Puzzle Bar
| Address: | 14740 Beach Blvd, La Mirada, CA 90638, USA |
| Phone: | +1 714-521-0079 |
| Site: | instagram.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM 5PM–1AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 11
PE
Pete Shieh
If you like Whiskey, old fashioned, and cocktails along those lines, The Puzzle Bar takes pride in making their drinks here. The bartenders (yes, more than 1) will come to your table, explain about the homemade bitters and hand chiseled ice(which looks like a big golf ball) and on top of that, 20% off during happy hour from 5-8pm. Drinks arent cheap here, but they do it well. The check in oddly enough changes with everyone but most of us got the free 805 10oz pour. When you have a party thats all Yelpers, they just brought us a whole pitcher. Nice! What couldve been better was they only had 1 person taking orders here for the whole restaurant. People in our party actually ordered from some of the bartenders thinking they put the order in but for some reason, it didnt come out. That little miscommunication and waiting for food I think shouldve been communicated to our server. They didnt have pork belly during the time we were here. Ive actually been looking forward to coming here but looks like they changed their menu to more Americanized menu and the happy hour prices has changed since then. Like most Korean places, it looks dark and nondescript from the outside. Kind of reminded me of some Shinji temple when I walked in with the abundance of dark wood and traditional setting.
MR
MrMoruss78
Hands down; 5 thumbs up. Really a 4.75 stars place. Its a trendy mixologist, crafty lounge type place to chill and relax with friends. Which is exactly what I like. 5 stars for the drinks (that come with their own explanations), 5 stars for the service. Alas,4 stars for the food and rules and regs. UPSIDE: SERVICE is Top Notch, Staff is VERY knowledgeable on all drinks and there is an explanation/ demonstration of youre a first time Puzzle BAR Old Fashion drinker. (I think my favorite part) DOWNSIDE: PROPORTIONS of food to PRICE of food. Food is a little small for the price being paid. DEF CALL AHEAD for reservations with parties of 6 or more. THEY TRY TO KEEP ALL THE AREAS UNCLUTTERED AS POSSIBLE which is good and bad. Standing at the bar and at tables are frowned upon, if you have more than 6 people in your party without calling for reservations youll inevitably have to do this. BUT YOU ALL HAVE TO GO TO THIS PLACE. (just not when Im there)
AN
Andrew Choi
This bar is located in the heart of the unofficial Korea Town in Buena Park/ La Mirada area so one might expect this place to be filled with Koreans/Asians, but surprisingly the interior decor is far from Korean and the servers are well groomed white men who seem to know their $hit. Their food is above average with Korean/American fusion, with what I find to be overpriced. However, I do give them credit for trying to emphasize on high quality, but without ability to verify this I can only look at the price. Their drinks are quite pricey but very good, and I do love their great selection of drinks that you cannot find anywhere else. I find this place to be a special place to bring a date to have a drink after dinner. I wouldnt suggest you to come here for birthdays to get wasted because your alcohol bill will make you cry the next day. Great for dates, dont expect it to be cheap, and enjoy their variety of drinks and hand-carved balls of ice.
LA
Larry Lam
If you like custom made cocktails, you will love this bar. As a whiskey enthusiast, there is nothing better than being tended by someone who knows their craft. All the bartenders are extremely knowledgable and pay special attention to their creations. The Puzzle Bars special cocktails are all aptly named after film characters, each with a matching story to their creation. I had the Yamazaki (Hibiki) Old Fashioned and Pineapple Express. The use of homemade aromatic bitters and hand carved ice is a real treat and only heightens the awesome experience at this bar. The atmosphere is cozy, with plenty of booth and outside seating with heat lamps. Hip-Hop of the underground variety played here. Not a place to get wild, more of a laid back setting (see: Anthony Bourdain episode in Tokyo where hes in that small cocktail bar). Grab a stool by the bar if youre looking to learn a little something.
JU
Julia Shin
If youre in the "fullerton" area and looking for a really well made old fashioned, this is the place to be. They hand cut the ice balls from ice they order themselves. Its so hard to find a place that uses the traditional method these days. Puzzle definitely does not take any shortcuts in making and perfecting your drink. Each drink is hand made with perfection and you can really taste the difference. The vibe and crowd is very chill, its a good place for a date or to hang out with your friends. Service is great, the food is also pretty good for a bar.
JO
Jordyn Gonzalez
If you are looking for a great experience, sit at the bar and watch the bartenders hand carve ice balls for their old fashioneds. The owner is eager to tell you about the way they craft everything for each cocktail in house. Overall the cocktails are delicious but you are pretty much limited to thier cocktail menu and a large selection of whiskey. Sitting at a table provides a more intimate experience with a call button to alert service. The food is not bad and reasonably priced.
WA
Walter Moon
Everything Ive tried here has been really good, with fresh ingredients. Their alcohol here is usually a step above the default ones at other places. I had rarely ordered cocktails before finding out about this place. The food is great too. Get the Tacos! I didnt expect them to be this good at a bar, but they are. Im starting to see other places outright copy Puzzles original drinks down to the name, but so far, no one else does it right.
DE
Deepak Singh
Have been going to puzzle for a couple years now, and while it has changed a lot, the cocktail selection is the best Ive had anywhere. Happy hour could be a better deal but the time and effort they put into each drink makes it worth the price and they could easily charge double in a different location! The food is also delicious,fusion fries and my sassy fries have been there since the beginning and are highly recommended
LI
Lisa Lyy
The drinks here are absolutely EXCELLENT. Creative, complex and delicious to whatever you flavor palette you may have. Their mixed drinks range from bold to light so you will find at least one thing here that you will enjoy if youre into mixed drinks. The Totoro was sweet and light and exactly what I needed for a warm evening. Kind of a hole in the wall bar, but busy on a Friday evening.
MA
Mark Merrick
Puzzle Bar is the most incredible cocktail experience including custom made bitters, liquors, and more from the owner Kevin. Great low light ambiance, alt hip hop, and a bartender carving ice for the drinks. One of the few places around with Hibiki and Yamazaki. If get a chance talk to Kevin about his passion for his work. He is a true artist who obsesses over his craft for our benefit.
GE
Geoffrey Payton
Puzzle bar is one my favorite places to unwind after a busy week. Sit at the bar so you can fully appreciate the amount of care put into each cocktail and talk to one of the awesome and knowledgeable bartenders, or just sit back and enjoy the awesome playlist they usually have on rotation. A bit on the expensive side, but not when compared to the quality and experience you get. Cheers!
