this site is my collection of all things cocktail since 1980 • please give credit if used for media purposes • condensed mobile version coming soon
Photo by Susan Bourgoin of VisualCuisines.com
Craft Bar Timeline
As far as I know the term “craft bar” came from Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff. His first published book, The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, officially kick-started the modern craft culture movement.
Between the 1950s and 1990s (and into the beginning of the millennium), most bars in America used inferior fabricated ingredients, yet recipe books from the 1800s through the 1940s called for fresh ingredients. If you made a Whiskey Sour, you used fresh lemon juice. Margarita? Fresh lime juice. Quality and freshness is the foundation of what the modern-day craft cocktail movement is about. It is nothing new—your grandmother did it this way. We just forgot, or wanted to cut costs, and allowed companies to capitalize on the ignorance of the masses.
Many craft bars hand-make their own syrups and mixers, seek out forgotten spirits, have different ice choices, and incorporate little-used spices and herbs. They peruse vintage recipe books and put fresh artisanal spins on new creations. It can be compared to a passionate chef studying classic cookbooks and then making his or her own sauces, soups, pasta, breads, etc., from scratch. For many years in restaurants, there has been a huge disconnect between the kitchen and the bar. But today—finally—quality in both food and drink is offered by most restaurant/bar venues.
DeGroff is credited with watering the cocktail renaissance seeds in the late 1980s. The New York Times declared he was “single-handedly responsible for what’s been called the cocktail renaissance.” With lots of liquid sunshine, the seed grew to around thirty craft bars in America by 2005 and by 2018, the number reached over 1000.
American Craft Cocktail Beginnings Timeline
1960s–1990s
Many bars in San Francisco did not experience a cocktail revolution because they never stopped making classic cocktails with fresh ingredients. Some of these bars include Henry Africa’s, the Zuni Café, Balboa Café, BIX Jazz Bar, Dartmouth Social Club, Golden Gate Grill, Enrico’s, and Stars.
1985
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff heads up restaurateur Joe Baum’s restaurant Aurora making classic cocktails he learned in Jerry Thomas’s 1862 book.
1988
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff begins a gourmet approach to recreating classic cocktails at restaurateur Joe Baum’s current project, the Rainbow Room in New York City (65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza).
Del Pedro makes fresh classic cocktails at celebrity-owned Sam’s Café in New York City (100 Crescent Court, Suite 140). He then went on to work at Les Halles, the Hotel Knickerbocker, Grange Hall, and Pegu Club, and in 2012 opened his own bar called Tooker Alley in Brooklyn (793 Washington Avenue).
Brother Cleve takes a bartender position at his friend’s bar, Hoodoo BBQ in Boston (97 Massachusetts Avenue) and introduces a classic cocktail menu.
Barnaby Conrad III publishes Absinthe: History in a Bottle.
1989
Kathy Casey pioneers the kitchen-to-bar-chef movement. She develops liquidkitchen.com and rolls out the first craft cocktail program on a cruise ship.
1990
Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant makes a decision to be rid of all the inferior tequilas and brings in 100 percent blue agave tequilas. Bermejo starts a tequila club and by 1999, Tommy’s was the epicenter number-one tequila bar in America.
Bartender Murray Stenson serves classic cocktails at Il Bistro in Seattle, Washington (93 Pike Street).
Chris Israel and Bruce Carey open Zefiro, the first fresh classic bar in Portland, Oregon (500 Northwest Twenty-First Avenue). They bring on Peggy Boston as bar manager and she puts out a classic cocktail menu.
1991
Gary Regan publishes The Bartender’s Bible.
1992
Paul Harrington is recognized in San Francisco’s Bay Guardian. The title of the article reads, “The Lost Art of Mixology; An Enrico’s bartender rediscovers Cuban Cocktails.” Paul talks about making Mojitos, Aviations, and Hemmingway Daiquiris.
Bartender Danny Rosenberg offers a menu of recipes he found in old cocktail recipe books at Grange Hall in New York City (50 Commerce Street). Co-workers include Toby Maloney and Del Pedro.
Steve Olson aka Wine Geek starts a beverage consulting company.
1993
NOLA scientist Ted A. Breaux becomes intrigued by the Old Absinthe House and actively researches the mysterious spirit.
While working on the John Hughes film Baby’s Day Out in Chicago, Ted Haigh spots a sign that reads “Chicago’s Oldest Wine & Spirits Merchant.” Every weekend, he buys buy up vintage (and extinct) bottles that include Abbott’s bitters, 1930s gin, and vintage crème de menthe, then ships them home to California. His new hobby of collecting and researching vintage cocktail culture is born.
Inspired by Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff, Francis Schott starts a fresh bar program at his restaurant, Stage Left, in New Brunswick, New Jersey (5 Livingston Avenue).
1994
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry begins his search for the original Zombie ingredients (it takes eleven years).
Beverage director Steve Olson, along with Tom Colicchio and Danny Meyers, opens Gramercy Tavern and introduces fresh crafted and classic cocktails in New York City (42 East Twentieth Street).
1995
The first cocktail websites are launched on a new media platform called the World Wide Web. Websites that focus on fresh classic cocktails are:
Paul Harrington aka “The Alchemist” of www.cocktailtime.com (defunct) puts out a beautiful color cocktail section of classic cocktails complete with history and notes on the first commercial web magazine: www.hotwired.com (defunct).
Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller launch www.martiniplace.com (defunct) on Halloween. They now own mixellany.com.
Author and beverage consultant Robert Plotkin launches www.barmedia.com.
Check my research on all the other first cocktail related websites on my First Websites Page .
Tony Abou-Ganim becomes inspired in 1993 after meeting Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff at the Rainbow Room. By 1995, Tony introduces fresh classic cocktails at Harry Denton’s Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco (450 Powell Street).
Steve Olson begins teaching “Gin Cocktail Clinics” helping consumers make fresh and classic cocktails in their homes. The clinics lasts for five years and employs over 100 bartenders as consultants teaching the program in six major cities in America, reaching up to 300 consumers per show, with as many as 25 bartenders working the show with Olson. The list of people who worked with the clinics includes Don Lee, Jim Meehan, Phil Ward, Eric Alperin, Jon Santer, Carlos Yturria, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Misty Kalkofen, Sean Kenyon, John Lermayer, Tad Carducci, Charles Joly, right hand Leo DeGroff, and the ringleader, Andy Seymour.
Julie Reiner learns classic cocktails from Linda Fusco at the Red Room in San Francisco (827 Sutter).
Peggy Boston opens the fresh bar program at Saucebox in Portland, Oregon. Bartenders included Lucy Brennan and Marcovaldo Dionysos.
Nick Mautone makes his own cocktail onions, brandied cherries, and more for fresh cocktails at Gramercy Tavern in New York City (42 East Twentieth Street).
1996
Dale DeGroff sets up the Pravda bar program and trains the bar staff in New York City (281 Lafayette Street) Among the bartenders are Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric.
Todd Thrasher heads up the bar at Café Atlantico in Washington, DC (405 Eighth Street) and adds five Latin cocktails to the menu that include Caipirihna, Caipiroska, Mojito, Pisco Sour, and a traditional Bolivian drink called the Shoofly. In 1991, Thrasher trekked to see Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff at the Rainbow Room.
Dave Nepove makes fresh cocktails at Enrico’s in San Francisco for ten years. He earns the nickname Mr. Mojito.
Steve Olson and Doug Frost travel the world for five years teaching the Sterling School of Service and Hospitality Spirits Program—a one-day bartender spirits certification class. In 1997, I attend their class at Walt Disney World.
Paulius Nasvytis squeezes fresh juice and makes classic cocktails at the Velvet Tango Room in Cleveland, Ohio (2095 Columbus Road). By 2005, VTR is a full craft cocktail bar.
Marcovaldo Dionysos makes classic cocktails as a daytime bartender at Enrico’s Sidewalk Café in San Francisco (504 Broadway). Later he works at the Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, Bourbon & Branch, Harry Denton’s Starlight Room, and Smuggler’s Cove.
Yokocho Japanese Restaurant opened in Greenwich Village in 1994 (8 Stuyvesant Street), but by 1996, Japanese trained bartender Shinichi Ikeda begins training bartenders in Angel’s Share—a secret bar behind a door inside the restaurant—how to make classic craft cocktails with hand-chipped ice. Rules posted on the door say: “No more than four people in a group, no standing, no screaming, and no shouting.”
Ted A. Breaux obtains his first unopened bottles of pre-ban absinthe.
Steve Olson sets up the bar program at Mirezi in New York City (59 Fifth Avenue) with Asian-inspired handcrafted cocktails.
1997
F. Paul Pacult publishes the groundbreaking book Kindred Spirits: The Spirit Journal Guide to the World’s Distilled Spirits and Fortified Wines.
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff sets up the bar program at the Greatest Bar on Earth on top of the World Trade Center in New York City (107th floor in Tower One).
George Delgado tends bar in the Windows Bar on top of the World Trade Center in New York City, making classic and fresh cocktails. The night before 9/11/2001, he teaches a cocktail and spirits class.
Julie Reiner is featured on the front page of the food section in the New York Times using seasonal fresh fruits, spices, and tea while tending bar at C3 in the Washington Square Hotel in New York City (103 Waverly Place).
Quench, on the Food Network, brings cocktails to TV with hosts Andrea Immer Robinson and Steve Olson.
The Happy Hour, a nationally syndicated radio show with Paul Pacult and Gary Regan, introduces cocktails to the consumers.
Dale DeGroff invites Audrey Saunders to help work special events with him at the Rainbow Room.
Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller publish Shaken Not Stirred: A Celebration of the Martini.
Josh Childs opens Silvertone Bar & Grill in Boston with a fresh and classic bar program.
Gary Regan publishes New Classic Cocktails.
1998
Paul Harrington and Laura Moorhead publish the game-changing Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century. It was based on the cocktail section of classic cocktails at www.hotwired.com.
Bill Russell-Shapiro and Eric Vreede open the craft bar Absinthe Brassiere & Bar in San Francisco (398 Hayes Street). Bartenders included Scott Beattie and Marcovaldo Dionysos.
Patrick Sullivan opens B-Side Lounge—considered Boston’s first fresh classic cocktail bar (92 Hampshire Street). Brother Cleve helps with the cocktail menu and tends bar for three years. Other bartenders include Misty Kalkofen, John Gertsen, Jackson Cannon, Dylan Black, Dave Cagle, Joe McGuirk, and Andy McNees.
Tony Abou-Ganim is hired to bring classic fresh cocktails to all twenty-three bars at Bellagio in Las Vegas (3600 Sout Las Vegas Boulevard). Included in the opening is Bridget Albert, who becomes Abou-Ganim’s protégé.
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry publishes Beachbum Berry's Grog Log.
1999
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff and Audrey Saunders head up the craft bar Blackbird in New York City (60 East Forty-Ninth Street).
Tobin Ellis opens a craft and classic cocktail bar with a tequila focus hidden behind an unmarked door and up a flight of stairs above a pizza shop in Syracuse, New York, called the Stoop (309 West Fayette Street).
Toby Cecchini opens Passerby in New York City (436 West Fifteenth Street).
Steve Olson sets up the craft bar program at Russian Tea Room in New York City (150 West Fifty-Seventh Street).
Marion’s Continental on the Bowery serves fresh craft cocktails in New York City (354 Bowery).
Eleven Madison Park restaurant serves classic cocktails in New York City (11 Madison Avenue).
David Wondrich begins to update the online version of Esquire’s 1949 Handbook for Hosts.
Gary Regan launches www.ardentspirits.com.
The Campbell Apartment in New York City serves classic cocktails (Grand Central Terminal, 15 Vanderbilt Avenue).
Ted A. Breaux becomes the first to analyze vintage absinthe using modern science, the results sparking a paradigm shift in our understanding of the infamous spirit.
Inspired by Angel’s Share, Sasha Petraske opens Milk & Honey on New Year’s Eve in New York City (134 Eldridge Street).
Chris Hannah makes fresh cocktails at the Duck News Café in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (1564 Duck Road). Later, in 2004, Hannah heads up the French 75 Bar in New Orleans (813 Bienville Street).
2000
Sasha Petraske hires his first bartender, Toby Maloney, at Milk & Honey in New York City. Other employees to follow include Christy Pope, Joseph Schwartz, Wilder Schwartz, Kelvin Perez, Elizabeth Sun, and Chad Solomon.
Ryan Magerian joins Kathy Casey Food Studios and develops global fresh craft bar programs.
2001
Lucy Brennan opens the craft bar Mint in Portland, Oregon (816 North Russell Street).
Ted Haigh launches DrCocktail.com.
Drew Levinson begins to travel with Steve Olson designing innovative beverage programs for nationally acclaimed restaurants.
Gary Regan begins conducting a series of two-day bartender workshops called Cocktails in the Country. And Jonathan Pogash is one of the first students.
Jonathan Pogash starts tending bar at the Russian Tea Room following Steve Olson’s fresh juice program.
Jamie Boudreau launches his Spirits and Cocktails blog (spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com).
Carlos Yturria tends bar at Bakar making classic cocktails in San Francisco (448 Brannan Street).
2002
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff publishes the book that officially kicks off the craft cocktail movement, The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender.
Principal bartender John Gertsen works with bar manager Ryan McGrale to create a fresh classic cocktail program at No. 9 Park in Boston (9 Park Street).
Murray Stenson serves classic cocktails at Zig Zag Café in Seattle, Washington (1501 Western Avenue #202).
Sasha Petraske opens Milk & Honey in London in 2002 (61 Poland Street).
Duggan McDonnell serves fresh classic cocktails at Wild Ginger in Seattle, Washington (1401 Third Avenue).
Tales of the Cocktail—the first cocktail festival—is launched in New Orleans by Ann Rogers.
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry publishes Intoxica.
William Grimes publishes Straight Up or On the Rocks: The Story of the American Cocktail.
2003
Eastern Standard opens in Boston, which radicalizes the way those in Boston look at the art of cocktail making (528 Commonwealth Avenue).
LeNell’s Boutique Liquor Shop opened in Brooklyn (416 Van Brunt Street).
