Mugs Away Saloon

Thank you Lisa for the recharge when I needed it most. Great place! Amazing atmosphere!

This is the place that moons the train every year in july. Bartender is great. Patrons also. They need a new chalk board for all the dart /cricket scoring. Ill be back in july. Good thing i joined the gym.

Love this little hidden gem. Always a good time.the last time I was there they had a Grateful Dead tribute band playing outside, everybody in time dyed and Berks dancing and having a good trip lol

What a great place! My best friend knows the owner, so we went there. My first time there, and had a great time. Service, food and vibe were perfect. Ya gotta go to this place!

The best damn Dive Bar anywhere! Super friendly staff and patrons. If you don't know anyone when you get there you will certainly have friends when you leave

Best local bar in town! Great atmosphere, a lot of good people, and Jose tacos are the best!!!!

This is a special place. Friendly staff & regulars. If you're taking the Metrolink out of the Laguna/Mission Viejo station, make time to get a drink here. Fun.

Great place haven't been there for years just recently went there. Good buddy and his mom used own the place in the 80's Service was great

Definitely a must stop, for day riding. Great little bar. 00 Dive

As "dive bars" go, it's 1st rate. Good, fast service, friendly staff and an entertaining collection of patrons. Definitely going back.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had my 60th birthday party at Mugs Away Saloon, and I can't say enough good things about the experience! From start to finish, the owner was absolutely wonderful to work with—responsive, kind, and genuinely cared about making sure everything went smoothly. The atmosphere was perfect for a fun, laid-back celebration with great drinks, great people, and a vibe that’s uniquely Mugs. Our guests had a blast, and many of them are still talking about how much fun they had. If you're looking for a spot to throw a memorable party with good energy and even better people, I highly recommend Mugs Away. Thank you again for making my 60th so special—we’ll definitely be back!

Good beer and booze selection. Live music. Lovely bartenders. This is an honest to goodness dive bar, so don't come here expecting it to be glamorous. They sometimes do taco carts, etc. They do the original Moon the Amtrak! The owners are really nice people.

No-nonsense dive. The place is pretty small, just big enough for a bar, pool table, darts, and a little bit more. Tons of stuff on the walls as per usual. High ceiling allows for tons of stuff to be hung as well, which is a cool change of pace. Friendly staff, though depending on the night, bartenders will leave the bar to play darts. Not a huge variety of stuff on tap, but everything you need. Pool sharks' regular spot, everyone playing hmwas playing with their own custom cue.

Upscale, luxury at its finest... sometimes the valet guys can be a little rude but the sommelier makes up for it.

Maria Angel

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had my 60th birthday party at Mugs Away Saloon, and I can't say enough good things about the experience! From start to finish, the owner was absolutely wonderful to work with—responsive, kind, and genuinely cared about making sure everything went smoothly. The atmosphere was perfect for a fun, laid-back celebration with great drinks, great people, and a vibe that’s uniquely Mugs. Our guests had a blast, and many of them are still talking about how much fun they had. If you're looking for a spot to throw a memorable party with good energy and even better people, I highly recommend Mugs Away. Thank you again for making my 60th so special—we’ll definitely be back!

Gil B. Jr.

Good beer and booze selection. Live music. Lovely bartenders. This is an honest to goodness dive bar, so don't come here expecting it to be glamorous. They sometimes do taco carts, etc. They do the original Moon the Amtrak! The owners are really nice people.

Leif Satermo

No-nonsense dive. The place is pretty small, just big enough for a bar, pool table, darts, and a little bit more. Tons of stuff on the walls as per usual. High ceiling allows for tons of stuff to be hung as well, which is a cool change of pace. Friendly staff, though depending on the night, bartenders will leave the bar to play darts. Not a huge variety of stuff on tap, but everything you need. Pool sharks' regular spot, everyone playing hmwas playing with their own custom cue.

Jon Ettelson OC Realtor

Upscale, luxury at its finest... sometimes the valet guys can be a little rude but the sommelier makes up for it.

Always fun and lively saloon with live music in a “tucked-away” little spot in Orange County. Mooning the train annual event is a must do!

