Blinking Owl Distillery

I wish I could give six out of five stars. Visited as part of my birthday weekend festivities and I am absolutely elated we chose to do so. Well designed space with plenty of seating and open air space, along with an intimate indoor experience. Cocktail menu provided something for everyone, and well priced to boot. Staff was extremely polite and full of information about the history of the distillery. Scott was an absolute legend and deserves a raise, a high five, and an extra day off.

Went to the Blinking Owl to do a distillery tour. The tour itself lasted about an hour, was very informative and included tastings. Really enjoyed the experience. The Vodka was excellent and very creamy. I’m not much of a gin drinker but I could definitely drink their gin. The aquavit was interesting, had some spice flavors. The. There were a few that were ok (Orange Vodka etc.,) that weren’t bad but not my thing. Overall, had a good time. After the tour we stayed, not for dinner (it was too early since we did the 3:30-4:30 tour I think) but we did enjoy their outdoor seating and have a dessert! It was great. We definitely plan to go back for drink and dinner another time. If there is one challenge, it is finding street parking. Otherwise a great experience.

Upscale distillery in mixed industrial, residential area of Santa Ana serving craft cocktails.. Innovative cocktails & delicious food. Take a tour or plan a fun group gathering. Large outdoor sitting area.

This is a fantastic hip place that's just different but nonetheless outstanding. Great drinks and good food. Recommend 10/10

Great food and even better cocktails. Park makes a great drink and is extremely knowledgeable about his craft. A great thing about about the spirits, drinks and food everything is locally sourced. This has never really been a big factor in where I decided to eat and drink at Blinking Owl they do it right, great ingredients without the the pretentious.

Walked in around 7:00pm.. we were ignored by the bar tender. There was maybe 8-12 people in the whole place. The bar back ended up taking our order and told the bar tender inside what our order was. The bar tender made my friend his drink but forgot about my drink. I waited 15 minutes and still no drink.. there were still only about 12-14 people at the business by this time and they had at least 6 employees on staff at the time. I ended up having to ask a third time for my old fashioned.. the bartender was ignoring me and my friend so much that I took the time to ask him how he’s doing, I asked him if his day was going okay? I asked if he was doin okay.. I was looking for any reason to understand why he wouldn’t acknowledge me and my friend while the rest of the bar was empty.. The place has been open for 2+ years and I completely understand why I have never heard of this business, and I understand why there was only 8-12 customers there on a Saturday night. Great cocktails tho not gonna lie.

First time visitor but will be coming here for years to come. Blinking Owl is hidden in plain sight but what it holds past it’s own walls is a rich culinary experience with spirits to last the entire evening. Just a little under a year old from the point of this review, Blinking Owl leaves you filled with delicious and even more tasty drinks. The menu is an elevated comfort food experience that prides itself on the fact that their Ingredients are organic- grown and locally sourced from California. The chefs visit the farmers market twice a week is a claim I’ve heard from my visit . While you may recognize the comfort classics it’s paying tribute to (I’m looking at you pigs in a blanket), the food itself delivers rich flavors and surpasses any expectations you’ve come to have. Yes it’s all comfort food you could have mediocre versions of from somewhere else, but why go there when Blinking Owl does it best. So if you’re gonna have a pizza, wings and a cocktail, the obvious choice is here. Plus the staff is warm and inviting and really do try to give you a unique experience. My one true test of any eatery is how it hey respond to a mistake or an accident. Blinking Owl reacts quickly with grace, shakes it off and then goes above and beyond to win you back with their wit and charm. Overall I think the best thing I can say is that Blinking Owl has ruined me, respectfully, and has raised the bar as the new gold standard for me.

Reservations were easy. Seating some indoors and more spare outdoors. Outdoor is covered and have heaters if needed. Food is great. Get a pizza if you are there. Cocktails are fantastic creations. Parking can be tough, so get here early or go in groups.

I've been wanting to come here for a while! Street parking was easy on Sunday around 11am (3 hour limit). Drink was delicious and so was the food. The food came out cold though. Food/drink a bit too expensive for what it is. Wish I had the chance to take a tour. Would consider coming back if I find myself around the area. Employees were nice.

