Recently, Forbes named Santa Ana one of the top 10 safest cities in America – Santa Ana came in #4th overall. I can’t say if that is true or not, but I can definitely vouch for the new and happening downtown Santa Ana area where a bunch of “gastropubs” have come and made their mark.
Just exit 1st Street off the 5 Freeway and follow it west until you hit N.Broadway where all these pubs are conveniently located in the same block. There is a parking structure off 3rd St. where you can park for $2 after 5pm for the night. This year, our company Christmas party was held here at Chapter One. It’s a cozy place where you’d go with the guys or girls for a night out for catching up and drinking. They have an extensive beer selection with new beers “on the deck” often rotating into the lineup.
For our party, we had four appetizers which included mini mac ‘n’ cheese, prosciutto crostinis, chicken satay skewers, and veggie spring rolls. The mac ‘n’ cheese was my favorite – it had a nice crust and melted in your mouth. The other apps were just okay in my book and I probably wouldn’t order them again on the next visit.
However, the main star is the drinks at Chapter One. They have a signature drink called the Moscow Mule which is a spicy house made ginger beer, Russian Standard vodka, and lime served in a large copper cup with ice. This drink made me happy and it was huge. The second drink I ordered was the Sierra Nevada Ovila Quad. It’s very rich and dark brown malt with a bit of sweetness. It was not my favorite, but it is a good quality dark malt.
The most popular drink for the night among my coworkers was the Abyss. It’s a dark stout and strong with a hint of sweetness to it. I was a lightweight that night, so I didn’t get to taste as many drinks as I had wanted. I’d definitely like to try out their single malt scotches next time, particularly, the Laphroaig and the wonderful 20 year old Speyside 1985 Glenrothes!
The other popular local spots there are Lola Gaspar and Memphis. They have good and interesting selection of foods and plentiful drinks during happy hour or a late night rendezvous. You really can’t miss hitting up one of these spots, just make sure you get there early since it can get crowded on a busy night!