Nice place with a good range of alcohol and beer. Bartenders were equally lovely. It is a real bar, an ideal place for a fun, relaxing evening.

Great local dive bar! Jamie, the bartender is great, she's attentive and friendly. Pricy drinks ($11.00 for a pint of beer) but worth it for a genuine locals dive.

Great dive bar. Great service my beer was cold and never had to wait for my next beer Bartenders are really nice and friendly. Steel tip dart boards and 2 pool tables. And they even serve my girlfriend and myself some pretty awesome burgers and potato salad on the house. They also have live music. So if your looking for a bar ( dive ) this is the place. We will definitely be back as regulars. Thanks Mug Saloon for your friendship and Hospitality.. ❤👍🏼🤠

My mother was a “regular” in the 70’s-80’s and this has been my favorite “dive bar” since I was almost of legal drinking age. The proprietors are the most wonderful, service driven, kind welcoming and inclusive people in the industry. We had a party recently that was flawless!!! Everyone complemented the fact that Mugs Away may be the cleanest dive bar on the planet.

My wife and I like to drop in to dive bars on the weekends. I believe we have hit most of them in the Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna area. Never hearing of Mugs Away we visited one across the freeway which was nice but crowded and very loud. No way to hold a conversation at this bar. So we searched for dive bars near us and found Mugs Away was just on the other side of the freeway. As we are relocating to Mugs away we notice it is pretty secluded in a business district. Once businesses close Mugs Away seems to be the only reason anyone travels down this street. Only one way in and one way out. I personally really like the fact that this place is pretty secluded, but that's just my preference. Once we arrived and entered you definitely got the dive bar kind of vibe and could tell it was filled with regulars. Wife and I were thinking this will be a one and done kind of visit. We sat at the bar. Ordered or regular drinks (Me: Old Fashion - Wife: Tito's and Soda with 3 limes, yes has to be 3 limes). Drinks came out good although they don't have the whiskey I prefer (more on this later). We kept to ourselves for a while just enjoying the music, each other and a little light conversations with some others at the bar. After we have been there for a little bit both Dan (Bouncer) and Lisa (Bartender - although I feel her name is spelled different) both checked on my to make sure we were comfortable, which we were. Once drinks were flowing we started chatting and just had a great time with the regulars. Once the night was over my wife and I feel this is worth another try even though its a little bit of a drive for us. We ended up coming back for another visit and this time we meet Brittany (another bartender) and the owner. Brittany is a ton of fun and a great bartender. After about our 4th visit I even stopped getting asked for my credit card up front. I asked bartender does this mean we get regular status. Some where in these first 4 or 5 visits we were chatting with the owner and I mentioned I like my old fashions with Angel Envy. Needless to say on my next visit there was Angels Envy on the shelf. Thanks to Dan, Brittany, Lisa, the owner and the patrons we have decided this is our bar we frequent. After a few times of going and everyone gets to know you this place will almost feel like family. I did see a review about drinks being expensive. Maybe they were getting the a-hole tax added to their drinks, but they are very reasonable. One of the other reasons we come here is because your money goes a lot further on the drinks Lastly the food - so the bar does not have food but if you are lucky enough to be there while the Jose the taco guy is there you can not go wrong. His shrimp tacos are so good. But just because everyone knows him as a taco guy doesn't mean you should be afraid to try other items as well. He changes his menu so he will have other food items for sale as well. He makes a really good burger (not kidding, try it). He had ribs once and they were really good as well. My wife and I have gone there at least twice just to get his food. Of course we have to have some drinks while we are there. Don't quote me on these hours because I have no clue if I'm right, but he seems to be there on Friday nights and some Saturdays. These are really the only times we visit so as for other times and days I have no clue

I have frequented the locally world famous Muggs Away for over 30 years now. I say world famous because Ripley's Believe It or Not once came during the annual Mooning of the Amtrak, to see what the mooning was all about. That episode aired around the world, and the bar got calls from all over the world from folks wanting reservations. True story! Great pours, gorgeous bartenders, and one of the coolest hangouts on 5 South!

