Bartender Chris McMillian - Recommendations - Find. Eat. Drink.
Chris McMillian, Bar Uncommon, New Orleans, LA, Louisiana, Where to drink in New Orleans, Best Bartenders, Recommendations, Mixologist, Bartender, Alexandriaq, VA, Virginia, Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, Illinois, Houston, TX, Texas, Portland, OR, Oregon, Seattle, WA, Washington, Bourbon, Vermouth, Bitters, Soda, Websites, What to drink, Best Bars, Best Bartenders
CAPDEVILLE
520 Capdeville Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.371.5161
Little gastropub-esque place with a nice cocktail menu.
Warehouse District
American
Cocktail Bars - New orleans, LA
Chris Hannah is one of the most celebrated bartenders in America. It’s a beautiful bar; there a feel in those types of rooms that you don’t get if you walk into just any old neighborhood place.
French Quarter
Cocktail Lounge
CURE
It’s our first stand-alone cocktail destination, located in a renovated 19th Century firehouse. It’s a very beautiful, lovely space. Just the most talented group of young bartenders in the city, each very different with their own personal style. It’s certainly a fun place to go if you want to experience the cutting-edge of the craft cocktail community in New Orleans.
Uptown
Cocktail Bar
CAROUSEL BAR
Historic place. The bar is a real treasure.
French Quarter
Hotel Bar
DOMINIQUE’S
Kimberly Patton-Bragg is absolutely a stand out, having worked at Blue Smoke in Manhattan.
Uptown
French
Bartender Chris McMillian
September 29, 2011
Bar Uncommon - New Orleans, LA
LOA
Alan Walter is arguably the most creative, just over the top experimental bartender in the city.
Central Business District
Cocktail Bar
IRVIN MAYFIELD’S JAZZ PLAYHOUSE
Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.553.2299
Tiffany Soles at the Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse just won New Orleans “Bartender of the Year.”
French Quarter
Jazz Club
NAPOLEON HOUSE
I doubt anywhere outside of England is the Pimm’s Cup as celebrated as it is here, particularly associated with the Napoleon House, which is their house drink.
French Quarter
American
SYLVAIN
It’s gastropub-esque and really new to New Orleans. Murf Reeves is making some really some great drinks.
French Quarter
Gastropub
TUJAGUES
Walk into Tujagues and look at that back bar -- you’ve never seen anything like it. You will see something that will speak to an age that no longer exists.
French Quarter
Cajun / Creole
VICTORY
Daniel Victory and I worked together at the Ritz and he’s won a number of national competitions.
Central Business District
Cocktail Bar
RESTAURANT EVE
Todd Thrasher is really contributing to the vibrant cocktail scene.
Old Town
New American
Cocktail Bars - Alexandria, VA
EAMONN’S A DUBLIN CHIPPER/PX
Todd Thrasher is really contributing to the vibrant cocktail scene.
Old Town
Fish and Chips / Speakeasy
THE DRAWING ROOM
Charles Joly was chosen as “Best Bartender in America” based on a particular reality show competition.
Near North Side
Cocktail Lounge
Cocktail Bars - Chicago, IL
NACIONAL 27
Adam Seger is one of the senior figures in the American cocktail community, he worked for French Laundry and he’s a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP).
River North
Latin American / Dance Club
Chicago, which has been traditionally a bar and shots town, is emerging as a major center of the craft cocktail movement.
THE VIOLET HOUR
Toby Maloney, who worked at both Pegu Club and Milk & Honey, now has a place called The Violet Hour.
Wicker Park
Cocktail Bar
Cocktail Bars - Houston, TX
ANVIL BAR AND REFUGE
I had a young man who came to the bar when I was working at the Ritz Carlton and he was so inspired he went back to Houston and opened Anvil, which is now an internationally recognized bar and I got to inspire somebody.
Houston
Bar
Cocktail Bars - Washington, DC
COLUMBIA ROOM
1021 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Reservations Required
T: 202.393.0336
The DC Corridor is really one of the most vibrant cocktail communities in the country right now and Derek Brown is probably at the center of that.
NW Washington
American / Cocktails
Cocktail Bars - Portland, OR
TEARDROP LOUNGE
Bartender Ricky Gomez, who is from here in New Orleans, is there.
Pearl District
Lounge
Cocktail Bars - SeatTle, WA
ZIG ZAG CAFE
Murray Stenson, many people consider to be the greatest bartender in America -- and he’s in a neighborhood bar. Known for their cocktail “The Last Word.”
Downtown
Classic Cocktail Bar
Cocktail Products
I use different muddlers for different purposes. But if I’m making a Caipirinha, for instance, and I’m doing something that really requires muscle to crush the fruit, then the size, the heft of it, and particularly the slant, the bias that the handle is cut at, the way it fits in my palm reduces stress. It distributes the force across my hand, as opposed to concentrating it and focusing it in a single area.
Handmade Muddlers
Liquor / Bourbon
BOOKER’S BOURBON
Kentucky
Liquor / Spirit
Audrey Saunders of the Pegu Club said matching flavors is like boxers. You have to put a light weight with a light weight and a heavy weight with a heavy weight. So, if I were making a Manhattan, Maker’s Mark is too soft to stand up to the intensity of Carpano Antica. So, I have to go with something like Booker’s or Eagle Rare 17 to give it the right backbone.
EAGLE RARE 17
Kentucky
Liquor / Spirit
Vermouth
CARPANO ANTICA FORMULA
Also available at other retailers.
What a spectacular product. There is almost nothing that you use it for that it is not so much better. But the flavor is so big, that you have to match it with equally big flavors.
Italian Vermouth
Bitters
ANGOSTURA BITTERS
I’m an Angostura guy. It’s really classic.
Bitters
PEYCHAUD’S
Classic bitters.
Bitters
Soda
DR. BROWN’S CEL-RAY SODA
Buy: Amazon.com
Dr. Brown’s has been making the celery soda since the 19th century. It was so popular with the Jewish community in Manhattan, that it was described as Jewish Champagne! The celery shares many of the same kinds of qualities as cucumber and has a peppery nature, which makes it suitable for a Bloody Mary.
Soda
Cocktail Resources
JEFFREY MORGENTHALER
I recommend his website.
Bartending Website
THE BITTER TRUTH ORANGE BITTERS
Bitter Truth, out of Germany makes really high quality, beautiful products.
Orange Bitters
Who
Chris McMillian is the Chief Mixologist at Bar UnCommon in the Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel. He is an award-winning, fourth-generation bartender and a founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail.
Why
Chris McMillian is one of the most respected bartenders in America. Known for his craft of making classic cocktails, he is also a great storyteller and has an incredible depth of historic knowledge.
Recommended By
- Bartender Chris Hannah (Arnaud’s French 75, New Orleans, LA)
Recommendations
Chris McMillian’s recommendations for where to drink in New Orleans and around the country.