The 2015 Bar Guide

A reference manual for Richmond nightlife from A to Z.

A: After Hours

After closing time, things that cannot be unseen happen. If you think it’s weird when the lights turn up around last call at your usual haunts, get thee to Mansion Room at Fielden’s (themansionroom.com) or explore the fetishes you never knew you had at Fallout in Shockoe Bottom (falloutrva.com). Revelry ensues when your usual crowd is composed of insomniacs, already hammered bar flies, strippers (so many strippers) and service industry folks gathering while the rest of the world snoozes. Usually you’ll need a membership to explore the a.m. side of Richmond nightlife (and therein lies the loophole that allows the liquor to flow so freely). And you might as well go all-in — be prepared to stay up until the sunrise for the full experience. Plus, as Mansion general manager RoseMarie LaPeter says, “If you didn’t get lucky during the night at the regular bars, it’s your last chance to find love.”You’ll have enough water cooler stories for a week.

 

B: Bouncers — Do what they tell you.

 

C: Classics

It may be old, but the young bloods are dancing on the tables at Helen’s if your timing is right — later is better, we’re told. Not bad for a place that’s marking its 80th anniversary. Helen’s, at Main and Robinson streets, has been around since 1935 (helensrva.com). O’Toole’s on Forest Hill in the South Side was founded in 1966 (otoolesrestaurant.com). The Shockoe stalwart Tobacco Company opened in July 1977 (thetobaccocompany.com). Buddy’s Place may have a new location in the Devil’s Triangle, but it has more than 30 years behind it (buddysplace.net). And the granddaddy of all, Joe’s Inn in the Fan, has operated continuously since 1952.

And you always know what you’re getting with such standbys as the Hill Café in Church Hill (thehillcafe.com), the Bamboo Café at 1 S. Mulberry St., Sticky Rice (stickyricefan.com), Sidewalk Café (sidewalkinthefan.com), Club Midway (calabash-seafood.com) and the pre-Short Pump Sharky’s Bar & Billiards (sharkysinnsbrook.net).

Which younger-by-comparison places are likely to be the classics of tomorrow? The three popular locations of Capital Ale House helped change the local beer game (capitalalehouse.com), along with Mekong and the Answer Brewpub (theanswerbrewpub.com), and seem to be holding strong. The enthusiastic owners of Metro Grill are working to keep a long-running Fan location going (metrogrillrichmond.com). And in the end, it’s up to you. It isn’t easy for a bar to age gracefully in this town, but the ones that do make it look that way.

 

D: Dancing

You can find plenty of grooves and sweat alongside your peers throughout the city. Fans of the dance flock to Off the Hookah, Kai Nightclub, Babes of Carytown and Society American Grill & Social Club, not to mention down those side stairs to the Tobacco Company Club.

To shake things up, so to speak, maybe you’d like to try a few new moves. If you’ve ever been to a Bio Ritmo show, you’ve seen couples dancing the salsa. The Cuban and Puerto Rican-influenced dance style that began in New York in the mid-’70s flows straight from the hips to the feet with complicated spins for added flair. If your moves aren’t up to par — or are nonexistent — you can change that with lessons and a little dancing at local restaurants.

Here are five places to heat up your salsa game: 1. Bella Italia, every other Sunday, lessons 5-6 p.m., dancing 6-10 p.m., 6407 Iron Bridge Road, 743-1116. 2. Conch Republic Rocketts, Mondays from 8-11 p.m., 11 Orleans St., 226-6242. 3. Emilio’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Tuesdays at 9 p.m., 1847 W. Broad St., 359-1224. 4. Havana 59: Thursdays, lessons 8-9 p.m., dancing 8 p.m.-midnight, 16 N. 17th St., 780-2822. 5. Kai, for Latin night every Thursday, free till midnight, 1212 E. Cary St., 644-0565.

