By Scott Hocker, The Week Us
Copyright theweek
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Less than $3 per week
View Profile
The Explainer
Talking Points
The Week Recommends
Newsletters
From the Magazine
The Week Junior
Food & Drink
Personal Finance
All Categories
Newsletter sign up
Culture & Life
Food & Drink
the week recommends
7 bars to visit that celebrate the magic of the classic and the modern
Where to drink now in the US
Newsletter sign up
A good drink and a great bar — for good measure
(Image credit: Rafael Elias / Getty Images)
Scott Hocker, The Week US
29 September 2025
Sometimes classics connote drinks and bars that have been around long enough to be timeless. Other times, classic suggests a certain vibe from another era or culture. These bars trumpet the classics from all angles. Lucky you.
Anvil, Houston
The sweet, sweet draw of an institution that can make pretty much any classic cocktail, impeccably. Anvil opened in 2009, setting in motion the cocktail renaissance in Houston. Get that perfect Tom Collins; ask for a Gaby des Lys (gin, orgeat, absinthe). Or jump into the present with one of the rotating seasonal cocktails. Anvil is capable of it all.
April Jean, San Francisco
A little cheeky, a mite breezy: April Jean is loaded with nostalgia and sunny vibes. One example is the Pat’s Pie, a cocktail take on key lime pie, starring falernum, singani, sour lime and the requisite pie crust. The space, too, conjures the past, with “old-growth redwood” for a soothing bar that complements April Jean’s “midcentury modern leanings,” said Eater.
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bar Crisol, Tucson
Drinking agave spirits in the Southwest desert just feels right. This “mezcal-focused bar and educational space,” said Imbibe magazine, zeroes in on those spirits made with agave by providing guests with “guided tastings every first Thursday.” Bar Crisol is the nighttime operation; during the day, the café Exo Roast Co. operates in the space.
Blyth & Burrows, Portland, Maine
Long live the oyster shot — and Blyth & Burrows offers two: the Sloop, with tequila, shallot and Champagne vinegar, and the Skiff, with gin, kimchi and vermouth. These shots are simply wind-ups or cool-downs for the wide-ranging cocktail list or high-roller bourbons and Japanese whiskies.
Firstborn, Los Angeles
Bar director Kenzo Han’s “Korean, Japanese and French American heritage has shaped their deep appreciation for the way traditions can intersect in the glass,” said Punch when they dubbed Han one of 2025’s Best New Bartenders. Those influences show up at the Chinese American Firstborn as Green Mandarin pu-erh tea in a Kingston Negroni and a classic bamboo cocktail with shochu as the base.
La Licor Panamericana, Chicago
“Javier Arroyo and his friendly team” love to show off the diverse majesty of Latin American spirits at La Licor Panamericana, said Chicago magazine. That might mean Bolivian singani, Colombian aguardiente or, of course, a number of Mexican spirits made from agave. Try them unadulterated or experience them shining in an array of house cocktails, like the Escandalo with raicilla, dragon fruit, mango tea and lime juice.
Sign up for Today’s Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Martiny’s, New York
Refinement is the name of the drink game at Martiny’s. From the “glassware to the soft jazz,” bartender Takuma Watanabe’s “meticulous skills and eye for beauty” are the gospel of this multi-story bar, said World’s 50 Best Bars. There is no wrong answer for where to sit among the bar’s three floors, nor for what to drink. A touch of Tokyo in the heart of Manhattan.
Explore More
The Week Recommends
Scott Hocker, The Week US
Scott Hocker is an award-winning freelance writer and editor at The Week Digital. He has written food, travel, culture and lifestyle stories for local, national and international publications for more than 20 years. Scott also has more than 15 years of experience creating, implementing and managing content initiatives while working across departments to grow companies. His most recent editorial post was as editor-in-chief of Liquor.com. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of Tasting Table and a senior editor at San Francisco magazine.
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU party
The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
4 dead in shooting, arson attack in Michigan church
A gunman drove a pickup truck into a Mormon church where he shot at congregants and then set the building on fire
‘People may use the same tactics for very different reasons’
Instant Opinion
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
You might also like
Enjoy the scenery on these 7 colorful fall road trips
The Week Recommends
‘Tis the season for autumn foliage
The soups, noodles and cake to make this the most tasty fall yet
The Week Recommends
Soothing plates from across the globe
Art review: Man Ray: When Objects Dream
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Feb. 1
Sing songs with Sandler, gawk at Gaffigan: These are the comedians to catch on tour this fall
the week recommends
Laugh to keep yourself from crying
Projects and pantry staples: Fall’s new cookbooks are primed to help you achieve all sorts of deliciousness
The Week Recommends
Starring new releases from celebri-cooks Samin Nosrat and Alison Roman
Jump scare! Evil villain! These are fall’s most exciting horror movie releases.
The Week Recommends
An Airbnb rental gone wrong and another ‘Frankenstein’ adaptation highlight this autumn’s horror crop
6 low-effort, highest-yield cocktails to make this fall
The Week Recommends
Ready for your margarita to reach for the coconut?
8 riveting museum exhibitions on view in the fall — and well into 2026
The Week Recommends
See Winslow Homer rarities and Black art reimagined
View More ▸
Contact Future’s experts
Terms and Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Advertise With Us
The Week is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street