Always nice to find out you have Whiskey Distillery in your backyard as it were. According to staff the first one in Orange County since prohibition. The outdoor seating is where you want to be if you want a full size table. Inside is the bar and some cocktail tables. Wouldn't recommend a meal in there. Fantastic view of the distillery in the bar though. Street parking for this location. Portable heaters and quick staff outside for dinner. Tried the hummus and there was a ridiculous amount of it. The "seasonal vegetables" that came with it.... Should have been seasonal vegetable, it was just different colors of cauliflower with some bread. We asked for more bread, we got charged half the cost of the dish for added bread? Really? Felt like a really cheap move and not worth it by any means, so beware. Didn't opt for other food, came to drink our calories. My wife really wasn't a fan of her drink. That said I really enjoyed both their bourbon and rye. If we are just talking the whiskey I might consider their whiskey club, but food I'll pass on.

Came here for my birthday dinner with a group of friends. The manager was able to accommodate our party even tho we added 2 people. The pizza was great! We shared 3 between six people. We tried a lot of the menu drinks as well as the flights. My Negroni was delicious and I'll be back for that! It was a little cold and rainy but the outdoor patio was mostly covered.

Everything here is good. Everything here is also expensive. The cocktails are at the upper end of average costs. The food is really quite pricey for what you get. Half a deviled egg at $6 - must be a heck of an egg. We had the steak for brunch. It was plenty of food for 2. It was $55. A couple of cocktails and it's hard to get out of here for under $75. We had a fine time but can't see doing again any time soon.

As a whiskey lover, I would choose a distillery over a brewery anytime and this was quite the experience. We came with a group of 5 and sat outside on the patio so that there's more space. I got a flight of 3 (gin, bourbon, and rye whiskey). These are around 45%-48% ABV so slightly stronger than the average spirits I drink. It comes with a place mat that describes each drink. My favorites were the whiskey ones. You can definitely taste the smokiness from the aging and a slight hint of fragrance. The food was solid as well. We had two of the pizza pies. Both had perfectly crispy crusts and flavorful fillings. They were a bit pricey in my opinion though

Instead of visiting my usual brewery, I gave this spot a try and it was a nice surprise. Parking: It's strictly street parking, which wasn't an issue last night. I snagged a parking right in front. I will say, it's not the best lit area but we didn't have any issues. Drinks: I ordered the 3 tasters of the Vacationed Gin, Bourbon Whiskey and the Rye Whiskey. All three were pretty smooth. The Rye Whiskey was my favorite. My friend ordered three different drinks. They've renamed one of their usual drinks "Spa Water"..which was our least favorite. An auga fresca with some liquor would have tasted better. The other ones were pretty flavorful. Prices of the drinks were what would be expected for this type of place. Food: We started with the grilled spuds. For the $14 price, I was hoping for a tad bit more. I don't wasn't the biggest fan of the sauce, but I love carbs when drinking. We shared a pizza and 10/10 would recommend, with the spicy honey drizzle. So good and flavorful. We ended the night with the bourbon cheesecake. Flavors were good, but it was so tiny. Probably the smallest dessert I've ordered. The reason why I would mark it to four stars was because the service. Started off great, but as the night progresses, I kind of felt like we were a bit forgotten. It took almost 30 minutes to get our last drink. They explained they couldn't find the ticket for it, but by the time we got it, we were done with everything and wanted the check. Overall, it's a nice place and would recommend trying it at least once.

This is a review for my two experiences here. So good. The first time me and my gf came here it was very intimate and the drinks were limited to 1 drink each. Since this is/was a distillery you weren't allowed to have more than one cocktail on your visit. Lots has changed since the first time. The second time was during the pandemic and the Blinking Owl was just on the brink of opening up their food service. The first time was very intimate as we sat at the bar talking my to bartender. I wish I could remember her name. But she was super friendly and knowledgeable. The second time was a little wonky as it was during one of the lockdowns. So, I don't hold anything against the Blind Owl. All and all they provided great service. The drinks are made with skill and artistry. They are on another level. The bonus was trying the food which was new at the time. The pretzel was yummy. Salted on the outside and moist on the inside. Overall, a unique experience in Orange County. If you haven't tried The Blind Owl, you should check it out. Next, will be trying the tour. My gf and I will enjoy the tour learning about the way the alcohol is made and then getting a chance to taste them.

