Sometimes you need nothing more in the world than to feel a little snazzy and have a well-crafted beverage. Most of these are great restaurants too, but that’s not the point of this post. When you’ve just finished a Bar Rescue marathon and need something delicious, here are my top places in Johnstown for a great drink.

1. Asiago’s Italian Restaurant

When I first walked into Asiago’s, I was blasted with nostalgia of my time living in Las Vegas. Asiago’s Italian Restaurant doesn’t belong in Johnstown, it belongs in one of the swanky parts of Fremont Street where the locals know how to order a perfectly tart and refreshing Sangria. The drink menu has an impressive variety, including drinks infused with smoke… You can’t go wrong with a little wow factor, now can you?

2. Press Bistro

Press has a tidy little menu that is an ambitious mix of classic recipes and ultra-modern flavors. You can always opt for a classic margarita or mojito and you’ll certainly be happy… but wouldn’t it be even more lovely with jalapeno tequila, or freshly smashed berries from the Farmer’s Market right outside their front door? If you want to push your boundaries and get a little daring with your drinks, Press Bistro will offer you plenty of new options.

3. The Windber Hotel

The Windber Hotel bartenders certainly know great beer, but they also have a great curiosity for mixed drinks. The bar is usually packed on the weekend and you’ll find a rainbow of drinks lined up ready for patrons, including the ever-popular frozen varieties. The Hotel’s drinks can fall on the “too sweet” side of the spectrum, but their use of quality ingredients earn them good recognition.

4. Franklin St. Bar and Grill

The bartenders here have a compact menu of classic drinks like rumrunners and martinis, with some of their own twists thrown in, like the S’Mores Martini. The variety was nice, however, there were some missteps. A toasted marshmallow is a nice garnish, but it was either stale before it was toasted, or it could have simply hardened when it was put in ice cold martini; it would have been better left off to begin with. Small quirks aside, the drinks themselves were spot-on.

5. The Boulevard Grill

As a caffeine addict, The Boulevard will always get a spot on my top 5 simply for the variety of coffee-based cocktails they offer. Some of the drinks are a little sweet, and some are a little heavy (I’ve never seen a White Russian made with ice cream base before!), but overall they offer a drink menu that is sure to appeal to many palates.

Honorable Mention: Dively’s

Dively’s gets an honorable mention on the list because while it is mostly a beer-and-shot establishment, they are probably the only place in the area that can provide a perfectly served Absinthe. To be honest, they are probably the only place in the area that’s been open for more than 2 years that even knows that Absinthe exists.

Cheers!

-Barbie O’