Remember the bar Stinkers in Silver Lake, the truck-stop themed bar with skunk sculptures on the wall that “sprayed” patrons? Well it's gone now so don’t worry if you never made it to this oh-so-classy nightspot. In its place is the newly opened venue The Thirsty Crow, providing a much needed boost of high quality liquor posts on the East side.
Following the lead of specialty cocktail lounges that have been slowly taking over Los Angeles, The Thirsty Crow has an extensive Bourbon-centric menu aimed to please hipsters and mature men (and ballsy women) alike. But you won’t find as many crafted cocktails with over eight ingredients here. The vibe is geared toward small-batch, rare and reserve bourbons served straight up. Of course if you are looking for a good mixed drink The Thirsty Crow won’t turn you away, so take a seat at the circular saloon-style bar and order the signature drink appropriately named "The Thirsty Crow" - a refreshing mix of Sazerac rye whiskey, ginger beer and bitters. There is also a short Sparkling Wine Cocktails and Manhattans menu to accompany the massive list of Whiskeys, Ryes and Bourbons.
Even novices will recognize menu choices like Marker’s Mark, Knob Creek and Sazerac, but why would you place a boring order like that when you can try Eagle Rare 10-year Single Barrel Bourbon and Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year for around $10 a shot? Looking to expand your knowledge of whiskey so you won’t feel overwhelmed on your next visit? The owners, who are also the men behind Saints & Sinners and Bigfoot West, will be looking to double the size of their menu and offer whiskey education classes to calm your nerves in the near future. We hear whiskey works great at calming nerves as well!
Head to The Thirsty Crow’s back room for more privacy during your whiskey-swilling session or take a seat at the dark wood circular bar for a chat with the bartender and, if you’re lucky, a miniature lesson in whiskey libations. Like Bigfoot West and Bigfoot Lodge, the outside is unassuming, but the inside is simple and fun. You won’t find any pretentious qualities to The Thirsty Crow besides the general refusal to ruin whiskey with a thing like Coke. But like saloons of the Wild West, one can never tell how much fun everyone is really having until they walk through the door - and in this case, the door is always open.
Photos courtesy of LA Weekly.