And if you need a little more peer support and synchronized assistance, there are plenty of line-dancing options out there. “It’s super fun. When the crowd is here, it’s great,” says Kelli Ortiz, who leads the boot-scootin’ troops at the Beach House Bar and Grille in Innsbrook (beachhousebar.us). She says the moves are simple and the music is popular on country line dancing night, every Friday at 9.

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E: Elegant Sipping

Setting is everything, especially when you want to impress or just feel like throwing on a pair of high heels or a nice jacket. Lemaire can match that wardrobe with faux marble columns, gilt, free valet parking and porch seating reminiscent of a robber baron’s train car (lemairerestaurant.com). Amuse at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (vmfa.museum), with its striking outdoor deck, is a study in restraint with a cool modernist vibe that even trickles down to cocktails that can be their own works of art.

 

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F: Flair

He does more than pour. He flips, throws and slides those bottles around like he is the king of gravity. And he’s proven his prowess in competitions and bars around the world. Get a little show with your drink from flair bartender Nahuel Frúmboli at the Daily Kitchen & Bar in Carytown from Thursday to Saturday nights (thedailykitchenandbar.com).

 

G: Game On

A bar is generally a place where one goes to have a drink, some conversation with friends and perhaps a bite to eat. And sometimes you want to go to just stare mindlessly at a television and get lost in thought. Other than the occasional round of Golden Tee or Big Buck Hunter, playing games typically hasn’t been high on the list of things to do in a bar. That’s changing. Old-school video games, pinball, Skee-Ball, darts, trivia, board games, even Dungeons & Dragons, are becoming staples at some bars and breweries.

Demetrios Tsiptsis, co-owner of New York Deli in Carytown (ny-d.com), started Sunday night board game night a few months ago. “Sunday nights are generally slow in bars,” he says, “but we’ve managed to build a regular clientele who just love to come play, eat and drink.” Embracing your inner nerdom is easy, with tables for Dungeons & Dragons, Love Letter, Story Cubes and whatever else you want to bring.

There are also tables set up to play Cards Against Humanity, which in addition to serving as an entertaining option at house parties worldwide, has become a force in the local bar scene. Social 52 on the Main Street strip (social52rva.com) has an especially popular such night on Tuesdays.

Other popular board game nights include Monday nights at Garden Grove Brewing (gardengrovebrewing.com) and Tuesday nights at Triple Crossing Brewing (triplecrossingbeer.com).

Need something a bit more modern? Lady N’awlins is offering a wildly popular Mario Cart tournament on Monday nights. Yes, the same game you loved in middle school (ladynawlins.com).

Want to play giant, life-size Jenga? A few of the many bars that offer the nerve-wracking classic are the Answer Brewpub (theanswerbrewpub.com), Cha Cha’s Cantina (chachascantina.com) and Southern Railway Taphouse (srtaphouse.com).

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The resurgence of pinball is also finding its way to the bars — and yes, there’s a pinball resurgence — just ask the River City Flippers pinball league. And if you find yourself in need of a flip fix, you’ll find machines at both Bailey’s Smokehouse & Tavern locations, on the South Side and on West Broad Street (baileyssportsgrille.com), as well as Strangeways Brewing (strangewaysbrewing.com).

Perhaps you want to play Skee-Ball while you sip? Try Baja Bean Co. (bajabean.com).

And don’t forget Greenleaf’s Pool Room. Free lessons are available for beginners, along with craft cocktails and well-made small plates to keep you going during a long night of knocking little balls around.

Are you entertained yet? Do bars really need these quirky added values to make them fun?

We sought answers at the Fat Dragon (fatdragonrva.com). When asked about the phenomenon of games in bars, general manager Pedro Aida tells me: “We have this game where you give the bartender money and he pours you a beer, then you drink it. Everybody wins.”

That sounds like more our speed.

