Bacchus Bar and Bistro

Went to Cozy Pine for date night and we enjoyed it. Really feels like you are in a different place, inside a restaurant. Decor, cocktails and food were all great. Definitively worth stopping in. Food is mostly “snacky” compared to Bacchus outside. We did not have a reservation and we’re still able to get seated, likely because we arrived early in the evening.

This review is for Cozy Pines inside the restaurant. If you’re in the mood for a fun, unique night out, Cozy Pine in Irvine is the place to be. It’s a camp-style speakeasy hidden inside the Bacchus Bar and Bistro, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite spots for tasty cocktails and finger foods. I made a reservation and came with my cousin and his wife, and we were all instantly impressed. My go-to drink is the Camp Anawanna—a heavenly mix of graham cracker bourbon, marshmallow, and chocolate that tastes like an Old Fashion. We also tried the Death Valley (a spicy, fruity tequila number) and the Debris (a rich rye whiskey concoction), both of which were delicious. As for the food, the campfire skewers and blue crab dip were spot-on. For a speakeasy, the food is surprisingly excellent. Cozy Pine is a gem in Orange County—creative cocktails, cozy vibes, and great food make it a must-visit!

The food was good. We highly recommend the goat cheese balls, grilled cheese sandwich, the steak, and the bratwurst. The steak was cooked to perfection - a good bite, tender, not very chewy. The drinks were ok and the cocktails were interesting. The service and the ambiance of the speakeasy was excellent.

We had a terrible experience here. The cocktails were bad, and they were served at room temperature. They also added an automatic tip of 20% for our table of 2. I'm a good tipper (~25% on drinks), but I don't appreciate mandatory tips without warning. It was a Wednesday night, and there were only a few customers. The staff started stomping by our table and glaring at us to leave at like 9:20pm despite their 10pm closing time. We weren't even the only people left! Then at 9:58pm, the manager shouted at us, "We're closed ladies!" I said, "Don't you close at 10pm?" And he responded, "When it's quiet like this, we like to close early." I've never been hustled out of a restaurant before closing time in my life, and I certainly never rushed customers when I worked in restaurants myself. Ridiculous. Obviously we won't come back.

Excellent place for dinner and date night. My husband and I had a really nice dinner of Chilean Sea Bass and Scallops and Risotto - customer service was amazing - Tony and Kim - thank you for the great service! We had a bottle of Taittinger Champagne with dinner and we had Tuna Tartare and Beets and Burrata for appetizers - the food was absolutely delicious! Ray ‘s has the perfect personality- he is amazing! Wow the new menu is amazing - the steak was done with perfection and as always Nicole and Ray - excellent service !!!!

Review is for the Cozy Pine speakeasy 😬 definitely a neat speakeasy with cabin vibes! Try the apex predator for a refreshing drink and if you want festive, my faves were the naughty nog and camp anawanna ** Reservations recommended

Stumbled on to this gem on a gorgeous Sunday, early afternoon. Nestled in a corner, they have a small, intimate outdoor seating area which is dog friendly. How awesome. Also shaded by beautiful palms and a large fountain that can lull your cares away. Outstanding service by Eric. Enjoyed some very good wine and heard the next table rave about their breakfast burrito; from brunch menu. Definitely will be back to try the evening menu with my pup!

Add on: After recent visits I just wanted to say thanks to Ray for always looking out for your guests. A must visit for everyone. Cozy pine speaker easy is a must. This place is delicious and has great drinks. Bartenders are all super nice and accommodating to your preferences. New York sour is a huge win here. For those people commenting on wait times, context matters. If the establishment is full, which it normally is on Friday nights, there will be a wait... especially for the speakeasy. As long as you come in with that understanding you will have a great time.

Review for HH Nice little spot in the Quail Hill plaza. I got the smash burger which came with truffle fries and tried both the shrimp plates. The jumbo shrimp cocktail and shrimp gambas. Both delicious. I really love the shrimp gambas which was drenched in a little soupy broth of garlic. All washed down with a pizza port red ale. Enjoy the pics.

