by the eu professional drinkers
Few things are harder to find in St. Augustine than new bars that people know about. Everyone can direct you to Trade Winds or the St. George Street Tavern, and indeed those are the favorite places of the people that have been drinking this town for the longest, but the EU Professional Drinkers were on the lookout for something new, and walking the oldest streets in America, we did indeed find some great new places.
Address or Directions: Inside the Casablanca on San Marco Boulevard, across from the Bridge of Lions
Type of Place: Martini Bar
Serving: Shelf and call liquor drinks, bottled beer, and a selection of wines.Atmosphere: An intimate, elegant little bar that could easily be referred to as “charming.” They even have a mini grand piano.
Amenities: Featuring a player piano and live music on Thursdays, usually jazz.
Drink Specials: Every one is crafted specially, with love by Katlyn.
The Casablanca Inn is a well known small hotel in the Old City, but Tini Martini is a new addition to the Inn, it’s been here for less than a year but it has already co-opted all of the class of the old city. The freshest aspect to this swanky miniature bar is the sassy service of the bartender Katlyn, she isn’t the usual stodgy old whisky that works a hotel bar. Decorated sparingly with some ornately framed Americana folk art and some swinging jazz piped in, the Tini Martini maintains the high-end tourist schtick, makes a mean martini, and is made cozy by the charisma of the staff. –Johnny St. Thomas
Address or Directions: 23 Orange Street in St Augustine
Type of Place: Irish Pub and Restaurant
Serving: Good selection of Import and domestic Drafts with even more bottle selectionsAtmosphere: Quaint and authentic. No smoking.Amenities: First Irish pub to open up in North East Florida. Beautiful historic building with a huge front porch that hosts the most amazing breeze I’ve felt in years.Drink Specials: One dollar mugs from 5 to 7 pm.
O’Malleys has that comfortable environment an authentic pub should be required to have. If I were a local it would be the place I would frequent most. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner as she poured me a glass of the building’s history. With a couple of permanent “visitors,” the stories pile in as a few of the employees chime in with their own ghost stories. During some general repairs, the discovery of two graves were found underneath the building which contributes to the random tomfoolery that tends to happen unexplainably. Their menu is equipped with yummy eats ranging from eleven sandwich choices, five salads and a soup of the day, all affordably priced around six bucks. When I asked her how long the place had been around, her thick Irish accent sung out, “Oh, I’d have to count the lines in my face.” which translates to 15 years. I highly recommend everyone to stop in whenever you find yourself in St. Augustine. –Harvey Wallbanger
Address or Directions: On Menendez between A1A Aleworks and OP Whites.
Type of Place: Restaurant, beer and wine bar.
Serving: Featuring 50 beers on tap, more than 100 bottled beers, 25 wines on tap, fine wines, champagne, cigars, and a full menu.Atmosphere: This spacious bar has gorgeous wooden fixtures, fabric-covered chairs and plenty of tables. Enjoy the bar area or have a seat in the champagne room.
Amenities: Featuring a small smoking patio, a selection of cigars (make sure its not stale before you buy it) and plenty of flat screen televisions.
Drink Specials: Ask what their $3 pints are that day, wine tastings on Wednesdays from 6–10 and highlight a selection of imported wines.
I didn’t expect much from this spacious bar with a yankee, wooden, classic tavern look. They have a “cellar,” which is actually just a cooler, separated room. One that the manager (Lauren) called a “champagne room.” To her credit, there are cases displaying wines and Champagne, but it is not like a champagne room at your local show bar. They also have a pressurized system of wines on tap, which is especially unusual. Since I’ve never actually had a Pilsner Urquell on tap, I thought the bright, refreshing flavor of it was indicative of the brand. It was so delicious it shocked me. When I tried another brand, Smithwick’s, which I have had on tap before, it gave me the same surprise. This beer is delicious! Apparently, according to the owner who I chatted with on the smoking patio, most draft beer is carbonated with some percentage of benzene, but the beer at Henley’s is benzene-free, meaning no draft beer headaches and a vastly reduced hangover effect. They also have glass beer lines, so the beer is never bitter from invisible buildup. So when you want a truly superior beer, check out JP Henley’s. –Johnny St. Thomas
Address or Directions: 61 Spanish Street, behind the Corner of Hypolita Street
Type of Place: Bar
Serving: UNKOWN
Atmosphere: Smoke-drenched and littered with a haphazard array of thrift store furniture.
Amenities: Fusball
The Fraternal Order of the Oriole is a private club. Not the swanky sort of club you think of as being “members only,” by any stretch of the imagination, but a private club none-the-less. To become a member is only $10 per year, but you have to be invited by a current member. Sometimes they will allow the general public in for a special concert or live music, but generally only card-carrying St. Augustine hipsters need apply. The Flagler students and bedhead punks sit on the rickety old front porch in ironic clothing, uncertain facial hair, and a condescending glance, as indie rockers are wont to do, and oddly reflected the concept of youth in such an old city. Like old rednecks perched in rocking chairs on a hot weekday afternoon, only they had man-purses and skater shoes. I snuck in and snapped a few pics of the dingy headquarters, which looks like it hasn’t gotten much attention since back when Backstreets occupied the building. If you aren’t local, good luck getting in. Once you are in, will you really want to stay? –Johnny St. Thomas
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
