Ambitious Ales Brings Its Award-Winning Craft Beer to Costa Mesa

Beer lovers in Orange County, mark your calendars. Ambitious Ales, the Long Beach craft brewery known for its handcrafted lineup and small-batch and seasonal releases, is opening its first OC location at The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa on Oct. 24 and 25.

Opening weekend runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Expect a full tap list, limited-edition merchandise and DJs spinning vinyl. Smoked & Salted Barbecue will be on hand with food Saturday, and Hamburgers Nice takes over Sunday.

The brewery and tasting room will have indoor and outdoor seating, and families and pets are welcome. It’s shaping up to be an easygoing spot to catch the game, join in community events and enjoy a world-class pint.

For co-founder Danny Karpinski, The LAB was an easy choice.

“As an independent craft brewery, we couldn’t be happier to open at The LAB Anti-Mall, which is based on fostering small businesses and creative brands,” Karpinski said. “We know Orange County, and Costa Mesa specifically, is full of craft beer lovers who will appreciate our approach to beer, creativity and our strong sense of community.”

The feeling is mutual. LAB owner Linda Sadeghi said the brewery is a great fit for the center’s small business collective.

“We’re excited that the Ambitious Ales guys are also becoming LABsters. They are ‘ambitious’ for sure,” Sadeghi said. “They will add great craft beer, energy and an awesome patio experience to the LAB.”

The brewery’s roots are in OC. Five high school friends founded Ambitious Ales in 2012 after a trip to the Oregon Brewers Festival sparked a passion for craft beer and inspired them to try brewing their own. They spent years tinkering with their process before opening the first Ambitious Ales in Long Beach’s Bixby Knolls neighborhood in 2019.

The hard work has paid off. The brewery took home a gold medal at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival for its hazy IPA, Professional Human Being, and a bronze medal at the 2019 festival for its coffee beer, Central Perk. It has also earned multiple awards at the California Brewers Cup, cementing its place among the best breweries in the state.

Ambitious Ales is in The LAB Anti-Mall at 696 Randolph Ave. in Costa Mesa. For more information, visit ambitiousales.com, email info@ambitiousales.com.

Ambitious Ales co-founders from left to right: Jon Cuthbert, Juan Carrillo, Jerome De Leon, Garrett Carroll, and Danny Karpinski. 

BUILD Brings the Heavy Lifting to Newport Beach

BUILD, the strength-focused concept from the team behind BURN, has opened its second location inside BURN Newport Beach. The studio, which launched in August as BURN’s first location outside Los Angeles, now offers BUILD’s dedicated strength classes alongside its existing BURN programming.

BUILD pairs progressive heavy lifting with low infrared heat and medical-grade red and near-infrared LED light, all in a format designed for hypertrophy, or muscle building. The 50-minute classes follow a push/pull/legs split, giving members a structured path to getting stronger over time. With just 12 benches per class, BUILD blends personalized coaching with the energy of a group workout. The first BUILD opened in Studio City in May, and more Southern California locations and new markets are planned.

BURN founder Maria Chase has built a devoted following across five Southern California studios, where sold-out classes and waitlists reflect demand for the brand’s signature method. BURN combines high-intensity weighted workouts and low-impact, Pilates-based sculpting with infrared heat and medical-grade LED/NIR red and blue light. Chase said adding BUILD gives Orange County members another way to train with the team and meets a growing appetite for strength training in a supportive setting.

“We created BUILD to bring a structured, progressive approach to strength training into a group setting,” said Shaya Charvet. “With 12 benches, we can work closely with each person and help them understand when they’re ready to lift heavier. Seeing that progress, and having the encouragement of the people training beside you, is what keeps members coming back.”

BUILD’s approach also helped partner David Charvet prepare for “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.” He trained with his son Shaya to develop the strength the show demands.

“Preparing for Special Forces gave me a very specific reason to get stronger, and Shaya and the BUILD team pushed me to a level I hadn’t reached before,” said David Charvet. “Training at BUILD helped me build the physical strength and also the mental confidence to take on the Special Forces challenges. I’m excited to bring the culture and community that BUILD creates to Newport Beach and help more people feel seen and discover what they’re capable of.”

To book a class at BUILD Newport Beach, download the BURN app or visit BUILD-LA.com

BURN Newport Beach at 2280 Newport Blvd Ste 101, Newport Beach.

Photo credit: Chris Polk / Shutterstock

Sushi Ii Enters a New Chapter as Sushi Suhama in Newport Beach

Sushi Ii, the intimate Japanese restaurant on Newport Beach’s Mariner’s Mile, has entered a new chapter as Sushi Suhama.

The new name nods to both the restaurant’s Japanese roots and the coastline it calls home. Suhama is an ancient Japanese term for a beautiful or picturesque shoreline, a fitting echo of the Newport Beach waterfront. Renowned Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto was commissioned to help shape this next chapter and chose the name himself. One of his celebrated seascapes will hang in the dining room.

While the name is new, the restaurant is not starting over. The same intimate setting and culinary team remain at the heart of Sushi Suhama, along with its commitment to seasonality, craftsmanship and traditional Japanese technique. The Michelin Guide has recognized the restaurant six times since it opened, a distinction it carries forward.

Alongside the new identity, the restaurant has refined its omakase offerings into three distinct experiences:

• Sai Kaiseki Course: The most expansive journey through the traditions of Japanese multi-course dining.
• Ran Signature Course: Composed seasonal dishes with a greater emphasis on sushi.
• Mio Sushi Course: The most sushi-forward of the three, with nigiri at the center.

Menus in each course continue to change with the seasons and the availability of ingredients at their peak.

Chefs Norio Izawa and Koji Takahashi continue to lead the kitchen, alongside Director Natsuko Travioli. Izawa oversees the kaiseki program, drawing on his training in respected kitchens in Tokyo and Kanazawa and his experience at Nobu in New York and Bluefin in Newport Beach. Takahashi, who has been with the restaurant since it opened and brings nearly four decades of experience to his craft, leads the sushi program. Chef Tatsushi Wakabayashi, who joined about a year ago from Nobu, Ikko and Oshima, works alongside him.

That attention to detail extends beyond the menu, from the ceramics chosen for each presentation to the intimate counter and the unhurried pace of service. Sushi Suhama remains rooted in the Japanese belief that hospitality is expressed through the smallest of details. 

Sushi Suhama is located at 100 West Coast Highway in Newport Beach.