Fat Guy's Martini Lounge Golf Trail

Boston - NYC - Philly - A.C. - Orlando - Chicago - Toledo - Dallas - Phoenix - Vegas - L.A. - San Fran - Bandon OR - Portland - Seattle

Forget whether Bond liked his shaken or stirred.  Martini preferences are as individual as personalities, or even moods.  They're perfect for boys' night out, a classy date night with your golf widow, celebrating good news, recovering from bad news, after work, after golf, and just about anytime in between. There are martini purists (why does Hawkeye Pierce always jump to mind?), and then there are the Gen Y 'martinis' made with flavored vodkas and mixers that the purists thumb their noses at (but the ladies love 'em).  Whether you prefer your silver bullets dryer than dry, dirty, filthy, olived, onioned, with gin, with vodka, flavored, garnished, fruit-juiced, or sugar-rimmed, here's a list of some of the best martinis and martini lounges in the country.

A martini lounge without a round of golf to build up a thirst is alot like a martini without an olive, so I've paired each town's martini scene with a classy course where Don Draper from Mad Men would be at home schmoozing business clients. So pack your hippest pair of cocktailing slacks, and an extra jar of olives, just in case.

Boston

West Side Lounge (Porter Square/Cambridge, good food, order the pear martini); Match Burgers And Martinis (Back Bay near Tom Brady's house, trendy and chic NYC-esque atmosphere, mood lighting and electronic lounge tunes, $5 filets on Thursday Ladies Night, order the Pop Rocks martini); The Charlesmark Hotel Bar (Back Bay, modern monochromatic grays punctuated with bursts of matte red, Manhattan vibe, fun patio scene, order a Dancing Bear martini); City Bar (Back Bay @ The Lenox Hotel, good selection of single malts and tequila drinks, comfy couches, cougar/escort hangout, older crowd, order the $12 French 75 martini).

Play at TPC Boston. This course, located 25 miles south of Boston, hosts the Fed Ex Cup playoff Deutsche Bank Championship every Labor Day weekend.

Chicago

Marty's (Edgewater/Andersonville, tiny, huge menu of girly martinis, rainbow friendly, careful with the huge $15 martinis--two is enough, nice patio, try the pineapple-upside down, strawberry, banana chocolate, or dirty with blue-cheese stuffed olives martinis); Blue Stem (North Center, dive bar martini lounge, white-hot bartenders, try the white cosmo or blueberry-pomogranite martini); Wang's (Lakeview, intimate 1930's Shanghai knick-knack decor, order the Lychee or ginger martinis); Dirty Martini (Near North Side, long and narrow, martinis on tap chilled to a perfect 20 degrees, try the key lime, tiramasu, or grape soda martinis); Kit Kat Lounge (Lakeview, drag queen shows and foo foo martinis, popular with bachelorette parties, fun drink menu, try the Hawaiian Punch martini).

Everybody knows that Cog Hill's #4 Dubsdread is the big Chicago tourist draw, but Draper would prefer someplace more low key. Try Kemper Lakes Golf Club (Hawthorn Woods) instead. This long-time Senior Tour host also was the site of Payne Stewart's first major championship win, the 1989 PGA. The rugged, watery closing stretch gets all the ink, but the best holes come earlier, such as the dogleg-right, par-5 11th that offers a tree-lined tee shot, followed by a superb risk/reward second over water from a slight downhill lie.

New York City is the epicenter of America for steakhouses and martinis.  You could spend a fortnight here, eat at a different steakhouse and hit a different martini lounge every night, and barely scratch the surface. Hit The Bubble Lounge for an old school Hollywood living room feel with rich classical fabrics. Primarily a champagne lounge but a great martini menu, order a chocolately Kit Kat or a Tribeca Cooler martini. SneakySunday.com digs Stir (1363 1st Ave) Great chill place to grab a cocktail on a date or a night out with friends. Good seating and upscale bar food make this a fun night out - especially in the area of 73rd and 1st that doesn't have as many upscale nightlife options! Or Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel (35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue). Another "old-school bar" with a lot of class at the Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side. There's live music (with cover after 9:30) and the murals on the wall are done by Ludwig Bemelmans (the author of the Madeline book series). They do various cocktails, with a chatty barstaff - and a great "dark" location makes it a good date place too! But the ultimate authority on things such as the best martini in NYC is probably the New Yorker. They dig Madam Geneva (4 Bleecker St., at Bowery). The moodily lit lounge hidden in back of AvroKO’s Bowery hot spot Double Crown takes its name from an old British slang term for gin. The Beefeater comes sweetened with housemade jam. Pegu Club (77 W. Houston St., 2nd Fl)Audrey Saunders stocks specialty gins that make her bar a martini mecca, and the Fitty-Fitty is a sly, silky variant with half gin and half dry vermouth—plus orange bitters and a lemon twist that highlight the two liquors’ botanicals. The devil is in the details. Not only do they serve most martinis in a smaller glass with paired carafe to preserve the drink’s signature chill and keep the stemware frozen, they even chill the olives. Bar Seven Five at Andaz Wall Street Hotel (75 Wall St., at Water St.). Don’t expect the overheated, see-and-be-seen ambience of the Ace, the Jane, or the Standard at this hotel bar. In fact, don’t even expect an actual bar. Instead, you’ll find a modular space designed by David Rockwell in dollar-bill green, several large, black tables suitable for sitting or standing, and roving servers carrying wooden caddies stacked with shakers and glasses. The drinks are poured tableside, in a Benihana–meets–Sasha Petraske sort of way. And while the setting is definitely meant to appeal to modern-day Don Drapers, the cocktails (all $13) are more Ragtime than Mad Men (think gin, not vodka, martinis). 

