The perfect spot for a spring or summer soiree, the Columbia Room’s less formal sibling offers a ton of refreshing and delicious cocktails. Ambiance: ****1/2 Decor: **** Service: **** Cocktails: **** Overall Rating: 4.25 So if you are familiar with the existence of alcohol and Washington DC, you’ve no doubt heard of the Columbia Room, the famed… Read More Punch by Twilight – Columbia Room (Punch Garden)
A gem on Florida’s Emerald Coast, The Craft Bar provides some quality cocktails in a relaxed setting. Ambiance: **** Decor: ***1/2 Service: ****1/2 Cocktails: **** Overall Rating: 4 As a life-long Northeasterner and fortunate resident of one of the more sophisticated cocktail scenes in the US, it’s easy to look down at the bar scene in… Read More Emerald Coast Cocktails – The Craft Bar
Crisp Kitchen is a great hangout spot with some hot chicken and good, up-front cocktails. Ambiance: **** Decor: *** Service: **** Cocktails: **** Overall Rating: 3.75 One of my favorite cocktail experiences this year happened at Thai pop-up Alfie’s, which paired inferno-hot Southeast Asian fare with truly superb cocktails. So when I heard Alfie’s chef Alex… Read More Finger Lickin’ Good – Crisp Kitchen and Bar
A nice neighborhood spot, Mason Social is a good spot to chat with Alexandria locals and down a few cocktails. Ambiance: **** Decor: ***1/2 Service: **** Cocktails: ***1/2 Overall Rating: 3.75 It was a beautiful spring Saturday in Old Town Alexandria – the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I was wearing shorts for the… Read More Neighborhood Haunt – Mason Social (Visit #2)
Pairing a large space with some kitsch decorations, Archipelago is a fun spot for hanging with friends and sipping sugar. Ambiance: **** Decor: ****1/2 Service: **** Cocktails: ***1/2 Overall Rating: 4 Tiki is definitely “in” this year with popups sprouting up all across DC. With tiki fever at a high pitch, it wouldn’t be long before… Read More Across the Southern Seas – Archipelago
Serving up some of the best drinks in the DC area, Brabo is a top-flight cocktail bar posing as a fine dining restaurant. Ambiance: **** Decor: **** Service: ***** Cocktails: ***** Overall Rating: 4.5 The last time I visited the fine dining establishment of Brabo in Old Town Alexandria was in January and boy was it chilly.… Read More Spring Drinks on King Street – Brabo (Visit #2)
This week I’m reviewing Cormac McCarthy’s 1979 novel “Suttree,” set in 1950s Nashville. So, recently I have been on the hunt for spirits from the Volunteer State, and came upon George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, Number 8. It’s hard to get more Tennessee than the “whisky” and its namesake George Dickel – a German immigrant, Dickel… Read More Cocktails on the Tennessee River
The perfect bar for a rainy day, B-Side provides some powerful cocktails and warm décor. Ambiance: ****1/2 Decor: ****1/2 Service: **** Cocktails: **** Overall Rating: 4.25 It was all the way back in June when I first visited B Side bar in the bustling Mosaic District. I remember it very clearly: a pouring rain kept me inside… Read More Back to the B – B Side (Visit #2)
A relaxing and bright bar in Tysons, America’s Eat Tavern is a good after-work spot to chat with friends and watch the sun set. Ambiance: ***1/2 Decor: **** Service: **** Cocktails: **** Overall Rating: 3.75 I always get nostalgic in Spring; as temperatures rise and flowers bloom, I think fondly of times and bars gone by. Anxious to… Read More Puttin’ on the Ritz – America Eats Tavern (Visit #2)
Hello Cocktails! 