While in Atlanta, I stopped at Del Frisco’s Grille for a Bloody Mary.
Although tasty, it was pretty run of the mill for a “southern” Bloody–and, at $9, definitely not worth the price. The food here was much better.
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Lime, 1 Olives
Price: $9
Okay, now this is more like it.
On a recommendation from a friend who lives in the area, I trekked (literally) to There Bar at Towne Brookhaven. (Where? There!)
“There” I fell in love with this quaint little gastropub. I was the only person in the place at the time of my visit and sat down at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and even plugged in my phone for me while I dined. She was delighted to make this signature Bloody Mary for me:
Yes, that’s BACON on the Bloody! And some okra for southern flair. Delicious. The food was great, too. This isn’t a place you’d normally find as a tourist because it’s off the beaten path, but trust me on this one. Good times to be had “There.” Cheers!
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Bacon, Okra, Pickle, Olive
Price: $7.50
Are you a fan of Yelp? I find it to usually be a reliable source of information on bars & restaurants in a particular area.
On this given day, I found the Bucket Shop Cafe listed as a good Bloody Mary within walking distance of my locale.
I’m sorry to report that this was one time Yelp let me down. Not only was the Bloody Mary VERY standard, the food here left a lot to be desired and the bartenders on duty weren’t very friendly.
During my visit, I sat alone at the bar and it took what seemed like forever to get the bartender to notice me…while two other bartenders played Photo Hunt right next to me.
The only thing this Bloody Mary and place had going for it was the price tag and the salted rim. Cross it off the list. Next!
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Lime, 2 Olives
Price: $6
Next up: McCray’s Tavern in Smyrna.
A friend suggested we meet here and of course, I had to try the Bloody Mary. It was just okay, again, nothing special.
The best part was sitting on the patio in the warmth of the sun with friends. Not sure much more needs to be said.
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Lime, Lemon, 2 Olives
Price: $?
Headed to Houston’s to meet up with yet another friend. A nice restaurant for sure, we were just here for drinks. Of course, I used this as an opportunity to try their Bloody Mary:
Houston’s? We have a problem.
I was really disappointed in this one. It had one lonely, floating lime…. and no ice. This is a place you’ll have to stick to wine. Yikes.
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Lime
Price: $?
Last but not least, I snuck in one more Bloody Mary on my way out of town.
I visited Cafe Intermezzo’s airport location as I waited to catch my flight.
It was an early morning flight, so I loved the opportunity to settle down once I got through this major airport’s security and terminals. I enjoyed breakfast, coffee and a Bloody.
This one wasn’t that special, either (and kind of pricey), but there is just something about a good airport Bloody Mary that overlooks a multitude of other issues. Cheers!
Mix: Homemade
Chaser:No
Fixin’s: Celery, Lime, Olive
Price: $8.25
Thanks to Big Daddy’s or sending me their Bloody Mary mix to review!
Between going “out for bloodies” and my travel schedule, it usually takes a special occasion for me to make them at home; this time, I broke out the bottle to make Bloody Marys for my dad and me on Memorial Day.
To keep the test pure, I sampled Salvy Sousa mixed with an unflavored Skyy Vodka and added olives, a pickle and smoked mozzarella string cheese.
According to their website, Big Daddy’s creator, James Miller, has been a bartender for over 20 years. During this time, James realized that the key to a good Bloody Mary is consistency (which I totally agree with) as the taste can vary greatly from bartender to bartender and day to day. So, James created a Bloody Mary mix for the establishment where he worked. Now as a bar owner, James makes the mix by the gallons and bottles it for his loyal customers to this day. Unfortunately, at this time, Big Daddy’s is not available for purchase.
The verdict: This mix was very good, but very thick! You definitely need to add more vodka and/or ice (I recommend vodka) to thin it out. It would also be very good in chili and sauces.
Thanks again to the good folks at Big Daddy’s for the samples!
Cheers!
Out For Bloodies 