Best Martini Bars, Lounges and Restaurants

Lefty O'Doul's Restaurant & Lounge
At Union Square
333 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Located in between Powell & Mason
Ask for their SKYY Pineapple Vodka Martini


Tropicana at the Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map of Blue Taleh, 15 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA)

Plush poolside lounge chairs, paintings by David Hockney, palm trees to establish the tropical setting and great martinis


Twin Palms
101 West Green Street
Pasadena, CA
(map Map of Blue Taleh, 15 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA)

Old Town Pasadena just off of Colorado, seemingly tucked away on a corner until you hear jazz playing and see the billowing canvas shade sails. try the mango-tini.


Blue Taleh
15 Kearney Square
Lowell, MA
(map Map of Blue Taleh, 15 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA)


Pat's Cocktail Lounge
12121 Riverside Drive
North Hollywood, CA
(map Pat's Cocktail Lounge - 12121 Riverside Drive, North Hollywood, CA Map)

Old-time cocktail bar. Bartenders are not limited with bottle stops or measurers. They pour as they feel. if you tip well, they pour even better. Pint-sized soda glasses are used for the martinis but the martinis are good. Pool tables, TVs and best of all, a real down-to-earth clientele. You can make friends with anyone at Pat's Cocktail Bar. The address says North Hollywood but Pat's is really located in Studio City / Valley Village, corner of Laurel Canyon and Riverside. Easy and safe street parking. Highly recommended. Excellent luncheon menu served.


Martinis
1313 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN
(map Martinis, 1313 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Map)


The Oak Room
Fairmont Copley Plaza
100 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
(map Oak Room, Fairmont Copley PLaza, Boston, MA Map)


Lola's
945 N. Fairfax
West Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Nic's Restaurant and Martini Lounge
453 N. Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA
(map Map)


Tantra in Silverlake
3705 Sunset Blvd
Silverlake, CA
(map Map)


Firefly
11720 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA
(map Map)


Clear
11916 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA
(map Map)
(Mango Tango Martini)


Birds
5925 Franklin Avenue
Los Angeles, CA


Mark's Restaurant
861 N. La Cienega Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Yamashiro
1999 N. Sycamore Avenue
Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Yi Cuisine
7910 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map)


Chateau Marmont
8221 W. Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Sunset Marquis Hotel and Villas
1200 Alta Loma Rd
West Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Musso and Frank Grill
6667 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map)


Monroe's Bar
8623 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA
(map Map)


Liquid Kitty
11780 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map)


Club Rare
836 N Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA


The Century Club / The Banana Café
10131 Constellation Blvd
Los Angeles, CA


The Dresden
1760 N Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map)


Arsenal Bar
12012 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(map Map)




Over 250 Martini Recipes!

Martini of the Month

Lefty O'Doul's Pineapple Martini Recipe
JC writes in to the Muse:
"a few weeks ago my wife and I were in San Francisco and stopped in Lefty O'Douls for drinks... she had a SKYY infused pineapple martini that she loved... I've looked all over for a recipe and can't find one...do you know of any?"

Well, JC, we were wondering how Lefty O'Doul's made their Pineapple Martini also so we called them. We spoke with Chuck Davis, the Manager/Bartender. He was the bartender who made your pineapple martini.

  • 1 ˝ oz. SKYY pineapple vodka
  • 1/8 oz. dry vermouth
  • Chill the mixed concoction
  • Serve it all up in a martini shell glass
  • Optional: add a slice of pineapple on side of glass as a garnish


Manmohan Prashar's Real Martini Recipe
Manmohan Prashar emailed us this simple, pure and tasty martini recipe:

  • 1 part red dry vermouth
  • 2 part vodka
  • 3 part gin

Step 1: start with vermouth; measure 1 part, drop a few drops in a chilled cocktail glass; rotate the glass so that vermouth is spread on the glass walls. Pour rest of the vermouth left in the measure glass in cocktail shaker.

Step 2: Add 2 parts vodka to the cocktail shaker.

Step 31: Add 3 part gin to the cocktail shaker.

Shake well and serve
Cheers!!
Manmohan Prashar


  Meadow Lark Vodka Martini

Mike Sherwood of Santa Rosa Spirits writes The Muse that he's been experimenting with two infusions from Sub Rosa Spirits. Nothing radical and, that he says, is the point. He likes mixing Elderflower Liqueur with Tarragon Vodka. The Saffron and Cointreau seemed destined as partners, "very lush and warming", he says. Mike adds a hint of fine freshly ground black pepper into a plain Tarragon martini. Grinding in white pepper also works well. The martini is meant to be understated which brings out the delicate flavor of the tarragon.

  • 1/4 oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
  • 2 oz. Sub Rosa Tarragon Vodka
  • splash of lemon juice
  • 2 oz. soda water

Combine all ingredients into a martini glass over cold ice - check out Swank Martini Glasses for a nice selection of classic, cool and artsy martini glasses - and shake. The elderflowers bring imagery of a fresh summer meadow at sunrise. The Meadow Lark is Oregon's state bird.


  The Marseille Airport Martini

The Marseille Airport Martini may require 1-2 ounces of ginger ale or a juice of your liking. The weekend bartender at Serattos make this one with a little soda water mixed in. Soda cut the sweetness of the orange liqueur but need to play with this one a little more. The Marseille Airport Martini has a pale yellow orange cast to if from the Saffron vodka and Cointreau. The aroma is warm and familiar yet not completely identifiable due to the toasted cumin wafting over the orange liqueur and fresh lime. Think Golden Cosmopolitan minus the juice.

  • 2 ounces Sub Rosa Saffron infused vodka
  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters (Orange bitters will work as well)

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a long twist of lime.


Send Us Your Favorite Martini Recipe

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