Looking for a neighborhood bar you can call your own? Belly up at Class of ’47, a local’s favorite on Balboa Peninsula right by the iconic Balboa Ferry and Fun Zone. You’ll rub elbows with the down to earth beach folk and fishermen of Newport, the occasional moon-eyed tourist, and patrons who’ve been coming to ’47 since back when John Wayne himself drank here.
The ’47 is an establishment in this town, a classic old bar with bartenders you’ll always recognize, buzzing pool tables, a jukebox that’s known to prefer Johnny Cash, almost a dozen TVs playing all the best games, a retro photo booth, and all the regular patrons who call each other family. This haunt has been the go-to watering hole on the Peninsula for decades, and the interior shows proof of that. The ceiling is a canopy of dollar bills signed by patrons and the walls are lined with photos and cutouts of John Wayne, head shots of the starlettes of yesteryear, and wise vintage signs warning “Beware of Loose Women and Pick Pockets”. Steps from the beach and the bay, this is the bar you want to be at whether you’re day drinking, winding down after work, or winding up for the weekend. School’s in session, and it’s time to go to Class.