A regular place

Young Chang

Three regulars identified only as Roger, Tom and Jimmy spin tales at

the bar.

Tom’s a priest, Roger says. That’s why Tom shouldn’t give his last

name.

Jimmy says his last name is Scott, then jokes that it’s not.

Roger says he’s a prominent, civic-minded figure in the community.

Anonymity is a must.

With crossword puzzles before them and half-full cocktails, the three

MargaritaVille bar-sitters insist they’re all friends who met here once

and then every day since, friends who fish or golf together outside of

the Newport Beach restaurant, yet friends who don’t know or care for each

other’s last names.

“Give her your last name!” yells bartender Renee Cole, who goes by

Madison.

She knows the surnames. She gives them away. But everything’s said too

fast and nothing is spelled.

And then David Todd the manager comes by. He can’t believe this.

“Give her your last name!” he insists. “They’re just being weirdos.”

“And a lot of people don’t want to give last names or anything because

they’re not supposed to be here,” Madison offered.

The three amigos overhear. They laugh and go about drinking. Todd

continues mingling and Madison wrestles with a shaker.

The staffers at MargaritaVille phone their regulars when they stay

away for too long. They know everyone by name. They take the locals home

when they’ve had too much to drink. And words like “weirdo” and “stupid”

are anything but taboo to swap.

“The customers are generally really mellow,” said Nicole Fox, a

waitress. “And it’s just funny, how they come in every day with their

crossword puzzles.”

Neighbored by such fine-dining venues as Aysia 101, the Arches

Restaurant and clusters of waterfront seafood eateries, MargaritaVille is

the low-key choice when you’d rather not have glitz.

“It’s for when you wanna go someplace you can wear your thongs and

shorts,” Fox said. “It’s a little getaway from all the big corporate

restaurants, all the fine dining.”

A menu of specialty margaritas includes Horni Margarita (with Sauza

Hornitos, Cointreau and a lemon lime mix), the MargaritaVille’s House

Margarita (with Sauza Conmemorativo, Cointreau, lemon lime mix and a

splash of raspberry liqueur) and the Mercedes Margarita (with Sauza Tres

Generaciones, Grand Marnier and a MargaritaVille mix.)

“Best margaritas in Orange County,” Roger says.

“They’re the best and strongest margaritas,” Jimmy corrects.

The menu offers Mexican staples like tacos and enchiladas but also

American classics like cheeseburgers and even a dish of deep-fried ice

cream for dessert.

Lunch and dinner hours draw mostly families. Late-night band

appearances attract wilder crowds.

The Blue Machine, a rhythm and blues band, pulls in the biggest flood

on Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Upstream, a calypso band, follows them at 8:30

p.m. Patrons line up out the door. A group of bikers always zooms up.

About 30 of them park their bikes in a sleek, straight line. They chug

down a drink or two. They listen to the music. They leave.

Mondays are music-free. It’s football night. Enough said.

And local bands perform a mix of alternative, top 40 and classic rock

Tuesdays through Saturdays, which means that on almost any given day of

the week, diners will dance around tables.

At MargaritaVille, this is the norm.

“We make ‘em feel like this is their place,” Todd said. “And we get to

know them. We don’t just put a drink in front of them.”

FYI

WHAT: MargaritaVille

WHERE: 2332 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach

HOURS: Opens at 11:30 a.m., last call is made between 12:30 a.m. and 1 am. every day

CALL: (949) 631-8220