Mayahuel

(Recently closed) Without this bar or its proprietor, Phil Ward, the Margarita might still be the sole tequila drink on cocktail menus everywhere. Since opening this East Village outpost, Ward has become the curmudgeonly poster boy for all things agave. He’s one of the reasons you can now find mezcal and wider varieties of tequila on back bars everywhere.

THE DRINK TO DRINK: Oaxacan Old Fashioned, made with reposado tequila and mezcal.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: The ground-floor bar is convivial but also super tight. Especially for groups of three or more, do yourself a favor and reserve a table upstairs for drinks and those amazing tostadas.

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