Cocktails within walking distance of BPL?

[Patricia]

Maybe with something nice to snack on? Thanks.

[Patricia]

Thanks Joanie and MC - City Bar it was.
http://lifeonplanetpatricia.blogspot....

[Niblet]

My favorite lately is Legals at Copley between 4-7 weekdays. With cocktail purchase at the bar, they have an excellent deal: $1 oysters (any kind from Wellfleets to Kumamotos, and they are fantastic), plus $3 appetizer menu including mini smoked salmon sandwiches and coriander-encrusted tuna sashimi. I usually get those, plus a couple of sides from the regular menu: broccoli with cheese, and polenta, or seaweed salad. If you check it out, I advise against the spinach-feta dip off the $3 menu, but I love the rest of it.

[MC Slim JB]

Cocktails in the Back Bay can be expensive and not always great at the price. Here are a few ideas.

Nice hotel bars: Bar 10 (Westin), City Bar (Lenox), Oak Bar (Fairmont Copley), Sel de la Terre (Mandarin Oriental), Salon at L'Espalier (a lounge, not a bar, but superb cocktails and snacks, Mandarin Oriental), Brasserie Jo (Colonnade).

Luxury steakhouses (reliable bartending, if pricey): Morton's, Abe & Louie's, Grill 23 (has one of my favorite bartenders).

Newbury Street (carries a tourist premium, better if you can sit on the patio): Bouchee (Epcot Center French food), Tapeo (beer/wine only, but good sangria), Sonsie (sit in the cafe area up front), Pazzo.

Other kinda-fancy Back Bay restaurants: Douzo, Via Matta, Post 390 (which I actually don't like for food or cocktails, but the atmosphere is great).

Back Bay casual: Bukowski (the beer lover's choice, with cheap, okay food), Parish Cafe (pubby and pleasant, with a good beer selection), Rattlesnake (not outstanding for drinks, but the food is much better these days).

Walkable in the South End: Coda (a good value in this bunch), Delux Cafe (surprisingly good drinks for a bar with a younger crowd, decent inexpensive food), Petit Robert Bistro (tiny, pleasant bar, very nice French food at real-bistro prices), Anchovies (dark, cheap neighborhood bar with decent Italian-American food).

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[C. Hamster]

Coda
Delux
Brasserie Jo
Grill 23

And a sleeper hardly ever mentioned here ... The Daily Grill in the Pru Center. They have very cheap apps during "happy hour" Atmosphere sorta like the "upscale" chain restaurant that it is.

[robwat36]

I really like the food at Coda but had a rough experience at the bar last night. Worst excuse for an Aviation ever (and it's on the cocktail menu now), and then they were out of the first two beers I selected from the (well-curated) bottle list.

[babka eater]

Though pricey, the Oak Room at the Fairmont serves great cocktails. It is right across the street from the library.

[Joanie]

And if you want one of those crazy long cocktail menus, City Bar is a block away (and City Table). Across the street is the Charlesmark which has a nice little lounge area (don't really know their drinks). In the Westin is Bar Ten which is pretty good, I liked their flatbreads.

[pemma]

There's also Top of the Hub for something different.