"Especially in this area, there's nothing like it -- to have a comfortable place to go and hang out with my friends," said Lara Hanneman, owner of The Cauldron Spirits and Brews, located across the street from Knott's Berry Farm.
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Hanneman was a creative director at the theme park for several years, so it is perhaps unsurprising that she and her friends designed and built most of the new establishment. She said she wanted the spooky vibe to blend a tavern with an overlay of witches.
She added that patrons might be having a beer "or a nice bite, going, 'Did that move? Or do I need another drink?'"
But don't let the sorcery make you forget the food and drinks. Hanneman is also the executive chef, crafting a unique menu for guests.
"It's not your typical bar food," she said. "It's French-influenced. We've got croque monsieur sliders. But it's also accessible. It's nothing that's too pretentious."
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If you're looking for a little more privacy, you can request to go behind the bookshelf and into the bar's private room.
So whether you're drawn in by the flickering candles and black cats - or the craft cocktails and local beer - Hanneman says she just wants guests to feel comfortable.
Her goal if for the Cauldron's customers to feel like they're in "a familiar place, like they've been here before, like they're always welcome and they want to come again and again."