Seriously? How I have never written a review for Blinking Owl?! #sillyme Ever since they opened several years ago, and before they served food I have been in love with their spirits. I've introduced so many friends to their aquavit and orange vodka (with oranges from OC!) that I have lost count. The patio and food services opened right around the time the pandemic hit so I didn't get to try the patio and the food until 2021 BUT you cannot keep me away from BO nowadays! I think I've almost tried everything on the menu with my favs being the French onion dip hummus (insane!), the deviled eggs w the caviar, the cacio e pepe bacon pie (as delish as it sounds!) and the grass-fed ribeye steak for two (rivals ANY steakhouse - yes, it's THAT good!). Now I'm wondering if maybe I didn't do a review cuz I didn't want BO to get so busy that I can't get a reservation! lol For real though folks -if you haven't been to Blinking Owl it is one of the best in OC and I can't recommend it highly enough. Casual but cute patio dining w a fun ambiance, amazing food and the cocktails - I didn't even get into those cuz I love them all too much to pick a favorite! BE sure to take home a bottle of their spirits too - they even offer a small size sampler which is a great way to sample 'em all. They also make great gifts as I've given them to many people who then became huge fans too.

I have now visited the Blinking Owl twice! Once with my husband, we sat at the bar top indoors and then again with a few co workers outdoors! Both experiences were excellent! First off, I know this is a distillery, but the food the food is incredible, 5 star! I cannot say enough good things! I wish you could taste the food through the photos! Its just incredible. Many of our items had a yummy kick of heat to them. They offer private tastings weekdays for partied of 10 or more and to the public on Saturday's through reservation I am assuming. I always recommend to make reservations anywhere you can!! The drinks are great along with what they make in house. We left with 3 bottles (i like my whiskey/ bourbon) and a coworker bought the Gin (3 different bottles as well! They offered $20 off the third bottle. Park is along the street and entrance is near the corner, you will see the opening to walk in. (could be easy to miss) Thank you blinking owl for such wonderful food, knowledgeable staff to help, food oh and cant forget those great craft cocktails! Each week day visit the owners could be found on site! I look forward to doing a tasting/ tour soon!

I went here for the first time last night. We got there at 7 pm on a Friday night and it was surprisingly slow, so our party of 7 was seated right away. We sat in a corner booth/chair combo which was perfect since we had 3 kids in our party. It was a little chilly outside and they offered to turn on the heat lamps which warmed us right up. Much appreciated. Tequila is usually my spirit of choice, so I wasn't sure what to except since they didn't have any tequila on the mention. I was pleasantly surprised, all of the drinks we had were very good. They were well balanced, had interesting flavor combinations, and weren't too sweet. The Old Fashioned was solid. There was a seasonal drink with honeydew that was good. I didn't really taste honeydew, but it was tasty nonetheless. The kumquat seasonal drink was my favorite. I loved the tang of the kumquat. There was also a seasonal pea drink which was surprisingly good. My overall opinion is that they definitely know what they are doing when it comes to cocktails, and you can't go wrong with trying something new on their menu. As for the food, the chique chicks (wings) were very good, just a little messy with the sauce. For some reason the pizza took a long time (we were told due to some miscommunication). We ordered the cheesy pie for the kids and everyone enjoyed it, including the adults. The grilled broccolini was a nice way to get some vegetables in, the portion was larger than I expected, and the tomatoes were a punch of flavor. The beef skewers were very tasty and the meat was tender. We ended up ordering seconds since the kids took our first order and finished it. The chicken skewer was not a fan favorite, we just didn't like the seasoning quite so much. Overall we were satisfied with the food. We'll definitely be back for the cocktails, and will try more of the pizzas next time. This place made kids and adults happy!

Pretty neat place to hang out at...it's almost completely outdoors (along with the kitchen), the food is tasty as are the drinks. It's great a chill evening hangout, a few cocktails, a few snacks...highly recommend. Our favorite dishes have been any of the pizzas (best: cacio e pepe), the deviled eggs (have had two versions), the seared scallops and the blinis at night (like a side order). We've also been for brunch where they appear to be much busier. The blini stack is also larger and more entree-sized (still good but I prefer the smaller ones). I ordered the mushroom frittata (Fungi in the Morning) and felt it could have used a bit more flavorful. Hubby stuck with what he knew and had the Cacio e Pepe breakfast pizza pie - *chef's kiss*. They have limited oven space so the pizzas take a while to come, especially if there are multiple large parties. (To be fair, we were warned.) All the drinks I've had thus far have been gorgeous and tasty. My faves have been Secret Garden, Hibiscus Harvest and Whiskey Pie. Yum! Everyone's been nice and friendly. The only detraction from BOD is the parking can be hard to come by sometimes. There have been a couple instances where we've had to circle the block a couple times before finding a spot but haven't actually been blanked. Fingers crossed it never happens! Any-whooooo, check it out!

