sazerac bar

after the accidental sazerac at the imposter bar down the street, we made our way to the roosevelt hotel sazerac bar. sample the world’s first mixed drink at the sazerac bar. . named after what many consider to be the world’s first mixed drink, the sazerac bar carries as much history as its potable namesake. just gazing at the famous paul ninas murals flanking the african walnut bar takes you back to the grandeur of old new orleans – a time when huey p.longwould stroll in, order a ramos gin fizz, and spend the next couple of hours talking to his constituents.

this is a cocktail & atmosphere/setting review only, as i visited the sazerac bar immediately after saturday brunch. the famous watering hole opens off the lobby of the somewhat recently renovated (& very well done, at least on the ground floor, by hilton) roosevelt hotel, just a bit n of bourbon st. & on the downtown side of canal. thelongroom gets its shape from the long, ornate bar itself, w/ enough room left for a staggered row of stand alone tables & booths against the back wall. the room is beautiful, & worth a few minutes of your time even if not thirsty. to my eye, it's reminiscent of some of the european based but western us-influenced barrooms i recall in san francisco. the barman himself was nattily attired & hipsterishly bearded, clearly having complete knowledge of the big cocktail menu. 
if fond of whiskey whatsoever, visitors should certainly order the namesake drink. the sazerac is my second fav whiskey concoction, a close 2nd to an old-fashioned. the real star of the drink menu, however, is the ramos gin fizz, another new orleans pre-prohibition refreshment invented elsewhere but popularized here. it's citrus focused & shaken w/ an egg white, so it's like easing your nose into a meringuey lemon pie w/ the first sip taken from the collins glass. this is a great place to waste a few hours & get tipsy amidst classy surrounds, but bring your money.