 

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H: Happy Hour

We aren’t about to get into a happy hour roundup here. The specials across Richmond are plentiful, making it worth an early start practically anywhere. But if you want a scene — and we’re talking hordes of single, rollicking, networking, just-off-work-ready-for-the-weekend young professionals, you must show up to Best Café for Friday Art & Wine, weekly from 5-8:30 p.m. on the main floor of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (vmfa.museum). Half-hour gallery tours are thrown in free, and the wine flows at affordable prices. Sip some while discussing the finer things — or what’s happening later, once the ties really loosen up — while gazing at the museum’s vast landscaped backyard and Chihuly’s “Red Reeds.”

 

I: Cocktail Inspiration

The feats of endurance, athletic skill — and navigating your way through hordes of cycling fans — that are the Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships are nearly upon us. While most of us will never be up to the task of competing in such an event, we’re capable of cheering from the sidelines. If there’s a drink in our hands, all the better. In that vein, Style decided to search for an official Richmond Road Race cocktail. One that’s bound to take the festivities up a notch and assuage any muscle pulls accrued from the vigorous cheerleading.

Taking on the challenge is Brian Artis, a bartender at CinéBistro at Stony Point Fashion Park (cinebistro.com/stony), where they’ve raised the bar of themed cocktails to pair with blockbusters. Artis names his cocktail after the gear change mechanism on a bicycle and includes locally made Reservoir bourbon to put Richmond’s stamp on it.

The Derailleur
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Reservoir bourbon
1/4 ounce Perucchi Gran Reserva vermouth (sweet vermouth)
1/4 ounce Tempranillo (or other light red wine)
3 dashes rhubarb bitters (Harvest Grocery and Supply carries the Fee Brothers brand)
1 raw sugar cube
1 fresh orange slice
3 bourbon-infused cherries (optional — plain maraschinos work too)

Directions:
Add a dash of bitters to the sugar cube. Muddle the cube and the orange slice in a rocks glass. Add the bourbon, vermouth and wine. Fill the glass with ice, and stir to mix the ingredients. Garnish with the cherries.

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J. Jukeboxes

An endangered species of sorts, the jukebox ignites the music lover’s heart when spotted in the wild. Nothing beats a Sunday afternoon hanging out at the Lilly Pad Café, a lesser-known joint off Osborne Turnpike. Waterside glider rockers and buckets of beer accompany an assortment of classic rock hits and the occasional ’80s pop nugget, coming from the old-school player that’s been dragged out onto the sidewalk (search Facebook for Lilly Pad Café). Tabletop jukes delight folks at Millie’s Diner (milliesdiner.com) and River City Diner (rivercitydiner.com). And for the smoke tolerant, there’s a pretty rockin’ one at the Forest Restaurant on the South Side (doitintheforest.com).

 

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K: Kitchen Craft

Few appreciate a late-night kitchen like service industry workers. By the time they’re finished cooking for and serving you, all they want is someone else to do it for them. But it’s also unwind time, so a lively late-night bar scene is a must. These places satisfy on both counts, with dishes that keep the pros interested.

Commercial Taphouse & Grill’s tangle of salt-and-pepper tempura-fried mushrooms have the magical ability to keep “hangry” tendencies at bay, make friends out of strangers and stave off a hangover. Not bad for fungi. Or maybe a deconstructed pho is what you need: The Viet Dip combines beef brisket with Thai basil, bean sprouts and cilantro on a roll with pho broth on the side for dipping (search for Commercial Taphouse & Grill on Facebook).

GwarBar’s turducken tube, a hand-held obscenity of spicy turkey, duck, chicken and foie gras sausage gaudily accessorized with caramelized onions, a pickled quail egg and smoked tomato ranch sauce, is guaranteed to fill a belly long empty after frenetic 12-hour shifts. Yes, you’ll hate yourself in the morning, but what else is new? (gwarbar.com).

Postbellum’s burger would be outstanding simply for its riff on the standard version: charred, not raw onions, turnip greens instead of iceberg lettuce and truffle mayo rather than ketchup and mustard. But it really boils down to two words — ducky mushrooms. Those would be mushrooms cooked in duck fat and a day’s worth of calories on a roll. Done (postbellumrichmond.com).