Second time here, came for full service (1st time was just apps/drinks). We like the food but was disappointed in service this time around. We ordered dip app and shared among 4 so there wasn't enough bread, then were asked if we wanted more and we said yes. It took 15-20 minutes to get a new "loaf" which was an extra $4. Dinner took about 45 minutes to come out too so we were just surprised on how long everything was taking to get a meal. Again, food was great. Portions are relatively small, depending on what you get for the price.

I came here for the first time about a couple years ago. Met up with some girlfriends for happy hour. I recall there was a decent variety of food and drinks on the happy hour menu. Recently met up with a girlfriend on a Thursday evening and noticed that their happy hour changed significantly. Fewer food and drink items for sure. The bar area was full for the most part and the dining area was empty while we were there. Later on, a couple other diners joined us in the dining area. My favorite appetizer was the shrimp on skewers. The shrimps were a good size and tasted delicious with the sauce. The beef skewers were just ok. The guacamole was nothing out of this world, but tasted fine. Seemed like the two round chips was just not enough. A third one would've been great. Our server was not that friendly and not engaging. It seemed like she was not having a good day and we felt negative vibes from her.

Fantastic healthy food . Excellent service. Salad and appetizer were amazing We will be returning soon.

An entirely valid bistro, Bacchus is a local speakeasy-type restaurant that is aiming at the high end of places to drink with friends and first dates. The charcuterie board was an awesome start, with a balance of savory and sweet in the semi-soft to hard cheeses, followed by a variety of cured meats and a small cup of olives, and a little bit of dried fruit. It set the tone properly for a lovely tapas style meal with my Dutch girlfriend. The tuna tartare was fresh, creamy, and had a kiss of jalapeno or some other local hot in it. The crab cakes balance well against the fresh arugula, and the prime skewers were worth their weight in platinum. The off-the-shelf wines were perfectly serviceable, but nothing to write home about. The service was perfectly kind and thoughtful. All that deliciousness comes at a non-trivial price however. Make sure that your gold card has enough space to handle the hit. The price is steep, but appropriate for the level of service provided. It's a perfectly nice place, just off the 405, to meet a first date.

Pulled up with decent parking and even better vibes--off to a solid start. The starters came to slay: artichoke dip, tuna tartare, and chicken lettuce wraps? 10/10, would fight someone for that dip. Then we got to the mains... and that's where the plot fell apart. The smash burger? More like a sad squish burger. Fries were elite though--thin, crispy, living their best life. Tried to redeem it with a chicken Caesar, but that salad ghosted all flavor. Service? Attentive with a capital A. Our server checked in so much I thought he was gonna pull up a chair and join us. Pretty sure he was just bored, but hey, we all need friends. Bonus: there's a secret-looking speakeasy inside that gives off cozy "I read poetry and drink old fashioneds" vibes. Might go back just to live my mysterious alter ego life there. Overall? Cute place, fun ambiance, apps were the main event. Mains? Meh. Prices? You're paying for vibes, not the food. 3.5 stars

Food was a quality, BUT VERY EXPENSIVE!!! With extreme small portions. Also wine selection is very limited, had NO explanation of wines served, at least at the table. Mayt a different experience at the bar. Also the hostess was HORRIBLE!!! While we were reviewing the menu, constantly coming by asking for an order, didn't bother to explain the recommendation, all she wanted was to take an order. Once we're into eating about 30min. portions were so small and menu selection was very limited, didn't have much else to add on, so was just having a conversation then she brings us a bill to close out. BtW, the restaurant was TOTALLY empty, except for our table and it was only 7pm. Never going back again. Worst service ever.

drinks were great! Service was fast and nice. I really liked how classy the environment is here and how sweet our server was. Food was bland. Most likely will just go back for drinks.

Stumbled on to this gem on a gorgeous Sunday, early afternoon. Nestled in a corner, they have a small, intimate outdoor seating area which is dog friendly. How awesome. Also shaded by beautiful palms and a large fountain to lull your cares away. Outstanding service by Eric. Enjoyed some very good wine and heard the next table rave about their breakfast burrito; from brunch menu. Definitely will be back to try the evening menu with my pup!

