The Varnish Awards

The Varnish Restaurant Review:

This speakeasy-style bar is tucked away inside Cole’s, the historic downtown restaurant famous for their French dip sandwiches. To find it, walk to the back of Cole’s, where there’s a plain door with a small sign on it listing the bar’s hours. Inside, dim lighting reveals a bar with a few stools, wood tables, benches covered with leather cushions, black and white photos on the walls, and a white tiled floor. A piano sits alongside the booths, and live music is featured Sunday through Wednesday nights. The drink menu lists a few craft cocktails that rotate with the seasons. The bartenders can also create a custom-made cocktail according to your flavor and spirit preferences. Unique two-by-three-inch ice cubes, which are cut by a chainsaw from a large block of ice, keep drinks cold without diluting their potency. The Varnish also has beer, wine and limited snacks (roasted nuts, pickled vegetables, pound cake).