Went there last Saturday for a surprise party and loved it, the locals are really nice and friendly which is very important when you visit a dive-bar (I am sure you know what I mean). Oh the band was phenomenal Gravity Guild.

Had one of the best times at Mugs Away since Dan the bartender was an absolute hoot. Let us roll the jukebox late on a weeknight and was just awesome to talk to. So many good stories. Love this spot for its location and its atmosphere. Going back ASAP.

Great time lots of space to spread out and social distance. Great food and drinks. James was a great DJ and played music for everyone to dance. I haven't had this much fun in 8 months

Great friendly staff. Good beer selection. A truly fun dive bar and a great place to be.

Went to check it out, thought it was going to be just a dive bar but it was packed, everyone was in good spirits and having fun, pool table was going and the girls behind the bar were cute. Overall, I had a great time.

Kirk Vinings

Always fun and lively saloon with live music in a “tucked-away” little spot in Orange County. Mooning the train annual event is a must do!

Mohamed Khaled

Nice place with a good range of alcohol and beer. Bartenders were equally lovely. It is a real bar, an ideal place for a fun, relaxing evening.

Austen Tanner

Thank you Lisa for the recharge when I needed it most. Great place! Amazing atmosphere!

James Wallen

Great local dive bar! Jamie, the bartender is great, she's attentive and friendly. Pricy drinks ($11.00 for a pint of beer) but worth it for a genuine locals dive.

Dawn Stone

Great friendly staff. Good beer selection. A truly fun dive bar and a great place to be.

Curtis Lund

I have frequented the locally world famous Muggs Away for over 30 years now. I say world famous because Ripley's Believe It or Not once came during the annual Mooning of the Amtrak, to see what the mooning was all about. That episode aired around the world, and the bar got calls from all over the world from folks wanting reservations. True story! Great pours, gorgeous bartenders, and one of the coolest hangouts on 5 South!

Andrea Campanelli

Went there last Saturday for a surprise party and loved it, the locals are really nice and friendly which is very important when you visit a dive-bar (I am sure you know what I mean). Oh the band was phenomenal Gravity Guild.

Brian Weinrich

My mother was a “regular” in the 70’s-80’s and this has been my favorite “dive bar” since I was almost of legal drinking age. The proprietors are the most wonderful, service driven, kind welcoming and inclusive people in the industry. We had a party recently that was flawless!!! Everyone complemented the fact that Mugs Away may be the cleanest dive bar on the planet.

Mack

Went to check it out, thought it was going to be just a dive bar but it was packed, everyone was in good spirits and having fun, pool table was going and the girls behind the bar were cute. Overall, I had a great time.

Kevin Skelton

My wife and I like to drop in to dive bars on the weekends. I believe we have hit most of them in the Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna area. Never hearing of Mugs Away we visited one across the freeway which was nice but crowded and very loud. No way to hold a conversation at this bar. So we searched for dive bars near us and found Mugs Away was just on the other side of the freeway. As we are relocating to Mugs away we notice it is pretty secluded in a business district. Once businesses close Mugs Away seems to be the only reason anyone travels down this street. Only one way in and one way out. I personally really like the fact that this place is pretty secluded, but that's just my preference. Once we arrived and entered you definitely got the dive bar kind of vibe and could tell it was filled with regulars. Wife and I were thinking this will be a one and done kind of visit. We sat at the bar. Ordered or regular drinks (Me: Old Fashion - Wife: Tito's and Soda with 3 limes, yes has to be 3 limes). Drinks came out good although they don't have the whiskey I prefer (more on this later). We kept to ourselves for a while just enjoying the music, each other and a little light conversations with some others at the bar. After we have been there for a little bit both Dan (Bouncer) and Lisa (Bartender - although I feel her name is spelled different) both checked on my to make sure we were comfortable, which we were. Once drinks were flowing we started chatting and just had a great time with the regulars. Once the night was over my wife and I feel this is worth another try even though its a little bit of a drive for us. We ended up coming back for another visit and this time we meet Brittany (another bartender) and the owner. Brittany is a ton of fun and a great bartender. After about our 4th visit I even stopped getting asked for my credit card up front. I asked bartender does this mean we get regular status. Some where in these first 4 or 5 visits we were chatting with the owner and I mentioned I like my old fashions with Angel Envy. Needless to say on my next visit there was Angels Envy on the shelf. Thanks to Dan, Brittany, Lisa, the owner and the patrons we have decided this is our bar we frequent. After a few times of going and everyone gets to know you this place will almost feel like family. I did see a review about drinks being expensive. Maybe they were getting the a-hole tax added to their drinks, but they are very reasonable. One of the other reasons we come here is because your money goes a lot further on the drinks Lastly the food - so the bar does not have food but if you are lucky enough to be there while the Jose the taco guy is there you can not go wrong. His shrimp tacos are so good. But just because everyone knows him as a taco guy doesn't mean you should be afraid to try other items as well. He changes his menu so he will have other food items for sale as well. He makes a really good burger (not kidding, try it). He had ribs once and they were really good as well. My wife and I have gone there at least twice just to get his food. Of course we have to have some drinks while we are there. Don't quote me on these hours because I have no clue if I'm right, but he seems to be there on Friday nights and some Saturdays. These are really the only times we visit so as for other times and days I have no clue

