Drink Alone

A common complaint surrounding many of the choicer cocktail caves is that they're hard to get into, with doormen and hostesses turning you away.

Can be true, yes. If you arrive with an entourage. But if your aim is to enjoy the liquid concoctions that are on offer, and not to hang with buds, I have a bit of advice. Go alone. You'll score a seat, no problem.

I often hit Little Branch, PDT, Death & Co, Pegu Club and other Gotham joints on my lonesome. This is primarily because going with the Wife means finding (and paying for) a babysitter, and we've found good babysitters hard to come by. Secondly, since I usually go with the aim of doing research (yes, I'm typing that with a straight face), my visits are often brief and efficient (one and done)—not the sort of call a friend would necessarily enjoy paying. Thirdly, I often decide to take a drink at a place on the spur of the moment, if I'm in the neighborhood.

Aaaaaaaaaanyway, what I'm trying to say is I've never had any problem getting in. There's always one seat at the bar that's not doing anything. And if there isn't, there will be in five minutes. So, if you can't wait to try that new cocktail, just saunter on over by your own damn self and go get it.