A laid back and sightly neighborhood joint, the Good Silver provides a friendly setting and some nice booze.

Ambiance: ***1/2

Decor: ****

Cocktails: ***1/2

Service: ****

Overall: 3.75

It was one of those classic October days in DC: leaves changing color, pumpkin spice lattes in hand, and 100% humidity. Yuck, seriously – I swore we were through with the stick-to-ya heat!

Strolling up the 11th Street restaurant row, I sought refuge from the burning fall sun in The Good Silver, a relatively new spot that replaced the dearly departed Kangaroo Boxing Club. The bar is small and homey, with an eye-catching and comfortable decor: black and white photos, blue and yellow wall paper (they love Michigan here) and dark wood brought me back to a stately New England inn. A TV and screen are there for you, if sports is your thing. The Silver is also fronted by a nice outdoor seating section, perfect for taking in the peppy and young 11th Street on a positively balmy fall evening.

In addition to cocktails, I’m also a student of bar rest rooms (the Red Derby’s are the best) so I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to the Silver’s use of framed Calvin and Hobbes and Far Side strips. Indisputably the greatest comic strips in world history, they offer some good reading opportunities.

The Good Silver provides a simple and crowd-pleasing cocktail list featuring house-made shrubs and local ingredients including Cotton and Read rum. Out of the five we tried, I picked two as standouts.

I started the revelry with the eye-catching “Nana’s Vengeance” with Old Grand Dad bourbon, lime cordial, and house tonic. This concoction was a bit empty, sadly, with a cold lime and bourbon burn that never really sparked. Fine on a hot day but nothing to brag about. Next up was the “Lemongrass Ice Pick” with Civic vodka, honey ginger syrup, lime, and iced tea. Basically a spiked sweet tea, this was nice, soft, and went down easy, but was unremarkable.

My favorite drink at the Good Silver was the “Clankin’ Coconuts” with rum, pineapple, orange juice, and coconut. It’s an up-front and pleasant tiki drink, but I really loved how the coconut herb bounced off the stringent orange juice – that was a nice sensation I hadn’t really experienced before. Throw in some rum, and you’re doing really well. Then I sipped another standout, the “Life of Bundy” with Cotton and Reed rum, bourbon, lime cordial, and ginger beer. This was a nice surprise with a great, resonant bourbon and sugar rum burn that clicks so well with the poppy lift of the ginger. Liked it.

My finale was a brunch-with-spice drink, a “Shrubmosa” with prosecco and ginger honey syrup (you can pick any syrup you’d like). This is a serviceable and enjoyable brunch drink with a bit more flair than your average mimosa. It’s fresh and a nice way to start a prolonged fall brunching sessions with friends. And that was that – so if you’re marching up 11th Street in November and sweat is pouring from your brown, stop in to the Good Silver and take in the neighborhood. And drinks.