Port City Tavern is many things. It is a shape-shifter, having not only happily shed its previous skin of Iguana Kelly’s but consistently adapting to its growing crowd of followers. It is a communal hub, filled with constant activities. And when it comes to the holidays—be it Halloween or Oktoberfest or Christmas—Port City Tavern is there for both the neighborhood and its patrons.
Port City Tavern’s holiday cocktail menu continues its tradition of accessible meets delectable.
“We’ve long been doing a holiday menu, and I’m happy to showcase that many are returning—they’ve become staples at this point,” said head barman Bradley Eston. “Almost modern Long Beach classics, if you will.”
One such staple is their stellar take on an old-fashioned, the “Oh, Snap!” What Bradley dubs as their biggest staple, Dickel Bourbon gets washed with apple butter and then finished off with turbanado sugar, Angostura bitters, and a Trader Joe’s gingerbread cookie. Smooth, perfectly sweet, it is a holiday hymn for the mighty classic cocktail.
Another bestseller? A play on the tequila-meets-absinthe classic known as the Hole in a Cup. “You’re a Mean One” is a beautifully green concoction that melds tequila, pineapple, and absinthe with the earthiness of cactus and the aromatics of dill.
“We switched cucumber for cactus and the result is wonderful,” Bradley said—and most concur: The drink consistently flies off the shelf with its balance of sweet, tart, and earthy. (Not to mention its very Grinch-like character with the mini-bushel of dill protruding from the top.)
And then there’s plays on new things—like the mighty espresso martini concocted from their back-to-the-future nitrogen machine. Grabbing nitrogen from the air surrounding it, this machine requires zero liquid nitrogen to make drinks frothy and creamy. And with it, makes one of the city’s most dangerously downable espresso martinis—which is precisely why they have created the Martini Tree.
What makes Port City Tavern special for the holidays or year-round.
Owner Dylan Davis has largely permitted bar manager Bradley Eston to do as he wants with his creative will. And Bradley, in turn, has allowed his staff—with some obvious tweaking here and there with their concoctions—to do the same. The result? Cocktail menus that span from the favorite books of bartenders to Halloween spooks.
Even more, Port City Tavern is one of the most community-centric spaces on this list. Perpetually supporting causes—like their support of children cancer research during their stellar Oktoberfest event—while continually hosting events in their parking lot, they reflect what all businesses should do when they take over an existing business: Learn about its patrons and respect them but do not let them prevent you from innovating. Connect with your community beyod the cocktail; create events and spaces that aren’t just liquid-based. And, above all, own yourself.
A look at some of the drinks featured on The Attic’s 2024 holiday menu.
Eschewing the warm in favor of the bright, each drink—even one you think will be like a ginger snap—is wonderfully tinged with tart, citrus, and other arrays of acidity that make this menu the brightest of all the holiday cheer offerings.
Snowballin’: Mezcal | Gin | Aloe liqueur | Cola syrup
You’re a Mean One: Tequila | Pineapple | Cactus | Lime | Absinthe rinse
Gumdrop It Like It’s Hot: Mezcal | Jamaican Rum | Chicha Morada | Lime | Guava | Gumdrop garnish
Oh Snap!: Apple butter-washed Dickel Bourbon | Turbinado | Angostura
Martini Tree: Cold brew | Borghetti Espresso Liqueur | Mandarine Napoleon | Turbinado | Choice of Tito’s or Casamigos Reposado
Port City Tavern is located at 4306 E. Anaheim St.
