I like cheap drinks. And I also like good drinks. So when I found out that Sunday was going to be ‘new cocktail practice/half-priced Sunday’ for the bartenders at Green Russell, I thought to myself ‘what a perfect time to try it out’. I felt this way for several reasons:
1. Green Russell is in lodo, specifically Larimer Square. If I’m going to put up with lodo and Larimer Square, it has to be during an ‘off’ time. Like Sunday evening.
2. Green Russell has been super-hyped. Wayyyy hyped. It’s a Bonanno joint after all! I read somewhere that reservations are recommended. So, again, Sunday seemed like a good time to check it out since I’m not really into making reservations. To have a drink at a bar.
3. And, finally, I’m a sucker for a deal. Getting $12 cocktails for half price is something I just can’t pass up.
Green Russell is supposed to approximate a prohibition-era speakeasy which would be super cool. But once you pass through the fake pie-counter storefront into the actual lounge, it’s feels like just another pricey spot in lodo. Burlap curtains do not a speakeasy make!
Here are a few other reasons why I’m glad my first Green Russell experience was on half-priced Sunday:
1. The tiny corner table where we were sat was too small to hold menus, cocktails, food & water. All of which we kept rearranging to accommodate the other. That’s fun.
2. New age techo-esque music played a bit too loud to converse comfortably. Nothing says speakeasy like a little electronica, huh?
3. Several servers seemed to be assigned to our table. One would take our order, then another would come around 90 seconds later asking if we needed drinks. Again and again. Kind of annoying. Basically, both appeared to be way more adept at coordinating their hipster mustaches than drinks for a table of 4.
We sampled a whole bunch of GR’s new cocktails. Some were bad, some were just ok, and some were excellent. Taste-testing was kind of fun. The intricate recipes and high-quality ingredients lived up to the billing. Yet, we felt the accompanying food menu was dumbed down (turkey & chicken sandwiches, french bread pizzas, pigs in a blanket, etc.) The only thing that had us jazzed was the BBQ rabbit on Texas toast. Good stuff.
I don’t know. The company was fabulous (of course) and the drinks were interesting, so all was not lost. But everything else was kind of a letdown. Maybe we should’ve sat at the bar. Maybe we should’ve asked for a bigger table where there was enough light to read our menus. Maybe we should have told annoying server #2 to back off . Maybe I’ll go back to check it out again if the mood strikes. Or maybe the next time I want high end cocktails in a fake speakeasy, I’ll head north to Boulder and the Bitter Bar where I know they’ll get it right. And when I want some tasty Bonanno grub on Larimer I’ll save it for the delectable Osteria Marco.
On the way home from Green Russell, the hubs and I popped in to one of our favorite spots in the neighborhood, Caveau Wine Bar, to have just one more sip before calling it a night. I love this place. I always end up trying something new, always get great service and always leave with a happy little wine buzz. This night would be no different. Turns out Sunday night is half-priced bottle night at Caveau. Splurging on a $75 bottle is pretty easy when you’re getting it for half off. We savored the delicious Benovia Pinot Noir, tossed around the evening’s events, and came to the conclusion that nothing can ruin a night of half-priced drinks. Especially when you end it at Caveau.
January 18, 2011 at 9:42 am
I’d still like to try out Green Russell, I love the idea of the fresh herbs in the back. Were you able to see that? And I MUST try out the cover Pie shop Wednesday’s Pie!!
January 18, 2011 at 10:08 am
You should definitely try it. I liked the little growing area. It was cute. It just seemed really schizophrenic. It is trying to be too many things and not really doing any of them well. That isn’t to say that they were bad though either. The drinks were good. The just lacked subtlety, I think. Again, I can only really compare it to Bitter Bar or say, Steuben’s. In both of those cases there are aggressive and challenging drinks but they show a bit of restraint and and overall balance that was missing at TGR. The Petunia was great and The Repeal was right in my wheelhouse but the others, for the most part were like being punched in the gut with ingredients. I felt a bit like they were using liqueurs and aperitifs just to prove that they had them behind the bar, I think that the concept of a cocktail like this is to balance and layer flavors. This wasn’t occurring. I will likely go back but there are other Bonnanno joints that will come before the return trip.
January 18, 2011 at 10:30 am
Betty – the hanging herbs were very cool; I enjoyed seeing them. Thanks for the details Hubs. You are right on about the balance of ingredients. I still say Bitter Bar takes the cake — even over Steubens.
January 20, 2011 at 5:23 pm
I like this back-and-forth on new restaurants and bars we’ve got going on. We tell you what’s not worth it, and lo and behold, here you are informing us of same. Thanks for the tip!
Alastair and I have long been Caveau fans. Though he claims he’s going to be at work all weekend (!?!?), I do like the idea of a DO/DOD rendez vous chez Caveau (so much francais!) on a Sunday night. Just not this one.
December 30, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Interesting debate here.
As for Green Russell. I do think you caught them on an inexperienced night. Although the service is never very good here. That aside the drinks can be amazing. I have found a few things to make the experience much better. On a few occasion we have caught them at off hours and been able to have more of a conversation with our waiter/bartender. This have proved to heighten the accuracy of the drink you receive to your tastes. Another option is to ask to be seated at the bar ensuring you will have some more face time with your bartender. The best drinks I have received have come from giving a description of what I am looking for in my drink. I often tell them something refreshing with citrus and gin or I would like something with a spicy bite with ginger and tequila. Usually I find a new fresh take on a drink I have had elsewhere or a new drink entirely. Just a thought. And sadly with the hype cycle at it’s high it is good to make a reservation. Open table points are always worth ti though.
I have not experienced Caveau but I will make sure to stop in and check it out. Thank you for all the recommendations.