Julie Reiner opens Flatiron Lounge, the first high-volume craft cocktail bar in New York City (37 West Nineteenth Street). Bar staff includes Katie Stipe, Lynnette Marrero, John Blue, Phil Ward, Brian Miller, Toby Maloney, Dushan Zaric, and Jason Kosmas.
Eben Freeman becomes known as a molecular mixologist at WD-50, a molecular gastronomy restaurant and bar in New York City (50 Clinton Street).
Murray Stenson becomes head bartender at the Zig Zag Café.
Gary Regan publishes The Joy of Mixology.
2004
The Museum of the American Cocktail is founded in New Orleans by Dale and Jill DeGroff, Chris and Laura McMillian, Ted Haigh, Robert Hess, Phil Greene, and Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller.
Ted Haigh publishes Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails.
Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas open the award-winning bar Employees Only in New York City (510 Hudson Street).
Stefan Trummer takes craft cocktails to another level at Upstairs at Bouley in New York City (130 West Broadway).
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry publishes Taboo Table.
Brian Van Flandern serves classic crafted cocktails as head barman at Michelin three-star restaurant Per Se in New York City. One year later, he is credited for starting the global “tonic water” revolution by creating his own tonic water from scratch.
Bartender and drink blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler launches his drink blog jeffreymorhenthaler.com. Later, Morgenthaler heads up the award-winning Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon. Morgenthaler is also credited with making barrel-aged cocktails popular.
2005
Sasha Petraske opens Little Branch in New York City (22 Seventh Avenue South).
Chemist turned bartender Darcy O’Neil launches his blog Art of Drink. O’Neil goes on to write the award-winning book Fix the Pumps and also resurrects extinct drink products such as acid phosphate, lactart, and Abbott’s bitters.
Audrey Saunders opens Pegu Club in New York City (77 West Houston Street). Bar staff included Toby Maloney, Chad Solomon, Phil Ward, Jim Meehan, Sam Ross, and Brian Miller.
Jim Meehan begins working at Gramercy, then moves on to Pegu Club.
Dave Arnold starts working at the French Culinary Institute.
Paul Clarke launches the first blog dedicated to the cocktail, Cocktail Chronicles.
David Wondrich publishes Killer Cocktails.
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry ends his search for locating the original Zombie ingredients.
Derek Brown starts a cocktail blog, DC Drinks.
2006
Sasha Petraske, Christy Pope, and Chad Solomon start Cuffs & Buttons—a beverage consultant and catering company. In 2014, Christy Pope and Chad Solomon open their own bar, Midnight Rambler in Dallas, Texas (1530 Main Street).
Jamie Boudreau opens the craft bar Vessel in Seattle, Washington (624 Olive Way). Then in 2011 Boudreau opens the award-winning Canon in Seattle (928 Twelfth Avenue).
Charlotte Voisey—sounds like “noisy”—is one of the first brand ambassadors and princesses of the cocktail world, handpicked by William Grant & Sons to represent Hendrick’s gin.
Wayne Curtis publishes And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails.
Popular drinks writer Camper English launches the Alcademics drink blog.
Karen Foley publishes the award-winning drinks magazine Imbibe.
San Francisco Cocktail Week starts its first year.
Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller publish Mixologist: The Journal of the American Cocktail Vol. 1.
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff, Steven Olson, Doug Frost, Paul Pacult, David Wondrich, and Andy Seymour open Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) in New York City.
Todd Smith and Jon Santer open Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco (501 Jones Street).
The bartenders of Absinthe Brassiere & Bar publish Art of the Bar.
Francis Schott opens the restaurant Catherine Lombardi with a fresh craft cocktail bar in New Brunswick, New Jersey (3 Livingston Avenue).
Dave Kaplan and Alex Day open Death + Co. on New Year’s Eve in New York City (433 East Sixth Street).
Todd Thrasher opens his first bar, PX, in Alexandria, Virginia (728 Kings Street).
2007
Don Lee starts training behind the bar at Death & Co., then in the same year helps Jim Meehan at PDT. He invents fat washing by infusing bacon with Bourbon and creates the Benton’s Old-Fashioned.
Eric Seed brings Rothman and Winter crème de violette back into America after being unavailable for almost ninety years.
Eben Freeman he opens his own bar Tailor (505 8th Avenue).
Natalie Bovis launches TheLiquidMuse.com.
Greg Boehm begins to reproduce and publish old cocktail books.
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry publishes Sippin’ Safari.
Lucid absinthe becomes the first wormwood absinthe allowed back into the United States after being banned for ninety-five years—thanks to Ted A. Breaux and Veridian Spirits LLC.
Duggan McDonnell opens his craft bar Cantina in San Francisco.
Head mixologist Toby Maloney opens the Violet Hour in Chicago (1520 North Damen Avenue).
St. Germain elderflower liqueur is introduced.
Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci launch Tippling Bros.—a beverage consulting company.
Jim Meehan opens PDT in New York City (9113 East Marks Place). The telephone booth entrance creates headlines and the TV talk show host Jimmy Fallon talks about it on his show.
Michael Martensen begins a fresh craft bar program at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas.
David Wondrich publishes the James Beard Award-winning Imbibe!
Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller publish Mixologist: The Journal of the American Cocktail Vol. 2.
Tobin Ellis is selected as the number-one bartender in America to compete against Bobby Flay in his TV show Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, making Ellis the first successful award-winning flair bartender to cross over to the craft cocktail world.
Tony Abou-Ganim publishes Modern Mixology.
Colin Kimball launches the Small Screen Network and brings professional online bartending videos to the cocktail community.
2008
Julie Reiner opens Clover Club in Brooklyn, New York (210 Smith Street). The opening bar staff includes Ms. Franky Marshall, Nate Dumas, Brad Farran, Giuseppe Gonzalez, and Tom Chadwick. Ms. Franky Marshall went on to work at Monkey Bar, the Tippler, Dead Rabbit, and Holiday Cocktail Lounge.
Sasha Petraske opens White Star absinthe bar in New York City (22 Seventh Avenue South).
Robert Hess publishes The Essential Bartender’s Guide.
Pernod Ricard USA partners with some of the most highly respected American spirits professionals to launch BarSmarts—an advanced bartender training program. The trainers include Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff, Steve “Wine Geek” Olson, Doug Frost, F. Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour, and David Wondrich.
Scott Beattie publishes Artisanal Cocktails.
Roberto Sequeira launches Gläce Luxury Ice, which offers high-quality ice spheres (balls) and large cubes delivered to your door.
Bridget Albert publishes Market Fresh Mixology.
Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff publishes his second book, The Essential Cocktail.
John Lermayer is handpicked by rock star Lenny Kravitz and Morgans Hotel Group Vice President of Nightlife Ben Pundole to create a cutting-edge beverage program for the Delano in Miami Beach.
New Orleans becomes the first city in the world to vote in an official city cocktail—the Sazerac.
Natalie Bovis publishes the first nonalcoholic craft mocktail book Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be.
Cocktail Kingdom is launched, selling high-quality master mixology bar tools.
2009
Sasha Petraske opens Los Angeles’s first craft bar, the Varnish, with Eric Alperin and Cedd Moses (118 East Sixth Street).
Brian Van Flandern publishes Vintage Cocktails.
Sasha Petraske opens Dutch Kills in Long Island City, New York (27–24 Jackson Avenue).
Phil Ward opens his bar, Mayahuel (304 East 6th Street).
Kate Gerwin opens Casa Vieja restaurant in Corrales, New Mexico with a fresh craft bar program.
I help BarProducts.com add a Master Mixology section of bar tools.
Kathy Casey’s book Sips & Apps is published and in the book, Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff mentions her as the first bar chef.
Philip Ward and Ravi DeRossi head up Mayahuel in New York City (304 East Sixth Street).
Tobin Ellis launches Social Mixology, the world’s first pop-up speakeasy series, which makes underground appearances in New York, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Aspen, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Miami.
2010
The millennial generation takes the wheel. Yeah, they tend to be narcissistic, don’t understand why they need to pay their dues—run before they can walk—but look where they drove the cocktail culture: they steered away from the speakeasy-styled bars and created casual hangs such Prizefighter, Honeycut, and Mother’s Ruin, they opened dive craft bars, tiki bars, and soda fountain bars, grew their own herbs, created barrel-aged cocktails, advanced molecular mixology, cocktails on tap, cold maceration, flair bartenders crossed over to mixology and vice versa, Red Rover Bartenders (celebrity bartenders swapped/traveled to bartend at other bars), organized pop up bars, produced commercial artisanal syrups, waters, bitters, and more, experimented with plant-based milk, focused on mezcal, tequila, moonshine, and genever forward cocktails, made tattooed bartenders cool, started ice programs, popularized Japanese bar tools, produced their own bar tools, presented food and cocktail pairings, started their own cocktail events, and most importantly, won James Beard Awards. They are not done. In 2018, they have started a serious push to go straw-less for environmental reasons. Previous generations are very proud, but their only regret is not having the Internet / social media bartender community back in their day.
Craft Cocktail Revolution is Over, Now What?
This is the American cover. The European cover has a flame.
2006 photo by David Kressler for DeGroff's second book, The Essential Bartender: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks.
Illustration from Jill Degroff from saloonartist.com.
Public Domain photo of the Rainbow Room by bradfordschultze
Photo from Kathy Casey.com
San Francisco’s Bay Guardian article courtesy of Paul Harringtion.
Art of Ted Haigh by Saloon Artist, Jill DeGroff from her Facebook page.
Robert Plotkin in 2011 from his Facebook page.
Art of Steve Olson by Saloon Artist, Jill DeGroff from her Facebook page.
Dave Nepove in 2007 from his Facebook page.
Marcovaldo Dionysos in 2016 from his Facebook page.
Ted A. Breaux in 2008 from his Facebook page.
Julie Reiner in 2012 from her Facebook page.
Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller from Mixellany.com
Art of Beachbum Berry by Brad Abelson from Beachbum's Facebook page.
Tobin Ellis in 2010 from his Facebook page.
2007 Me and Gary Regan at Tales of the Cocktail. This is our first photo and in-person meeting.
2008 Sasha Petraske at Tales of the Cocktail.
Jonathan Pogash from his facebook page.
Jamie Boudreau in 2007 from his Facebook page.
Eben Freeman from his Facebook page.
Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas. Photo from Simon & Schuster.
Darcy O'Neil from his Facebook page.
2009 Christy Pope and Chad Solomon from Christy's Facebook page.
Craft Bars in America
In 2014, my publisher for the 4th Edition of The Everything Bartender's Book asked me to add a list of craft bars in America. I let them know it wasn't like it was ten years ago, and there are now many in each state. They said they still wanted it. So I worked on it then when I got up to 400 I contacted them and asked if they wanted me to continue. I stopped at 400. When the book was released I noticed that they cut the entire chapter, so I contacted them again asking about all the craft bars across America chapter, and they said they needed to cut it for word count. Then in 2018, it got cut again for my 16th book The Cocktail Companion.
Below are the bars I researched. I do not plan to keep up with all the bars that have closed or opened.
Alabama
41st Street Pub & Aircraft Sales—Birmingham
130 Forty-First Street South, Suite 105 • 41ststreetpub.com
Classic cocktail happy hours, crafted cocktails, you are allowed to bring in your own food, and it’s a great place to watch your favorite game.
Carrigan’s Public House—Birmingham
2430 Morris Avenue • facebook.com/carriganspub
Offers craft cocktails, food, and $5 Old-Fashioneds on Wednesdays.
Highlands Bar & Grill—Birmingham
2011 Eleventh Avenue South • highlandsbarandgrill.com
Features a white marble bar top, classic cocktails, French cuisine, and oysters on the half shell at the bar.
The Collins—Birmingham
2125 Second Avenue North
Custom-made craft cocktails, elevated comfort food, and a giant periodic table of the elements as a backdrop for the backbar.
Haberdasher Bar—Mobile
451 Dauphin Street • facebook.com/thehabmobile
Craft and classic cocktails, rotating craft beer, fresh handmade food, twenty-one-plus, and no table service.
Arkansas
Capital Bar & Grill—Little Rock
111 West Markham Street • capitalbarandgrill.com
Award-winning bar and grill with a devotion to handmade classic and custom cocktails. This is the gathering spot of choice for Little Rock’s business and political leaders.
Local Lime—Little Rock
17815 Chenal Parkway • locallimetaco.com
Fresh Tex-Mex food and fresh cocktails.
South on Main—Little Rock
1304 South Main Street • southonmain.com
Restaurant performance venue with craft cocktails.
california
Carthay Circle Lounge—Anaheim
Disney California Adventure Park • 1313 South Disneyland Drive
disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disney-california-adventure/carthay-circle-lounge
Grand entrance, dimly lit, swanky signature cocktails served in unique glassware and bar bites.
Hammer Workshop & Bar—Anaheim
440 South Anaheim Boulevard • anaheimpackingdistrict.com
The building used to be a packing house. They offer original and classic handcrafted cocktails of the highest quality, and pub food, in a fun interactive atmosphere.
The Blind Rabbit—Anaheim
440 South Anaheim Boulevard • theblindrabbit.com
Craft cocktail speakeasy with rules: enter through the sake barrels, exit through the bookcase, no baseball caps, no shorts, no logo shirts, no flip-flops, you can only stay for ninety minutes, no switching seats, no talking on cell phones, text only, no flash photos, and no flashlights.
East Bay Spice Company—Anaheim
2134 Oxford Street • eastbayspicecompany.com
Crafted cocktails, food and spiced shandy happy hours.
The Pub at Chino Hills—Chino Hills
577 Pine Avenue, Suite A • thepubatchinohills.com
A British gastropub with high-end drinks and craft beers.
Arc Restaurant Food & Libations—Costa Mesa
3321 Hyland Avenue Suite F • arcrestaurant.com
Their cocktail program is dedicated to American spirits paired perfectly with European liqueurs with hand-cut ice. They serve brunch, lunch, and dinner as well and their tagline is “Dirty. Sexy. Happiness.”
Pie Society—Costa Mesa
353 East Seventeenth Street • piesocietybar.com
Offers unique libations, classic cocktails, and delicious fare.
Wild Goose Tavern—Costa Mesa
436 East Seventeenth Street • goosebar.com
Serves straightforward, excellent cocktails, seasonal beers, and elevated pub grub in a space that is casual with vintage décor reminiscent of a hunting lodge saloon.
