10 great places to have a drink underground

ByABC News
March 15, 2012, 8:55 PM

— -- Even if you don't spot a leprechaun, there's another reason to look down this St. Patrick's Day. Some great new bars and restaurants (and a few old standbys) are underground, says Brian Ellison, president of Death's Door Spirits, a Wisconsin-based craft liquor maker. Basement locations are conducive to conversation, he says. "They're cozy and comfortable." Owners find the rent is often cheaper, and they sometimes offer a setting with speakeasy style, adds Ellison, who shares some favorite spots with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.

The Bedford

Chicago

This 1920s bank-turned-bar in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood keeps interest high with its clever renovation. Tables back up against safe-deposit boxes, the former vault is now a lounge, and you can prop your drink on a stand that once held deposit slips. Ellison says the bar and restaurant seem timeless. "It really does work. It doesn't feel like a space that has been cobbled into something different." 773-235-8800; bedfordchicago.com

singlebarrel

San Jose, Calif.

Future-focused Silicon Valley takes a step back in time at this saloon and cigar bar with a Jazz Age atmosphere. But the emphasis is on cocktails, not speakeasy shtick. Juices are hand-squeezed, and the menu avoids name brands, Ellison says. "It's small craft spirits, obscure liquors and potables from far-flung places." 408-792-7356; singlebarrelsj.com

Tippler

New York

Hidden beneath Chelsea Market, this new bar occupies a century-old storage area that had never been open to the public. Vaulted ceilings, brick walls and salvaged wood create an industrial vibe. It serves drinks like the Buzzing Black Buck, made with rum, coffee liqueur, espresso and ginger beer. "This bar has this really great feel to it that you're in a secret place that other people don't know about," Ellison says. 212-206-0000; thetippler.com

Greenbush Bar

Madison, Wisc.

The Italian Workmen's Club has a surprise in its basement: a thriving restaurant and bar. Ellison lives nearby and used to stop by with his wife and young child, who would sleep in a stroller while the parents ate. "They have awesome pizza and pasta. And you can grab a Negroni or some other good Italian cocktail or aperitivo," he says. 608-257-2874

Sotto

Los Angeles

With a hand-built oven imported from Naples, the pizza's some of the best in L.A., and the Southern Italian wine list is extensive. But Ellison is just as impressed by the drinks at this artfully rustic spot on West Pico Boulevard. "All of the cocktails are innovative, fresh and well-executed." The American Trilogy, for example, mixes rye whiskey, applejack, orange bitters, with a brown sugar cube and flamed orange. 310-277-0210; sottorestaurant.com

Manifesto

Kansas City, Mo.

Step back in time at this subterranean bar with dark hallways, candlelit bar areas and bartenders dressed with '20s' panache. "It's really a funky little space," Ellison says. "It definitely feels like the Prohibition era, when you're going into a speakeasy and you're being hidden from view." 816-536-1325

Bess Bistro

Austin, Texas