Canon

Went crazy with the bourbon selections. Oysters were very fresh and delicious. Bathroom is very clean.

LOVE. THIS. PLACE. The drink list was extensive and creative and the presentation was awesome. I had the fighattan and an aging vermouth drink. They were both delicious. If you like quirky, get the cookies and cream! The presentation is fun. The wait staff were very kind, helpful, and patient.

The ambience is cool with some quirk (see the bathrooms). The saturday evening was busy but not uncomfortably crowded. The cook staff recommended coming during the week for a more mellow experience.

I will definitely be returning.

Message to Canon: please bring back the manhattan flight!

Go. Just go. Don't bother reading my review below because in the end there's nothing that I'm going to say that will do justice to how great this place is. This is probably the best cocktail bar in the US (yes, better than Zig Zag, and I do love me some Zig Zag). And even if it's not the best, it's in the top 5 and a must visit for everyone that loves cocktails. So again, go.

But... If you would like to read my review.

I've been here a couple of times in the past, but I'm going to focus on my most recent visit.

I went with a friend on a Friday night. We expected the place to be busy. What we didn't expect was them controlling the number of people allowed in the place.

Allow me to pause for just a second here. The older I get the more I find myself wanting a nice, relatively quiet location to relax and enjoy good drinks, food and friends. I don't mind background noise, nor music. But I don't want to have to shout and strain to hear the person who I'm sitting right next to. In addition, I don't want to have to fight my way through a bar that's three people deep just to get a hastily poured drink. Not to say there isn't a time for that, but frankly I left my 20s a long, long time ago. So to have a bar that says, nope - we have limited seating and rail space, and that's it, was wonderful. That right there, in case I wasn't already a fan, solidified my love for Canon.

Now, back to the main attraction - the cocktails.

Whenever you visit a great cocktail bar the real place to be is at the bar. You want to have a conversation with a bartender. You want to be able to play, experiment, describe what your flavor profile is and allow the bartender to show off his skills and craft you a drink specifically made for you. This place is no exception, and the bartenders are amazingly gifted. Between the two of us that night we had 6 cocktails. We explored a wide variety of styles, from smoky to citrusy to boozy to bitter. And every cocktail was an absolute treat and was exactly what we were looking for.

Regardless of the night you visit you're going to find an amazing bartender - they hire very well here. You'll also find an amazing atmosphere and a great place unwind with some great company.

In short, you're going to find the perfect cocktail bar.

Cheers!