Taste of San Clemente returns to the historic Casino San Clemente on Friday, November 6, 2026, for a 6 to 10 p.m. evening. The San Clemente Chamber of Commerce is billing this as the 35th Taste, a cocktail-style night of food tastings from local restaurants, wine, local microbrews, and cocktails, with a live band and a silent auction.
Tickets are sold in advance only, and the early-bird price ends October 13. Here is what the Chamber has posted so far, plus a few notes from last year’s edition, as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | Friday, November 6, 2026, 6 to 10 p.m. |
| Where | Casino San Clemente, 140 W. Avenida Pico, San Clemente, CA 92672 |
| Highlights | Restaurant tastings, wine, local microbrews, cocktails, live music by Wigs and Ties, silent auction |
| Tickets | $179 Chamber member early bird, $199 non-member early bird, $210 regular admission starting October 13 |
| Ages | The 2025 edition was 21 and over. The 2026 page does not state an age policy. |
| Door sales | None. Pre-sale only, no refunds. |
| Parking | North Beach city lot across from the Casino, $1.50 per hour |
| Official page | San Clemente Chamber of Commerce |
What’s on the menu
The Chamber describes the night as an elegant evening of “delicious eats,” wine tastings, and samples of local microbrews and cocktails. The restaurants, wineries, and breweries pouring and plating this year have not been announced. Vendor spots are open to Chamber members only, and the vendor application asks each restaurant to bring enough food for about 400 guests.
For a sense of scale, the San Clemente Times reported that the 2025 edition had about 25 food vendors and 20 beverage participants, a mix of breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cocktail bars, with unlimited samples for guests.
- Music: Wigs and Ties, an Orange County cover band, plays for dancing. The same band was booked for the 2019 edition, according to a SanClemente.com listing.
- Silent auction: The Chamber is collecting donated items now. Last year’s auction had more than 40 baskets, including a Chick-fil-A gift card bundle arranged like a Christmas tree and named “40 Chicken Sandwiches in a Tree,” per the San Clemente Times.
- A glass to keep: Every guest gets a complimentary commemorative event glass.
- Coat check: Run by the San Clemente Woman’s Club and The Bargain Box Thrift Store of the Assistance League of Capistrano Valley. Donations to both groups are welcome.
Tickets
Tickets are sold through the Chamber’s registration page. Prices posted on the event page:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Chamber member, early bird | $179 |
| Non-member or guest, early bird | $199 |
| Regular admission (beginning October 13) | $210 |
- Card fee: A 3% transaction fee applies to credit and debit payments.
- No door sales: Tickets are pre-sale only. In 2025, the San Clemente Times reported sales ran until noon on event day. The 2026 cutoff has not been posted.
- No refunds. Be sure of your Friday night before you buy.
- Where the money goes: Chamber CEO Suzie Lantz told the San Clemente Times in 2025 that Taste is the Chamber’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
A 1937 dance hall with a dome
Half the fun is the room. According to the venue’s own history, Casino San Clemente was built in the summer of 1937 as the social hall and dance palace for Ole Hanson’s Spanish Colonial town. A crew of more than 1,000 workers raised the dome in six weeks, and opening night on July 31, 1937 drew 5,000 guests, with the Sterling Young Orchestra playing and CBS Radio broadcasting live.
The venue says Judy Garland sang there and Mickey Rooney took the stage during its big band years. The original oak dance floor is still in use, and in 2020 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the North Beach Historic District.
Getting there
The Casino is at 140 W. Avenida Pico in San Clemente’s North Beach area. Since the night is built around tasting drinks, the Chamber suggests using a ride service to get there and back.
- Parking: Paid parking is in the North Beach city lot, directly across from the Casino, at $1.50 per hour.
- Rideshare: The Chamber suggests ride services this year. Last year, it also encouraged carpooling.
Tips
- Buy before October 13. That is when the price goes up to $210.
- Pace yourself. Four hours of food, wine, beer, and cocktails adds up. Eat as you sip, and plan your ride home before the first pour.
- Dress the part. The 2026 page does not list a dress code. Last year Lantz described the night to the San Clemente Times as “very San Clemente-style,” not stiff or formal, and said people dress up and dance.
- Bring a jacket, then check it. It is an evening event by the beach in November, and there is a coat check inside.
- Save room for the auction table. Last year the baskets were pitched as holiday gifts, so it doubles as early shopping.
Family notes
This is an adults’ night out. The San Clemente Times described the 2025 edition as 21 and over. The Chamber’s 2026 page does not repeat an age rule, so check with the Chamber at 949-492-1131 before planning around anyone under 21.
Accessibility
The Chamber has not posted accessibility details for the event. For questions about access, seating, or dietary needs, contact the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce at 949-492-1131 or info@scchamber.com.
Still to come
The list of participating restaurants, wineries, and breweries, the ticket sales cutoff, a 2026 age policy, and any dress code have not been published yet. The 824 Journal will update this guide when the Chamber shares them.
Sources
- San Clemente Chamber of Commerce: Taste of San Clemente, Nov 6, 2026 (date, time, venue, tickets, parking, entertainment, coat check, sponsors)
- Taste of San Clemente 2026 Vendor Participation Application (PDF)
- San Clemente Chamber of Commerce
- San Clemente Times: Annual Taste of San Clemente Returns with Food, Wine, Community Spirit (November 6, 2025)
- Casino San Clemente: Our Story
- SanClemente.com: Taste of San Clemente (2019 listing)
Featured photo: PatrykTBrown via Wikimedia Commons, CC0