Came here for a girls night and was surprised by how empty it was! I didn't really check out the speakeasy area so maybe there were more folks in there but we were able to spread out quite comfortably. I tried their house white and it was crisp and cold and hit the spot. It's definitely a cute little spot for happy hour or a date night too, very low key vibes which I loved.

Overall: 4.4/5.0 Great tasting food, Nice but casual setting, so-so service. Recommend: Yup, mainly for the food. Return: Certainly can be on my 3-6 months rotation when I want to affordably splurge a bit. Taste: 5/5 Excellent flavors and seasonings Quality: 5/5 Fresh and perfect Value: 4/5 Pretty good for the quality of cooking and sophistication; but, be prepared to spend 200 or so before tips for 3 people with 2 appetizers, 3 main entrees, 4 glasses of wine total and 1 dessert to share. Service: 3/5 "Manager-appearing" guy at door had horrible greeting manners. Unfriendly and appeared to really not care for us when we checked in. Main wait staff woman assigned to us was too preoccupied with private room service. Rest of wait staff were great though, stepping in to make up for the inattentive table service that they weren't really responsible for. X-factor: 5/5 A hidden gem in Irvine, so was lovely to have a short drive to get to the place, which is right in the Quail Hills shopping center area. Also, nice wine by the glass selection for all taste buds and budgets.

Wow. I don't think I have ever had an experience quite like this. I typically bartend late on weekends but I got off early and my (also bartender) boyfriend had a Saturday night off so we decided to try our luck with the Cozy Pine Speakeasy here. Absolutely blown away by everything about this place. The Bar manager Jenny treated us like family and Nicole was so nice. It felt like something out of a sitcom with the cool ambiance and 80s music playing. I didn't know anywhere like this existed in Irvine , and I've lived here since I was 12. I really do think the people working at a restaurant / bar are really the reason people return to a location, and Nicole & Jenny are top notch in service and personality. I cannot wait to come back here and I cannot recommend it more highly if you're thinking of checking this spot out. If I could give more than 5 stars, I'd give 10. I had such a nice time.

Five star. The cocktail and the food are surprisingly good. The service and the environment have room to improve.. it is recommend to have a romantic night there.

I've lived around here for so long and just somehow never tried this place. Finally went yesterday and loved it! Looks small from outside but as soon as you enter its a cozy place. Food was amazing and the server was friendly and suggested some great items. Def give it a shot.

I went to Bacchus years ago when it was a wine bar with a tasting room. It was a little stuffy and catered to an older clientele. Now it's been totally refreshed! The menu is brought to you by the chef of Populaire in South Coast Plaza. There is more of an emphasis on craft cocktails (now that the Blind Rabbit team has been brought on). The music is fun 80's new wave. The space now has a cool hipster vibe with a "secret" speakeasy (small, but warm & cozy with a completely different menu and servers in flannel). Some of the items that we ordered were: * Lemongrass x Ginger Chicken Meatballs Butter Lettuce, Cilantro, Mint, Thai Basil, Pickled Cucumber, Nuoc Cham (5/5) * Wagyu Beef Carpaccio Toasted Pinenuts, Pecorino Cheese, Dijon Emulsion, Pea Tendrils - note there's lots of cheese, I think I will ask for no cheese next time (4/5) * Endless Summer Vacation Coconut Campari Fat Washed Vodka, Orange, Strawberry, Lemon, Peach - I thought this cocktail would be too sweet for me, but it well-balanced & refreshing (5/5) * Coffee & Contemplation Cinnamon Orange Infused Vodka, Cold Brew, Cinnamon Syrup (5/5) Service was a little slow since it was so busy, but very friendly and helpful. This new and improved Bacchus was packed on both Friday and Saturday night. Luckily they're situated in a plaza with ample parking (anchored by Albertsons and CVS pharmacy). Can't wait to come back and try out the rest of the food & the cocktail menus!

