Craving a perfectly crafted, premium cocktail? Nightcap is your next destination. This modern cocktail bar sets the standard for quality drinks. 

To give you an insider's view, we teamed up with passionate mixology hobbyist and Ann Arbor resident, Jeff Crooks, to share his insider tips on what makes a perfect cocktail and night out.

Visit Nightcap with Jeff as he highlights the bar's ambience, quality, service and his overall experience.


Here is Jeff's Take:
 

Ambience: 

Immediately, I was excited going into the Nightcap. As we entered through an unmarked, tall door to a small lobby, two large curtains were hiding the bar, giving a speakeasy-feel where you need a special knock or password. Inside, the low amber lighting has an inviting warmth, and background music of a variety of genres made this a perfect night out.

 

Cocktail Quality: 

I appreciated the range of cocktails with unique flavor combinations and attention to detail. Each drink had a special flair, with pristinely cut and shaped peels, Luxardo cherries, crystal-clear ice, oil or other special ingredients, and each cocktail is served in a unique glass.

One of my favorite cocktails is a Sazerac which is deceptively complex for a simple three-component drink.  It's a great cocktail to test the quality of a bar because it's all in how you make it, and Nightcap's Sazerac was smooth and balanced with the absinthe flavor present, but the bitters, sugar and whisky being the focus.


Service: 

The staff was attentive and courteous throughout the night. The mixologist was knowledgeable when asking for advice or clarity on a drinks flavor profile. They have QR codes on every table to simplify ordering additional drinks, but they came by frequently to check on us, refill waters or clearing empty glasses.


Overall Experience: 

We had a great night and enjoyed watching the mixologist, mix, shake, stir and concoct our cocktails. I loved the intimate lounge seating, perfect for our small group. The music created a good vibe where we could have conversations mixed with a perfect balance acting as white noise for surrounding discussions. The bar was mostly full, but felt like we were the only people there


We’d like to give a special thank you to our friend Jeff for sharing his Nightcap experience with us! 

 

Plan Your Visit to Nightcap.
 


Meet The Author:  

Jeff Crooks is an avid mixology hobbyist, wine lover, and fan of the early days of micro brewing and aged beers. As a professional working in research and development, Jeff loves the science and creativity at the heart of the current culture of mixology.  

"It's exciting! It helps to have quality places in Ann Arbor because if I only had overly sweet Old Fashion or a poorly mixed Negroni, I would probably have stuck with wine and beer." 

 


 

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