See also:  NYC Steakhouse & Golf Weekend.

Play The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge 6,889 yards, par 72 $69-$129 845-782-7888, www.mansionridge.com

Philadelphia, PA

Per ThisWeekInPhilly.com, here's a complete guide to Philly's martini lounges:

Bleu Martini (24 South 2nd Street)

Neon blue lights make it hard to miss this standout member of Old City Philadelphia nightlife. Specializing in more than 30 different martinis, Bleu Martini was named one of the best martini bars in the city. With a VIP lounge membership option and waitress only table service, this is the place to come when you want to kick back in authentic lounge atmosphere leisure. Combine your mouth-watering martini with a selection from the eclectic Asian, American, Fusion menu and your night can’t get any better.

Valanni (1229 Spruce Street)

Roundly lauded by old-timers and first-timers, Valanni is great atmosphere with intimate spaces, comfortable seating, and a perfect first choice to wet your whistle with a variety of cocktails including martinis.

Fork (306 Market Street) 
This Old City Philadelphia bistro takes food and drink seriously, having won praise from such noteworthy sources as the New York Times, USA Today, Food and Drink, and Zagat’s. Fork’s lunch and brunch menu have been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine as the best in the city. The magazine also gave a “Best of Philly” award for “Wine List With Real-World Prices.” And, of course, they have a tempting selection of martinis and cocktails because that’s what we’re talking about here now, aren’t we? You simply can’t go wrong at Fork.

The Continental (134 Market Street)

A restored stainless steel '60’s diner, this cutting-edge nightspot sets the tone for Philadelphia nightlife. Oversized olive-shaped lamps emphasize the trendy décor and set the tone for sensational cocktails and over 15 varieties of martinis. Plus, any time you see Lobster Mashed Potatoes on the menu, you pretty know you have landed smack dab in the middle of gustatory nirvana. Yeah. You read that right. Lobster Mashed Potatoes. Eat that while drinking one of The Continental’s sexy libations and you can die happy, knowing even if you walk out the door and get flattened by a careening cement truck, it won’t even matter. You’ve already achieved life’s penultimate experience inside.

Continental Mid-Town (1801 Chestnut Street)

Continental’s midtown location boasts an extensive list of cocktails like the Dean Martini, Buzz Aldrin, Dirty Shirley, Bees Knees, plus many more martinis, gimlets, and Manhattans. While you’re tipping the liquid, remember to try their menu, which offers the classics, heart-stopping desserts, and surprising twists like the Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese with orzo, fontina, and frico for only $12. [Fat Guy Note:  I'm not afraid to admit that I'm more in the nouvelle martini camp.  Continental's Buzz Aldrin is one of my favorites anywhere, made with peach vodka and Tang... Remember Tang?  Yeah, that space age orange drink mix from the '70's.]

Play Downingtown CC (www.golfdowningtown.com), about an hour outside the city.  This former country club designed by George Fazio has classic lines, narrow fairways lined by mature trees, and elevated greens boldly guarded by deep bunkers. Artistic peripheral landscaping, and some surprisingly quaint corners and hollows.  Reminiscient of Philadelphia U.S. Open venues, on an 90% scale.

Atlantic City, NJ

For martinis, hit Blue Martini (Bally's) or Tomatoe's (9300 Amherst, Margate). At any of the above, arrive early for intimate conversations in stylish settings, or late night for the Scene. You'll be amazed there's enough hip cats to fill a bar in this former blue-hair town.

The elder statesman of South Jersey golf is Atlantic City Country Club (Atlantic City, www.ACCountryClub.com), which recently went public after being purchased by Harrah's. One of the most important country clubs in the early history of American golf, this long-time private haven played host to captains of industry along with 6 USGA Championships, including the 1901 U.S. Amateur and 3 U.S. Women's Opens. Legend has it the terms "birdie" and "eagle" were coined among ACCC's undulating fairways and hallowed halls. The well-pedigreed routing is a study in the heavy use of strategic bunkering, and you will find yourself in a beach or twelve during your round. The place also sports some of the best public course greens in the country.  The front is a brutish but maneagable prelude to the windswept, bayside back. A sampling of the closing charms include tempting risk/reward par-4s over the marsh to angled fairways littered with bunkers, peninsula tees and greens, par-3's dead into a 2-club sea breeze, and sandy moonscapes reminscient of Pine Valley's Hell's Half Acre. One of the best 19th Holes in America, too.

