7 bars to visit that celebrate the magic of the classic and the modern

Sometimes classics connote drinks and bars that have been around long enough to be timeless. Other times, classics suggest a certain vibe from another era or culture. These watering holes trumpet the classics from all angles.

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.

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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.

Martiny’s, New York

Refinement is what you will find at Martiny’s. It’s a touch of Tokyo in the heart of Manhattan. 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.