With Bulleit bourbon. $9.50
Oswald, Santa Cruz CA
Ugh, our bartender was heavy handed with the bitters on all the whiskey drinks we ordered! This pretty much ruined any of our enjoyment for these cocktails. And this was a first – CRUSHED ice in my old fashioned, what?! I hope I never see that again. 😦
Train tracks toward the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
With Bulleit bourbon. We came here randomly one evening and it was pretty dead. The lady bartender was REALLY nice and accommodating though and she did a good job on the Manhattans. We had arrived pretty early so towards the end of our visit the nightly DJ had begun setting up his station. Playing a few games of pool was fun, but their table was on a slant so the balls never really did want you wanted them to do.
The Blue Lounge, Santa Cruz CA
Train tracks toward the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
Whiskey, apple, lemon and bitters. Served on the rocks. $9
Oswald, Santa Cruz CA
I liked this cocktail especially since it wasn’t too sweet. The apple flavor was a nice counterpoint to the whiskey.
Red fuschia flowers (Onagraceae), The Mystery Spot.
Bourbon whiskey, vermouth, bitters. $8
Mission Bowling Club, San Francisco CA
I think Manhattans go with any food! Maybe that’s the alcoholic in me postulating that, hehe.
Benjamin Franklin statue, Washington Square Park.
“In New Orleans, they like to do things their own way. Judging by this famous variation on the old-fashioned, that way may be the right way. Rittenhouse 100 rye whiskey, the Crescent City’s own Peychaud’s bitters, a bit of sugar – and a glass rinsed with a green bitter liquid that shall remain nameless.” $11
The Alembic, San Francisco CA
Mmm, I’ve grown to appreciate a well-made sazerac. The Alembic knows how to make proper cocktails so I’m a happy man!
Banana people street art, The Mission.
Caiprinha: top shelp cachaca and fresh lime. $10
Manhattan: bourbon, vermouth, bitters. $9
Bossa Nova, San Francisco CA
I love caipirinhas because they’re so light and refreshing (just like Brazilians I guess)! Bossa Nova makes some pretty good caipirinhas but I’m always a little surprised how much they cost here. I’m not sure I’m convinced that they deserve this price point.
Purple cherry blossom mural, Potrero Hill.
Classic cocktail with Bulleit rye, sweet vermouth, absinthe, bitters. $10
Mission Bowling Club, San Francisco CA
Hmm, I love Manhattans but the addition of absinthe is hit or miss for me. This drink was too absinthe-y for my taste so I thought the cocktail was just ok.
Colorful prism/ocean mural, The Mission.
“The oldest cocktail, and still one of the best. Nothing more than a slug of good whiskey on the rocks, with a couple of dashes of bitters, a little sugar, and a twist of lemon peel to take the edge off. Sometimes the simplest things work best. We make ours without the “garbage” – the fruit salad with wich the noble old warhorse is so often weighed down.” $11
The Alembic, San Francisco CA
The cocktails here are really good. Standard, simple, and delicious! I really liked the atmosphere as well. There’s a small bar area in front and a few tables in back for diners. The service was nice and laid-back but still attentive.
7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2010
Seasoned popcorn. Complimentary
Pink flowers of Ochagavia litoralis (Bromeliaceae), West Field Road
Maker’s Mark bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters. $7.50
Trax, San Francisco CA
I’ve often heard my New York friends refer to San Francisco as a drinking town, and I think they’re probably right. Our bars are generally more crowded at any time of day than anywhere else I’ve visited. And people are actually drinking and not just hanging out. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I’d rather walk into a occupied bar than an empty one.
Speckled pink konjac petioles (Amorphophallus konjac, Araceae), Castro.
Knob Creek whiskey, sugar cube, angostura bitters, soda water. $14
Lily Bar & Lounge, Las Vegas NV
I really liked this lounge! The service was great (and super sexy) and the drinks were nice and neat. Lily had a wonderful laid back vibe even with the many posers (or maybe they added to the overall experience?).
Las Vegas Strip.
Ramble: gin, sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, muddled raspberries, crushed ice.
Comme Ca, Las Vegas NV
Mmm, I LOVED the cocktails at Comme Ca! There were plenty to choose from and they were all deilcious and very different. AND during happy hour they are half off – SCORE!
Sazerac: rye whiskey, sugar, peychaud bitters, absinthe.
Hemingway Daiquiri: silver rum, maraschino liquor, fresh lime juice, grapefruit juice.
Rose Eight: 108.2′ bourbon, orange juice, fresh lemon juice, honey/grenadine, rose flower water.
New York Sour: bourbon, sugar, egg white, freshly squeezed lemons, red wine float.
Shimmy Flappers: vodka, aperol, fresh lemon juice, sugar, red wine float.
Bourbon, lemon-sage shrub, ginger beer, angostura bitters. $9
The Sexton, Seattle WA
Mmm, this drink was mightly tasty! And I loved the while cassette tapes used for the bar counter. 🙂
Waterfront Whimsea, commissioned by the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID), Pier 57-59.
Vittle Monster 