Lucky 13 :: Inked Magazine

Lucky 13
By Philip McCluskey

What makes the following 13 cities so charmed? They're all home to drinking holes that get the Inked stamp of approval. Here, 39 spots where we'll throw one (or more) back—in no particular order, because we don't like ranking things. By Philip McCluskey

Nothing makes a strange town feel more like home than a great bar. It gives you a sense of the city, a feel for the locals, and—perhaps, most importantly—it can supply a nice buzz. The problem in many cases is picking the right spot. So many cities are overrun with mainstream, cookie-cutter places that it can be tough to find a watering hole with real character. Luckily, you have us. Inked has cut through the clutter to present you with some of the best places in America to have a drink.

Las Vegas

Double Down Saloon, Las Vegas

Double Down Saloon 4640 Paradise Rd., 702-791-5775, doubledownsaloon.com. Festooned with murals ranging from erotic to apocalyptic, this dark bar lives by an austere code: you puke, you clean. Double Down is a gritty counterpoise to the glitzy strip, a place where thirsty sinners come to escape from the greed and gaudiness. A small corner stage showcases surf, punk, and rockabilly bands, and a jukebox boasts artists ranging from Black Flag to Frank Sinatra. The signature Ass Juice shots (ingredients unknown) and bacon martinis—that's right, bacon—are ingested with abandon. Still not entertained? Pool, pinball, and an Asteroids video game are available, as well as video poker and Keno. But the best reason to visit the Double Down is the unmatched people watching: Says one bartender, "A guy once gave me his glass eyeball as collateral for a taxi ride."

Dispensary Lounge, 2451 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-458-6343. In Vegas, obscurity is practically a virtue, at least for a bar. You need a place where the sounds of bells and coins disappear (or recede a little). Just a simple spot where you can sit, drink, and—provided you have brain cells remaining—think. Dispensary Lounge is just such a place. Owing to its auspicious location behind a coffee shop, this less-crowded lounge is a perfect place to get away from the pomp and pretense of the Strip. Shag carpeting and fake plants foster a '70s feel, and the waterwheel (look, but don't touch) completes the anachronistic environs. Drinks are cheap, the food is good, and service is friendly. It's a place where you can sit back, talk with some friends, and tend to your wallet's wounds before you return to gawk at the green felt for another few hours.

Peppermill Fireside Lounge 2985 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-735-4177. This place is Old Vegas, where cocktails are king, waitresses serve you in full-length gowns, and you know that the Rat Pack would feel at home. It is the original Vegas lounge, full of brass rails, exotic-looking drinks with umbrellas, and an actual pool of fire. Upon entering, you'll immediately understand why it is regularly placed on lists ranging from best margarita to best bars in which to make out (and why it was used as a backdrop in movies such as Casino and Showgirls). Plush booths, fake foliage, and soft lighting create a cozy, if kitschy, feeling. It's a warm and welcoming atmosphere you'll appreciate, especially after Lady Luck has made you her bitch.

Los Angeles

Saints & Sinners, Los Angeles

Red Lion Tavern 2366 Glendale Blvd., 323-662-5337. The Red Lion is perpetual Oktoberfest—a Bavarian oasis in the land of the lifted and tucked. At this comfortable beer garden in sunny Southern California climes, waitresses wear traditional dirndls and serve authentic German fare including schnitzel and bratwurst. The tudor-style decor, including stained glass windows, is authentic and welcoming. And as you might expect, beer is the beverage of choice here—classics like Bitburger and Warsteiner are served in vessels roughly the size of cinder blocks (including a 1.5-liter "boot"). In addition to the cozy downstairs, where entertainers sometimes perform, the upstairs provides a slightly more festive atmosphere in which to raise your glass in a hearty German toast: "Prost!"

Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce 5574 Melrose Ave., 323-466-6263, fortydeuce.com. Combining a speakeasy feel and a see-and-be-teased vibe, this Hollywood lounge is famous for a reason. Plush surroundings and lascivious dancing are the order of the day here, with the semicircle bar also serving as a runway for burlesque shows that will melt the ice in your Dewar's on the rocks. Dry martinis are more common, though, and they fit the cabaret environment well—tasteful and intoxicating. Live jazz bands play during the shows, and it's not hard to see why the Deuce draws luminaries like Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg; can't blame the guys for being fans of the erotic arts. If you visit, arrive early so you can avoid the velvet rope rigmarole.

Saints & Sinners 10899 Venice Blvd., 310-842 8066, saintsandsinners lounge.net. When in heaven, do as the hellions do! This themed bar incorporates the best of good and evil, a decorative celebration of prurience and purity. With music ranging from house to indie rock and the loungy atmosphere—black leather seats surrounding a white fireplace, chandeliers, faux-bordello wallpaper, buttoned vinyl ceiling, angel and devil statues—Saints & Sinners creates an appealing environment unlike any other you're likely to find. The intimate space is perfect for mingling and generally attracts a diverse, fun crowd. Order up a "Holy Water" high-end martini or get the juices flowing with a Hell Fire (Bacardi 151 and cinnamon schnapps mixed with Monster energy drink) and let the best and worst in you battle it out.

Atlanta

Clermont Lounge, Atlanta

Clermont Lounge 789 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE, 404-874 4783, clermontlounge.net. Underground and overwhelming, this strip club-cum-dive bar might scare some at first, but after a one-night initiation, it's likely to be their best night out in Atlanta. Clermont Lounge is the city's oldest continuously operating strip club (opened in 1965) and has been praised by the long-haired likes of Kid Rock and Marilyn Manson. Set in the basement of the Clermont Hotel, the legendary bar's dingy environs are brightened daily, from 1 p.m. until 3 a.m., with dancing ladies (some seemingly as old as the bar itself). PBRs can be had for $2.50, and the bar offers karaoke on Tuesdays. Part-owner Kathy Martin—herself a former bartender, manager, and dancer—is proud of the clientele. " It's all walks of life, like a Fellini movie," she says.

Northside Tavern 1058 Howell Mill Rd., 404-874-8745, northsidetavern.com. Northside Tavern is a story of blues-and-booze evolution. Originally a grocery store, over the years it's gradually succumbed to its destiny—that of a gin-soaked blues den. Bikers, warehouse workers, students, and music mavens flock to this grungy Atlanta institution bearing a simple stone facade with the promise of "Live Blues." Wednesdays feature Northside legend Mudcat Dudeck, and the famed Monday night Blues Jam has seen the likes of Taj Mahal and Tinsley Ellis take to the stage. A faded-felt pool table adds to the bar's divey personality, and low to no cover means you can save your cash for the cheap drinks and the tip jar.

Star Community Bar 437 Moreland Ave. NE, 404-681-9018, starbaratlanta.com. Maybe it's the wood-paneled walls, the photo booth, or the Olympia beer served in cans. Perhaps it's the live punk, alt-country, or straight-up honky tonk music. Or it could be the potent shots served in paper medicine cups—a daily dosage for the Dixieland dipsomaniac. But most likely what makes the Star Community Bar stand out is the Grace Vault, a shrine to Elvis complete with kneeler, candles, and a King visage worthy of veneration. Whatever the reason, Star Bar is a good-time bar with a friendly staff and all the necessities for a memorable night. In addition to the raucous environment upstairs, the Little Vinyl Lounge downstairs sports all-red ambience and old-school country music.