Lock & Key Social Drinkery—Downy
11033 Downy Avenue • lockandkeybar.com
They offer craft cocktails, craft beer, and craft burgers.
Prizefighter—Emeryville
6702 Hollis Street • prizefighterbar.com
Offering world-class cocktails in a casual and fun environment. You are encouraged to bring your own food.
The Famous—Glendale
154 South Brand Boulevard • facebook.com/thefamousbar
Cocktails served are identical to those served nearly a hundred years ago when the building was constructed.
Roxane’s—Long Beach
1115 East Wardlow Road • roxanneslounge.com
theexhibitionroom.com
Have fun in Roxanne’s, then make your way to the back of the bar and go through the telephone booth to enter the Exhibition Room. Lots of rules for this room, so check the website first.
The Stache Bar—Long Beach
941 East Fourth Street • thestachebar.com
Classic cocktails with house-made ingredients.
Bar Marmont—Los Angeles
8171 West Sunset Boulevard • chateaumarmont.com
Inside the Chateau Marmont hotel, and it’s a legendary Hollywood celebrity haunt.
Black Market Liquor Bar—Los Angeles
11915 Ventura Boulevard • blackmarketliquorbar.com
A Studio City craft cocktail bar and restaurant.
Blind Barber—Los Angeles
10797 West Washington Boulevard • blindbarber.com
Dive bar behind a barbershop, this lounge offers craft cocktails and modern pub bites in a hip setting.
A West Hollywood craft cocktail bar.
Cana Rum Bar—Los Angeles
714 West Olympic Boulevard • 213hospitality.com/project/canarumbar
A $20 annual membership is required.
Copa d’Oro—Los Angeles
217 Broadway • copadoro.com
A sophisticated Santa Monica craft lounge.
Harvard & Stone—Los Angeles
5221 Hollywood Boulevard • harvardandstone.com
Buzzy bar with a factory-like vibe that offers inventive cocktails, live music, and burlesque nights.
Library Bar—Los Angeles
630 West Sixth Street, Suite 116-A • facebook.com/librarybardtla
Tucked away in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. They have a seasonal cocktail menu.
Michael's—Los Angeles
1147 Third Street • michaelssantamonica.com
A Santa Monica restaurant and bar that practices farm-to-glass mixology.
Pour Vous—Los Angeles
5574 Melrose Avenue • pourvousla.com
A Parisian-style club with craft cocktails, velvet banquettes, live music, and burlesque dancers.
Sassafrass—Los Angeles
1233 North Vine Street • sassafrassaloon.com
A Hollywood craft bar in a house that was transported from Savannah, Georgia.
Shorebar—Los Angeles
112 West Channel Road • shorebarsm.com
Santa Monica beach-club inspired craft cocktail bar.
The Doheny Room—Los Angeles
714 West Olympic Boulevard • sbe.com/nightlife/brands/dohenyroom
A private member’s-only cocktail lounge inside the historic Petroleum Building.
The Edison—Los Angeles
108 West Second Street • edisondowntown.com
Once a power plant and now a craft bar opened and run by some of the best cocktail celebrities in the business.
Oldfields Liquor Room—Los Angeles
10899 Venice Boulevard • oldfieldsliquorroom.com
A Culver City classic cocktail bar.
The Roger Room—Los Angeles
370 North La Cienega Boulevard • therogerroom.com
West Hollywood’s first modern speakeasy. It is hidden behind the sign advertising a psychic.
Seven Grand—Los Angeles
515 West Seventh Street, Second Floor • 213hospitality.com/project/sevengrandla/
It has a historic men’s club feel with an antique pool table and taxidermy with a large whiskey selection.
Tiki-Ti—Los Angeles
4427 Sunset Boulevard • tiki-ti.com
A Hollywood tiki bar.
The Varnish—Los Angeles
118 East Sixth Street • 213hospitality.com/project/the-varnish/
Opened by Eric Alperin and Sasha Petraske, this bar is considered the godfather of Los Angeles’s craft cocktail movement. A Prohibition-era style bar that was opened by some of the best cocktail celebrities in the business. Located behind Cole’s French Dip Sandwich shop behind an unmarked door. Oh, this is where Ryan Gosling learned how to make an Old-Fashioned for the 2011 film Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Jack Rose Libation House—Los Angeles
18840 Saratoga Los Gatos Road • jackrosebar.com
Serving artisan cocktails with a patio and a rustic-industrial interior.
Penrose—Oakland
3311 Grand Avenue • penroseoakland.com
Serves wood-fired Californian cuisine with a creative cocktail menu.
Bosscat Kitchen and Libations—Newport Beach
4647 MacArthur Boulevard • bosscatkitchen.com
Offers industrial-chic dining, craft cocktails, elevated Southern classic cuisine, and stocks one hundred-plus whiskeys.
Juliette Kitchen & Bar—Newport Beach
1000 Bristol Street North • juliettenb.com
A bistro serving locally sourced fare and innovative cocktails in a modern, farm-inspired space.
The Otis Bar—Pasadena
260 South Raymond Avenue • lgostationcafe.com/the-otis-bar-2
A hard-to-find craft bar between the Luggage Room and La Grande Orange Café.
W. Wolfskill—Riverside
4281 Main Street • facebook.com/WWolfskill
Specialty cocktails and creative bar bites served in a hip lounge with mid-century modern decor.
ProAbition—Riverside
3597 Main Street • proabition.com
Prohibition era–themed nightclub with Prohibition cocktails, bar bites, and an extensive whiskey list.
Craft & Commerce—San Diego
675 West Beech Street • craft-commerce.com
Taxidermy and old books line the walls of this hip gastropub, serving seasonal eats and craft cocktails.
El Dorado—San Diego
1030 Broadway • eldoradobar.com
Watering hole with a Western theme offers a variety of seasonal craft cocktails plus music spun by DJs.
Grant Grill—San Diego
326 Broadway • grantgrill.com
Hotel craft cocktail bar that has a rooftop garden.
Noble Experiment—San Diego
777 G Street • nobleexperimentsd.com
Hidden inside of a restaurant (the Neighborhood) behind a wall of beer kegs. Reservations only.
Polite Provisions—San Diego
4696 Thirtieth Street • politeprovisions.com
Mixologist Erick Castro is behind the bar program at this reinvention of a 1950s American drugstore hangout.
Prohibition—San Diego
548 Fifth Avenue • prohibitionsd.com
Stylish red-hued haunt has a 1930s vibe and features live music and seasonally inspired craft cocktails. No cell phones, sandals, flip-flops, shorts, or ball caps allowed.
Starlite—San Diego
3175 India Street • starlitesandiego.com
Stylish eatery offering craft cocktails and elevated American eats in a swanky setting or on the patio. They have Tequila Tuesdays and Whiskey Wednesdays.
Hook & Ladder—Sacramento
1630 S Street • hookandladder916.com
Serving new American comfort food, local beers, and housecraft cocktails in an industrial-chic space with a patio.
The Golden Bear—Sacramento
2326 K Street • goldenbear916.com
The little bar that could. Your friendly neighborhood bar and official stop of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Serving innovative New American brunch, burgers, and dinners with craft cocktails at the bar. Known for their funny chalkboard sidewalk signs.
The Red Rabbit—Sacramento
2718 J Street • theredrabbit.net
A stylish, rustic-chic outpost for farm-to-table New American plates and artisanal cocktails. They believe in local and seasonal.
The Shady Lady Saloon—Sacramento
1409 R Street #101 • shadyladybar.com
Reminiscent of America’s 1920s era with live music and a menu of Southern cuisine and craft cocktails. Esquire voted them one of the top twenty-five bars in America.
15 Romolo—San Francisco
15 Romolo Place • 15romolo.com
The building has been home to speakeasies, brothels, and most famously, the Basque Hotel. They feature a Punch Drunk Brunch, craft cocktails, bar bites, and a jukebox.
ABV—San Francisco
3174 Sixteenth Street • abvsf.com
A large-scale mural sets the stage at this restaurant and cocktail bar.
Alchemist—San Francisco
679 Third Street • alchemistsf.com
Dim, trendy cocktail bar with steampunk decor prepares signature drinks with house-made ingredients. The cocktail menu utilizes a collection of herbs and tinctures from a Chinese herbalist, and the bar has a rotating twice-monthly guest bartender program.
Balboa Café—San Francisco
3199 Fillmore Street • balboacafe.com/san-francisco/
They have never stopped making classic cocktails since 1913.
Bar Agricole—San Francisco
355 Eleventh Street • baragricole.com
A contemporary tavern that features traditional cocktails from spirits that celebrate the rich tradition of farmhouse distilling and Northern California cuisine made with ingredients sourced from local organic and biodynamic farms.
Beretta—San Francisco
1199 Valencia Street • berettasf.com
Features handcrafted pizzas, small bites, and unique craft cocktails.
Bergerac—San Francisco
316 Eleventh Street • bergeracsf.com
Bergerac is equal parts craft cocktail bar and impromptu house party. Its inspiration is the legendary Villa Nellcote, an old French mansion where the Rolling Stones recorded their seminal album Exile on Main Street. During their stay the Stones not only threw great parties, but also savored the best food and drink while waited on by their private staff and their renowned personal chef. Bergerac serves global eats and craft cocktails in bohemian digs with a bar, varied seating, and vintage furniture.
BIX—San Francisco
56 Gold Street • bixrestaurant.com
Doug “Bix” Biederbeck founded this elegant jazz club in 1988, which was creating classic cocktails back then. You can find it if you know it is in an alley near the Transamerica Pyramid.
Blackbird—San Francisco
2124 Market Street • blackbirdbar.com
Rustic-modern neighborhood bar with craft beer, craft cocktails, pool table, and art that changes often.
Bourbon & Branch—San Francisco
501 Jones Street • bourbonandbranch.com
San Francisco’s original speakeasy bar that opened in 2006. Call 415-673-1921 to make a reservation and you will be given a password. Upon arrival, look for the unmarked door on the corner of Jones and O’Farrell under the Anti-Saloon League sign, then buzz in to give your password. Try to get into the Wilson room. Entrance into the Wilson is through a bookshelf that opens into another room. Other rooms are Main Bar, Library, and Russell’s.
Comstock Saloon—San Francisco
155 Columbus Avenue • comstocksaloon.com
A fancy turn-of-the-century bar with house vintage cocktails, upscale bar fare, cozy booths, and live jazz.
Coqueta—San Francisco
Pier 5, Embarcadero • coquetasf.com
Coqueta means “flirt” and represents Michael Chiarello’s exploration of Spanish cuisine and inspired craft cocktails, while highlighting the bounty of Northern California.
Elixir—San Francisco
Sixteenth & Guerrero • elixirsf.com
A historic neighborhood bar that has been serving since 1858. They offer fresh and seasonal cocktails and local brews. Its owner, H. Joseph Ehrmann, and the bar have won many awards.
Fog City Diner—San Francisco
1300 Battery Street • fogcitysf.com
Opened in 1985. Neal Murray (creator of the first Cosmopolitan) was part of the opening bar team. This is where he created his first twist on his Cosmopolitan by switching out the vodka for Mt. Gay Barbados Rum and naming it the Barbados Cosmo. This is also the diner where Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff visited to try out a cocktail called a Cosmopolitan, then went back to New York to revamp it. In 2013, the diner was restored. They do have some fresh cocktails on their menu.
Hard Water—San Francisco
Pier 3, Embarcadero • hardwaterbar.com
Waterfront restaurant and American whiskey bar specializing in New Orleans–inspired cuisine.
Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen—San Francisco
401 Taylor Street • jasperscornertap.com
A lively bar headed up by award-winning Kevin Diedrich. Known for their Negronis, but they also have an assortment of other cocktails.
Maven—San Francisco
598 Haight Street • maven-sf.com
Offers small plates and creative craft cocktails in a modern setting with wall-mounted plants and polished log tables.
Nopa—San Francisco
560 Divisadero • nopasf.com
This lively open two-story restaurant and bar specializes in organic wood-fired cuisine and cocktails created with seasonal ingredients sourced from local purveyors.
Novela—San Francisco
662 Mission Street • novelasf.com
Serving cocktails with character, Novela is a book-themed bar where classic literary references present themselves in the names of the house-crafted cocktails. They also have punch on tap.
Park Tavern—San Francisco
1652 Stockton Street • parktavernsf.com
Park Tavern is an upscale American tavern serving creative seasonal American eats and cocktails.
Rickhouse—San Francisco
688 Geary • rickhousebar.com
Winner of best high-volume cocktail bar in 2011. The objective at Rickhouse is to provide guests with a superior beverage experience.
Romolo—San Francisco
15 Romolo Place • 15romolo.com
15 Romolo has been making craft cocktails since 1998.
Rye—San Francisco
688 Geary • ryesf.com
Fun modern-day saloon with crafted cocktails and a huge collection of amaros.
Smuggler’s Cove—San Francisco
650 Gough Street • smugglerscovesf.com
Award-winning rum and exotic cocktail destination. The interior features vintage tiki artifacts alongside historic nautical and rum décor, and provides a dramatic and inviting escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The bar has over 400 rums and some top bartenders including Marco Dionysos and Steve Liles.
The Alembic—San Francisco
1725 Haight Street • alembicbar.com
Classic handcrafted cocktails and an inventive bar food menu in a dimly lit, rustic space with booths.
The Elite Café—San Francisco
2049 Fillmore Street • theelitecafe.com
They have been serving classic cocktails since they opened. Today they have a New Orleans theme, and the cocktail menu follows suit by offering New Orleans cocktails. This is also the bar and café where Neal Murray (first inventor of the Cosmopolitan) worked in 1982 1981.
The Hideout at Dalva—San Francisco
3121 Sixteenth Street • dalvasf.com
Tiny cocktail bar the back room of a neighborhood bar with karaoke on Sundays.
The Slanted Door—San Francisco
1 Ferry Building #3 • slanteddoor.com
Modern Vietnamese home cooking and craft cocktails using local ingredients.