Lauro Quintanar

Great dive bar. Great service my beer was cold and never had to wait for my next beer Bartenders are really nice and friendly. Steel tip dart boards and 2 pool tables. And they even serve my girlfriend and myself some pretty awesome burgers and potato salad on the house. They also have live music. So if your looking for a bar ( dive ) this is the place. We will definitely be back as regulars. Thanks Mug Saloon for your friendship and Hospitality.. ❤👍🏼🤠

Dylan Andersen

Had one of the best times at Mugs Away since Dan the bartender was an absolute hoot. Let us roll the jukebox late on a weeknight and was just awesome to talk to. So many good stories. Love this spot for its location and its atmosphere. Going back ASAP.

The best little hole in the hole in wall great people 👌music 🎶 local great taco truck fabulous must venture and enjoy 😉

Just a nice little dive bar , friendly ,nice , and cozy . There is usually a band playing some good classic rock on fridays and the vibe is a good one. People are friendly here and inviting , they have a gourmet food truck and the food is yummy .

Hole in the wall type of place but great live music and decent drinks

original tugged away from tourism, locals hang out here, fridays afternoon a Mexican fresh taco stand outside (awesome), a dive bar, fun and if you need that beer you are seeking. it.s the place.

Danielle was so sweet. Showed me around the bar, gave me my first beer for free, and would not allow me to even give her a tip!

Great place for the annual Mooning the Amtrack festival. No interference from the police.

We live in the IE (Riverside) so it was a bit of a drive but for such a small venue, it had style and asthenosphere. Good people, good vibes, great music, friendly. There's also a food truck on site. If we are ever in the area or have friends visiting, will be stopping back by for sure

Eli Mayer

We live in the IE (Riverside) so it was a bit of a drive but for such a small venue, it had style and asthenosphere. Good people, good vibes, great music, friendly. There's also a food truck on site. If we are ever in the area or have friends visiting, will be stopping back by for sure

Really enjoyed our quick stop! Lady bartenderess was quick and friendly. No pretenses! Customer offered me a stool as soon as we walked in (we were dressed for a formal wedding) Best pre-wedding stop we've ever made! Thank you Mugs Away for "taking the edge off!!" And thanks to the gentleman that was kind enough to give me a seat! What a nice experience although very short!! Will return when in the area!!

Y Muncher

Really enjoyed our quick stop! Lady bartenderess was quick and friendly. No pretenses! Customer offered me a stool as soon as we walked in (we were dressed for a formal wedding) Best pre-wedding stop we've ever made! Thank you Mugs Away for "taking the edge off!!" And thanks to the gentleman that was kind enough to give me a seat! What a nice experience although very short!! Will return when in the area!!

I enjoy a good dive bar. This was a step below a dive bar. The beer was flat and old, the "orange" I got with my beer was actually a cutie that seemed to have been sliced days ago, and the outdoor patio had spider egg nests all over the wall. Not just a few. Probably multiple seasons worth with dozens of spiders hanging out above. The only reason this gets 2 stars is the live band, which was excellent the night I was there.