We came here to do the speakeasy and have dinner afterwards. Our speakeasy reservations were at 5 PM with dinner reservations at 6:30. Our server who was a gentleman that I do not know his name was beyond amazing. However, I cannot say anything exceptional about the rest of the staff or the restaurant. The bartender a lady was so beyond slow. It blew me away. In an hour and a half sitting in the speakeasy, she was only able to generate two drinks each for three people in a restaurant That only had eight people in it. Her extreme slowness cost the restaurant increased drink sales, which also results in a lower tip for the server. By the time we were ordering food, it took well over 30 minutes to get food and we were the only patrons at tables. Again, we were in the restaurant for over an hour and a half and she was only able to muster up a total of six drinks in that timeframe. Gotta give a shout out to our camp counselor server. He was beyond amazing kept the night going. We were there for almost 3 1/2 hours with a total of four drinks two small bite appetizers in the speakeasy and for dinners. This does not say much for this restaurant.

Food was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection! The beef skewers are always a great go to. The service is always friendly and timely with taking orders. They also set up a large screen to watch the World Series on and made it very fun to be there!

Tapas and wine is cool but tapas and craft cocktails is even better. Delicious menu brought to you from Chef Nick and Amber Weber of Verdant and Populaire. Cocktail concepts from the team at the infamous Blind Rabbit! Bacchus is located in the Quail Hill plaza with Albertsons, O Fine, Majestic Spa and Pure Bure. Plenty of parking available. Upon entering it was very intimate and modern, with a full bar. My friends and I came during their soft opening and we all had a spectacular time. For appetizers. we shared their Prime Rib Skewers ($16), Tuna Tartare ($19), and the Wedge Salad ($14). Everything was tasty and flavorful. I liked the tuna tartare the most with the wonton chips as a funnel for the beautiful fresh tuna. However the wedge salad won me over for most innovative being presented as individual bite side with a glorious piece of bacon and fancy tomato. Great spin on a classic, and all great for sharing. For my personal entree I had the Bacchus Smash Burger ($18) which had kobe beef in a house-made bun with some of their secret sauce, lettuce, pickle and cheese. It was so juicy and delicious and it came with a side of crispy thin cut fries. So yummy! I also had a few cocktails. I enjoyed both the Young Blood ($18) and Endless Summer Vacation ($18). I liked both of them in a different way. Highly recommended for those who enjoy high quality craft cocktails. I am looking forward to coming back and trying more cocktails. And here's a pro tip - look out for their secret hidden lounge - Cozy Pine. Good luck finding it ;) Until next time Bacchus!

Had drinks and dinner here last night, sat at bar. Dinner (Tuna Tartar and Burger) and drinks were good. Big shout out to Jenny who was manning not only the bar but ensuring the rest of the staff was supported and the customers were being taken care of. She was friendly, engaging, mixed great drinks and went out of her way to provide great service. Made our night!

Ordered from the brunch menu. Great food, quiet atmosphere, and excellent service. Highly recommended!

The food was fabulous, the atmosphere great and I loved this restaurant!! There were three of us and we did many small plates each one was delicious, unique, and so so much fun. I would recommend this restaurant to anybody it was fabulous and not overpriced

The food and wine are delicious, every dish was very flavorful and tasty. The service could use some improvement as most of the night our main server was occupied with the party room so we were constantly flagging down someone to order more food and wine and get water refills. It felt like there wasn't enough servers to serve the 3 main areas (the secret room, the private room and the main dining room) I really hope the service can be improved as it would make the night that much more enjoyable along with the food! Also I would bring my friends back too but only if I knew the service would be good. Service seemed a bit disorganized because they brought the wrong drinks to us and you could tell they were definitely not focused on us versus the party in the private room. Hope they can improve that!

Great food, drinks and atmosphere. The portions sizes are insultingly small for the price of the dish though...

My husband an I returned last week to Bacchus after a long hiatus. We popped into Happy hour. The bartender Erick was fabulous and so attentive. The food was really great. We will be coming back!

