Since pouring its first handcrafted, Prohibition-era cocktail in 2009, Anvil has anchored Houston's burgeoning mixology scene. This lauded Montrose star presents house specialties as well as an ambitious, ever-evolving list of 100 classic concoctions, including the tropical Zombie and the hard-hitting Battle of New Orleans; all are perfectly calibrated, from the fresh herbs and fruit to the housemade bitters to the precise cuts of the ice. The menu also includes hard-to-find microbrews on tap, as well as cheese and meat boards and small bites such as lamb meatballs. If you love the libations here, consider a sip at Anvil's sister bars: the tequila- and mescal- focused The Pastry War (310 Main St.), and the Southern-flavored Julep (1919 Washington Ave.)