Best upscale bars?

[mrsspike]

I wouldn't call it upscale at all but at the beaches TacoLu makes a good margarita, the Blind Rabbit makes a number of handcrafted whiskey cocktails and ocean 60 has a good ladies night. I love One Oceans bar at Azure beautiful!

In San Marco try Grape n Grain, Mathews, Taverna and Orsay.

At Town Center I think Moxie is the only local spot.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by mrsspike

At Town Center I think Moxie is the only local spot.

Ovinte as well.

[fsu813]

I went to Ovinte last night.

You gotta love a place trying to be sophisticated and exclusive when the patio overlooks a Wendy's, TigerDirect.com, and is 4 feet from a bus stop (hello exhaust!). They're trying hard to shake their ultra suburban location, but pretty much fail.

Thankfully, the co-owner is working towards a Downtown venue.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by fsu813

I went to Ovinte last night.

You gotta love a place trying to be sophisticated and exclusive when the patio overlooks a Wendy's, TigerDirect.com, and is 4 feet from a bus stop (hello exhaust!). They're trying hard to shake their ultra suburban location, but pretty much fail.

Thankfully, the co-owner is working towards a Downtown venue.

Well - if you're looking for relatively upscale "bars with views" - especially ones with outside patios - it's hard to beat places like the TPC and the bar at One Ocean (there are probably more - but those are the 2 that pop into my mind). Most places here in the metro area have at best mediocre views - or no views at all. E.g., I happen to like Black Sheep - but certainly not for the view (and not for drinking either - my husband and I don't care to drive 40-45 minutes to get home after we've had a couple of drinks).

Not that a view in a bar necessarily matters (the bar at the late Morton's downtown had a decent urban vibe to it - but no view at all). But you'd think that since we're so surrounded by water - there would be more/better places with water views.

In any event - what's *your* favorite upscale bar with a view here? I'm kind of partial to the TPC - because it's really close to home. It has a water/golf view (the 18th fairway on the Stadium course). It also has a "happy hour" which includes "5 for $5 appetizers". First Coast Grill and Island Grill at JAX Beach had bar seating with nice views too - but they - alas - are long gone now. There were also a couple of not so upscale drinking places in areas like the Landing (a now defunct micro brewery whose name I can't recall - and the Twisted Sister - but they're gone too and they were far from upscale IMO.

BTW - I don't know how other people define an "upscale bar". My definition is a bar - where - when you order a gin and tonic - you can get a bottle of tonic water - not tonic only out of a soda gun. Using my definition - there are hardly any upscale bars in this metro area. Robyn

[Greg7]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

BTW - I don't know how other people define an "upscale bar".

My ideal is more lounge than bar: sofas, not noisy, etc.

Thanks for your suggestions Robyn (I moved TPC Sawgrass way up on my to-visit list) and others.

Since I started this thread I went to Ocean 60. It has a nice, upscale bar, but it's not a lounge (they have some outdoor seating though). Their brussels sprouts app makes one of my least-liked vegetables taste good and is big enough to be an entree. The Bellini martini was delicious, and martinis are half priced at daily happy hours and ladies night. I'd go again. I also popped next door to One Ocean to take a look. There's a lobby bar but the special one has a view of the ocean next to the restaurant at back. Sofas, roomy, upscale: I'd take a date when it was light out for the view, or at dusk.

[Robyn55]

TPC is going to be tables outside with umbrellas (tables inside too). No sofas. The only place I can recall with sofa style outside patio stuff is One Ocean. Maybe Moxie upstairs too (can't remember). You might take a look at the possible places on Google Images. See if they look like what you're interested in. Robyn

[Greg7]

I few bars I've been to lately that I recommend:

• Capital Grille. 8/10. Expensive and upscale.
• Ocean 60. 7.5. They have a daily happy hour, with only drink specials.
• Orsay. 7. Their daily happy hour has food and drink specials.
• Bahama Breeze. 7. Not as upscale a restaurant as the others on this list, but I liked the bar and its food and drinks. Happy hour has food and drink specials.
• III Forks. 6. It's a bit loud during the after-work peak times.