Blinking Owl Distillery has been bookmarked for a couple of years and I'm so glad I was finally able to come visit. I was able to easily make reservations in advance via Opentable and I was seated immediately when I arrived. They have a super cute outdoor patio area as well as an indoor bar with a few sofas/tables. They have a variety of different cocktails and I was a little overwhelmed so I asked our waiter for recommendations. He recommended a cocktail that I normally wouldn't have picked (it has gin) but it ended up being amazing. The two cocktails I ordered were great - I don't think you can go wrong with anything on their menu tbh. We also did a spirits tasting and I tasted aquavit for the first time. Can't exactly describe the taste but if you haven't had it, I would recommend trying it! They have street parking only but I was easily able to find parking right away.

I am officially obsessed. Blinking Owl Distillery has been on my bookmarks since way back in the day before they had food when you could only do a small tasting of their spirits. They now offer both a full food and cocktail menu, distillery tour and spirit tasting flights. I was surprised to see how big the space is. They have a cute and intimate indoor art deco seating area with a few tables and an expansive outdoor space. We made a reservation but didn't need it on a Saturday early evening. The bartenders and staff are so friendly, helpful and attentive. They know their stuff and made us feel very welcome. There's no one person dedicated to your table so it did get to be a bit much at times with multiple people coming to our table to see if we needed anything even when we had just put in another order with someone else. But I'd take that over a lack of service. It also took them quite some time to make the drinks at times and other times they would come out immediately. They offer seasonal cocktails as well as an extensive year-round cocktail menu. I can't remember what we ordered but my friend and I both ordered off the seasonal menu and the drinks were fantastic. You truly cannot be disappointed here. The spirits they distill in house are Vodka, OC Orange Vodka, Aquavit, Barrel Vacationed Aquavit, Gin, Old Tom Gin, Bourbon and Rye. For the food menu they state that they source as many California organic-grown and sourced products as possible. We fell in love with the Elote Caesar Salad made with a mix of kale and romaine, corn, spiced croutons, Pecorino cheese and a unique roasted corn caesar dressing. The portion was large too, and we split it between the two of us. We wanted to try something different so we also went with the 3 Little Piggies in a Blini: baby chorizo mini dog wrapped in a cream cheese blini topped with creme fraiche and chives. The sausage was amazing, and the dish was fun but a blini is just a bit too sweet for my taste. We finished it out with the Fungi Pie and I highly recommend ordering one of their pizzas. This particular one is topped with assorted mushrooms, roasted garlic crème and a rosemary butter. So fancy! We topped it off with spiced local honeycomb for an additional $3 but I don't think it was necessary. Blinking Owl truly gets it right on all accounts and I can't wait to come back. They also do Sunday Brunch and a few weeknight dinner specials like Whiskey and Wings Tower Wednesday and Taco Thursdays which are accompanied by a spiked Agua Fresca.

Great place to get drinks or go to for date night. The outdoor space is great but be sure to bring a jacket because it can get drafty. I had to try the Blinking Owl whiskey... get it neat so you can enjoy the flavors. The best food items for me were the little sliders and devil eggs. If you're looking for a "meal" this really isn't the type of place. It's more for enjoying drinks and hanging out with friends.

I have to change my review as they came with my order. I would rate higher had communication been better. I am hopeful they resolve their current issue.

This place is such a hidden gem!!! Parking was pretty easy to find on the streets nearby. The indoor bar area is so cool - there is a bar top with seating as well as a couple small tables and chairs behind. They also have a super cute outdoor area with many tables! It was a Friday evening and my friends and I didn't make reservations, so we sat at the bar inside. I would recommend making a reservation because this place is pretty popular! However, arriving at 6 PM on a Friday night, I was pleased to have been seated right away. They have an amazing cocktail menu. I chose to try the moonbeam. It was very unique with vodka, grapefruit, and cinnamon and I loved it. I was wanting a snack as well, so I ordered the pepperoni pizza, which was delicious. I definitely recommend checking this place out not only for the cocktails, but also the food!

