Must-Have Cocktails in Anaheim

If you love to play video games and drink while doing it, your only bet a few years ago was to sit on your couch in full potato mode.

LAG Bar, which opened in 2018, now gives you a reason to leave the house and game with others.

Not only can you sit at the bar and play in a tournament in Mario Kart, but the drinks are sort of a hidden gem and are all curated by the talented Amber Doll.

Her drink, Twisted Mezcal, looks light and fruity but uses Vida de San Luis Del Rio Mezcal all the way from Oaxaca, Mexico. Brandy, lemongrass syrup, fresh lemon, and Cointreau make up the bright and smoky drink.

The Blind Rabbit sits deep within the Anaheim Packing House and it's a place where you can only enter if you’re in the know.

After making your reservation, find the podium next to a bunch of rice baskets, and enter. Once your eyes adjust inside, you’ll feel like you’re in a 1930’s black and white movie, where the sounds of big band and drinks being crafted dance around your eardrums.

Grab The Anaheim, which pays tribute to Anaheim’s rich alcohol history – as it was founded by German vintners back in the 1850s. Rye whiskey and bitters swirl around a clear ice chunk and give the drink a floral, orange, and leathery vibe.

Disneyland Resort hotels offer a couple of excellent drinking spots, and Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Room is just about as fun as they come.

Some drinks, when ordered, kick off a spirited chain of events:

A Shipwreck on the Rocks, for instance, rings the starboard bell as a gentle misting of seawater sprays from above. The Krakatoa Punch starts with a fierce lava flow outside the thatch-roofed windows.

If you prefer something a little less startling, go for their laid back version of a Painkiller called the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum, which has Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, and orange juice, topped with cinnamon and nutmeg. Or ask for a Hamilton 151 float if you’re in for something truly magical.

After a full day of going on all the rides at Disneyland, sneak over to Disney's Grand Californian Hotel near the Grizzly Rapids for a true California adventure: a tasty signature cocktail at Napa Rose.

One that has stood the test of time is The Bitter Storm, a drink that strikes an odd pairing with Bourbon, Fernet, Cherry Heering, orgeat and fresh lemon juice.

It’s Tiki-forward in concept and surprisingly balanced, and best enjoyed with fresh seafood – something that the Napa Rose does perfectly.