The Border Bar

We had an excellent first visit to Border Bar yesterday. It sits right in between Annabelles and Barrio Taco which allows you to order from either. The bar is literally split down the middle with decor from both restaurants which is a cool concept. Got over there around 5:30 so we were able to take advantage of the very good happy hour specials. We ordered the 1/2 "hot mess" nachos which were tasty and a huge portion. Then we got an order of the street corn which is the best in town. We got some churros and Smith Island cake to finish things off. Service from Romario was top notch! All-around fun and positive experience. We will be back for sure!

A fabulous experience from the beginning. The restaurant is huge- an awesome concept- BBQ on one end, Mexican on the other and the bar in between. You can order from both places- so something for everyone! :)
Easy to find on the Coastal Hwy- plenty of parking.

We were greeted by a very sweet hostess and young man who was crushing it- seating people so efficiently. They were genuinely happy you came in- refreshing nowadays! :)

We were seated quickly in a busy restaurant. The ambience was lovely- dark enough to provide respite from the hot day, and music levels just right.

Our server was Kierstyn who was excellent- friendly, warm, welcoming, and genuinely hustled for all her tables to make sure that everyone was attended to promptly. Did not make you feel rushed at all.

We walked in past 6 so we couldn’t get 1/2 order nachos. But we still got them anyway- they were sooooooo good! We devoured them very quickly! Full of flavor and generous with meat. The horchata was very good but the star of the show was the agua Fresca. It was a strawberry cucumber one- perfect flavors and sweetness- very refreshing.

We tried the tacos that were flavorful and burnt end special- Korean BBQ burnt ends. Melt in your mouth! Cornbread was outstanding!

We were so pleased with all our food- it was fresh, quick and served with genuine hospitality. A manager was walking around checking on all the tables. We were seated close to the bar and could hear the bartender check in on all his customers frequently and make friendly suggestions. I wanted to try the brisket but knew we had so much food- Kierstyn and the BBQ chef kindly brought me a sample- it was sooooo good! The sauces were awesome! We will be back to try that!

We had no room for dessert but will try some when back.

Highly recommend. Like all places in OC- prices are par for a vacation town. Service is outstanding. Attention to detail whether with the decor, ambience, menus, and flavors is even more outstanding. It was refreshing to have such great service.

Finally of note- it is always nice to see owners respond to reviews. It is obvious that they care- there was genuine effort to check on each table multiple times to ensure you left happy.

Loved it! Will be back every time we are back in OC and for sure again on this trip!

Edit….. went back again on Sunday afternoon…. Same great service, we had a very attentive and sweet Kiki this time. Food and drink were both consistent and flavorful with our first experience. Cantaloupe agua fresca was delicious as well!

Ok. When you talk about wanting to visit great places while in an area... you ask the locals. Little did I knew the greatness that was only a few blocks away from me while visiting Ocen City. The locals love Annabelle's (aka Border Bar). The tourists love Annabelle's. Well, now I love them too! Completely blown away by the offerings I had this evening. As someone who is heavily involved in the barbecue industry - I am extremely picky about eating the things I judge on a regular basis. This spot checked all the boxes. First and foremost, you can choose to do the 'Que in front; or both barbecue and authentically crafted Mexican food (Border Bar) in the back! Yeah, two spots in one! Now they do literally 95% of everything in house (IE: Bread, Sauces... even Hot Honey). They have three huge smokers hard at work getting the scrumptious meats prepared for our bellies as their two kitchens are working simultaneously... a true sight to see! They ONLY use the best high quality, prime meat - you can tell the difference. Getting to the delectable delights... the Brisket is smokes for 17 hours - bark is uber flavorful, and the fatty (my personal fav) was tender and tasty. A sleeper hit for me was the simplistic Sweet plantains... perfectly picked maduro, sweet with unreal flavor behavior! The Guac was delightful and the chips had a crispy seasoned perfection that make your tastebuds tango! The Pimento dip offered a cool and satisfying flavor, while the Ribs... the RIBS... were fall off the bone meaty goodness with tremendous flavor in every bite. Another AWESOME dish was the Collard greens with bacon and sausage... OMG #WINNING!!! Spicy, but not too spicy, just enough kick to let you know its there and it's absolutely wonderful! I'm not normally a Mac and cheese guy, but when it is perfectly executed... it's truly incredible! They have four different sausages (all with a perfect 'Snap' in every bite) - each is better than the last, the Jalapeño Cheddar one was EPIC! Their smoked Barbacoa was unbelievably tasty (I needed to have a bite - a lot of love in that bite). Then I had the Fried chicken... prepped in a pickle brine. Quite possibly the best fried chicken I've ever had. Crispy and full of mouthwatering wonderment while staying juicy and flavorful on the inside. SooOoOoo well played - everything. Highly recommended - food, staff and the overall feel of this hot spot is EPIC!!! I again highly recommend.