Stumbling upon a wholly exquisite cocktail lounge in America is a relatively easy pleasure to experience – after all it was the Americans who invented the cocktail.

Although the ‘cocktail renaissance’ begun about a decade ago, primarily in San Francisco and New York, it has only been in the last year that a passion for cocktails has fervently spread throughout the whole of the US. With such a vast amount of quality cocktail bars serving only the highest quality of drinks, knowing which ones are the best is difficult. Luckily help is at hand with Façonnable’s ten best cocktail bars in the United States of America…

The Violet Hour, Chicago

With bartenders carving ice into five different shapes and a cocktail list of almost 40 choices, the Violet Hour has justifiably gained that reputation of mixing the best cocktails in Chicago.

The Passenger, Washington

Being co-owned by cocktail writer Dereck Brown, The Passenger in Washington certainly knows how to make a good cocktail. Extremely popular with the locals!

Downtown Cocktail Room, Las Vegas

In the ‘party capital of the world’, it stands to reason that cocktails are big business in Las Vegas, and none more so than in the modern, sophisticated and elegant surroundings of the Downtown Cocktail Room. With a comprehensive list of delicious cocktails available, knowing where to start can prove difficult – Although the bar’s Mixology Monday can certainly help you decide.

Cocktail Room, Upper Manhattan, New York

As its name suggests, this colourful, wacky and unpretentious bar has one thing on its mind – cocktails. Resembling a scene out of an Austin Powers movie, the Cocktail Room concurs with all the stereotypes associated with cocktails – umbrellas, cherries and yuppies.

Rob Roy, Seattle

Named after its legendary concoction of Scotch whisky, sweet Vermouth and bitters – the Rob Roy – this Seattle-based cocktail lounge is nationally-renowned for the cocktails it produces.

Clover Club, Brooklyn, New York

Being cited as ‘neither pretentious nor stuffy’, the Clover Club is a great place to enjoy a delicious cocktail in relaxed and unostentatious surroundings.

Zig Zag Café, Seattle

People flock to Zig Zag café for many reasons –great food, great atmosphere and to see Murray Stenson in action. An effortlessly talented bartender, who is so skilled at making cocktails, he is often thought of as a bit of a superhero!

Proof on Main, Louisville

For champagne lovers, this one’s a must, as the main attraction of Proof on Main is the Champagne Frappe – champagne served on shaved ice. Aside its unique champagne delights, the bar is famous for its annual Repeal Day, when the bartenders dress in period costumes and the clients are each handed a fake moustache to wear! 

Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, Chicago

Cocktails are not the only great asset of the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge in Chicago, as its commitment to blasting out jazz music well into the early hours at the weekend, creates a haven for jazz lovers with a fondness for cocktails.

The Alembic, San Francisco

Skirting on a slightly ‘quirkier’ choice of cocktail bar, employees here must sport a minimum of five tattoos. Cocktails in the Alembic carry on the pub/bar’s slightly ‘eccentric’ tone.

PX, Alexandria, Virginia

Being out in the suburbs, PX lacks the heaving hedonism found in the city cocktail bars but sports a rather unique country theme. PX makes expert use of fresh roots, herbs and berries in their cocktails, and the results are sublime.

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