The Tonga Room—San Francisco
950 Mason Street • tongaroom.com
Located at the Fairmont Hotel, the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar has delighted guests with its tropical décor, decadent libations, and Asian cuisine since 1945. They feature Pacific Rim cuisine and fresh tiki drinks. They also have offer a Top 40 band from a thatch-covered barge on the lagoon, a dance floor built from the remains of the SS Forester, a lumber schooner that once traveled regularly between San Francisco and the South Sea Islands, and periodic light tropical rainstorms, complete with thunder and lightning.
Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant—San Francisco
5929 Geary Boulevard • tommysTequila.com
Opened in 1965 and run today by Tommy’s son, Julio Bermejo. In the 1980s, Julio turned the bar into a 100 percent blue agave tequila bar. It has made international headlines and is “the” tequila bar in America. All drinks are made fresh.
Tradition—San Francisco
441 Jones Street • tradbar.com
From its main bar to reservation-only spaces, this hip venue delivers handcrafted American cocktails. Reservations are encouraged.
Trick Dog—San Francisco
3010 Twentieth Street • trickdogbar.com and bonvivants.com
This popular, no-frills, straight-to-the-point bar is headed up by the award-winning Bon Vivant bar team of Josh Harris, Scott Baird, and Jason Henton. They are known for inventive cocktail menu presentations such as a Pantone formula guide, astrology zodiac layout, Chinese menu, and during the political season, a flag menu layout.
Paper Plane—San Jose
72 South First Street • paperplanesj.com
This is an easygoing bar with a fun atmosphere that features craft cocktails.
Playground—Santa Ana
220 East Fourth Street • playgrounddtsa.com
Creative chef Jason Quinn’s modern gastropub offers changing New American fare and craft cocktails.
320 Main—Seal Beach
320 Main Street • 320mainsealbeach.com
A quality-driven restaurant that specializes in classic American dishes and freshly crafted cocktails with simple but inspired twists.
Indiana
Old Crown—Fort Wayne
3417 North Anthony Boulevard • oldcrown.com
Casual café and bar featuring house-roasted coffees, craft cocktails, and eclectic New American fare.
The Golden—Fort Wayne
Anywhere in Fort Wayne • facebook.com/thegoldenfortwayne
Pop-up craft bar from two chefs-turned-bartenders. You’ll have to follow their Facebook page to find where they are.
Ball & Biscuit—Indianapolis
331 Massachusetts Avenue • ballandbiscuit.com
Arty cocktails and small plates served amid dimly lit pendant bulbs with a speakeasy vibe.
Libertine—Indianapolis
38 East Washington Street • libertineindy.com
Featuring craft cocktails, boutique wines, microbrews, and elevated bar bites.
Plat 99—Indianapolis
333 South Delaware Street • thealexander.com/dining/lounge.asp
Offers delightful small plates and creative cocktails with the best view in the city.
Thunderbird—Indianapolis
1127 Shelby Street • thunderbirdindy.com
In their words: Troublemakers and rabble-rousers with craft cocktails and Southern-inspired food.
Oak & Alley—Warsaw
114 South Buffalo Street • oakandalley.com
Offering craft cocktails, craft beer, and craft burgers.
Kentucky
Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar—Covington
629 Main Street • wellmannsbrands.com
A Molly Wellman bar where there are over 300 bottles of domestic Bourbon and whiskey to choose from as well as a craft cocktail menu.
Decca—Louisville
812 East Market Street • deccarestaurant.com
Adventurous New American eatery and cellar lounge featuring live music in a circa-1870s building and craft cocktails.
Garage Bar—Louisville
700 East Market Street • garageonmarket.com
Hip bar and eatery in a former garage for brick-oven pies, craft cocktails, Southern chow, and a huge patio.
Meta—Louisville
425 West Chestnut Street • metalouisville.com
Craft cocktails, beer, sake, and more served in an upscale speakeasy with the vintage-style decor.
Milkwood—Louisville
316 West Main Street • milkwoodrestaurant.com
Restaurant with Southern food with Asian ingredients and a bar serving craft cocktails.
Proof on Main—Louisville
702 West Main Street • proofonmain.com
Contemporary artwork, locally sourced Southern fare, and fresh cocktails.
Rye—Louisville
900 East Market Street • ryeonmarket.com
Chic spot for innovative cocktails and locally sourced New American cuisine.
The Silver Dollar—Louisville
1761 Frankfort Avenue • whiskeybythedrink.com
Modern honky-tonk Bourbon bar with fresh cocktails and Southern eats such as chicken ’n’ waffles.
Volare—Louisville
2300 Frankfort Avenue • volare-restaurant.com
White-linen fine dining new Italian cuisine and a top-shelf craft cocktail bar.
Maine
Portland Hunt + Alpine Club—Portland
75 Market Street • huntandalpineclub.com
Offers Scandinavian-inspired fare along with classic and clever cocktails.
Maryland
Level—Annapolis
69 West Street • lannapolis.com/level
Casual eco-friendly New American small plates and creative cocktails.
B&O American Brasserie—Baltimore
2 North Charles Street • bandorestaurant.com
An approachable American brasserie focused on locally farmed fare and fresh cocktails.
Rye—Baltimore
807 South Broadway • ryebaltimore.com
Sophisticated bar with upscale pub food and a menu of classic and creative cocktails.
W.C. Harlan—Baltimore
400 West Twenty-Third Street
Under-the-radar bar offering handcrafted cocktails in a cozy 1920s-inspired atmosphere.
Wit & Wisdom—Baltimore
200 International Drive
witandwisdombaltimore.com/menus/lounge
Craft bar located in the Four Seasons Hotel.
Massachusetts
Deep Ellum—Allston
47 Cambridge Street • deepellum-boston.com
Small gastropub with craft cocktails, craft beer, eclectic fare, and a patio.
Citizen Public House—Boston
1310 Boylston Street • citizenpub.com
A modern English-style neighborhood tavern located behind Fenway Park. The food menu is a fresh twist on Tavern Cuisine and the bar features craft cocktails, world-class wines, a selection of over 200 whiskeys, and local and national microbrews.
Drink—Boston
348 Congress Street • drinkfortpoint.com
A bar entirely dedicated to the craft of the cocktail, drink blends, time-honored techniques, and the classic cocktails of the Prohibition era with modern innovation and the very best artisanal ingredients.
Eastern Standard—Boston
528 Commonwealth Avenue • easternstandardboston.com
A neighborhood restaurant with a happening scene starring masterful cocktails and modern brasserie fare in a glamorous atmosphere.
Highball Lounge—Boston
90 Tremont Street • highballboston.com
A craft bar filled with fun games, quirky garnishes, and fresh food.
jm Curley—Boston
21 Temple Place • jmcurleyboston.com
Eatery specializing in innovative American comfort food, craft cocktails, and boozy shakes.
Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale—Boston
48 Temple Place • stoddardsfoodandale.com
Gastropub serving vintage cocktails and craft beer in a historical building that was a corset shop.
The Brahmin American Cuisine & Cocktails—Boston
33 Stanhope Street • thebrahmin.com
This classy space that evokes an early-1900s brownstone offers craft cocktails and plates made for sharing. Rules: no athletic wear, no baseball caps, no sneakers, no sweat pants or shirts, no hoodies, no work boots, and no flip-flops.
The Beehive—Boston
541 Tremont Street • beehiveboston.com
An underground Bohemian bistro featuring amazing cuisine, libations, artwork, and live music nightly.
The Gallows—Boston
1395 Washington Street • thegallowsboston.com
Trendy gastropub with crafted cocktails.
The Hawthorne—Boston
500 Commonwealth Avenue • thehawthornebar.com
Craft cocktails served in a snazzy setting that feels like a modernist living room.
Vintage Lounge—Boston
72 Broad Street • vlboston.com
Award-winning cocktails, 500 wines, and tapas menu in a stylish lounge with leather sofas and a patio.
Ward 8—Boston
90 North Washington Street • ward8.com
A casual, energetic neighborhood restaurant and bar featuring New American cuisine, craft cocktails, and local microbrews. They also offer cocktail classes.
Michigan
Sugar House—Detroit
2130 Michigan Avenue • sugarhousedetroit.com
Intimate pub serving classic and speciality cocktails, beers, organic wine, and small plates.
The Oakland Art Novelty Company—Ferndale
201 West Mile Road • theoaklandferndale.com
Represents a grateful nod to earlier times with nostalgic decor, exotic fresh ingredients, handcrafted intricate cocktails, and a gracious, hospitable staff.
Missouri
Extra Virgin—Kansas City
900 Main Street • extravirginkc.com
Offers inventive Mediterranean tapas and cocktails.
Grünauer—Kansas City
101 West Twenty-Second Street • grunauerkc.com
Austrian-German fare, craft cocktails, and European beer in a historic dark-wood-and-brick Freight House space.
Julep—Kansas City
4141 Pennsylvania Avenue #104 • julepkc.com
Sleek bar featuring whiskey-centric cocktails and bites with a Southern twist.
Manifesto—Kansas City
1924 Main Street • manifestokc.com
A fun, laid-back cocktail lounge that takes its cocktails seriously. Featuring a seasonal, culinary approach to the classics as well as original recipes. Need to call or text message 816-536-1325 for a reservation.
Blood & Sand—St. Louis
1500 St. Charles Street • bloodandsandstl.com
A swanky private cocktail club and restaurant that has a unique way of presenting itself. They offer craft cocktails and inventive New American fare.
Cielo Bar—St. Louis
999 North Second Street • cielostlouis.com
Craft bar located in the Four Seasons Hotel.
Frazer’s Soulard—St. Louis
1811 Pestalozzi Street • frazergoodeats.com
Globally influenced cuisine and craft cocktails are served in a colorful eclectic space with a patio.
Planter’s House—St. Louis
1000 Mississippi Avenue • plantershousestl.com
A cocktail bar and restaurant that celebrates Saint Louis’s grand history of hospitality and cocktails.
Sanctuaria Wild Tapas—St. Louis
4198 Manchester Avenue • sanctuariastl.com
Offering exclusive, delicious menu selections served with a modern twist. Their unique cocktail selections are fresh and handcrafted with extra love and a touch of naughty.
Taste—St. Louis
4584 Laclede Avenue • tastebarstl.com
A tavern serving craft cocktails and New American small plates.
New Hampshire
San Francisco Kitchen—Nashua
133 Main Street • sfkitchen.com
Casual Pan-Asian kitchen with sushi, shabu-shabu hot-pot dishes, and crafted cocktails.
Surf Bar—Nashua
207 Main Street • surfseafood.com/nashua.html
Creative coastal cuisine and craft cocktails.
New Jersey
King Edward Bar—Cape May
301 Howard Street • chalfonte.com
Classic cocktail bar located inside the Chalfonte Hotel.
Catherine Lombardi—New Brunswick
6855 Fourth Street NW • catherinelombardi.com
Historic restaurant and bar with craft cocktails.
Verve—Somerville
18 East Main Street • vervestyle.com
The craft bar is above the restaurant.
New Mexico
Vernon’s Speakeasy—Albuquerque
6855 Fourth Street NW • thehiddensteakhouse.com
A speakeasy-style steakhouse that has won many awards.
Vintage 423—Albuquerque
8000 Paseo Del Norte Boulevard NE • vintage-423.com
They take pride in sourcing the highest quality ingredients available to use in the kitchen and the bar.
Anasazi Lounge—Santa Fe
113 Washington Avenue • rosewoodhotels.com
Located in the Rosewood Inn and known for its Silver Coin Margaritas and classic cocktails. The bar also features a lounge area with additional seating and dedicated tequila table, where guests can taste the restaurant’s comprehensive collection of premium tequilas, and enjoy unique tequila and food pairings.
Secreto Lounge—Santa Fe
210 Don Gaspar Avenue • secretolounge.com
Secreto Lounge is Santa Fe’s premier craft cocktail bar specializing in award-winning garden-to-glass and vintage cocktails. Their cocktails are created using local fruits, vegetables, herbs, and often with local spirits and bitters. Head bartender Chris Milligan took first place in Las Vegas’s “Shake It Up 2010” competition with his cocktail Spicy Secreto.
North Carolina
Buffalo Nickel—Asheville
747 Haywood Road • buffalonickelavl.com
Focuses on local cuisine and fresh crafted cocktails.
Chestnut—Asheville
48 Biltmore Avenue • chestnutasheville.com
Offering creative cuisine and craft cocktails.
Cucina 24—Asheville
24 Wall Street • cucina24restaurant.com
An Italian bar and restaurant that uses ingredients found in the mountains of the American South.
Imperial Life—Asheville
48 College Street • imperialbarasheville.com
A craft cocktail bar specializing in classic and original cocktails and house-made charcuterie and cheese boards.
MG Road—Asheville
19 Wall Street • mgroadlounge.com
Serving handmade cocktails from fresh ingredients.
Sovereign Remedies—Asheville
Walnut and Market Street • sovereignremedies.com
Craft cocktails and great food.
The Junction—Asheville
348 Depot Street #190 • thejunctionasheville.com
A farm-to-table restaurant and bar with Southern roots.
Top of the Monk—Asheville
92 Patton Avenue • topofthemonk.com
A private club above the Monk Pub. When you order a drink, you are given a key that opens a snack box.
Foundation—Raleigh
213 Fayetteville Street • foundationnc.com
Features seasonal, handcrafted cocktails that are carefully selected to represent the best and most diverse offerings from nearby sources.
North Dakota
Humpback Sally’s—Bismarck
510 East Main Avenue • facebook.com/humpbacksallys
Their seasonal cocktail menu introduces twists on classics that were designed by world bartending champion and renowned consultant Kate Gerwin.
Lüft—Bismarck
510 East Main Avenue • facebook.com/luftbeergarden
A year-round, fully heated rooftop beer garden and bar with fresh cocktails, sixteen craft brews on tap, and hot hoagies. Located on the top floor at 510 East Main Street and affiliated with Humpback Sally’s.
Ohio
Igby’s—Cincinnati
122 East Sixth Street • igbysbar.com
You might walk right past the rustic doorway on Sixth, which is the entrance to Igby’s. In the bar with craft cocktails, guests are instantly greeted with the crackling of an oversize fireplace and a cordial ambiance accented by wood-planked walls. The huge space used to be a Civil War–era building. The atrium features balconies around each level so that patrons can look up or down onto the other floors. There are also two outdoor patios.
