A subterranean blues bar inspired by the Chicago and New Orleans music scenes slinging ever-changing seasonal cocktails that riff on the traditional American drinks playbook.
It’s a party vibe, sure, but the drinks here are serious stuff. The bar is manned by former long-serving Maybe Mae bartender Michael Keogh, who’s putting out a seasonal list that riffs on American classics and changes monthly (there’s even a cocktail archive on the website, for those keeping track). Concoctions like Smokestack Lightning (with Southern Comfort, smoked paperbark, strawberry, whey and ruby port), Juke Joint (Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, watermelon and vermouth) and Spaghetti Western (Buffalo Trace, tequila, maraschino cherry liqueur, Italy’s bittersweet Campari liqueur and agave) commit to the theme, sitting alongside variations of classics like Mint Juleps and Clover Clubs. The recently extended backbar holds the usual suspects of American rye, malt, wheat and bourbon whiskeys, plus plenty of local gins in keeping with Adelaide distilling trends. There’s also a small selection of bottled beers (American staples like Budweiser, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Brooklyn Lager sit alongside more crafty pales and IPAs by Sierra Nevada and Negra Modelo, a dark Mexican lager) and a compact Aussie wine list.
Soak it all up with food from the suitably Southern menu – available until midnight – such as smoked hot wings, chicken tenders, loaded fries, Southern fried mushrooms with white barbecue sauce, onion rings, jalapeño-chilli poppers with hot sauce and mini Dagwood dogs. Larger options include the Philly cheesesteak, Sloppy Joes burger and a spicy chicken burger, as well as a vegan cheeseburger. It’s all served up in diner-style baskets.
“We have a fair few rare and hard to get whiskeys that we’ve hunted down through auctions, collectors or just hustled into our possession in one way or another; all our owners contribute from private collections at times as well,” Michael says. Among them, the very rare Rittenhouse 25-year-old bourbon. At $200 a shot, it’s a hefty price tag, but Michael reckons a cursory search online will find the bottle ranging from $3,800 to $6,000. “The delicious liquid was a solid addition to our backbar alongside the entire Buffalo Trace Antique Collection,” he says.
Grab a posse of blues and whiskey fans and head here on a Friday or Saturday night to take in the live music and heaving party vibes.