“Bamboo Cafe,” says Kali Strain, a bartender at Amuse and a server at Heritage. “Bamboo really is the spot. Strong drinks and classic, good food. But don’t give it away, I want to keep that to myself.” Too late (facebook.com/bamboocaferva).

 

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L. Love

Falling in love (or just in lust) with a co-worker is a time-honored tradition in the service industry. Working long, punishing shifts and late nights together can quickly build a bond. Jon Eckert bartends at McCormack’s Big Whisky Grill and Lady N’awlins Cajun Cafe, while Ashleigh Anderson manages and bartends at F.W. Sullivan’s Fan Bar & Grille. They met while working together at Boka Tako Bar on Robinson Street. And they’re expecting their first child in a few months.

Style: How and where did you meet?

Eckert: We met when I was managing a bar and hiring a bar staff. I was feeling under the weather from the night before and was late to the interview. It was a very, very unconventional interview, which I wanted to get over with so I could get back to bed. Needless to say I hired her because I was hungover.

Was it love at first drink? Did it take time? How did things progress?

Anderson: We definitely had a connection after we began working together. We began to hang out secretly — or so we thought — because he was my boss and didn’t want other employees to take it the wrong way. After a while we stopped caring and officially started dating.

What are the pitfalls of dating someone that you work with in a bar? What are the advantages?

Eckert: You have to keep your personal and work lives separate. You can’t bring home to work and work to home. Ashleigh and I have a system of whenever we start bringing our personal life into work and pissing off the other person, we just say “banana.” It lets the other person know to chill because we are working that we need to keep things professional. It’s also fun to say banana at someone who is mad. The advantages are we both don’t mind the other working crazy hours and living off very little sleep.

Anderson: Another advantage with working together is now that I’m pregnant, I can make him help me with things like getting ice and taking down my chairs on days I have to open the bar.

 

M: Mescal

Sean Rapoza, lead cocktail ninja at Shoryuken Ramen, attributes mescal’s uptick in popularity to its smoky, savory nature. “It plays into the end of the bacon trend that was so prevalent in food culture recently,” he says. “Smoky is new to most palates when it comes to drinks.” For a killer take on a classic cocktail, try Rapoza’s mescal old-fashioned, with a base of mescal and reposado tequila, mole bitters, raw sugar and a flamed orange twist — an ideal pairing with spicy food (shoryukenramen.com).

Over at Rancho T, where co-owner Ed Vasaio dubbed bartender Stephen Ogburn a plenipotentiary, the preferred pour is Del Maguey’s Vida mescal because it’s readily available at a reasonable price.

“There’s no other base spirit with so much depth and nuance of flavor,” Ogburn says. “When making cocktails, mescal can be the base spirit, an accomplice or add just a hint of complexity.” His Smoky and the Bandit, served in a chilled cocktail glass, is refreshing and complex, pairing mescal with gin, simple syrup, lemon and lime juice, egg white and two kinds of bitters, including Hellfire. Smoke and fire, get it? (ranchot.com)

 

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N: New Places

We’re spoiled when it comes to new places to try. Since our 2014 Bar Guide, more than a handful of fine establishments have opened their doors and satiated our thirsty palates. Step into the cozy, tiki-inspired Sabai (facebook.com/sabairva), where you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous blond wood, Edison bulbs and handmade metalwork while drinking some of the freshest, fruity concoctions you’ll ever taste. For something completely different, GwarBar (gwarbar.com) is delightfully blood-spattered and noisy. The selection of liquor and local beers, including Strangeways Brewing’s Gwar Blood, paired with intergalactic junk food is out-of-this-world awesome. In the West End, owner Mac McCormack is on hand to suggest your next favorite libation — from a choice of more than 2,300 spirits — at McCormack’s Big Whiskey Grill & Smokehouse (facebook.com/mccormacksbigwhisky).

