Although it's one of the purest expressions of the bartender's art, it's still surprisingly easy to screw up an old-fashioned. That's why Seven Grand's no-bullshit take on the classic drink stands out. There's no flaming orange peel, no bacon-infused simple syrup, nothing called a “shrub” — just carefully muddled sugar and Angostura bitters, a splash of soda water, some citrus for aromatics and a generous helping of the Maker's Mark that is, as it damn well should be, the star of the show. You can try a variation by calling for nearly any of the bar's 400-plus whiskeys (but please God, no single-malt Scotch), so long as you leave the other ingredients alone. As general manager Andrew Abrahamson puts it: “The beauty of the cocktail itself is that it really highlights the whiskey.” Amen. 515 W. Seventh St., 2nd floor, dwntwn.; (213) 614-0737. sevengrandbars.com. —Andy Hermann

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.