Ivy Cincinnati—Cincinnati
645 Walnut Street • ivycincinnati.com
An ultra lounge and nightclub serving craft cocktails and featuring live music.
Japp’s—Cincinnati
1136 Main Street • japps1879.com
At Japp’s, they specialize in handcrafted cocktails using the freshest ingredients, made in-house, and inspired by classic cocktails from the 1700s to the 1950s. Proprietor Molly Wellmann heads the team of trained mixologists.
Myrtle’s Punch House—Cincinnati
2723 Woodburn Avenue • wellmannsbrands.com/myrtles
Freshly made punch is the focus of Myrtle’s and the proprietor, Molly Wellmann, heads the team of trained mixologists.
Crop Bistro and Bar—Cleveland
2537 Lorain Avenue • cropbistro.com
Bank turned into an upscale New American eatery with a chef’s table and craft cocktails with a focus on local ingredients.
Porco Lounge and Tiki Room—Cleveland
2527 West Twenty-Fifth Street • porcolounge.com
An exotic getaway with creative tiki cocktails served in a cozy Polynesian hangout with a patio.
Society Lounge—Cleveland
2063 East Fourth Street • societycleveland.com
Large snazzy speakeasy-type bar featuring diverse craft cocktails, bites, and live music.
Velvet Tango Room—Cleveland
2095 Columbus Road • velvettangoroom.com
The Velvet Tango Room is one of the pioneers of fresh craft bars in America. Its owner, Paulius Nasvytis, opened in 1996 with fresh-squeezed juices and transitioned to a full craft cocktail bar in 2004. The building was known to host bootleggers during Prohibition and bullet holes in the ceiling are proof of this.
Curio Harvest—Columbus
491 South Fourth Street • curioatharvest.com
A craft bar serving classic and modern libations and wood-fired pizza.
Mouton—Columbus
954 North High Street • mouton954.com
Offering vintage cocktails and artisan food.
Watershed Distillery—Columbus
1145 Chesapeake Avenue • watersheddistillery.com
A distillery with a cocktail bar.
Oregon
The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin—Bend
147 Minnesota Avenue • thedogwoodcocktailcabin.com
Modern cocktails with classic charm.
Rye—Eugene
444 East Third Avenue • ryeon3rd.com
European inspired–cuisine made with the amazing ingredients found in the Northwest featuring pre- and post-Prohibition cocktails.
Clyde Common—Portland
1014 Southwest Stark Street • clydecommon.com
European-style tavern serving delicious food and drinks in a casual and energizing space. Cocktail celebrity Jeffrey Morgenthaler heads up the bar.
Hale Pele—Portland
2733 Northeast Broadway • halepele.com
Tropical tiki craft bar with puffer fish lamps.
Imperial—Portland
410 Southwest Broadway • imperialpdx.com
James Beard Award–winner and Iron Chef winner Vitaly Paley heads up this bar. It’s located in the Hotel Lucia Hotel.
Kask—Portland
1215 Southwest Alder Street • grunerpdx.com/kask
Their menu features handmade bar bites and craft cocktails.
Mint/820—Portland
816 North Russell Street • mintand820.com
One of the first craft bars that was opened by Lucy Brennan in 2001.
Rum Club—Portland
720 Southeast Sandy Blvd • rumclubpdx.com
Cozy lounge with a chill vibe, horseshoe-shaped bar, and fresh tropical cocktails.
Teardrop Lounge—Portland
1015 Northwest Everett Street • teardroplounge.com
Craft cocktail bar with a seasonal menu.
The Rookery at Raven & Rose—Portland
1331 Southwest Broadway • ravenandrosepdx.com
An elegant craft bar.
The Woodsman Tavern—Portland
4537 Southeast Division Street • woodsmantavern.com
Offers small plates and platters and inventive cocktails served in a cavernous space with a rustic vibe.
Rhode Island
The Eddy—Providence
95 Eddy Street • eddybar.com
Stylish, dimly lit cocktail bar serving classic and creative concoctions along with unique snacks.
Fluke Wine Bar & Kitchen—Newport
41 Bowens Wharf • flukewinebar.com
Their third-floor bar area is a lively scene with an array of signature cocktails and artisanal wines.
Dorrance—Providence
60 Dorrance Street • thedorrance.com
This elegant eatery housed in a historic bank features European-influenced fare and craft cocktails.
Local 21—Providence
121 Washington Street • local121.com
Chic venue in the former Dreyfus Hotel with locally harvested New American food and cocktails.
The Avery—Providence
18 Luongo Memorial Square • averyprovidence.com
Speakeasy-style bar offering handcrafted cocktails in a dark and cozy setting.
The Grange—Providence
166 Broadway • providencegrange.com
All-in-one vegetarian hub serving seasonal dishes with a juice bar, vegan bakery, and cocktail bar.
The Gin Joint—Providence
182 East Bay Street • theginjoint.com
Offers balanced cocktails alongside defiant bar food.
Malt—Newport
150 Broadway Street
A vintage-chic tavern offering New American fare and fresh cocktails.
Tennessee
Acre—Memphis
690 South Perkins • acrememphis.com
Syrups and infusions are house-made, cherries are house-cured, and freshness rules the bar. The menu is made up of variations of classic cocktails from the Prohibition era.
Alchemy—Memphis
940 South Cooper • alchemymemphis.com
Sleek spot with a menu of New American dishes and handcrafted cocktails.
Bar DKDC—Memphis
964 South Cooper • bardkdc.com
Global street food pairs with house cocktails in a funky space with a photo booth and live soul music.
Holland House Bar and Refuge—Nashville
935 West Eastland Avenue • hollandhousebarandrefuge.com
Internationally renowned for superior proprietary cocktails and house-made ingredients.
Husk—Nashville
37 Rutledge Street • husknashville.com
Has an apothecary cocktail program using house-made ingredients.
No. 308—Nashville
407 Gallatin Avenue • bar308.com
Trendy late-night hangout featuring craft cocktails amid mid-century-modern decor, plus patio seating.
Rolf and Daughters—Nashville
700 Taylor Street • rolfanddaughters.com
Industrial-chic restaurant with clever New American dishes, communal tables, and inventive cocktails.
The Patterson House—Nashville
1171 Division Street • thepattersonnashville.com
Upscale bar serving craft cocktails in a cozy setting.
Pinewood Social—Nashville
33 Peabody Street • pinewoodsocial.com
Trendy hangout featuring New American cuisine, craft cocktails, and bowling.
Utah
Bar-X—Salt Lake City
155 East 200 S • barxsaltlake.com
Prohibition-era cocktail bar owned by Ty Burrell of the TV show Modern Family.
Vermont
Guild Tavern—South Burlington
1633 Williston Road • guildtavern.com
The menu offers classic steakhouse entrees, wood-fired mixed grills, seafood and vegetarian options, and an innovative cocktail program.
Virginia
PX—Alexandria
728 King Street • eamonnsdublinchipper.com
The first Virginia craft bar headed up by Todd Thrasher. Look for a blue light next to a red door.
Acacia Midtown—Richmond
2601 West Cary Street • acaciarestaurant.com
Offers American fare with an emphasis on seafood and fresh cocktails.
Heritage—Richmond
1627 West Main Street • heritagerva.com
Restaurant and bar with craft cocktails.
Juleps—Richmond
1719-21 East Franklin Street • juleps.net/cocktails
Opened in 2003. Strives to capture the fresh flavors of Atlanta, Charleston, New Orleans, and Savannah in their food and drink.
Lemaire—Richmond
101 West Franklin Street • lemairerestaurant.com
The food and cocktail menu features Virginia-grown ingredients and the Southern influences of Richmond’s food culture.
Pasture—Richmond
416 East Grace Street • pastureva.com
Offers small plates and craft cocktails.
Saison—Richmond
21 West Marshall Street • saisonrva.com
Features locally sourced Southern and Latin American fare and craft cocktails.
The Roosevelt—Richmond
623 North Twenty-Fifth Street • rooseveltrva.com
A neighborhood restaurant in a turn-of-the-last-century building that opened in 2011. One year later they were named Restaurant of the Year by Style magazine, Best New Restaurant in the Region by Richmond magazine, and were awarded an Elby as the city’s Best New Restaurant. In 2013, they won for Best Cocktail Program. The bar is headed up by Thomas “T” Leggett.
The Rogue Gentlemen—Richmond
618 North First Street • theroguegentlemen.com
This award-winning cocktail program is head up by bar manager Ethan Craig and head bartender Shaun Loughran. Award-winning cocktail writer David Wondrich even joins seminars at this cozy establishment.
Washington
Prime 21 Spirits Lounge—Bellevue
10500 Northeast Eighth, Twenty-First Floor • schwartzbros.com/daniels-broiler/daniels-bellevue
Located on the twenty-first floor of the Bank of America building and offering craft cocktails, full lunch and dinners, and stunning views of the Olympic Mountains, downtown Bellevue, and the Seattle skyline.
The Loft—Edmonds
515 Main Street • theloftlounge.com
This two-floored space with a heated covered courtyard is open year round, serving Northwest cuisine with a Mediterranean influence alongside unique and classic cocktails.
Dillinger’s Cocktails and Kitchen—Olympia
404 South Washington Street • dillingers.weebly.com
A downtown speakeasy with craft cocktails, New American nibbles, and with a cozy ambiance.
Swing—Olympia
825 Columbia Street Southwest • swingwinebar.com
A wine bar with a view that also serves crafted cocktails.
Artusi—Seattle
1535 Fourteenth Avenue • artusibar.com
Modern Italian-influenced craft cocktails and small plates with a patio.
Barrio—Seattle
1420 Twelfth Avenue • barriorestaurant.com
A restaurant that combines Mexican cuisine with innovative craft cocktails in an energetic urban environment.
Bathtub Gin & Co.—Seattle
2205 Second Avenue • bathtubginseattle.com
Prohibition-era cocktails and international gin menu in the basement boiler room of a former hotel.
Canon Whiskey and Bitters Emporium—Seattle
928 Twelfth Avenue • canonseattle.com
Recognized as one of the world’s Fifty Best Cocktail Bars with many awards and accolades. This bar is owned by cocktail celebrity Jamie Boudreau. He features over 3,500 labels in this cozy bar.
Damn the Weather—Seattle
116 First Avenue South • damntheweather.com
Upscale gastropub with gourmet bar menu and craft cocktails.
E. Smith Mercantile—Seattle
208 First Avenue South • esmithmercantile.com
This clothing shop’s backbar is a quaint craft bar providing nibbles.
Hazelwood—Seattle
2311 Northwest Market Street
Hip space serving craft cocktails in the rustic-chic main bar or the tiny upstairs loft.
Il Bistro—Seattle
93A Pike Street • ilbistro.net
Serving classic cocktails since 1975.
Liberty—Seattle
517 Fifteenth Avenue East • libertybars.com
One of Seattle’s first Capitol Hill craft bars.
Ocho—Seattle
2325 Northwest Market Street
A changing tapas menu, sa
ngria, and craft house cocktails served in a tiny candlelit space.
Oliver’s Twist—Seattle
6822 Greenwood Avenue North and 3217 West McGraw Street • oliverstwistseattle.com
Restaurant and bar with craft cocktails.
Percy’s and Co.—Seattle
5233 Ballard Avenue Northwest • percysseattle.com
An apothecary-style bar in Seattle inspired by infused spirits, fresh purees, and beneficial tinctures.
Re:public—Seattle
429 Westlake Avenue North • republicseattle.com
RE:PUBLIC (regarding the public) is a gorgeous warehouse space with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, and beautiful lighting fixtures throughout and is happy to navigate the shortest distance between the farm and your plate or glass with a creative seasonal menu.
Rob Roy—Seattle
2332 Second Avenue • robroyseattle.com
A dark lounge serving classic and seasonal cocktails and small plates.
Rocco’s—Seattle
2228 Second Avenue • roccosseattle.com
A hip hangout serving gourmet pizza, craft cocktails, and craft beers.
Rumba—Seattle
1112 Pike Street • rumbaonpike.com
They feature delicious rum-forward craft drinks with freshly squeezed juices, balanced house syrups, and sourced best-quality ingredients in a Caribbean-styled atmosphere.
Suite 410—Seattle
410 Stewart Street • suite410bar.com
Neighborhood bar that features craft cocktails and refined bar snacks.
Sun Liquor—Seattle
607 Summit Avenue East • sunliquor.com
A distillery with a craft bar.
Tallulah’s—Seattle
550 Nineteenth Avenue East • aneighborhoodcafe.com
Veggie-friendly, Mediterranean-influenced American fare and craft cocktails in a stylish room with mid-century decor.
Tavern Law—Seattle
1406 Twelfth Avenue • tavernlaw.com
Look for the old phone near the vault door in the back. Sophisticated drinkers with a reservation will be invited to the upstairs speakeasy, Needle & Thread. You won’t be handed a menu. Just tell the bartender what flavor profiles you like, sit back, and enjoy.
The Hideout—Seattle
1005 Boren Avenue • hideoutseattle.com
Opened in 2005, they feature hand-squeezed cocktails, bar snacks, juice, and many paintings hung on the walls.
Tin Table—Seattle
915 East Pine Street • thetintable.com
They aim to create beauty in their food, drink, and atmosphere and to make you feel special whether you’re having a leisurely meal or a quick snack.
Vito’s—Seattle
927 Ninth Avenue • vitosseattle.com
Storied lounge since the 1950s serving Italian fare and craft cocktails in an old-school setting with music.
Witness—Seattle
410 Broadway East • witnessbar.com
A Southern-influenced craft cocktail bar that places emphasis on warm hospitality.
Zig Zag Café—Seattle
1501 Western Avenue • zigzagseattle.com
Craft cocktails and gourmet snacks in a hip space tucked away by a staircase near Pike Place Market.
Bon Bon—Spokane
926 West Garland Avenue • garlandtheater.com/bon-bon
Features craft cocktails and a rotating selection of micros on tap.
Clover—Spokane
913 East Sharp Avenue • cloverspokane.com
This is cocktail godfather Paul Harrington’s bar. Gracious hospitality, thoughtful food, and craft cocktails set in a beautifully restored 1910-era Craftsman-style home.
