7 places across the country to experience the best of summer drinking
Summer drinking necessitates sipping and snacking when the weather is too sweltering to do much more. Some days, you require being holed up in a friendly bar with a gaggle of like-minded friends and strangers. Whatever your beverage needs may be, these bars' doors are open.
Eel Bar, New York City
Eel Bar sits steadfastly at the intersection of bar and restaurant. Inspired by Basque drinking and snacking, the bar is indeed an anchor here. The proof is in the expansive list of vermouths, served either neat or in a cocktail preparation like the Sharona, a negroni simulacrum with manzanilla sherry, red vermouth and Campari. The snacking portion of the menu, starring pickled cucumber-anchovy skewers and piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna, insists you keep drinking.
Exiles Bar, Washington, D.C.
Nothing about Exiles quite screams Ireland. Still, there is an Irish conjuring afoot. "The warmth and welcome of an Irish bar, but without being too heavily themed," said one of the bar's owners, Donagh Gilhooly, to The Irish Times. Not only will you eat and drink well, you might make a pal or twelve — for at least the evening.
JusTini's, New Orleans
A raise of hands for Black-owned bars anywhere but especially in the majority Black city of New Orleans. Jessica Robinson has shaped a "good-looking, elevated neighborhood bar-restaurant," said Condé Nast Traveler. It is a space that is "immediately welcoming," and the cocktails represent the breadth of New Orleans drinking. Knowing there is a controversy over whether a French 75 should be served with brandy or gin, JusTini's offers both. Because JusTini's is "lively and relaxed without a hint of pretension."
Roquette, Seattle
Roquette is a "dark, romantic space where you can bring a date, drink an expertly-shaken mai tai, and admire the palm tree wallpaper," said The Infatuation. Or if you're feeling quite the opposite of that vibe, "show up alone and brood over a Manhattan" or a Sea You Soon, with mezcal, Thai basil, passionfruit and lime juice. Roquette aims to please.
Small Victory, Austin
The speakeasy boom has left the bartop. What remains are the more admirable trappings of the genre, including discreet entrances, sophisticated ambiences and faultless cocktail-making. Small Victory has it all. The "bartenders are unassuming yet talented," the bar itself "casual but refined" and the "martinis, punches and other cocktails (many rooted in classic frameworks) are some of the best the city has to offer," said World's 50 Best.
Trick Dog, San Francisco
It has been more than a decade since Trick Dog opened in San Francisco's Mission District. "Dark wood and dim lighting almost makes it feel like a dive bar," said Condé Nast Traveler, "but the expertly crafted drinks prove otherwise." The menu changes — wait, completely overhauls — every six months. That is a boatload of new concepts and drinks. And still the dog keeps barking up the very right tree.
Water Bear Bar, Boise, Idaho
Good drinks, great vibes, inclusive hospitality: Water Bear Bar is a queer-owned cocktail bar that thrives on neighborliness. Happy hour happens two times a day and all-day on Tuesday. The vinyl is spinning on All Wax Wednesday, during which if you bring your own record and play it for 30 minutes you're gifted a cocktail. Running a bar is always a financial challenge, and Water Bear, having opened only shortly before the pandemic, is still recovering. You can help by visiting or by donating to the bar's fund so Water Bear stays open past this fall.