include the bikini with Jamón Ibrico, Manchego, and truffle oil, and the golden croquetas de pollo.

GAYOT categorized it as a Spanish tapas family-style restaurant with an airy contemporary dining room, including a bar. The menu is designed to facilitate a slow and steady flow through the meal, starting with shared small plates and ending with tables of paellas and desserts. "It's designed to make people linger late in the bar after 9."

Location That Solves the Night

VACA is right on Town Center Drive, smack between the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Plaza. Inside the house itself, there are two outside patios and one main room that looks out into the semi-open kitchen. It makes it feel energetic without being dominated by TV. The room's design is perfect for quickly throwing down a couple of drinks before a show, but the space is also amenable to a post-theater gab session, not something easy to find in this neck of the woods.

How Dinner Spanish Cuisine in LA Influences Orange County Trends

Los Angeles set the template. VACA DTLA opened beneath The Beaudry, across from the Intercontinental and blocks from The Broad and Walt Disney Concert Hall, built for pre-show diners.

Chef Amar Santana began at 16, graduated from the CIA, opened Broadway in 2011, competed three times on Top Chef, earned Fan Favorite in Season 20, was a Season 13 finalist, was named 2026 Chef of the Year by OC Business Journal, and was a TIME Latino Leader in 2024.

That pedigree explains why OC now expects LA technique with easier parking and patios. Diners want the same precision in a jamón carving or a bomba rice, but without the downtown valet line.

What Top Guides Miss

• Heritage first: region-led lists like Spanish sherry versus generic cocktails

• Chef accountability: named, awarded chef versus unnamed bar bites

• Daypart depth: lunch and dinner daily signal a real kitchen

• Design for talk: patios and kitchen views beat loud TVs

• Walkability: minutes to Segerstrom, turn a drink into a plan

Ending Remarks

The best bar in Costa Mesa wins by linking a focused Spanish beverage program, chef-driven tapas, and a location built for real evenings.

That formula made Spanish cuisine in LA influential statewide. VACA embodies it. VACA is a Spanish-inspired restaurant and bar in Costa Mesa and DTLA that pairs traditional tapas with a sherry-forward bar under Chef Amar Santana.

FAQs

Tapas bar vs regular bar?

Tapas bars pair small Spanish plates with sherry and cava. Regular bars lead with cocktails or beer and limited food.

Need reservations near South Coast Plaza?

Yes for weekends and pre-theater. VACA suggests reservations with its full bar and outdoor dining.

What to order first?

Fino sherry, rebujito, or Spanish gin-tonic. All cut through jamón and croquettes.

Good for pre-show?

Yes. Town Center Drive puts VACA between South Coast Plaza and Segerstrom with lunch and dinner service.

Costa Mesa vs. LA for Spanish?

LA leads on tasting menus. Costa Mesa matches chef talent and adds patios, easier access, and approachable pricing.