The Aviary

 

 

It's all about cocktails and it's worth every penny. A wee bit pricey but this stuff is art.

 

 

Yes, it's a cocktail bar (voted World's Best Cocktail Menu), but there's actually a superbly curated, albeit small, draft and bottle menu.

A - The atmosphere will be a positive for some, a negative for others. There's a (poorly enforced) dress code and if you want to go at peak times you'll need a reservation. The interior is sleek and modern. Menus are up-to-date and descriptive, seating is comfortable (unless you get stuck in standing room), and bathrooms are clean. Definitely a date or swanky party vibe though.

Q - Appropriate glassware and serving temperatures. They also don't stock a lot of highly perishable styles (IPAs and such) as they know that cocktails are the main draw. I'd presume they take the same care in their draft lines and cellaring as they do with everything else.

Sr - Servers are extremely friendly, attentive, and courteous. There are a few beer nerds on staff, but you're not guaranteed to get one every time. Also of note - there's no obligatory tipping here; just a standard 20% service fee added to the bill. Not a big deal, as the beer is comparatively cheap compared to the cocktails and spirits.

Sl - While not huge in volume, it's pretty fantastic. There's a ton of exclusive beers from both Mikkeller and Evil Twin, as well as from local breweries like Pipeworks. Abraxas was on-tap the last few times I went, as was an exclusive variant of Mikkeller's Spontanfig. This is one of two places you can get the Evil Twin/Aviary series. I have also had some fantastic bottles at the downstairs speakeasy, but I'm not sure if that should get its own place listing.

F - The food consists of 'bites', often paired with mini-cocktails. I still wax poetic about the Wagyu beef and distilled Dark & Stormy combination. Foie gras is suggested as a dessert, so it's that kind of place. If you get lucky, you can sometimes get a table at Next by asking nicely. Not somewhere you'd go for the food, but high-quality and delicious, albeit pricey.

OK, it can get expensive in a hurry. If you get a few cocktails, beers and snacks, you can easily rack up a $75-100 per person tab. However, if you want an amazing experience while sneaking in a few exclusive ticks, this is highly recommended.