Sapphire Lounge—Spokane
901 West First Avenue • hotelrubyspokane.com
Craft bar located inside the Hotel Ruby.
The Volstead Act—Spokane
12 North Post • volsteadactspokane.com
Inspired by the speakeasies and history of the 1920s Prohibition era, this spot brings back a piece of history through handcrafted libations and cocktails.
Wandering Table—Spokane
1242 West Summit Parkway • thewanderingtable.com
Offers small plates and cocktails showcasing the best the Inland Northwest has to offer from local seasonal farms and producers.
1022southj—Tacoma
1022 South J • ten22southj.com
A cozy speakeasy-style bar spotlighting creative cocktails and small and large plates.
Alaska
Crow’s Nest—Denali Park
Mile 238.5 Parks Highway • denalicrowsnestcabins.com/bar/cocktails
You’ll stay in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, but there are craft cocktails in the bar.
Arizona
Monte Vista Cocktail Lounge— Flagstaff
100 North San Francisco Street • hotelmontevista.com/MVLounge.php
Was the first speakeasy in Flagstaff and now serves craft cocktails.
Bitter & Twisted—Phoenix
1 West Jefferson Street • bitterandtwistedaz.com
Award-winning cocktail lounge and craft cocktails with a great atmosphere and innovative bar bites.
The Gladly—Phoenix
2201 East Camelback Road • thegladly.com
The stylish bar houses more than 240 whiskeys, craft cocktails, unique ice balls, and comfort cuisine.
Second Story Liquor Bar—Scottsdale
4166 North Scottsdale Road • secondstoryliquorbar.com
Upscale cocktail lounge, chef-driven restaurant, over 200 whiskeys and crafted cocktails.
Sidebar—Scottsdale
1514 North Seventh Avenue • sidebarphoenix.com
Swinging retro cocktail vibe, craft cocktails, and flatbreads.
Shady’s—Scottsdale
2701 East Indian School Road • facebook.com/Shadys.az
Retro 1980s vibe, classic cocktails, craft drafts, pool table, and a jukebox.
Scott & Co.—Tucson
47 North Scott Avenue • 47scott.com
Hip bar and restaurant, craft cocktails, and Mule Mondays.
Sidecar—Tucson
139 Eastbourne • facebook.com/barsidecar
Bar with serious craft cocktails.
The Shelter—Tucson
4155 East Grant Road • facebook.com/TheShelterCocktailLounge
Sixties retro lounge, classic and modern Martinis and cocktails, and classic and movies in this go-go-boot-wearing, Martini-drinking, swanky, groovy lounge.
The House Brasserie—Tucson
6936 East Main Street • thehousebrasserie.com
Culinary artistry with cutting-edge world cuisine and hand-pressed cocktails in a vintage-chic, cozy setting.
The Mission—Tucson
3815 North Brown Avenue • themissionaz.com
Modern Latin cuisine and hand-pressed cocktails in a sophisticated yet casual setting.
colorado
Chefs Club—Aspen
315 East Dean Street • stregisaspen.com/dining/chefs-club/
Located in the St. Regis Aspen Resort. This award-winning restaurant and bar features seasonal, innovative, and one-of-a-kind recipes.
Justice Snow’s—Aspen
328 East Hyman Avenue • justicesnows.com
A bar in a historic space with a landmark location in the Wheeler Opera House building that was originally constructed in 1889. This Victorian-era bar features a New American menu, craft cocktails, and live music.
Living Room Lounge—Aspen
330 East Main Street • hoteljerome.aubergeresorts.com/dining
Located in the Hotel Jerome and is designed to feel exactly as it sounds. They offer small plates and creative cocktails.
The Bitter Bar—Boulder
835 Walnut Street • thebitterbar.com
They embrace the spirit of the original cocktail-making method and strive to serve simple cocktails made with passion, not pretence.
503W—Colorado Springs
503 West Colorado Avenue • 503w.co
Specializes in uniquely handcrafted food and drinks using fresh, natural, and local ingredients.
Adrift Tiki Bar—Denver
218 South Broadway • adriftbar.com
Tropical-themed tiki bar offering fresh island-style drinks and Polynesian-inspired bites.
Colt & Gray—Denver
1553 Platte Street #120 • coltandgray.com
Restaurant and bar serving the highest quality food and cocktails.
Green Russell—Denver
1422 Larimer • greenrussell.com
This underground chef-driven craft cocktail bar with rules is entered by walking through a pie shop. The rules: if you need to use your cell phone, then do so in the phone booths; group sizes are limited to six; engage in a lively yet quiet conversation, and dress smart.
Old Major—Denver
3316 Tejon Street • oldmajordenver.com
Rustic-chic restaurant and bar specializing in house-made and locally sourced ingredients.
Prohibition—Denver
504 East Colfax Avenue • prohibitiondenver.com
A pub for those who enjoy classic libations and scrumptious gastro-tavern fare.
Ste. Ellie—Denver
1553 Platte Street
Downstairs from Colt & Gray, this sleek and comfy lounge offers creative cocktails and small plates.
TAG—Denver
1441 Larimer Street • tag-restaurant.com
An open-concept kitchen with chef counter seats and a ten-seat bar serving shareable dishes and fresh cocktails.
Williams and Graham—Denver
3160 Tejon Street • williamsandgraham.com
Named “Best Bar in America” in 2015. This Prohibition-era speakeasy is owned by American Bartender of the Year 2015, Sean Kenyon. Kenyon is a third-generation bartender and bar owner. He offers handcrafted cocktails, small plates, and desserts.
Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails—Steamboat Springs
127 Eleventh Street • thelaundryrestaurant.com
Rustic-chic kitchen and bar serving globally inspired small plates and craft cocktails.
Connecticut
Walrus + Carpenter—Black Rock
2895 Fairfield Avenue • walruscarpenterct.com
A simple brick-walled space offering smoked barbecue, craft beer, and craft cocktails.
Craft 260—Fairfield
260 Post Road • craft260.com
A craft beer bar with pub fare and craft cocktails.
116 Crown—Hartford
116 Crown Street • 116crown.com
A craft bar that also offers cocktail classes.
NIXS—Hartford
40 Front Street • nixshartford.com
This vibrant hangout offers New American small plates, craft cocktails, and weekend DJs.
ON20—Hartford
400 Columbus Boulevard • ontwenty.com
Located on the twentieth floor, this elegant restaurant and bar offers city and river views, American fare, and craft cocktails.
Treva—Hartford
980 Farmington Avenue • trevact.com
Treva is inspired by the cuisine of the Central and Northern regions of Italy. Using only the freshest and finest in-season ingredients, dishes and cocktails are handcrafted daily. There is also an elegant outdoor patio.
Match—Norwalk
98 Washington Street • matchsono.com
This restaurant and bar offers classic worldly dishes and a uniquely creative menu that changes daily.
Bailey’s Backyard—Ridgefield
23 Bailey Avenue • baileysbackyard.com
This restaurant, bar, and catering company features creative new farm-to-table fare, craft cocktails, quaint décor, and a covered patio.
Neat Coffee and Craft Cocktails—Westport
6 Wilton Road • neatwestport.com
Hip café in a former fire station serving sandwiches and caffeine drinks in the day and craft cocktails at night.
Delaware
14 Global—Bethany Beach
14 North Pennsylvania Avenue • 14global.com
A family-friendly bar and restaurant offering small plates, pizzas, and handcrafted cocktails.
Jam Bistro—Rehoboth Beach
20 Baltimore Avenue • jambistro.com
A bistro offering food and cocktails and committed to using fresh, organic ingredients that are locally sourced from the finest purveyors that Sussex County has to offer.
District of Columbia
Bourbon Steak—DC
2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW • fourseasons.com/washington/dining/bourbon_steak.html
Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel. They grow their own herbs to make syrups, bitters, and tinctures.
Columbia Room—DC
1539 Seventh Street NW • columbiaroomdc.com and passengerdc.com
Small ten-seat craft bar headed up by Derek Brown. It is located inside the Passenger. Open three nights a week and reservations are required. The price comes with small gourmet nibbles.
Founding Fathers—DC
1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW • wearefoundingfarmers.com
This restaurant and bar is owned by the more than 40,000 family farmers of NDFU (North Dakota Farmers’ Union) and is supplied by hundreds of family farms everywhere. All the food and drink is made from scratch.
The Gibson—DC
2009 Fourteenth Street NW • thegibsondc.com
This dim, sexy space offering Prohibition-era cocktails and a charming outdoor patio can be hard to find. You enter through the black door in the U Street corridor/alley. If it’s unlocked, then enter. If not, then ring the bell and someone will come to take you to your table provided you have a reservation.
POV—DC
515 Fifteenth Street NW
W Hotel’s rooftop lounge draws a hip crowd and offers seasonal craft cocktails and city views.
Florida
Sweetwater—Boynton Beach
1507 South Federal Highway • Sweetwater33.com
New American restaurant and bar featuring small plates and inventive craft cocktails.
Swine—Coral Gables
2415 Ponce de Leon Boulevard • runpigrun.com
Serving up the freshest and most inventive takes on regional Southern fare and cocktails seven days a week with a foot-stompin’, soul-healin’ brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Tap 42—Fort Lauderdale
1411 South Andrews Avenue • Tap42.com
Slick space offering creative cocktails and creative burgers. They have three more locations in Miami, Boca Raton, and Coral Gables.
Dos Gatos—Jacksonville
143 East Forsyth Street • dosgatosjax.com
Hipster hangout for handmade cocktails and Martinis. They also have theme nights.
Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails—Jacksonville
4972 Big Island Drive • moxiefl.com
This industrial-chic restaurant and bar are committed to sustainable sourcing and working with local and artisan producers. They offer American fare and stylish drinks.
Sidecar Jax—Jacksonville
1406 Hendricks Avenue • drinksidecar.com
Relaxed urban beer bar serving microbrews and craft cocktails.
2 Cents—Key West
416 Appelrouth Lane • 2centskw.com
Casual bar and restaurant with craft cocktails and American fare in a creatively painted space with a patio.
The Other Side—Key West
429 Caroline Street • facebook.com/theothersidekw
Located inside the oldest Victorian-style house/bar in Key West, called “The Porch.” Inside there is a door to “The Other Side.”
Blackbird Ordinary—Miami
729 Southwest First Avenue • blackbirdordinary.com
A stylish cocktail bar featuring craft cocktails, dance floor, host DJs, and bands. They also have an herb wall on the patio.
Sweet Liberty—Miami
237 B Twentieth Street • mysweetliberty.com
Conceived and operated by award-winning bartender John Lermayer and Dan Binkiewicz along with restaurateur David Martinez.
The Corner—Miami
1035 North Miami Avenue • thecornermiami.com
This hip corner bar serves creative sandwiches, small plates, and classic and craft cocktails. They have an herb garden and buy from local farmers.
The Cypress Room—Miami
3620 Northeast Second Avenue • thecypressroom.com
An American grill and cocktail bar rooted in top-notch food and service with an old-world sensibility from a James Beard Award-winning chef.
The Broken Shaker—Miami Beach
2727 Indian Creek Drive • thefreehand.com/venues/the-broken-shaker
A small romantic bar in the Freehand Hostel offering inventive cocktails and a large backyard. Cocktail celebrities Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi created this bar.
The Regent Cocktail Club—Miami Beach
1690 Collins Avenue • galehotel.com/nightlife/regent-cocktail-club
Located inside the Gale Hotel offering craft cocktails.
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar—Miami Beach
1600 Lenox Avenue • runchickenrun.com
Farm-fresh ingredients used in their food and cocktails.
Todd English’s BlueZoo—Lake Buena Vista
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard • swandolphinrestaurants.com/bluezoo/index.html
This is Orlando’s first real fresh craft cocktail bar, which opened in 2004.
The Courtesy—Orlando
114 North Orange Avenue • thecourtesybar.com
Orlando’s first craft bar is low-lit and brick-lined. They feature handcrafted cocktails from boutique spirits.
Hanson’s Shoe Repair—Orlando
27 East Pine Street • facebook.com/hansonsshoerepair
The speakeasy-type cocktail bar that asks you to call 407-476-9446 between the hours of one p.m. and seven p.m. and “speak easily into your telephone receiver” and they will contact you with the evening’s password.
The Woods—Orlando
49 North Orange Avenue, 2nd-floor • thewoodsorlando.com
A boutique bar offering craft cocktails and seventy-plus craft beers.
Ciros—Tampa
2109 Bayshore Boulevard • cirostampa.com
A supper club with the finest cocktail bar serving an elite list of handcrafted cocktails true to the Prohibition era.
Fly Bar—Tampa
1202 North Franklin Street • flybarandrestaurant.com
Hopping bar with a rooftop deck offering craft cocktails, small plates, live music, and a city view.
Haven—Tampa
2208 West Morrison Avenue • haventampa.com
Mediterranean dishes and crafted cocktails served in a stylish space with an attached wine shop.
Pané Rustica—Tampa
3225 South MacDill Avenue • panerusticabakery.com
In the day, it is a casual breakfast and lunch restaurant, then crafted cocktails and dinner are served at night.
Mandarin Hide—Saint Petersburg
231 Central Avenue • mandarinhide.com
Their goal is to provide guests with a unique experience complete with unparalleled craft cocktails, a refreshingly warm staff, an unpretentious vibe, and invigorating music. Their happy hour is called the Violet Hour.
Georgia
The Sound Table—Atlanta
483 Edgewood Avenue • thesoundtable.com
Small plates and craft cocktails served in an industrial space that morphs into a dance club at night. Dancing is encouraged.
Holeman and Finch—Atlanta
2277 Peachtree Road • holeman-finch.com
Modern gastropub serving vintage eats and custom cocktails.
JCT Kitchen and Bar—Atlanta
1198 Howell Mill Road • jctkitchen.com
A welcoming, low-key rooftop bar with craft cocktails, delicious bites, live music, and a spectacular view of the skyline.
Restaurant Eugene—Atlanta
2277 Peachtree Road • restauranteugene.com
An intimate and sophisticated farm-to-table dining and drinking space.
Leon's Full Service—Decatur
131 East Ponce de Leon Avenue • leonsfullservice.com
The inspired modern eatery in an ex-gas station that offers New American fare, craft cocktails, and a bocce court.