Service by Irwin was great! He went out of his way with the lemon peel garnish which just sealed the deal with the drink for a true Paper Plane vibe. The Alma Enamorada was very delicious and the garnish was a nice little touch. Didn't enjoy any food this time as we were waiting for the Speakeasy to open but we will definitely return knowing the Irwin is here. We've been fans of Irwin for a couple years now, so if you are looking for a great bartender who makes impeccable drinks, make sure to go see Irwin!

Best bartenders and drinks. Delicious food options and spacious dining area. Plenty of parking and outdoor patio seating as well.

Super disappointing. Online website menu does not match the menu at the restaurant. Portions are measly at best, straight up rations at worst. Way too overpriced for the amount of food offered. They ran out of certain food items mid day (7pm). We ordered 1 Charcuterie Board, 2 Shrimp Skewers, 1 Chicken Meatball dish (Charged as 2 orders), 2 Smash Burgers, 1 Mezze Platter, 1 Beef Skewer (Charged as 2 orders), 2 Grilled Cheeses, 1 New York Sour, and 1 Endless Summer Vacation for a grand total of $314.60, rounding out to about $44.93 per person for a party of 7 The food tasted great, but that isn't enough to justify the small portions and absurd pricing. Edit: We were charged an automatic 20% gratuity for party size. Their previous Yelp page AND Website need to be changed or taken down to match the current status of the restaurant.

Great wine and great service! The staff are so friendly and welcoming. The perfect place to come for an after work drink with a friend or on your own! I came toute seul and yes I survived! It was the perfect end to a very long day! Thank you Kyler, Erik, and Jenny!!!

My wife and I have been here a number of times and it's always been an enjoyable experience. We enjoy the charcuterie plate and the steak skewers. The grilled cheese is good, but decadent and very filling. We've seen other people order the meatballs & they looked awesome.

Good service, but the vibe on a Saturday night was a bit lackluster. Only a couple other tables were seated. Felt a little lonely. Food was delicious, but portion of fish and sides was small.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with soft lighting and comfortable seating. It feels like the kind of place where you could spend hours chatting with friends. I've tried all the appetizers and they are all amazing. Service is friendly and attentive, adding to the overall charm. It's the perfect spot for a casual night out. Highly recommended!

What a total disappointment!! After seeing a post on Instagram and seeing the reviews decided to meet my daughter & son in law here for dinner. We were seated at a high top table, that was probably a mistake!! We ordered cocktails and appetizers, they were pretty good. Asked for napkins and were given cocktail napkins, ordered additional cocktails and they were slow to arrive. The dinners came out at different times leaving mine cold while I waited for my husband's. The ran out of cold brew for the cocktail, bummer. Before we finished our meals the waitress brought the bill, that was odd! The service sucked, never go place settings with napkins, never got refills on ice tea. So disappointed!! Won't be returning!! The menu was completely scaled down from what was online, the offering were slim pickings.

This place is pretty cool inside and the staff is very genuine and attentive. It's not a huge menu, but it's eclectic, good sized servings, and fresh/delicious. The people that eat here provide a good vibe too, it generally has a friendly energetic atmosphere. They play 80s music only so you better like that. They also have a very creative extra room in the back that is their speakeasy. Very nice execution and a nice experience.

Fantastic food and service! Would definitely come back again! Ray is a charismatic server! Had a great meal.

Last straw. So unfortunate. We live in the community where the place resides. We decided to give it another try. Friday night and sat at the bar. It was not busy in the main area. 8 minutes went by before the bartender said a word. 12 more minute went by and the female bartender was clearly talking to friends. Still no drink. We stood up, we looked around and we walked out.. No one said a word. Sad. We will never try again.

Super disappointed. Service was bad in an empty place. Food was bland. Beer wasn't cold. Portions were tiny. Not going back to this one.

The food and drinks were delicious! This will be my favorite spot for a good cocktail. The bartender was fantastic! The service was excellent. We were able to check the Cozy Pine afterwards. Love it! See my review and photos in the Cozy Pine.

