Bar Ambiance Tour: 620 Jones, The Library, Tradition, Smuggler's Cove

The night started with a search for Bourbon & Branch and an intention to sneak my way into it without a reservation. 

620 Jones

I walked into an establishment that I thought was Bourbon & Branch...

Me: quick question - is this Bourbon & Branch?

Bouncer: No... This is 620 Jones (frowns)

Friend: This is so cool.

Bouncer: ….

We walk in, there's a cute little courtyard with lights. You're on the second floor so you get sort of a view of the skyscrapers (from below). I go up to the bar- I didn't notice any specialty cocktails. This place is solid for an after work happy hour.

I’ll give this spot a 3/5 mainly for the ambiance- it was just a courtyard- nothing super special, but being outdoors is nice.

Would I go back? No.

The Library

 We quickly hustled out of there and headed over to the correct address- 501 Jones. The bouncer here was much friendlier... We were able to put our name on a wait list for B & B - word of advice... Don't expect to ever get in off this waitlist on a Friday or Saturday.

The bar was quite crowded and the typical clientele was rather wasted. And being wasted and small areas don't mix. I saw a girl totally passed out on her small barrel of a table, I had a guy stand so close behind me that I felt his breath on my neck, a guy walk on top of me to talk to a girl that was in front of me, and my purse and sleeved we're completely covered with sticky cocktail juice- and I didn't even get a drink here. 

Ambiance: 4 - it's very cute.

Clientele: 2

Drink: Can’t say/ 5

Would I go back? No not without a Bourbon & Branch reservation.

Tradition

After The Library, I tried to see if I could sneak myself a reservation at Bourbon & Branch by chatting up the bouncer. Unfortunately not, but he did give us a card for free punch at tradition.

The bar was much more chill and spacey- they had a cute secluded area for reservations. They had great music playing. The punch, however, was a bit too sour - I tried one of their drinks and it has the same sour taste. The drinks were missing something

Ambiance: 3- cute but nothing special

Drinks: 3

Music: 4.5

Would I go back? Ya if I was with friends

Smuggler's Cove 

Ever since my plot to get into Bourbon & Branch failed I was eagerly awaiting this place. The decor is intricate. They have 3 different sitting areas. It is always busy. 

The drink I would recommend- The Painkiller. I tried a sip of my friend's Rum Barrel and immediately returned to my drink. If the bartenders are snobby to me, which they generally aren't - I don't mind- as long as my drink is good.

Ambiance: 5

Drinks: 4.5

Would I go back? Yes but I will have a headache the next day