Drink like the Spanish do — which involves a lot of eating. Torero Tapas Bar and Grill (facebook.com/torerorvatapas) has authentic jamon and chorizo to go along with your favorite Rioja or a fancy cocktail that can compete with the best of them. Rancho T (ranchot.com), the Tuffy Stone and Ed Vasaio love child, serves up some unforgettable Latin American fare complemented by a thoughtful, darn tasty cocktail program and knowledgeable staff. Coda Urban Bistro (codarva.com) is conveniently located next door to the National and is a several steps above mozzarella sticks and Miller High Life. Whisper the password, and at Grandstaff & Stein Book Sellers (booksellersrva.com), you’ll enter a bygone era full of classic cocktails, dapper barkeeps and swanky digs.

 

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O: Obsession with Fernet-Branca

Still intensely bitter since the first batch was created in 1845, Fernet-Branca is an amaro, a bitter herbal liqueur produced using 27 herbs and other ingredients, usually downed neat as a digestif. It was one of the very few alcoholic products that could be legally imported during Prohibition because of it was classified as medicinal. Right.

At the Rogue Gentlemen (theroguegentlemen.com), you’ll find Fernet front and center because owner John Maher is a fan — although not entirely for medical reasons. Curious? We asked Maher to share his top three reasons to try Fernet:

1. To settle the stomach, especially after a big meal. “It’s healthy,” he says.

2. To try something new. He says amaros tend to play second fiddle to bourbon in the South, but for those seeking something different, nothing fits the bill quite like Fernet.

3. To drink like a bartender or cook: “It’s a job requirement at Rogue Gentlemen. If you don’t when you start here, you will,” he says. “Drink Fernet, it’s delicious.”

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P: The Patios

Tons of seating? River view? Priceless people watching? What makes a good patio depends on whom you ask, but Richmond has one for just about everybody.

You can’t beat the skyline views of the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing (boathouserva.com) and Legend Brewing Co. (legendbrewing.com). Portico Restaurant & Bar offers up a dreamy outdoor arrangement (porticorichmond.com) and the Daily Kitchen & Bar (thedailykitchenandbar.com) is the perfect spot to observe colorful Carytown crowds. And there’s a brand-new hidden patio at the Black Sheep open for happy hour.

Dog lover? No problem. You can enjoy a frozen margarita with your pup on the deck at En Su Boca (ensuboca.com), sip on a pint with your faithful four-legger at Portrait House (portrait-house.com), chill in the shade over at Patrick Henry Pub and Grill (thephpub.com) or hide away at the Northside Grille (northsidegrille.com).

For a more action-packed evening, don’t miss the bustling patios of Southern Railway Taphouse (srtaphouse.com) and Sine’ Irish Pub and Restaurant (sineirishpub.com) in Shockoe Slip, or Baja Bean Co. (bajabean.com) and Starlite Dining and Lounge (starlitediningandlounge.com) in the Fan, or sipping alongside the volleyball court at Babes of Carytown (facebook.com/babes of carytown). Just guard your drink from the flying sand.

 

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Q: Quinine

The cinchona tree has been gin’s best buddy ever since the gin and tonic was invented. Quinine is extracted from the tree’s bark, and although it hasn’t been used as an anti-malarial drug since the advent of antibiotics, it’s what gives tonic water its distinctively astringent taste. Heritage bar program manager Mattias Hägglund makes his own. He takes cinchona bark, secret herbs and spices (including juniper) and simmers them along with sugar in water to create a tonic syrup. Add seltzer and you’re in business. If that all sounds too complicated, Heritage sells bottles of Hägglund’s syrup for $16, making it a lot easier for you to whip up one of his Will Rush specials at home (heritagerva.com).

The Will Rush Special
Ingredients:
1 fresh chili pepper
2 ounces white tequila
1 ounce tonic syrup
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce agave nectar
2 ounces seltzer or club soda
Orange zest, 2-3 inches

Directions:
Muddle a chili pepper at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. If you like it hot, crush it up, and if not, just slightly bruise the pepper. Fill the shaker with ice. Add the tequila, tonic syrup, lime juice, agave and seltzer. Shake thoroughly. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice, wipe the rim of the glass with the orange zest and use it as a garnish.

