The seven categories on the bar side of the Nightclub & Bar Awards program received nominations from bars across the country, ranging from the cocktail- and wine-focused to the luxurious hotel lobby setup and even the small neighborhood hideouts you don’t tell anyone about so they will remain small wonder gems. After the submissions, a panel of industry experts selected the top performers in each category, and listed below are the Finalists.
While our nightclub brethren were predictably clustered around the major nightlife cities, the finalists on the bar side of the industry represented a wide geographical variety, with venues in more than two dozen cities represented on the list of finalists. Another notable distinction within the seven bar-specific categories was the diverse nature of the venues themselves — some are big and some are small; some are independently operated success stories while others are corporately managed stars that outshone the competition (although none are chains, as per the criteria). The diverse list proves that even when times are tough, creativity and quality will help any bar rise above the pack.
Check out all of the Finalists below and stay tuned for the announcement of the winners!
Please note all Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.
Bartender of the Year
• Charles Joly – The Drawing Room, Chicago
• Columbine Quillen -- The Blacksmith Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge, Bend, Ore.
• H. Joseph Ehrmann – Elixir, San Francisco
• Russell Davis – Peche, Austin
Beer Bar of the Year
• Eulogy Belgian Tavern, Philadelphia
• Gritty McDuff’s, Portland, Maine
• Tapwerks Ale House & Café, Oklahoma City
• Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic, Conn.
Cocktail Lounge of the Year
• 675 Bar, New York
• The Drawing Room, Chicago
• Frankie’s Tiki Room, Las Vegas
• The Naga Cocktail Lounge, Bellevue, Wash.
Hotel Bar
• 207, Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego
• BOND Restaurant & Lounge, The Langham, Boston
• Hudson Bar, Hudson Hotel, New York
• POV, W Hotel, Washington, DC
Small Wonder Bar of the Year
• The Empty Glass, Charleston, West Virginia
• In Between, Honolulu
• Manifesto, Kansas City
• Qua Bottle Lounge, Austin
Sports Bar of the Year
• Blondie’s Sports Bar & Grill, Las Vegas
• Champion Billiards Sports Café, Frederick, Md.
• Connolly’s Sports Bar & Grill, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.
• Jerome Bettis Grille 36, Pittsburgh
Wine Bar of the Year
• Ivy Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar, San Diego
• Flute Midtown, New York
• Mercy Wine Bar, Dallas
• Zebra’s Bistro & Wine Bar, Medfield, Mass.