Alligator Soul—Savannah
114 Barnard Street • alligatorsoul.com
Bar and restaurant that use handmade dishes and cocktails created with fresh and local ingredients.
Hawaii
Lewers Lounge—Honolulu
2199 Kalia Road • halekulani.com/dining/lewers-lounge-bar
Halekulani Hotel’s upscale jazz lounge is a plush setting for craft cocktails and high-end snacks. Cocktail celebrities Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff and Francesco Lafranconi trained the bartenders.
Manifest—Honolulu
32 North Hotel Street • manifesthawaii.com
Sophisticated cocktail spot highlighting inventive drinks and artisanal small plates.
Nobu—Honolulu
118 Ala Moana Boulevard • noburestaurants.com/waikiki/experience
Japanese-Peruvian fare and cocktails with upscale prices.
Pig & the Lady Restaurant—Honolulu
83 North King South • thepigandthelady.com
Modern Vietnamese cooking and craft cocktails with communal tables.
Pint + Jigger Gastropub—Honolulu
1936 South King Street • pintandjigger.com
Gastropub with innovative bar food, creative cocktails, and a craft beer garden.
Town Restaurant—Honolulu
3435 Waialae Avenue #104 • townkaimuki.com
Their philosophy is to find the shortest, simplest way between the earth, the hands, and the mouth. Local first, organic whenever possible, with Aloha always.
Idaho
Mai Thai—Boise
750 West Idaho Street • maithaigroup.com
Creative Asian-fusion dishes and craft cocktails served in a sleek modern setting with patio seating.
Red Feather—Boise
246 North Eighth Street • bcrfl.com
Upscale lounge serving seasonal American comfort food and craft cocktails in a chic, modern space.
Cornerstone—Ketchum
211 North Main Street • cornerstoneketchum.com
Inventive American fare and craft cocktails lure locals to this hip yet historic stylish brick venue.
Illinois
Bar Deville—Chicago
701 North Daman Avenue • bardeville.com
Headed up by acclaimed bartender Brad Bolt. He has received numerous accolades for his creative approach to cocktails, including winning first place in the 2010 Bacardi Legacy Chicago Competition, being named Chicago’s 2010 Most Inspired Bartender by Bombay Sapphire, and a nomination for a 2015 Jean Banchet Award for Best Mixologist. This art deco bar with cozy booth seating creates a warm ambience in the front room, while the middle space has a parlor feel with a pool table and lounge seating. The multifaceted back room plays host to a variety of entertainment, including the free weekly comedy series, Parlour Car, every Thursday and up-and-coming DJ acts every weekend.
The Barrelhouse Flat—Chicago
2624 North Lincoln Avenue • barrelhouseflat.com
A sprawling craft cocktail menu and foodie-friendly bar eats in a hip space with an upstairs lounge.
Big Star—Chicago
1531 North Damen Avenue • bigstarchicago.com
A Bourbon and beer-focused, taco-slinging, late-night honky-tonk in the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Housed in a defunct 1940s gas station. The taqueria’s soundtrack of classic country and rock ’n’ roll is selected and spun by the bar staff.
Boka—Chicago
1729 North Halsted Street • bokachicago.com
Offers inspiration cuisine and cocktails with an emphasis on the freshest seasonal ingredients. Also has a candlelit back garden patio.
Hubbard Inn—Chicago
110 West Hubbard Street • hubbardinn.com
European-inspired small plates, quintessential mid-century cocktails, and an old-world décor.
Maude's Liquor Bar—Chicago
840 West Randolph Street • maudesliquorbar.com
Dimly lit lounge with exposed brick serving craft cocktails, seafood, and classic French dishes.
Sable Kitchen & Bar—Chicago
505 North State Street • sablechicago.com
Located in Hotel Palomar serving inventive small plates and creative cocktails in a high-energy bar scene. The bartenders were trained by tequila and mezcal expert and mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout.
Sepia—Chicago
123 North Jefferson Street • sepiachicago.com
A seasonal, inventive, upscale bar and restaurant serving craft cocktails in a brick, tile, and wood interior evoking classic Chicago.
Scofflaw—Chicago
3201 West Armitage Avenue • scofflawchicago.com
A gin-focused Victorian-style salon with beautifully crafted cocktails, American craft beer, small plates, and fresh-baked cookies at midnight.
The Aviary—Chicago
953-955 West Fulton Street • theaviary.com
Swanky cocktail lounge featuring a daily selection of chef-inspired cocktails and food. Bartender Charles Joly won the 2014 Diageo World Class Bartending Competition.
Three Dots and a Dash—Chicago
435 North Clark Street • threedotschicago.com
Award-winning modern tiki bar with 200+ rums and luau bites.
The Violet Hour—Chicago
1520 North Damen Avenue • theviolethour.com
A 2015 James Beard Outstanding Bar Program–winning craft cocktail bar with loads of cocktail talent behind the bar. There are rules: no cell phones, no baseball hats, and no reservations. They request that you do not bring anyone whom you wouldn’t bring to your mother’s house for Sunday dinner. You will not find a sign for this bar. Look for people under a yellow light.
The Whistler—Chicago
2421 North Milwaukee Avenue • whistlerchicago.com
Trendy yet laid-back bar featuring creative cocktails plus DJs or live music nightly with no cover.
Weegee's Lounge—Chicago
3659 West Armitage Avenue • weegeeslounge.com
Low-key pub with a 1940s vibe featuring classic cocktails, craft beers, and a shuffleboard table.
Iowa
The Continental—Des Moines
428 East Locust Street • continental-lounge.com
Stylish lounge decorated with contemporary art featuring craft cocktails, tapas, and jazz.
Kansas
4 Olives Wine Bar—Manhattan
121 South Fourth Street • fourolives.biz
Owner, chef, and mixologist Scott Benjamin put together a long list of classics cocktails as well as original craft cocktails, barrel-aged cocktails, house-made tonic, and more.
Louisiana
Cypress Bar—Covington
428 East Boston Street • southernhotel.com
A craft bar located in the Southern Hotel that is decorated with hand-painted murals, arched floor-to-ceiling windows, and a fireplace.
21st Amendment Bar at La Louisiane—New Orleans | French Quarter
725 Iberville Street • 21stamendmentlalouisiane.com
The small, quaint craft cocktail bar is located where the cocktail La Louisiane was invented in the late 1800s. Its décor pays tribute to the Prohibition era. They have live jazz bands every day.
Bar Tonique—New Orleans | French Quarter
820 North Rampart Street • bartonique.com
Offers original, adapted, and classic cocktails.
Bourbon O Bar—New Orleans | French Quarter
730 Bourbon Street • Bourbono.com
This cocktail and jazz bar is located in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. In 2013, I revamped this dive bar into the first fresh bar on Bourbon Street—it also became the first nonsmoking bar on Bourbon.
The bar has a unique and diverse clientele because there is a Bourbon Street entrance and a guest hotel entrance. At any given time, the bar staff can be making a row of Old-Fashioneds and Sazeracs next to a row of Jager Bombs—and it’s okay because we want everyone to have a good time. The menu changes every season and each bartender contributes a cocktail.
In 2014, we became the first bar since 1919 to shake the Ramos Gin Fizz for six minutes—there’s a registry to sign after you order one. In the 2016 book 100 Things to Do in New Orleans Before You Die by Beth D’Addono, the bar was listed as the best place to get a Ramos Gin Fizz mustache.
A different live jazz band plays each night, we offer over eighty whiskeys (yes, we have Pappy’s), the default channel on six big screens is Turner Classic Movies with captions, there are twelve local beers on tap, and a few small bites that include New Orleans fare of gumbo, jambalaya, and mini-muffaletta sandwich baskets.
Cane & Table—New Orleans | French Quarter
1113 Decatur Street • caneandtablenola.com
Features rum-based cocktails, eclectic small and large plates in an Old Havana atmosphere that is run by Nick Deitrich.
Carousel Bar—New Orleans | French Quarter
214 Royal Street • hotelmonteleone.com/entertainment/carousel-bar
The Carousel Bar is the most visited bar in New Orleans. It’s not so much a craft bar, but more of a classic cocktail bar. This is where the Vieux Carré cocktail was invented in 1938. The absolute best bartender to make your cocktails is the head bartender, Marvin Allen. Allen works in the day and gets off at six o’clock, but it’s New Orleans and daytime drinking is encouraged. The bar has live entertainment seven nights a week.
Cure—New Orleans
4905 Freret Street • curenola.com
New Orleans’s first craft bar.
French 75 Bar—New Orleans | French Quarter
813 Rue Bienville • arnaudsrestaurant.com/french-75
Local celebrity bartender Chris Hannah heads up this cozy bar with lovely décor. The monkey lamps are fun! It is the best place to get a French 75, and between Thanksgiving day and Mardi Gras day, Hannah makes handmade Tom & Jerrys. Also, do not be surprised if you see a celebrity.
Latitude 29—New Orleans | French Quarter
320 Decatur Street • latitude29nola.com
This is Beachbum Berry’s first tiki bar, located in the quaint Bienville Hotel. The bar offers classic and modern tiki drinks as well as Polynesian cuisine. This is the best place in the world to order a Zombie.
Loa—New Orleans
221 Camp Street • ihhotel.com/loa
Seasonal handcrafted cocktails in a warm and sophisticated space at the International House Hotel.
Revel—New Orleans
133 North Carrolton Avenue • revelcafeandbar.com
After many years of working for others in New Orleans, fourth-generation bartender Chris McMillian finally opened his own bar in 2015. McMillian is the most famous bartender in New Orleans. He is the cofounder of the Museum of the American Cocktail and a cocktail historian. McMillian has been mentioned in many periodicals such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and has been a public speaker at institutions such as the Smithsonian. Imbibe magazine mentioned McMillian as one of the top twenty-five most influential cocktail personalities of the last century.
His bar serves classic and crafted cocktails (and don’t be surprised if you get a story while he’s making your cocktail) and gourmet sandwiches and small plates made by a chef who trained under Emeril Lagasse.
Roost Bar—New Orleans | French Quarter
417 Royal Street • brennansneworleans.com
The Roost Bar is located inside Brennan’s. It is headed up by famous New Orleans bartender Lu Brow, who serves crafted and classic cocktails.
SoBou—New Orleans | French Quarter
310 Chartres Street • sobounola.com
This craft bar is located in the French Quarter “W” Hotel. SouBo stands for “South of Bourbon Street.”
Sylvain—New Orleans | French Quarter
625 Chartres Street • sylvainnola.com
Serves straightforward, no-nonsense food and crafted cocktails using the best ingredients from the southern United States.
The Bombay Club—New Orleans | French Quarter
830 Conti Street • bombayclubneworleans.com
Blake Kaiser oversees the bar program with craft cocktails. Also offered are small bites to full dinners and live entertainment seven nights a week.
The Sazerac Bar—New Orleans
130 Roosevelt Way • therooseveltneworleans.com/dining/the-sazerac-bar.html
It’s located in the Roosevelt Hotel. This is not where the Sazerac was invented, but they adopted it back in the 1930s. This is the bar where Governor Huey “Kingfish” P. Long (1932–1935) would stroll in and order a Ramos Gin Fizz. You can even watch him drink one on YouTube.
The Victorian Lounge—New Orleans
3811 Saint Charles Avenue • thecolumns.com/the-victorian-lounge
This grand and romantic bar is located in the Columns Hotel. It serves classic and craft cocktails and has been written about in many publications.
Twelve Mile Limit—New Orleans
500 South Telemachus Street • facebook.com/twelve.mile.limit
A dive craft cocktail bar owned by T. Cole Newton. They also sell cheap beer, BBQ, cake, and have a pool table.
Minnesota
Marvel Bar—Minneapolis
50 North Second Avenue • marvelbar.com
A small neighborhood cocktail bar where a team of bartenders put thought and care into the drinks they make. You can locate the bar behind a purple door.
Mississippi
Parlor Market—Jackson
115 West Capitol Street • parlormarket.com
Local Southern food and cocktails served in upscale rustic digs with brick walls, wood beams, and a marble bar.
The Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs—Jackson
655 Duling Avenue • apothecaryjackson.com
Apothecary soda fountain–type cocktail bar.
Snackbar—Oxford
21 North Lamar • snackbaroxford.com
Stylish bistro and oyster bar offering Southern-influenced French eats, craft cocktails, and live music.
Montana
Walkers—Billings
2700 First Avenue North • walkersgrill.com
Offers house-crafted cocktails and fresh in a setting with barbed-wire, chandeliers, and local art.
Red Room Basement Bar—Whitefish
147 Central Avenue • latitude48bistro.com/red-room-whitefish.php
A bar below the restaurant serving crafted cocktails and tapas.
Nebraska
The Berry & Rye—Omaha
Eleventh and Howard Streets • theberryandrye.com
This bar finds inspiration in pre-Prohibition era–drinks yet approaches its cocktails from an experimental, contemporary, and culinary perspective.
V. Mertz—Omaha
1022 Howard Street • vmertz.com
Elegant restaurant and bar with gourmet New American plates cocktails.
Nevada
Downtown Cocktail Room—Las Vegas
111 Las Vegas Boulevard South • downtowncocktailroom.com
An intimate speakeasy-type room with craft cocktails.
Frankie’s Tiki Room—Las Vegas
1712 West Charleston Boulevard • frankiestikiroom.com
A fresh drink tiki bar filled with art and carvings from the world’s top tiki artists.
Herbs and Rye—Las Vegas
3713 West Sahara Avenue • herbsandrye.com
A true craft cocktail bar.
Libertine Social—Las Vegas
3950 South Las Vegas Boulevard • mandalaybay.com
The Modern Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim's first bar is located in Mandalay Bay. Look for the bar that has the large blue neon light that says “Stay Wild.”
Nora’s—Las Vegas
5780 West Flamingo Road • norascuisine.com
Italian cuisine and craft cocktails.
Petrossian Bar
3600 Las Vegas Blvd South • bellagio.com/nightlife-diversions/petrossian-bar.aspx
Inside the Bellagio Hotel. Las Vegas’s first craft cocktail bar, under the direction of Tony Abou-Ganim.
