
IT'S EASY TO ROMANTICIZE the good old days. Back when men wore suits and we didn't know red meat was bad for us and there were trout in all the rivers. Yes, everything was better in this mythical past we never knew. But let's acknowledge one thing that is true: There's a crisis in the modern drinking world. Where are the good bars?
It's more complicated to get a drink than it should be. And I live in New York, where bars mean something. I don't ask for much: a dark room without much going on. I can take it from there. Today, bars are themed; they're kitschy; they're tourist magnets. Others installed TVs for the World Series or World Cup and never turned them off. Now they're on cable news, for goodness' sake. The whole point of being in a bar is to escape the news!
That's just the decor. What about the company? A bar should have regulars and a feeling of easygoing, unstated fellowship. The world moves fast, and here we are to take a moment or two to regroup with others doing the same. These days, you sit next to people taking pictures of martinis getting warm. A line out the door reassures them that the Instagram photo is worth the wait.
Denne historien er fra March 2025-utgaven av Esquire US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2025-utgaven av Esquire US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på

Anthony Mackie Is One of One
His résumé is filled with indelible performances: Half Nelson. 8 Mile. The Hurt Locker. He's been Spike Lee's muse (twice) and has worked with plenty of greats. With Captain America: Brave New World, he'll lead the MCU's next decade. So why is recognition just coming now?

NEW DAD
THE AUTHOR MADE A FEW BUCKS DONATING SPERM BACK IN THE DAY. THIRTY YEARS LATER, THERE WAS A PHONE CALL. THEN ANOTHER ONE. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SUDDENLY HAVE A NEW FAMILY AT SEVENTY-ONE?

The Navy Blazer Redux
Think it's too stuffy for you? Get ready to change your perspective.

WHO'S LAUGHING AT DONALD TRUMP NOW?
He was treated like a cartoonish interloper in his first term. This time, he enters office with a shield of legitimacy that even the Democrats can't deny.

A RISING DESIGNER EYES HIS LEGACY
Brett Johnson's fresh, modern menswear is an American's take on European luxury. Conforming to expectations isn't his style.

How Much Would You Pay for Inner Peace?
The world of woo-woo has gone mainstream, so I embarked on a $16,000 retreat to see the face of God. To my great surprise, it worked...sort of.

Never Again...Again
Nazi Germany has long been regarded as an ultimate, unspeakable evil, with no possible comparisons or parallels here. Not any longer.

PERFECT FOR A JOHN HUGHES VILLAIN
Brian Davis, owner of the vintage store Wooden Sleepers, thinks this is the ideal sweatshirt even though he's never shoved anyone into a locker

THE BOSS
You know him for his comedies, his love of weed, and his raspy chuckle. But at forty-two, Seth Rogen is now more powerful than you can imagine—even if he won't admit it.