I’m going to let you in on a secret. There is a hidden cocktail bar behind the bar, tucked away in the kitchen of the Irvine Marriott Hotel and it is fantastic! This speakeasy bar is so hidden that you have to ask about it to gain entrance, yet it is so popular that a reservation is strongly suggested.

Entering The Butchershop, a secret speakeasy at the Irvine Marriott

Welcome to the Butchershop! Perhaps this bar got its name from the near consistent temperature of 62 degrees. Thankfully, blankets are available for guests, but I would suggest not wearing a sleeveless top. Guests can sit around the horseshoe bar on padded bar chairs or lounge on the white leather couch for a comfortable conversation. This intimate space holds about twenty people and this atmosphere is conducive to great conversations.

A bartender pours drinks at The Butchershop in the Irvine Marriott

True cocktails are crafted at The Butchershop with care. Specialty creations are marked on the blackboard wall. Each takes skill and careful blending to craft a truly unique drink that guests will remember and enjoy. The cocktail troubadour at The Butchershop mixed amazing drinks for us to taste and each one had such an amazing blend of flavors and scents. Here are a few to whet your appetite.

Da Cannon, a vodka-based cocktail at The Butchershop in the Irvine MarriottDa Cannon

vodka, blood orange, mint, egg white, lime

Mezca-Cillen, a mezcal and bourbon cocktail from The Butchershop in the Irvine Marriott Mezca-Cillen

mezcal, bourbon, lemon, honey syrup, ginger syrup, laphroiac mist, house-made candied ginger

Coffee + Cigarettes, a drink at The Butchershop Bar in the Irvine MarriottCoffee + Cigarettes

scotch, coffee liqueur, carpano, chocolate bitters, smoked cloves

Baby Mama Fizz, a vodka cocktail with a kick at The Butchershop in the Irvine MarriottBaby Mama Fizz

vodka, egg white, heavy cream, house-made honey syrup, pineapple, lime, serrano pepper

A bartender at The Butchershop sets the Tiki God Cocktail on fire

Once a month The Butchershop hosts an industry night for local bartenders. It is a great chance for networking, showing off skills, and connecting with fellow craftspeople. I’ve heard there is a chance to earn a Fernet-Branca coin, a medallion that is highly prized by bartenders. With Fernet-Branca on tap at The Butchershop, this is the spot to be.

A man holds an Old Fashioned cocktail at The Butchershop

The Butchershop is a very interesting place to relax with friends, watch a master cocktail craftsman at work, and to enjoy great conversations. Delicious menu items pair well with drinks. Enjoy some tender steak tartare with garlic crostini, pork belly lettuce wraps, mojito lamb chops, a chefs charcuterie board, or Brûlée bananas foster from the creative chefs of the Irvine Marriott. 

Steak Tartare with garlic crostini at The Butchershop in the Irvine Marriott

Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps at The Butchershop at the Irvine Marriott

Charcuterie board at The Butchershop at the Irvine Marriott

Brûlée Bananas Foster at The Butchershop at the Irvine Marriott

The Butchershop

18000 Von Karman Ave, Irvine CA

Friday - Saturday 6 pm - midnight

Reservations - 949-254-5713

thebutchershopoc.com

 

And who doesn't want a Tiki God to make the weekend perfect?

Tiki God cocktail at The Butchershop at the Irvine Marriott

All photos by Michelle McCoy Photography