Best Cocktail Bars in the U.S.

By Food & Wine
September 09, 2016
Credit: Courtesy of Teardrop Lounge
This story originally appeared on foodandwine.com.

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Clover Club, New York City

Credit: Courtesy of The Clover Club

Named after a pre-Prohibition men’s club, this stylish classic-cocktails spot is co-owned by Julie Reiner of Manhattan’s renowned Flatiron Lounge. cloverclubny.com.

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Pegu Club, New York City

Credit: Andie Diemer

Audrey Saunders, a leader of the vintage cocktail movement, co-owns this mixologists’ hangout, which serves its drinks with dropper bottles of fresh juices, bitters and simple syrup. peguclub.com.

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Downtown Cocktail Room, Las Vegas

Credit: Courtesy of Downtown Cocktail Room

This spacious and subdued lounge in a renovated wedding chapel is marked by a tiny sign; inside are cool drinks like the Cat’s Pajamas: gin, Campari, orange juice, Chartreuse and maple syrup. thedowntownlv.com.

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Comstock Saloon, San Francisco

Credit: Tina Rupp

Star bartenders Jonny Raglin and Jeff Hollinger run this 1900s-style bar, where they serve period-appropriate cocktails and snacks like whiskey-cured gravlax on rye toast with dill sour cream. comstocksaloon.com.

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Copa d'Oro, Santa Monica

Credit: Courtesy of Copa d'Oro

Headed by Vincenzo Marianella, Copa d’Oro has a "be your own mixologist" option. This allows guests to concoct their own drinks with seasonal ingredients (kumquats or sage, for instance) and a choice of top-notch spirits. copadoro.com.

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Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston

Credit: Courtesy of Anvil Bar

Two devotees of old-school cocktails serve flips, brambles, bucks and sours and host monthly themed cocktail classes at this bar in an old Bridgestone-Firestone tire shop. anvilhouston.com.

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Rob Roy, Seattle

Credit: Tina Rupp

You can order Anu Apte’s Ginger Persuasion or Zane Harris’s Aster Family Sour at this cool, 1970s-inspired cocktail den. robroyseattle.com.

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Cure, New Orleans

Credit: Kevin O'Mara

Bartenders at Cure use droppers to add house-made tinctures to their cocktails, which are served alongside tasty dishes like a cotija crusted confit chicken. curenola.com.

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Tavern Law, Seattle

Credit: Kristin Zwiers for McCracken Tough

From the duo behind the gastropub Spur, Tavern Law has classic cocktails, lots of whiskeys and fancy bar snacks like foie gras terrine. Through a heavy vault door is Needle & Thread, an upstairs bar where drinks are custom-made. tavernlaw.com.

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Taste, St. Louis

Credit: Tuan Lee

Local hero Ted Kilgore mans the bar at this newly relocated small-plates spot, where Adam Altnether offers house-made pickles, deviled eggs and Carrot Bruschetta. tastebarstl.com.

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Teardrop Cocktail Lounge, Portland, OR

Credit: Courtesy of Teardrop Lounge

The bartenders at Teardrop’s circular bar make their own tonic water and specialty liqueurs for drinks like the Devil You Know (green Chartreuse, Amaro Nonino, Dolin Blanc vermouth and lime juice shaken with an egg white). teardroplounge.com.

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