Fun drinks and nice ambiance for a night out! Highly recommend the drinks Camp Annawana and Smokey old fashioned. The smash burger and fries was also a hit! It's worth making the reservation for the speakeasy. I'd definitely come back!

Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday. The food was great... kind of a small choice on the menu but it worked out perfectly so we could order a bunch of stuff and share. Drinks were a bit slow getting out but everyone was so nice and hospitable. We had also made reservations for Cozy Pine and they were able to get us in early which was huge. Big thanks for making it a special evening.

We held a private event for my late wife's celebration of life dinner. I have been coming here to Bacchus with my wife since 2014 as it was a place that held joyous and great memories and felt it was intimate enough to where people who showed up could interact with each other but still enjoy the 3 things my wife loved. Family and friends, great food, and music. Danny, Peter, Kieu, Nicole, Jenny, Ray, the incomparable Chef Austin, and the rest of the team basically dropped the mic on how to do an event. This event was supposed to be a joyous remembrance. They made the night, something I will never forget. The food was amazing, especially the transformation of our special menu that was a spin on my wife's and I first date at Red Lobster 26 years ago. The drinks never ending. The service was the absolute best experience I've ever had in any service related experience I have been a part of. It allowed me to focus not just on being a host but a grieving husband. I know my wife smiled down on the 127 guests of family and friends that came that night and said like she always would, thank you baby. She would have also went to each of the team members to thank them individually for such a special event. From a very grateful couple of 26 years, Bacchus, you will forever be one of the places that hold a very special place in both my wife's and my heart. Thank you all

Food was great, good service and not a long wait for anything. I appreciated the waiter being understanding and fixing my friends order after an allergen was given to him. Would return!

You guys need to update your schedule. We Drove all the way here on a Sunday and was on the reservation waitlist to find out it wasn't open..

vanessa is a joy to be around! she is so nice & attentive that made my night. she has an amazing energy and honesty I come to see her and chat with her (when she has time)! She's the BIGGEST asset this restaurant has. thanks Vanessa

Wow! Took my bestie here for a birthday lunch and it was spectacular! The ambience was so relaxing with an open floor, lots of light and the best music! The food was DELICIOUS, we ordered several dishes, but something tells me no matter what you order it would be 10/10! The gentleman serving us was warm, personable and helpful with suggestions. We shared a wedge salad, French dip and the best chicken sandwich I've had in a while, and the fries were perfectly crispy and delicately seasoned. This was a perfect lunch! Can't wait to go back!

excellent service and wonderful food. great prices and a great location. it is small inside and out but they do a great job of keeping everything going. happy hour has some nice selections and the prices drop dramatically

Food is great, terrible service. Food & drinks have been gone for 20 minutes while we wait for anyone to come back.

Was hoping to walk in for a cute date night but was sorely disappointed. We walked in and were seen by a few staff members but never acknowledged. After waiting a few minutes, the host came out of the speakeasy to come greet us and seat us. There was one waitress handling most of the tables both indoor and outdoor so service was very slow. The bar was serving to both the restaurant and the speakeasy which made things also very slow. We got our appetizer long before I got my drink. While the salad was great, the rest of the food left much to be desired. It was greasy and flavorless. I was hoping for a much better experience but sad to say, we won't be coming back here.

Went for lunch last week. Word hasn't got out yet that it's open for lunch, so we got a lot of attention. Server was wonderful! Told us about the place, made us feel welcome, but also left enough space for my party to chat. It's really cute, feels upscale enough for the prices, but still relaxed. I got the shrimp bahn mi, which was delicious - we joked that it was decidedly inauthentic, a bougie bahn mi, but that fit the price. The menu is pretty small, and they were out of rice bowls, so if you're looking for a wide selection this isn't the place. Will have to come back for cocktails sometime.

Stylish and modern but still welcoming and casual, still nice enough for a date. Service was friendly and helpful, my cocktail was beautiful, balanced and delicious, and well worth coming back for! Only ordered the charcuterie board and it was delicious, would definitely go back to try more of the food. There is also a secret room/speakeasy. They said it was a different concept (food and drink) but that it was fully booked, which just made me more curious....well played.