Orlando, FL

Rix Lounge (Lake Buena Vista), Vintage Lounge (Downtown, dance lounge, laid back happy hour, classic-themed space, pro athlete sightings, good bartenders); Blue Martini (4200 Conroy Rd, devastatingly hot waitstaff in barely-there tank tops, 25 martini menu, pricey); Red Coconut Club (Universal City Walk, nightclub/ultralounge, Polynesian-tiki retro theme, 2 floors, gourmet apps).

The Grand Cypress Resort is an Orlando golf staple, with 45 holes of mixed styles.  The Nicklaus-designed North-South combo is the best choice. 

Toledo, OH

Toledo was the last place I expected to find a great martini lounge, until some friends of mine took me to Rouge (The Bistro, 6060 Renaissance Plaza, 419-824-5890).  A sexy, classy, big city room done in a subtle Moulin Rouge theme of black hardwood and votive-lit white cloth tables among swatches of lipstick-red backdrop.  Imagine the folks at Pottery Barn mixed themselves a stiff martini before decorating a supper club/lounge, then throw in just a pinch of New Vegas.  The vibe belies the upscale-strip-mall-in-Toledo setting, as this stylish room would easily draw crowds in my adopted hometown of Philly.  Rouge's airy entrance is graced with a huge Italian fountain and a 500-bottle wine hutch.  A quick stop in the men's room reveals tasteful black-and-white photo prints of perfect nude female forms.  Syrupy jazz adds to the mood.  Make your way over to the bar and ask for Bob, an outstanding mixologist and a good guy.  Order a Stinger and ask if he knows a guy named Rick Brittingham, then sit back and wait for some great stories. A few sips in, you begin to realize there's more eye candy here than just the outstanding décor.  Save for a group of well-heeled Blue Blood blue-hairs who were finishing up a late supper, our evening's shift at the bar saw 5-7 gorgeous young women rotate through, each dressed to the nines and redefining classy/sexy, flashing cleavage and friendly smiles, and largely on the arms of well-to-do men.  Yuppie lounge, mistress haven, or escort hangout?... You be the judge.

The public golf scene in Toledo is a little sparse on upscale venues, so if you can't swing a connection to get on private LPGA host Highland Meadows CC just up the road, play a good value round at the wide open watery muni links Maumee Bay State Park GC.

M Lounge in the Ft. Worth Cultural District has a sterile modernist decor, but a pedestrian selection of gins.

For golf, local PGA Tour pro Hunter Mahan likes Dallas National GC, a Tom Fazio design. "The best thing about it is the landscape. Most of Dallas is flat, but this course has beautiful elevation changes. It's also one of the best-conditioned courses I've played, and it has a real low-key club atmosphere."

Denver, CO

Blue Ice Martini Lounge (22 Broadway) has dancing, pro athlete sightings, and a fun vibe.

The Ridge at Castle Pines North (Castle Pines, CO, $125). Some serious course critics rate this higher than it's ultra-exclusive PGA Tour-site neighbor Castle Pines, with well-planned views of the Colorado countryside. Ranked in the Top 100 You Can Play. Or try nearby Red Hawk Ridge in Castle Rock. Breathtaking mountain views, links style, hilly topography, generous fairways surrounded by moguls and native grasses. The crescendo is the par-3 14th, with 80-mile vistas of Rocky Mountain National Park and Pike's Peak, and a 75-foot drop from tee to green, with O.B. deep.

Phoenix, AZ

Esquire named Jade Bar (www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com/content/jadebar.html, Paradise Valley) as one of the best bars in America. "You come for the view but end up staying for the extravagant cocktails. Jade Bar, the hotel bar for the posh Sanctuary Resort and Spa perched high on the side of Camelback Mountain, is one of the classiest spots to catch a sunset in Arizona. Floor-to-ceiling windows give way to the spectacular pinks, oranges, and purples over the desert flora below. The décor is modern with polished jade wood paneling and angular modern furniture throughout. Order some predinner cocktails, slide into a window booth, and know that you could get away with taking your date to McDonald's after this."

I can't think of a desert resort where Don Draper would feel more at home than the world-class Golden Age desert Hollywood accomodations and two world-class courses at the Arizona Biltmore Country Club. The Biltmore's Links Course has rolling fairways, desert ravines, and 5 lakes; the Adobe was built in 1928 with a 2004 restoration, wide fairways, cross-bunkers.

Vegas