California Has A Hidden Magical Speakeasy Boba Bar Offering A Fantastical Interactive Experience

Finally, a speakeasy for people who want some magic potions without alcohol! At Costa Mesa's Elixir Tea Craft, loosely (or not so loosely) based on a magical Harry Potter experience in a Dungeons and Dragons fantasy space, you can consort with wizards, frolic with elves, and gobble up the gelatinous gemstones known to muggles as boba. To enter the space, follow the steps of a complicated riddle elucidated in cryptic detail on their website: "We are hidden upstairs above Lovers and through Purple Haze. Take caution when climbing the perilous staircase past the giant skeleton warrior and magical gallery of rogues and wizards! Make your quest through Daigon Alley, across the enchanted forest, where you see a castle with a dragon trophy and you are very close!"

With more than 100 board games, Instagrammable corners galore, and a strict wizard test requiring visitors to catch a bubble and put it in their drink, this wacky and wild world has everything for the witch or warlock in your midst. Like the exclusive theme park that transports guests into an interactive Studio Ghibli film, a night at Elixir brings alive fantasy worlds that are usually found only in books and films. Monthly parties and events are open to "gold medallion" members and celebrate fantasy nerds' favorite locales, from Middle Earth and Hogwarts to medieval Europe and pirate ships. They also host public events, like a scholastic chess tournament for kids in primary and secondary school. The cafe is open in the evening on Wednesday through Friday evenings and in the afternoon and evening on weekends.

Reviews on Google, which lists the speakeasy's official name as Elixir Wizard Academy, Boba Tea Bar & Enchanted Ice Cream at 1779 Newport Boulevard 2nd Floor, give the cafe a user-reviewed rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, with most reviewers fully on board for the unusual experience and in love with the variety of ice cream and boba offerings. "This place transports you into a world of fantasy," local guide Megan Williams wrote in her Google review. "A gem in a world of minimalist gray and beige." Oliver Matuszewski stated simply, "Vibes are immaculate." Yelp reviewers give Elixir 4.1 stars, registering a similar level of enthusiasm.

But not everyone finds the magic, even here. The menu of boba and ice cream certainly does not scratch anyone's umami itch. "My only sorrow," reported Google local guide Delaney Waldron, "was there is no food, only ice cream." And with boba drinks between $10 and $14, ice cream starting at $10, and upsells like a membership medallion for $100, it doesn't take long for things to get pricey. If you're looking for the absolute best teas from around the world in the classic sense, the wacky, mocktail-like concoctions might not be for you either. However, if there is a fun-loving fantasy freak in your family, it doesn't take a crystal ball to see yourself at Elixir sometime in the future.