Vesper Bar—Las Vegas
3708 South Las Vegas Boulevard • cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
Located in the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
New York
Clover Club—Brooklyn
210 Smith Street • cloverclubny.com
A Julie Reiner bar. Exquisite cocktails, real food, and an atmosphere of true hospitality. But it’s a Brooklyn cocktail bar, so that also means no velvet rope, a low-key, neighborhood vibe, live jazz from time to time, and a cozy back room with a fireplace. Oh, and brunch, because you need brunch.
Long Island Bar—Brooklyn
110 Atlantic Avenue • thelongislandbar.com
Owned by Joel Tompkins and Toby Cecchini. (1988 Cosmopolitan creator).
Tooker Alley—Brooklyn
793 Washington Avenue • tookeralley.com
This is craft bartender Del Pedro’s bar. It’s a hip hangout with bar bites, a retro vibe, and Edison light bulbs.
Death & Co.—Manhattan
433 East Sixth Street • deathandcompany.com
Opened by David Kaplan on December 31, 2006 to ring in the New Year. Look for a storefront with wooden panels in place of windows. The name Death & Co. is printed in metal on the sidewalk in front of the bar’s main entrance. Give your number to the bouncer at the door and he will call you can when you can come inside. They also have a book.
Angel’s Share—Manhattan
6 Stuyvesant Street 2nd Floor • facebook.com/Angels-Share-534149856600355
A small craft bar inside the Yokocho Japanese Restaurant. It is the bar that Sasha Petraske modeled Milk & Honey after.
Apothéke—Manhattan
9 Doyers Street • apothekenyc.com
Inspired by the history and rise of the apothecary in Europe as well as the artistic influence of absinthe dens in nineteenth-century Paris.
Attaboy—Manhattan
134 Eldridge Street
This small space was originally Sasha Petraske’s Milk & Honey from New Year’s Eve 1999 to New Year’s Eve 2012. Today, longtime M&H bartenders Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy are the proprietors. The entrance door simply says, “AB 134.” Long gone is the reservation system, so you just have to keep knocking and pressing the buzzer every so often and you will be let in if space is available. Do not come with a party of more than four, as there are only two booths, twelve barstools, and no menu.
Employees Only—Manhattan
510 Hudson Street • employeesonlynyc.com
This restaurant and bar was opened in 2004 by five bar industry friends; Dushan Zaric, Henry Lafargue, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmos, and Bill Gilroy. The bar has won numerous awards such as “Best American Bar Team,” “World’s Best Cocktail Bar,” and “World’s Best Drinks Selection.” It is also featured in the 2013 film Hey Bartender, which follows one of their bartenders, Steve Schneider.
Flatiron Lounge—Manhattan
37 West Nineteenth Street • flatironlounge.com
Opened by Julie Reiner in 2003. A high-volume craft bar located in a landmark building that was constructed in 1910. The Flatiron Lounge evokes the decadence and romance of a bygone era. The sounds of jazz draw you in through a dramatic archway leading to the meticulously restored thirty-foot mahogany bar.
Huckleberry Bar—Manhattan
588 Grand Street • huckleberrybar.com
Offers something for almost everyone. They offer seasonal and classic cocktails, their kitchen is open late every night, and their private garden is open every day until one a.m.
Little Branch—Manhattan
20 Seventh Avenue South on the corner of Leroy
Opened by Sasha Petraske in 2005. An underground room of mixology and crafted cocktails. To enter, look for a rusted metal door with no signs. Inside, there is a long stairway leading to the bar. Little Branch accepts cash only.
The Library at Nomad—Manhattan
1170 Broadway and Twenty-Eighth Street • thenomadhotel.com/#/dining/library
Craft bar located inside the Nomad Hotel.
Macao Trading Co.—Manhattan
311 Church Street, Ground Floor • macaonyc.com
They take their inspiration from the opium dens and brothels of the 1930s. It’s an exotic, bi-level parlor serving craft cocktails and Chinese-Portuguese small plates.
Mayahuel—Manhattan
304 East Sixth Street • mayahuelny.com
Opened in 2009 and one year later won “Best New Cocktail Bar in the World.” They are an agave spirit cocktail bar.
Pegu Club—Manhattan
77 West Houston Street • peguclub.com
Audrey Saunders’s pioneering cocktail lounge serves classic and creative drinks in a stylish setting.
PDT—Manhattan
113 St. Marks Place • pdtnyc.com
PDT stands for “Please Don’t Tell.” Jim Meehan, the first cocktail winner of a James Beard Award, created it. You must make reservations by calling 212-614-0386. Once you arrive, walk down a set of stairs into Crif Dogs Restaurant, then look for a phone booth. Pick up the phone and press the buzzer once.
Pouring Ribbons—Manhattan
225 Avenue B • pouringribbons.com
Bartender Joaquin Simo heads up this hip contemporary craft cocktail bar with a small menu of sophisticated bites.
Raines Law Room—Manhattan
48 West Seventeenth Street. • raineslawroom.com
To enter look for the unmarked stairwell and ring the doorbell at the bottom. The tables inside have a private button to call the server. It’s first come, first served, but reservations are accepted Sunday through Tuesday by e-mailing the exact time, the number in your party, and a contact number.
Saxon + Parole—Manhattan
316 Bowery • saxonandparole.com
Craft cocktails are served at this equestrian-themed American eatery.
The Dead Rabbit—Manhattan
30 Water Street • deadrabbitnyc.com
This bar is won “World’s Best Bar” in 2016. It’s owned by Jack McGarry and Sean Muldoon and has three rooms on two floors for you to experience.
The Tippler—Manhattan
425 West Fifteenth Street • thetippler.com
The Tippler is a classic New York cocktail destination nestled in a cellar space serving craft cocktails.
Oklahoma
The Tavern—Tulsa
201 North Main Street • taverntulsa.com
The Tavern is a modern interpretation of the classic neighborhood pub. They offer pub-inspired cuisine and craft cocktails that represents only the best in local and seasonal ingredients.
The Vault—Tulsa
624 South Cincinnati Avenue • vaulttulsa.com
Featuring classic American fare and craft cocktails in a mid-century modern setting.
Valkyrie—Tulsa
13 East Brady Street • valkyrietulsa.com
A playful neighborhood bar with a focus on comfort and personality as well as serving top-quality drinks without pretense. The continually revolving menu offers classic and new cocktails made from whole fresh ingredients.
Pennsylvania
Stocks on 2nd—Harrisburg
211 North Second Street • stocksonsecond.com
Offers a farm-to-fork gastropub with a bar specializing in American whiskeys and Bourbons.
John J. Jefferies—Lancaster
300 Harrisburg Avenue • johnjjeffries.com
Farm-to-table, seasonal fare and crafted cocktails. Located in the Lancaster Arts Hotel.
Hunger n Thirst—Lancaster
920 Landis Avenue • hungernthirst.com
A warehouse-style operation combining a New American kitchen, craft bar, craft beer store, and gourmet market.
Horse Inn—Lancaster
540 East Fulton Street • horseinnlancaster.com
Historic site offering a seasonal menu of refined pub grub, specialty cocktails, and a speakeasy vibe.
Aussie and the Fox—Lancaster
38 West King Street • aussieandthefox.com
Elevated Australian and American fare and crafted cocktails served in a space with kitschy style.
The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.—Philadelphia
112 South Eighteenth Street • thefranklinbar.com
This building was used by Max “Boo Boo” Hoff to run a bootleg ring from during Prohibition. Look for the bouncer—the door’s entrance is unmarked—who will direct you into the cavernous, fifty-seat speakeasy.
Southwark—Philadelphia
701 South Fourth Street • southwarkrestaurant.com
Farm-to-table dishes served alongside classic cocktails in a handsome tavern setting.
Village Whiskey—Philadelphia
118 South Twentieth Street • philadelphia.villagewhiskey.com
Gourmet pub grub and cocktails.
Acacia—Pittsburgh
2108 East Carson Street • acaciacocktails.com
Sophisticated cocktail bar with a Prohibition theme serving craft drinks in elegant glassware.
Bar Marco—Pittsburgh
2216 Penn Avenue • barmarcopgh.com
Intimate minimalist wine bar with a winning menu, creative cocktails, and weekend brunch.
South Carolina
The Bar at Husk—Charleston
76 Queen Street • huskrestaurant.com/about/bar
Craft cocktail bar that has a large selection of Bourbons and Madeiras.
The Cocktail Club—Charleston
479 King Street • thecocktailclubcharleston.com
Offers an extensive selection of house-made infusions, rare liquors, and one-of-a-kind beverages.
Fig—Charleston
232 Meeting Street • eatatfig.com
Southern classics cooked with seasonal ingredients and a fresh cocktail bar.
The Gin Joint—Charleston
182 East Bay Street • theginjoint.com
A cozy intimate bar/eatery serving craft cocktails and eclectic small plates in a 1920s-inspired setting.
McCrady’s—Charleston
2 Unity Alley • mccradysrestaurant.com
Offers locally sourced American fare and crafted cocktails.
Texas
CU29 Cocktail Bar—Austin
720 Brazos Street • cu29cocktailbar.com
A bar for creative cocktails with house-made infusions and mixers.
Firehouse Lounge—Austin
605 Brazos Street • firehousehostel.com
Located in the Firehouse Hostel, they pride themselves on recreating some of the world’s best classic cocktails with a focus on quality and presentation.
Garage—Austin
503 West Colorado Street • garagetx.com
Unassuming bar crafting inventive cocktails in a hip, mid-century-inspired space in a parking garage.
Bolsa—Dallas
3232 McKinney Avenue • bolsadallas.com
Offers locally sourced New American fare and fresh cocktails.
Mansion Bar—Dallas
2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard • rosewoodhotels.com/en/mansion-on-turtle-creek-dallas/dining/mansion-bar
Located inside the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.
Midnight Cowboy Cocktail Salon—Dallas
313 East Sixth Street • midnightcowboymodeling.com
This bar does not have a sign. Look for a red light above a doorway, then buzz your way by hitting “Harry Craddock” button.
Midnight Rambler—Dallas
1530 Main Street • midnightramblerbar.com
Midnight Rambler is a craft cocktail salon located in the Joule Hotel. It is conceived and operated by Chad Solomon and Christy Pope of Cuffs & Buttons. The DNA of Midnight Rambler is cocktails, music, and atmosphere. Midnight Rambler serves Neoclassical cocktails to a rock ’n’ soul soundtrack in a warm analog environment. A service style of offhanded excellence resonates in the quality of staff, excellence in product, and attention to detail. There is complimentary valet parking.
Parliament
2418 Allen Street • facebook.com/ParliamentBar
A craft cocktail bar owned by famous Dallas bartender Eddie “Lucky” Campbell. Parliament serves as both an advanced cocktail lounge and a neighborhood bar, designed to be widely accessible, while housing one of the most sophisticated cocktail programs in the world. Rooted in timeless style, Parliament derives inspiration from the barrooms and clubs of the early 1900s, with the excitement of the avant-garde period and the approachability of a Parisian sidewalk café.
Proof + Pantry—Dallas
1722 Routh Street • proofandpantry.com
An American restaurant and bar featuring American fare along with a diverse and original bar program.
Smoke—Dallas
901 Fort Worth Avenue • smokerestaurant.com
A craft bar located in the Belmont Hotel.
Tate’s—Dallas
2723 McKinney Avenue • tatesdallas.com
They believe the handcrafted cocktail represents a haven of romance, culinary delight, and fun.
The Cedars Social—Dallas
326 South Lamar Street • thecedarssocial.com
Famous Dallas bartender Michael Martensen heads up the bar program with a list of handcrafted cocktails, and the fare is offered by award-winning chef John Tesar.
The Dram—Dallas
2918 North Henderson Avenue • thedramdallas.com
Offers handcrafted cocktails and classics creating a balanced drink menu with nightly and seasonal specialty libations.
The People’s Last Stand Bar + Bistro—Dallas
5319 Mockingbird Lane • thepeopleslaststand.com
This bar sits perched atop Mockingbird Station and offers classic cocktails with unique and flavorful inventions created from fresh-squeezed juices and house-made syrups, infusions, and mixers.
The Standard Pour—Dallas
2900 McKinney Avenue • tspdallas.com
A neighborhood restaurant and bar inspired by 1920s nouveau nostalgia. This cocktail den offers craft cocktails and bites from the kitchen.
Victor Tangos—Dallas
3001 North Henderson Avenue • victortangos.com
Intensely fresh cocktails and bold adventurous food with a neon sign over the door that says, “Kitchen Open Late.”
Whiskey Cake—Dallas
3601 Dallas Parkway • whiskey-cake.com
Serves farm-to-kitchen made-from-scratch fare and cocktails.
The Usual—Fort Worth
148 West Magnolia Avenue • facebook.com/theusualbar
Mixologists pour Prohibition-era cocktails from top-shelf ingredients at this stylish bar.
Anvil—Houston
1424 Westheimer Road, Suite B • anvilhouston.com
Houston’s first serious craft bar, since 2009. They are dedicated to making the best drinks they can with the highest quality spirits and ingredients they can find.
The Edison Experiment—San Antonio
1846 North Loop 1604 W • facebook.com/edisonexperiment
A craft cocktail bar specializing in craft cocktails both classic and modern.
Wisconsin
Wickman House—Ellison Bay
11976 Mink River Road • wickmanhouse.com
New American meals and craft cocktails in a quaint rambling home with outdoor seating.
The Libertine—Green Bay
209 North Washington Street • forequartermadison.com
A craft cocktail bar serving the finest spirits and a knowledgeable and hospitable staff.
Boone & Crockett—Milwaukee
2151 South Kinnickinnic Avenue • boonemilwaukee.com
Classically crafted cocktails from shelf to glass.
Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge—Milwaukee
1579 South Ninth Street • bryantscocktaillounge.com
Open since 1938, Bryant’s is Milwaukee’s oldest cocktail lounge. They offer craft cocktails in a stylish atmosphere with exotic lighting and plush velvet walls.
The Libertine—Madison
708 Johnson Street • thelibertine209.com
An award-winning neighborhood restaurant and bar with a menu that changes a little bit almost every day with a focus on seasonal produce and provision.
Wyoming
The Rose—Jackson Hole
50 West Broadway • therosejh.com
Craft cocktail bar located inside the Pink Garter Theatre.