Marine Room Tavern

While you won’t find Sam and Diane greeting you at the door, Laguna Beach’s Marine Room Tavern is a “tell-it-like-it-is” neighborhood bar complete with straight-shooting bartenders, oversized marine life ominously stuffed-and-mounted on the walls and a pack of crusty surf dogs hunched over barstools playing online poker in the corner. The dark, dank main room (even during the day) is dimly lit by neon beer signs and the occasional flickering of the big-screens that hang on the wall. Atypical for warm and fuzzy Laguna Beach, but the colorful crowd of regulars that gathers here feels right at home. The bar is owned and operated by local councilman Kelly Boyd and caters to those who like their music live and their drinks straight up. Blues and rock bands bring in the biker crowd and Sundays afternoons are known as unofficial “park your bike and show it off” days.