Top 6 Cocktail Bars in Boston

Get the right mix with our picks for Boston's Top 6 cocktail bars.

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Whether you’re in Boston for business, fun or a little of both, come evening it’s time to unwind with a finely crafted cocktail. Check out these top Boston cocktail bars and restaurants that are renowned for the creativity and TLC they put into hydrating guests.

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6. Drink

Serious about their craft but not too serious about themselves, the bartenders at Drink are veritable encyclopedias of mixology. Feel like something light with a touch of citrus? Don't order a drink -- explain what you're craving to these skilled hospitality experts and they'll create the perfect custom cocktail specifically for you. Don't be surprised if your new favorite cocktail is the Mamie Taylor -- a scotch-and-ginger beer mix named for an early 20th-century actress. Just steps from the Boston Convention Center on the waterfront, Drink uses fresh herbs and house-made bitters to create memorable libations at this below-street-level getaway. Exposed brick, lights and wood give this venue a cozy Boston feel. Call 617-695-1806 or visit drinkfortpoint.com.

5. Cuchi Cuchi

The immersive early Hollywood feel immediately lets guests know they have stepped into a unique venue. Think luxury, glamour, late-night trysts, furs and a touch of naughtiness, and you've got Cuchi Cuchi. Try a classic cocktail -- Satan's Whiskers, served by staff dressed as flappers, for example -- or order a "bottoms-up" shot served in a slightly-risque-with-a-wink shot glass in the shape of, well, a woman's bottom. Leave any thoughts of a plain-old-drink-with-sour-mix back at the hotel. Instead, jump into the atmosphere by ordering a SugarDaddyFromMiami, a DirtyLittleSecret or a BlackDahlia. Come for the drinks and the dramatic décor at this escapist lounge, but stay for the tarot card readings. Cuchi Cuchi is a 15-minute, $23 taxi fare from the Boston Convention Center, or take the MBTA red line to Central Square. Call 617-864-2929 or visit Cuchicuchi.cc.

4. Eastern Standard

Described as a “bit of Paris by the Citgo sign” just outside Fenway Park, Eastern Standard's 46-foot marble bar is the site where many classic cocktails have been brought back to life. Located in the heart of Kenmore Square, this high-ceilinged room features red leather banquettes, floor-to-ceiling glass doors, white linen-covered tables and high-tops of polished wood. A historically-accurate cocktail list may divulge that you have the same taste in drinks as Hemingway. Try the Periodista: “rum for the intrepid reporter -- one city's homage, one man's quest.” The Don's Zombie Circa 1934 comes with a warning: suggested limit, 2 per visit. Eastern Standard is a 15-minute, $27 taxi fare from the waterfront, or take the MBTA green line to the Kenmore Square stop -- exit to Commonwealth Avenue and Eastern Standard's red awning will be beckoning from just 1 block away. Call 617-532-9100 or visit Easternstandardboston.com.

3. Tresca

This Tuscan-styled villa boasts a cozy wood bar with a huge wine list and great North End Italian fare. But you'll want to visit to sample The Captain's Punch -- named for hockey legend, former Boston Bruins captain and Tresca co-owner Ray Bourque. Contact general manager Massimo Tiberi for a private tour of the wine cellar. Less than 2 miles from the waterfront, Tresca is a $12 taxi fare. Call 617-742-8240 or visit Trescanorthend.com.

2. Haru

Located just below the Shops at the Prudential Center, nab a table right out on Huntington Avenue's oversized sidewalks and watch Boston go by as you sample the inventive cocktail list. Make sure you're grounded before ordering the Electriquila -- Sauza Blanco tequila, sake and yuzu juice with a rim of salt and crushed “electric” buttons. After a long day, Haru's Painkiller may be what the mixologists at this street-level restaurant/lounge would prescribe -- Myer's Platinum rum, Cruzan pineapple rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut. A beautiful Japanese garden adds to the reflective atmosphere. Worth noting: visit during “Haru Hour” from 3-7 p.m. and choose from a sushi menu at a fraction of the usual prices. Haru is a 10-minute, roughly $15 taxi fare from the waterfront, or take the MBTA orange line to Back Bay station -- a 5-minute walk from Haru. Call 617-536-0770 or visit Harusushi.com.

1. Strega Waterfront

This North-End landmark's waterfront location has the same renowned Italian menu, but it's the al fresco patio, with a full outdoor bar right on Fan Pier overlooking Boston Harbor, that will wow visitors. Keeping with the North End Italian neighborhood theme, Strega Waterfront's mixologists have created the Italian Massacre -- Chopin vodka and tomato puree with goat cheese olives floating atop the spirituous carnage. This open-air restaurant/lounge offers fantastic views and even some surprising celebrity sighting opportunities. For reservations, call 617-345-3992 or visit Stregawaterfront.com.

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Boston

Top 6 Cocktail Bars in Boston

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6. Drink

5. Cuchi Cuchi

4. Eastern Standard

3. Tresca

2. Haru

1. Strega Waterfront