This place is so cute! Outside, Inside, the Bathrooms. All of it adds to the atmosphere. Very rarely do I want to take photos of the bathrooms of establishments, and I regret not taking a photo of their bathroom. Street parking was easy to find on a Saturday afternoon. Parking does end at 10pm though. We didn't have a reservation and sat at the bar. Behind the bar, you can see the all the machines/equipment/etc they use to make their spirits. It was a gorgeous view and makes you want to sign up for a tour right away! I think this might be one of the few places that I'm willing to spend above $15 for a cocktail. We only got one drink each, but next time, I want to uber/lyft here so I can try a few, especially their spirit flights. Barrel of Monkeys - If you love bananas, get this one. Slushee - I cannot remember which cocktail was in the form of the slushee but this hit the spot with the heat. They also serve food which looked really good. The party behind us got some tower of savory treats. I would say this is perfect for date night, girls night, catching up with an old acquaintance, family affairs during the day, or even any given weekday. So basically, if you're looking to grab a drink and maybe some food, just come here!

This is a really cool and neat hidden gem. I had no idea there was even a distillery in OC. Located on the corner with plenty of street parking, it's fairly easy to find. We made reservations the week of for a party of 12 on a Saturday evening. We were seated outside in the patio and they set up heat lamps for us as the night wore on. Service was efficient We ordered both drinks and food. Don't come expecting to eat a full meal here, it's more of a snack and drinking place. The food was hit or miss. Some items were good and others were nothing to write home about. We got the tower which consisted of sliders, piggies in blini, and wings. We also ordered a fungi pizza, hummus, and cauliflower 3 way. Of all the appetizers on the tower, the sliders and piggies were just decent while the wings were cold. Fungi pizza was small and not memorable for $21. The best dish was probably the hummus. Why 3 stars? This place is pricey for what it's worth. Expect to pay $15-$20 per drink. The drinks are tasty (my favorite is a rose is a rose is a rose). But that price is like Vegas pricing. $21 for a small pizza or $13 for 2 deviled eggs is pretty steep. It is still a chill and cool environment to come check out but might be a one timer thing for me.

why don't I have a review! I love this place so much! Been here 3x or so and the drinks are always spot on! Super secret hidden gem near DTSA. Looks super shady from the outside, but once you find the entrance, you enter a whole new world of alcohol. I haven't been in awhile, but every time I've gone the drinks always wow me. I usually have to have 1-2 drinks cuz they're soooo darn yummy! Friendly staff and worth the price! Make a reservation if you can! Super cute inside and outside :)

The drinks, food, service, and ambience was all phenomenal! I came here with a group of 6 on a Friday night around 6:30 and from the moment I saw the discrete entryway and industrial aesthetic I knew I picked a good spot to try. To start we ordered cocktails, I got the Fruity Juice Box Hero, a vodka based cocktail. Two men in my group ordered The Barrel of Monkey, which is a spin on the Old Fashioned, that looked good as well. We also did a little bit of tasting and I enjoyed trying aquavit, both the regular and the barrel aged. It was my first trying aquavit and I thought it was pretty similar to vodka. For food, their menu is confusing. They call pizza Hootie Pies and chicken wings by a different name. I ordered the Veg Pie, the vegetarian pizza, and really enjoyed the mix of fresh cheese and beautiful seasonal veggies, but it came out at least 30 minutes after the first dish arrived at our table. Others ordered the sliders, the rye bread app, the other pizzas. Everyone agreed the food was great and we all appreciated that when the food was served there was a rundown of where the ingredients came from and how it was created. It felt like we were at a chef's table! However, it was odd that the food came out one dish at a time, so we were all eating at different times. Lastly, I want to shout out our friendly server Mia and thank her for all her good suggestions! Can't wait to come back!

Great hosting hosting a big party of group. If you're looking for small and intimate, prob not the place for you. Pizza was amazing. Skewers we're on point. Seasonal menu but loved everything we ordered. cocktails were tasty!

My rating is based on our overall experience. We had a group of 8 and received great service. It wasn't busy so our server was kind enough to give us all separate checks. The place is small but cute inside with a nice view of the distillery. We were seated in the temporary looking outside area, which also has a view to the distillery, which is cool. There's nothing fancy about the setup but they had cover and heat lamps to keep you comfortable. And the table was set nicely, so it provided a nicer ambience. Everyone really enjoyed their drinks and food, especially the wings, they were very tasty, but messy. I got the spinach salad and the dressing was delicate and sweet and I loved it. The edible flowers were actually tasty and made the presentation pop. The hummus is a huge platter. And actually, the portions for all the plates were quite large, the pizzas were bigger than we expected. Everyone took leftovers home. We were there at 1130 am on a Sunday and there was plenty of street parking. It's a unique place to meetup and I highly recommend!

