Best Neighborhood Bar, South OC Orange County 2013 - Turk's
Back in 1992, when his dockside bar had been open about eight years, Turk himself told the Los Angeles Times, "It's like a person. It has a pulse. I can feel it when I walk in." This buzz could have been emanating from the former Muscle Beach body-builder; he has an IMDB page and earned the title of Mr. Los Angeles in 1946, and his charisma still fills the place. His daughter Candy capably carries on Turk's legacy—she prepares the family's secret mix for Bloody Marys, which you can order daily from 7 a.m. to last call. Any time you visit during those 19 hours, you'll find regulars holding their positions while welcoming a vibrant mix of patrons, including transient boat owners who harbor-hop the coast, the fish-obsessed, international tourists, harbor workers, desert dwellers fleeing the heat, locals of all stripes, the seasick waiting for loved ones to return to Dana Wharf from whale-watching or fishing excursions, and us.