 

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R: You’d have to be rich to buy this drink.

The Macallan M single-malt whiskey at McCormack’s Big Whisky Grill comes in a hand-blown Lalique bottle, but you might want to buy it by the shot. One of those will set you back a cool $1,100 (facebook.com/McCormacksWhiskeyGrill).

 

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S: Selfies

A few bartenders have spotted the dreaded selfie stick. Please, no.

Instead, go for the classic if you must. On a recent Friday night, we gleaned a few tips from Gabby Kiser, 21, Lauren Johnson, 22, and Natalie Silady, 22 — three bubbly, enthusiastic, camera-ready servers at Cha Cha’s Cantina in Shockoe Bottom (chachascantina.com). They shared three tips to help you get it right. Good lighting is a must — natural is best, they say. Go to a window. Or if you’re partying in a dark club, keep your eyes open for creative solutions. Kiser says the bright Red Bull fridge is their special go-to spot. Front flash is a smart feature for your phone, too. Angles? Hold it up high, they say — “and pick a good side,” Silady says. Finally — the pose. Be happy. After all, you’re here to get the weight of the world off your shoulders.

 

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T: Tobacco

Cigars are divisive. Puffing away, looking like a mobster, some guys (and it’s mostly guys, although women smoke cigars too) couldn’t care less about alienating friends and strangers with their noxious fumes. For them, it’s worth that sweet, intoxicating draw of tobacco. Smoking laws pushed the cloudy haze outdoors (unless it’s a hookah you crave), but a few havens for lovers of a fine Cuban cigar exist. Mona Lounge and Cigar Bar emphasizes the masculine vibe with leather chairs and dark wood (monaloungecigarbar.com). The Pig and Pearl offers a huge variety from which to choose (thepigandpearl.com). And the first cigar destination of them all, Havana ’59, still lights them up on the rooftop lounge (havana59.net).

 

U: Uber Like a Pro

Nothing beats a ride in a Kia Sedona with an interior that resembles your grandmother’s prized plastic-covered sofa, sage advice and a reminder to “get turnt up!” A recent ride offered just that. All the driver asked of us was to use the provided barf bags if needed. “You wouldn’t throw up in your mama’s car. Don’t do it in mine,” she advised. The app-based service makes it easy to use when you’ve had a few. Just don’t request your ride until you’re finished with that drink. Drivers are usually there within minutes. Keep an eye out on social media for Uber-sponsored promos (they recently gave a weekend of free rides to destinations south of the James) and friends who offer up their own promo codes for free rides.

 

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V: Spin the Vinyl

There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching a shiny, black platter spin around with a drink in your hand while in good company. It’s a reminder of simpler times when we gave pause to throw on an entire album and indulge in the liner notes, lyrics and cover art. Spotify be damned! Plenty of folks around town are committed to the vinyl experience.

On Tuesdays, Saison invites customers to bring a favorite album to share with the crowd. In return, it will take $5 off your tab, and you’ll make plenty of new friends provided your taste doesn’t suck (saisonrva.com). Portrait House holds a vinyl series called the Vinyl Countdown, which features a different DJ each Thursday with a happy hour that extends until 9 p.m. (portrait-house.com). Triple Crossing Brewing Co.’s Vinyl Flight Night focuses on a featured album and discussion with a guest over a few brews one or two Sundays each month. (triplecrossingbeer.com).

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W: Wine

Wine rules, like any rules, are made to be broken. So loosen up a little.

1. Sometimes it’s the drinker who breaks them. “One old rule is no red wine with seafood, but two things can make red go with seafood,” says Gary York of Enoteca Sogno. “It needs to be a lighter style, a more elegant red wine and one that doesn’t have powerful and aggressive tannins. … Because seafood tends to be delicate, you need a balanced and restrained red wine. It can be tricky, so it’s all about finding something new and different” (enoteca-sogno.com).