Food and drinks was excellent. Service was extraordinary. But highly over priced. It was a great place to check out at least once. Whether we go back ?? 2 drinks and we split a pizza for $80. Ouch.

First of allllll the drinks are outstanding! I had the whiskey sour and it was soooo smooth like a nitro cold brew; it was made all natural and had a perfect balance of sour and bourbon. The food was DELICIOUS! We had the chique chicken and it lived up to its name with a sweet honey bbq taste! The service was amazing with the bartender and servers checking in often the ambiance was chill with low lighting-we sat at the bar where we had a perfect view of their distillery equipment. Overall, definitely a place I will be visiting again. The food and drinks were appetizing!!!

Came here to celebrate a birthday, and this place met all expectations! Beautiful outdoor area to dine with ample street parking. The staff were super pleasant and knowledgeable about the drinks and food, making for a great experience. The mixed drinks were amazing! My favorite was the OC Orange Mule. My group had a good selection of all the drinks (we probably had them all In total) but the 20/21 vision was definitely the most unique (vegetable enhanced alcoholic drink). They had just introduced a light menu for food as well. The hummus and Blinky Baby Burger were both standard but good. What stood out were their freshly made pizzas (personal size), which we tried all three, and my favorite was definitely the Vegetarian Pie (mostly since the goat cheese made it amazinggggg and uniquely flavored). Overall highly recommend this place and to give it a shot.

Blinking Owl is such a great vibe over all. Awesome location for big or small groups, drinks and food are both wonderful. Friendly and helpful service staff. DRINK FAVORITES: A rose is a rose is a rose (beautiful, sweet, refreshing) & my favorite is the Seasonal Gin & Tonic (wish I had taken a pic of it - stunning & delish, light). FOOD FAVORITES: The wings were so fantastic & we also enjoyed cute lil sliders.

A true hidden gem!! Discovered their distillery tour and tasting for a fun date night with my fiancé. The owners are incredible, knowledgeable, and passionate about the process of distilled spirits. This is the first distillery in Orange County since prohibition ended in 1933, and in short, it's a very special place. They create an impressive array of spirits all through a very cool and custom process. Even more, they have a full restaurant, bar, and after tasting and finding your favorites you can pick up a bottle or two. The food is great, pizzas are highly recommended. Just as much as the attention to detail in their craft cocktails that range through classics and new twists. While it's mostly an outdoor area they have heaters and a great space as well as an awesome bar and lounge. Highly recommend!!

Such a great bistro/distillery/cocktail bar to open in Santa Ana. A great place to grab a drink and meet up with friends. We were immediately seated in their outdoor COVID-friendly space. The outdoor tables are way more than six feet apart and next to heat lamps! The service was a tad slow, but the host was so helpful in helping us navigate the menu. A great cocktail menu! Very creative and crafty cocktails using the distillery liquor. The cocktail I recommend: 20/21 vision (aquavit, lemon, Aquafina, dry vermouth, basil, and CARROT syrup!) Yes, carrot syrup was actually a great addition to the drink, loved the creaminess and the basil aftertone. We also got an owl tasting flight: which lets you taste their liquor, which I recommend. Their bistro food was appetizing. Loved the pizza pies: they are pizzas cooked well in their outdoor Ooni pizza ovens! We got the peppy pie: pepperoni and bacon, so delicious, with a perfectly cooked crust.

First time here celebrating a birthday! I love because it is outdoors and I loved their vibe! We were seated and immediately ordered our food and drinks! Pizza is a must here and their desserts are the bomb! One thing that I would recommend is adding coffee to the menu.. just regular coffee is good so we can enjoy with the yummy dessert!

So, I was looking forward to hitting a fun spot to join a bunch of friends after work and we chose the Blinking Owl after hearing that it was opened for more than h and after this long dry spell due to the pandemic. As some of you can see from the website, it is known for it's distilled spirits, but it actually has much more to offer to anyone looking to have a respite following a busy day at the office. Now, it's difficult to tag a place with five stars that isn't a sit down restaurant, but it is very worth of the rating. First off, the service is really good with very attentive and helpful members of their team. Always making sure that nobody is parched. The other thing is that they offer great feedback on the food items with great honesty and accuracy. We started with the Tower (on their recommendation) and it was filled with something for everyone's palette. It has a nice set of sliders, deviled eggs and hummus with great flat bread. Everything was visually appealing and even better tasting. Home run here. From there we went with pizza's, wings and cheesecake. Now, I won't go into too much details here, but they were all delicious with great style and unique flavors. I am so glad we stopped in as it is a great place to check out and enjoy with a group of folks. It's a little bit on the higher end of price, but honestly, the drinks that they have to offer and the food make it a go to for those looking for way more than happy hour food and drinks and perfect for a cozy and fun outing in a unique and comfortable spot in Downtown Santa Ana. ' I'll be back again and looking forward to trying some new edible delights at the Blinking Owl. You'll have a great time, too, so give it a try! Bon appetit!

