The drinks might have the same names and appearances as their kitschy 80s equivalents, but no one is pouring any mixer out of a cardboard box. Even the mudslides at this Greek(ish) restaurant are made with house-made Irish cream.

A Michael Schlow-connected cocktail bar that offers competent classics as well as house creations in the classic style would make this list anyway. The fact that the Sinclair happens to also be the best new rock club to open in years makes it all the more impressive. Also, check out their newly opened patio.

The latest Harvard Square success story from the Grafton Group, Park has a deep liquor list patrons and bartenders can choose from to match with chef Mark Goldberg's comforting tavern food while making jokes about apples and whether or not they like them.

Eastern Standard alum Josh Taylor provides the perfect complements to chef Matthew Gaudet's all-the-parts of all-the-animals menu. Strong, assertive flavors (mezcal and fino sherry are nearly always found as bases on his menus) still manage to find balance in Josh's hands.

Not a new restaurant by any stretch, Blue Room makes our list thanks to a reinvention of the bar this winter by Matthew Schrage. Now continued by Chris Danforth, the core of the program is centered around Italian amari -- giving after-work techies an outlet for the day's bitterness.

After finishing the chilled vodka that comes with the caviar at this intimate steakhouse-within-a-bar at jm Curley, we suggest talking with the server about Kevin Mabry's extensive martini options. When's the last time you had a sachet of herbs with your cocktail? And if there's no room in the reservation-only space, jm Curley is still a top drinks destination.

Shojo aims to be a new breed of hip, savvy Chinatown restaurant with a convincingly hip, savvy bar program to boot. Sake appears in several drinks and in its own section, but it's the Cold Tea for Two that really stands out: surely this is the first Chinatown restaurant to admit to serving anything by that name.

Ming Tsai's new Fort Point restaurant does not take reservations. Fortunately the bar is slinging some excellent drinks while guests wait. Try the Thai Basil Smash, made with rye infused with... wait for it... thai basil.

Lack of liquor license isn't stopping KO from having cocktails. Recently premiered at an ANZAC Day party, an impressive beertails menu has been created by jm Curley's Daren Palacios. He'll be serving it up on weekends this summer on KO's new Eastie deckbar. Daren - ever the improviser - also built the bar.

The rye selection (the name of the restaurant is not a coincidence - rye used to be distilled in this neighborhood and a dozen ryes are featured on the menu) at this Milton bar makes it worth the trip to the suburbs. There might be the occasional well-heeled child in the dining room, but their Shirley Temple will be made with house grenadine.

Take the D line to experience Scott Shoer's excellent menu at this highly celebrated addition to Newton Centre. Try a Ghost of Mary -- a pinkish take on a Bloody Mary that achieves its color by using filtered tomato water. A willingness to T to the burbs is rewarded by no drink costing more than $11.