Try: Viette Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne 2013 ($31 a bottle)

2. Winemakers can break the rules too, says Secco Wine Bar’s Julia Battaglini. Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium, “an intriguing white wine, is the product of a unique relationship between the nuns of a Cistercian abbey in Italy and one of the most respected winemakers in Umbria, Giampiero Bea, a rock star, nonconformist pioneer of the natural wine movement,” she says. “A deep yellow, almost coppery pink color, this ‘white’ is almost shockingly full-bodied in the mouth and ridiculously long on the finish” (seccowinebar.com).

Try: Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium Vino da Tavola Bianco 2012 ($9 a glass/$40 a bottle) 

3. And the last rule to break — or maybe it’s the only rule you should follow — drink what you like. It doesn’t matter if your choice follows the rules. Make your mouth happy.

 

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X: X-Factor Star (in Your Own Mind)

Fumbling with slips of paper, tiny pencils and sticky binders might feel like a triathlon for a drunkard, but the end result is so worth it. A few swigs of liquid courage doth make a mighty entertainer. As of late, RVA has stepped up the karaoke game. Uptown Alley (uptownalleyrichmond.com) features a live band to egg on your inner Steve Perry while GwarBar (gwarbar.com) caters to those who might prefer to growl and yell on a Wednesday night. If more traditional performance is your thing, there’s always Tuesday nights at Sticky Rice (stickyricefan.com) in the Fan and nightly at Caddy’s on Midlothian (search Facebook for Caddy’s).

 

Y: Yesteryear

With the rise of digital media, brick-and-mortar booksellers should take a cue from Grandstaff & Stein Book Sellers. Well, that’s not entirely fair given that the latter is no book store at all. Stepping inside its literature-laden front room might fool you — which is the point. A prim and proper lady will kindly ask, “Can I help you find something?” Whisper the password (usually found on its Facebook page) and go get your Gatsby on. Richmond’s only speak-easy pairs snazzy, suspendered drink slingers with era-appropriate tunes played just low enough to have an intimate conversation. Nibble on some buttery popcorn or tender duck wings and peruse the Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu. Beware the allure of a snake charmer, a whiskey mescal concoction that’ll have you out on the roof if you don’t imbibe with caution (booksellersrva.com).

 

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Z: Zealot

Bar regulars are the lifeblood of any respectable or disreputable establishment. They’re fanatical about their favorite bar and rarely even go to other ones. They give a place character, a steady background noise, color. So who is the regular? We asked longtime Richmond bartender and legend in his own mind, Dane Acton of Pearl Raw Bar and Lady N’awlins Cajun Café. As usual, his candid, razor sharp insight does not disappoint.

Style: What qualities do you want and have you found in great bar regulars?

Acton: Regulars are grouped into two distinct categories: “Glad you’re here” and “Why are you always here?” Every restaurant has both. You can tell which side you fall on by the way the staff greets you. GYH: “Hey Dave! Backbone and Jim Beam for ya’?” WAYAH: “Sup Frank? Lemme guess: Rum with half ginger ale, half pineapple, three limes and a lemon twist? Shocker.”

What’s your best advice for someone who wants to become a bar regular?

So you want to be a regular at your local spot? Not many people say, “I should probably drink more.” To achieve your lofty goal I recommend a few easy steps and they all include manners.

1. Go two to three times a week and be nice to everyone you come in contact with. Wait staff, other patrons, the guy playing the bucket drums outside.

2. Don’t be needy. Exercise patience. Keep conversations with the staff short and pleasant. They really don’t have time to hear about the politics surrounding your time share in Myrtle Beach.

3. Tip well, but not to the extreme. $20 on a $20 tab is a good way to get noticed, but offering a server an expenses-covered trip to Costa Rica as long as they accompany you is sketch to the max.

4. Never, under any circumstances, reference the amount of money you spend there. Most regulars try to make their mark at happy hour. Everything you’re throwing back is already discounted, baller.

5. Don’t be a punk. Spend money. Be courteous. Most of y’all don’t have a chance. Those who do don’t need these pointers anyway.

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