Tatiana Miles

I enjoy a good dive bar. This was a step below a dive bar. The beer was flat and old, the "orange" I got with my beer was actually a cutie that seemed to have been sliced days ago, and the outdoor patio had spider egg nests all over the wall. Not just a few. Probably multiple seasons worth with dozens of spiders hanging out above. The only reason this gets 2 stars is the live band, which was excellent the night I was there.

THIS PLACE IS CLOSED! They should update Google if they are renovating, I thought it would be a fun place to go have a beer and maybe shoot a game of pool instead I end up finding it’s completely shut down. Spent 40 bucks on uber for that knowledge, so I feel it’s worth sharing.

Honestly loved the place at first. Then someone asked my gf to play darts for money and the bartender was pissed when I asked for an itemized receipt. I love dive but this dive became way too sketchy. Also, no idea where live bands could play with max personnel of <50

Bartender was aggressive and a racist... White trash POS ask me my nationality and when I refused to play her game she pretended to call the police. I've never been treated so badly at a bar in my entire 36 years on this planet. I will never go back.... I think a lawsuit for discrimination may be in the owners near future... Thank the bartender; something Rio that works thursday nights for the lawsuit that you will be facing in the near future.

So dirty and ugly place and , not respectful No food No kitchen Super expensive drink and used low Quality alcohol and draft beer She ( manager) drunk anytime and super rude for like stable place .

Honestly one of the rudest experiences I've ever had walking into a bar, for starters I was visiting from out of town on vacation and wanted to check out different bars within the area so I seen mugs away saloon and see they were having a annual event called the mooning of the amtrack so I said to myself why not get a good laugh and have a drink, Soon as I walk in I stand in line waiting to get a drink the bartender with black hair rudley comes up to me with a angry look on her face refusing to serve me with no explanation why, I'm standing there puzzled, and confused on what the issue is and she just says you can't be in here and that's all I'm going to say! She then tells me you can see if the bartender outside will serve you and just walks away, I have never in my life had such a rude experience such as this, and mind you she dosent say this to anybody else except for me! So i didn't want to jump to conclusions maybe there was something going on inside the bar, and I wasn't aloud in because being from out of town I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Although the bouncer outside checking id's didn't say anything. So I get a drink from the bartender outside and ask her was there a special event or something going on inside that I wasn't aloud inside and she had no idea why the other bartender said that. That was enough for me so I left the bar and will never return there. No matter who you are or where you are from everyone should get treated with the same respect! That is no way to talk or treat anyone especially if you are employed at a establishment. I have never gave a bad review for any place I've been in my life and for anyone that knows me will tell you I'm one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. I hope nobody else has the experience I had that day.

Damien Hopkins

Honestly one of the rudest experiences I've ever had walking into a bar, for starters I was visiting from out of town on vacation and wanted to check out different bars within the area so I seen mugs away saloon and see they were having a annual event called the mooning of the amtrack so I said to myself why not get a good laugh and have a drink, Soon as I walk in I stand in line waiting to get a drink the bartender with black hair rudley comes up to me with a angry look on her face refusing to serve me with no explanation why, I'm standing there puzzled, and confused on what the issue is and she just says you can't be in here and that's all I'm going to say! She then tells me you can see if the bartender outside will serve you and just walks away, I have never in my life had such a rude experience such as this, and mind you she dosent say this to anybody else except for me! So i didn't want to jump to conclusions maybe there was something going on inside the bar, and I wasn't aloud in because being from out of town I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Although the bouncer outside checking id's didn't say anything. So I get a drink from the bartender outside and ask her was there a special event or something going on inside that I wasn't aloud inside and she had no idea why the other bartender said that. That was enough for me so I left the bar and will never return there. No matter who you are or where you are from everyone should get treated with the same respect! That is no way to talk or treat anyone especially if you are employed at a establishment. I have never gave a bad review for any place I've been in my life and for anyone that knows me will tell you I'm one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. I hope nobody else has the experience I had that day.