Emma Janzen writes, “Anvil was one of the first bars to put Texas on the map for craft cocktails, and since then, the standards have yet to dip.” Founder Bobby Heugel is the one to thank for that. Read more.
The drinks here are among the best in the city, & show how to build on a classic,” says Wayne Curtis. Bartender Chris Hannah is a “gentleman & a true master of the form” according to Jordana Rothman. Read more.
Leslie Pariseau calls the drinks here "really beautiful, mindfuck cocktails." Not surprising considering Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas are behind the place, alongside beverage director Charles Joly. Read more.
The restaurant and bar is known for using local, seasonable, and sustainable ingredients in both the food from chef Melissa Reitz and cocktails created by Thad Vogler and Eric Johnson. Read more.
"Well-executed classics and innovative combinations” are keys to this David Bull-owned cocktail lounge's success, according to Austin writer Melody Fury. Read more.
Nothing broken about this James Beard-nominated bar. Talia Baiocchi says, “It's one of those craft cocktail bars that is the modern imagination of what Miami must've been like in the deco days.” Read more.
Cocktail expert David Wondrich is a fan of this Milwaukee bar, which is the city’s (and possibly the state’s) oldest—established in 1938. Wondrich says it was “cool before there were hipsters.”
Allecia Vermillion calls this the “brown liquor juggernaut of Seattle cocktail bars” with a massive (in the thousands) whiskey collection and back-to-back James Beard noms for outstanding bar program. Read more.
Momofuku bar director John deBary credits it as a place “responsible for the current [cocktail] renaissance we’re enjoying” that’s also an incubator for some of the city’s best bartending talent. Read more.
The self-proclaimed “European-style tavern” is also a great place for food to accompany those JBFA-nominated cocktails. Read more.
Columbia Room gives guests one of the most intimate cocktail experiences in the nation with a bar that seats only 10. According to Jessica Voelker “the staff here is never pretentious.” Read more.
“It’s modern but it also honors the city’s amazing cocktail culture,” says writer Jessica Voelker of this off-the-beaten-path craft cocktail bar from Neal Bodenheimer, Kirk Estopinal & Matthew Kohnke. Read more.
“The grandaddy of Boston’s modern cocktail bars, Drink has seen an era of incredible bartenders behinds its three-counter bar,” says Punch's Leslie Pariseau. Read more.
“This place is magic,” says Feast Portland’s Mike Thelin of this 1933-established bar on the San Antonio River Walk that feels like walking into an old saloon. Read more.
The James Beard award winning chef is also serious about cocktails here with an extensive list of classic and original concoctions that are some of the best in NC, all priced at $11 including tax. Read more.
While the feeling is speakeasy-esque, the drinks are all over the map with classics, punches and adventurous selections that include ingredients like Arbequina olive oil-washed mescal and cardamaro. Read more.
The cocktails here are legit with a dedication to make everything just so, including a special ice machine, locally sourced ingredients and housemade syrups. Read more.
Kimball House's devotion to the way dining (and drinking) used to be shines through in its craft cocktail menu, oyster offerings, and three-course steak dinner. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
It’s 5 years old and still going strong, thanks to Ryan Maybee’s solid cocktail program and intimate speakeasy atmosphere. This treasure is just downstairs from the Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange. Read more.
It’s gotten plenty of notice from national media along with a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Bar Program this year. Being Minneapolis, there's usually a decent selection of hot cocktails. Read more.
What once was a seedy massage parlor is now a cocktail haven for Austin, brought to life and transformed by the founder of the movie theater/restaurant/bar chain known as Alamo Drafthouse. Read more.
The food is always fresh and exciting, but the service is what you'll remember most once your meal is finished. [Eater 38 Member]
The drinks get plenty of attention, but the food at this secluded Decatur Square spot is just as worthy. The hanger steak makes for the perfect complement to a Paul Calvert cocktail. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
Though it’s young, the mezcaleria — featuring handpicked, thoroughly researched booze from small-batch producers — is making some of the best margaritas in the country. Read more.
This softly lit, chandelier-bedecked gem attracts many an in-town celebrity looking to booze it up in a mellow atmosphere. There is an Old Fashioned here made with bacon-infused bourbon. Read more.
Even though the acronym means “Please Don’t Tell,” word’s been out about modern speakeasy PDT for quite some time now. Momofuku bar director John deBary got his bartending start here. Read more.
The ambitious cocktail menu here uses lots of housemade mixers like tonic and grapefruit soda, bitters and more; plus spirits, already-mixed cocktails, beer and wine on draft. Read more.
While the reviews of the 30-foot-tall golden naked David in front of its entrance are mixed, new executive chef Levon Wallace's menu has drawn near universal praise. [Eater 18 Member]
Food and drink writer Jessica Voelker thinks that since then, it “seems to have transformed from the unofficial clubhouse for the serious cocktail kids to a high-volume bar with professional polish." Read more.
Bet you never thought a crazy kitschy den of all things tiki could actually serve high-fructose-corn-syrup-free, all-natural drinks. This one can, and the cocktails hold up to the best in town.
Its star spirit is rum and its cocktails are self-described as “traditional drinks of the Caribbean islands, classic libations of Prohibition-era Havana and exotic cocktails from legendary tiki bars." Read more.
Emma Janzen says, "Modern tiki drinks featuring mezcal, genever and Scotch hold court against classics, which all taste fresh, balanced and totally on-point every time." Read more.
LA Mag blogger Caroline Pardilla says, "Your phone won't work here, so give yourself over to this bar from another era and enjoy live jazz and a simple but straightforward classic cocktail list." Read more.
In addition to the upscale atmosphere, the cocktail cred here includes specialty ice cubes that are frozen at -30-degrees Farenheit, cherries imported from Italy and housemade bitters. Read more.
Ask for Roger Gillespie to shake up your drinks. Let him go off the menu with cocktails such as the Cross Stitch with a 12-year rum, whiskey, Benedictine and set on fire at the end.
Step inside the intimate space and peruse through an extensive handcrafted drink menu that includes vodka, tequila, rum, brandy and portable bitters creations. Try the Juliet & Romeo or the Sazerac.
Sean Kenyon's speakeasy joint is hidden behind a bookshelf. Between Kenyon's cocktails and food from former Squeaky Bean chef Max MacKissock, this remains the hottest place to go for drinks and food.
Feast Portland's Mike Thelin thinks "this place combines everything you love about classic cocktails and still manages to feel like the coolest dive bar you've ever been to." Read more.
