It’s no secret that the Bar at Palm Court is one of the best places in the city to grab a cocktail, blending artful alcohol creations with awe-inspiring Art Deco décor. Sidle up to the bar — if you’re lucky enough to find a stool — and peruse the drink menu, which offers classic cocktails like the Chef’s Old Fashioned, with Four Roses private selection single barrel, a sweetened bitters-infused ice ball, a twist of orange and Amarena cherry, and a Hemingway Daiquiri, with light rum, grapefruit and lime juice and Luxardo. If you can’t pick a color for your liquor, go with The NP, a best-of-both-worlds cocktail that pairs bourbon with something bubbly. Named after the Netherland Plaza (the hotel which houses the bar), the cocktail features Four Roses yellow label bourbon, lemon, ginger, bitters and sparkling wine. It’s light, refreshing and still packs a boozy kick. Go during happy hour 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and grab a plate of discounted light bites — lamb belly sliders, ricotta tortellini or chicken wings with smoked butter-Cholula sauce — to accompany your cocktail, or Friday and Saturday night for live Jazz. The Bar at Palm Court, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, 35 W. Fifth St., Downtown, hilton.com.
2. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
3. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