This was my first time coming here and wow it was so good!! Is it good for dates: heck yeah! Is it good for a solo trip: sure why not! The environment was outside with a cool setup. Definitely will be a place I frequent each time I come to So. Cal. Heads up: the food and drinks are delicious

Great bar food (I loved the pizzas) and great drinks of course. Funky location but very cool urban. Make a reservation before you go

Hands down, five stars for this distillery. They are the first distillery and Orange County since prohibition. It is very clear that the owners take a lot of pride and put a lot of love into this distillery. It is a hidden gem that deserves much more attention and praise. They make some of the best craft cocktails I've had in a long time. The bartenders are not only energetic but extremely knowledgeable. Sitting at the bar is very enjoyable and the ambiance is very fun because you can see the distillery through the large pain glass window. I tried several different cocktails with varying spirits and not one disappointed. They are well balanced and will challenge your current perception of what flavors go well together. If you have some extra time I highly recommend taking the distillery tour. Whether you are a novice or consider yourself an expert, I guarantee you will learn something new and have a good time. The tour concludes with a tasting of their different spirits, which is a great experience in itself. Come with a group of friends or on a date night! I personally enjoyed sitting at the bar and taking in all the scenery, however there is a great outdoor patio and if you seating areas inside depending on what kind of mood you're in. They also have some dining options, bar food and larger entrees, with a little something for everyone.

What a great spot! The only distillery in OC turns out, had no idea. Dad has shown an interest in learning about whiskey in general for a while, so the hubs and I booked a private tour for 10 for his birthday. Our group was led by one of the owners (husband and wife team) and we had a fantastic time learning about the process. We are noobs to the liquor distilling process and Brian was such a fantastic teacher. He is so knowledgable and gregarious, such a cool guy. We ended the tour with dinner at their little restaurant and wow, the pizza and apps were amazeballs. Definitely coming back. Booked with Robin (owner) via email (for a private party) and she was lovely and so informative and accommodating! Support local and family owned businesses like this!

Cute distillery and nice place for groups. I came here to celebrate a birthday on a Tuesday evening. It wasn't too crowded and it was all outdoor seating. Luckily there are space heaters and it can get pretty toasty. There's a pretty large selection of drinks and food. We were told that the portions were made for sharing. Our group were pretty hungry people though and we all ended up eating our own dish that we ordered. We got: - Caviar dish -- we felt like treating our selves and the caviar was pretty good. It came with 2 vodka shots that we ended up giving to the birthday people. I probably wouldn't order this again. - The Bourbon cheesecake -- The cheese cake arrived in a small jar. It was pretty good but didn't taste like the traditional type of cheese cake. It was more like a pudding texture. Overall pretty good but it was a very small dessert. - The wings -- The wings had two different flavors. The honey wing was sweet and tangy and super delicious. It was on the Happy Hour menu and came with Bourbon and Rye. We also had some Non alcoholic cocktails (we ordered cocktails but asked for it to be virgin) from the menu but was disappointed to know that it was charged full price.

My boyfriend & I celebrated our first Valentines. We wanted to try something new. Since he's a whiskey lover. Decided to check this place out. It has great reviews. For drinks we tried the whiskey flight & Old Fashioned with Bourbon. Food: Beef skewers, Peppy Pie. This time we saved room for dessert. Had to go with Bourbon cheesecake. Everything we had was delicious!! AND the service was amazing! The outdoor seating is very nice. The heater lamps were more than enough to keep us warm. The whiskey helped too. lol Before leaving, we did go inside to check out the bar. Pretty cool spot. We are definitely planning on returning. For brunch next time.

Such an amazing place to hang out with your friends on a Friday night and all other nights!! I have zero complaints about the food and drinks!! You have to try the pizza!!! All their liquor is made in house. Our server was attentive and super sweet!

