Paul's Cocktails — Restaurant in Orange

This happened earlier tonight and this is a much needed long review. I'm appalled at what I experienced here.

My friend visiting from Washington came into town for my wedding this weekend and she's staying in Orange. I picked her up and decided to look for a local dive bar to get some drinks. I'm from South County so I'm not too familiar with the bars around Orange.

We found this one on Google and decided why not since it has decent reviews and prices.

We headed to the bar and parked the car and walked up. The bouncer, a bald unattractive dude, wasn't paying attention to what he was doing; he was too engrossed in the Angel's Game. First sign he's a bad bouncer.

He checks my friend's ID first under a black light and determines hers is valid. Then he checks mine and determines mine is a FAKE. I'm 25 almost 26, mind you, so what the hell. I got a VALID license when I was 18 from Laguna Hills DMV. How the hell is mine a fake? And why the hell would I be hanging out with some 25 year old if I was some underage girl?

I honestly thought he was joking at first. I was like "Hell, I wish I was younger than 25!" But they still were not buying it. More workers went up and put their IDs under their backlight and kept saying how mine looked fake compared to theirs. I kept persisting, telling them that my ID is valid! This has never happened to me before in the 4 years I have been going to bars.

I was livid at this point. The bald bouncer was refusing to give me my ID back, telling me "Sorry, no, that's a fake. Not giving it back." He even looked like he was going to rip it at one point - my valid ID!

I got angry and demanded he give it back just to have the bartender tell me go outside and call the cops if I wanted it back. So that's what I did.

I went and called the cops and explained my situation. The cops, however, took forever. So I called my soon-to-be husband and told him what was going on at this bar.

My fiance called the bar and told them that it's my wedding weekend and I'm just trying to have a drink with my friend who I haven't seen in two years. Just give me my ID.

They kept saying no and had more guys come in to check if it was a fake. Eventually, this "really good security guy who's good with IDs" came and checked and determined that it's not a fake. DUH!

A blonde haired woman came outside and gave me my ID. I told her that her bouncers were horrible. And they are. I have never been treated like this at ANY establishment before in my life. DO NOT GO HERE. They dont have a valid ID reader so they use a blacklight which doesnt appear to work and have stubborn bouncers who think they're right. THEY ARE NOT COPS. They don't know what is valid and what isn't.

Horrible all around and now I know to never ever go here. You lost my business which you...

Last night was one of my best friends’ 21st birthday, but I was unable to enjoy it with her because the security staff at Paul’s rejected my out of state license. The bouncer took my id and then held onto it while he checked other ids and let my school peers in. Forcing me to stand there in the doorway, which caused me to be shoved and pushed by everyone coming and going, while he deliberated over my driver’s license. Eventually after holding it up to a black light and rubbing the front of my card several times, which has happened to me at other establishments, so I was used to such initial doubt, he called a supervisor to ask if he had any insight. They deliberated, and without telling me what was wrong, why I was not allowed inside or even including me in the conversation at all, decided that my license was not to be trusted and that I was to be refused entry. After all this was over I was given my card back and told, “Sorry, it’s not lighting up.” Now this came as a shock to me because I was not involved in any of the previous conversations regarding the legality of my own driver’s license. I, of course, brought up that this is a legal driver’s license issued to me by my state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The response to this was simply, “It might be real, I just can’t let you in because it doesn’t meet our safety standards.” I find this hard to believe as I have previously visited this establishment, within seven days of this event to be exact, and I was not given any trouble regarding the legality of license then. After approximately two minutes of myself and my friends arguing with the bouncer regarding the unjust treatment I was receiving the security supervisor returned. Now if you will recall, I was not privy to the previous exchange between the bouncer and the supervisor regarding my “situation”, so I asked if he could check my id. To which he simply said, “We reserve the right to refuse service.” Oh. I can see how if I was terribly inebriated this may make sense and be a justified reason. However, I was sober, and had been patiently waiting in the doorway of Paul’s for around five minutes at this point. I was already humiliated as my friends had to wait just on the other side of the door for me this entire time, not to mention infuriated that my very legal driver’s license was not being accepted due to lack of employee knowledge, and now I was being treated like a criminal simply because of the state that I am from. For a bar in a college town, with many out of state students, you would expect a certain level of training for the employees. It is disgraceful that this establishment can get away with...

Pauls Cocktails is a beloved dive bar that’s been serving the local community since 1942. Nestled in the historic Orange Circle in the City of Orange, just minutes from Chapman University, this no-frills watering hole is a rite of passage for many. With its laid-back atmosphere and lack of trendy pretense, Pauls offers a refreshing alternative to upscale bars and nightclubs. Whether you’re celebrating the end of finals, catching a Sunday football game, or just looking to unwind after a long week, this spot delivers. The bar attracts a diverse crowd—from college students to longtime locals—making it a prime place for people-watching and casual conversation. The bartenders are known for their friendliness and welcoming smiles, ready to pour a perfectly made cocktail or a cold beer without the fuss. It’s the kind of place where you can truly relax and be yourself. If you’re in search of comfort, good drinks, and a genuine local vibe, Pauls Cocktails is your go-to spot. No reservations, no dress code—just walk in, grab a drink, and feel...