Went for my cousin's birthday dinner party that consisted of 12 heads! My cousin was able to make the reservation a week before so we had no problem while arriving! They were seated right away and we met up with them. The outside seating was so cute and the lighting had a touch of romantic and personal feel to it. The spacing between tables was very nice and i never felt uncomfortable. Also all the staff were wearing mask which was also great! Appreciate the lengths they took during this Covid time! They took our drink order right away and eventually ordered our drinks. I am a fool for not taking picture of our food, it was soo good i didn't even get a chance to capture any glorious food porn pics haha. Ordered the Blinky's Blinker and it was soooo good i stuck with that drink the rest of the night! Kept getting better and better! I ordered the Blinky Baby Burgers. They were good but man o man did the pizza steal the show for me! I sampled the CHEESY PIE and also the PEPPY PIE. If they ask if you want the honey drizzle say YES! You're welcome...because i am sure you just had one of the best pizzas ever! The waiter was very attentive and came around multiple times to make sure we were doing great! They also had an awesome attitude helping us out and i love that for this establishment! Am i going back?!? obviously! Did i make reservations already for this Thursday?!? You bet your booty I did! The point is, make that reservation and try this place out because the environment, the staff, food and drinks will make you want to keep coming back!

Great new place. My buddy, sisters, and I enjoyed it. Music wasn't loud and we were able to talk.

Nice drinks. Pricy food. But a great place to bring friends or out-of-towners. Not allowed to walk through the distillery unless you have a tour which I could understand, but my waiter told us he would check to see if we could be accommodated but we never heard back about it. The outdoor seating area is nice but can get scorching with the sun, as they don't have enough umbrellas to adequately provide shade if you are part of a large party.

I have been a long time customer of the Blinking Owl. I've purchased their bourbon and their orange vodka. I've had several excellent meals and drinks at their location. My favorites have been the sliders, the deviled eggs, french onion hummus, and the Paisano pizza. If you like quality cocktails and good eats please help support the only distillery in Orange County.

Drinks are great. Had an Old Fashion with their RYE and it was good. Had it with the Bourbon Old Fashion, it was better. However, the food was Very Very Very undercooked. Check the picture. I happen to have worked in a meat processing plant, and No Way should hamburger meat be THIS UNDERCOOKED! 2 star for the inevitable stomach ache my counterpart will have. Don't rush the cooking process, it's not even a full house.

Whiskey perfect ... if you want a chill spot to just enjoy the whiskey experience this is the spot ...

If you're looking for a cool and fun distillery, blinking owl is the spot. The Blinking Owl is the very first craft distillery in Orange County. one of the first distilleries in the state of California to hold the Type 74 Craft Distillers License allowing them operate there own tasting room and sell a few bottles. They make Vodka, Gin, several types of Whiskey, and the Scandinavian spirit, Aquavit. It's located on the corner and might be somewhat hard to find at first but not too bad. Parking for me was on the street and I believe I could only park there for a few hours. Me and my friends met up here for drinks and food. Upon arrival, it's more outside seating with a bunch of tables. I tried the spirit flights and our friends snacked on a plate of food. Overall cool spot to come hang with friends while having a good buzz on.

Very interesting place, cool vibes and lots of drink options. The food presentation was A1 but tasted mediocre. Service was excellent and they take the time to explain the menu to you. Great for date night or group events

Good food and good drinks! It's just pricey ahh. Sorry I know everything has increased in price due to inflation :-/ It's a cool spot to hang out and grab drinks and some food but unfortunately it's a little too pricey for me to come all the time.

Pros: Drinks were delicious. Food was solid, too, though nothing to write home about. Ambiance was minimalist but good spacing outdoors. Cons: Good God, you're paying Mastro's prices. It's $8 for a single deviled egg, which is really half an egg. $8 for a single slider burger, etc... Cocktails are about $22-23 each. We each spent $60+, and all of us got tacos at the truck outside afterward. Service is cold. No pleasantries, smiles, etc... Look of annoyance at times. And we're like the nicest most patient group.

Nice distillery and good vibe. Come during happy hour to benefit the $10 cocktails and appetizers. Servers are friendly but a bit hard to get the attention when they are busy with other guests. We'll come back when we are in the area.

Awesome service, great whiskey, gin, and vodka. Loved the Rye if your a rye fan. Awesome customer service and just a great overall vibe! Walked away with a membership and a full belly.