The Yard

You walk into The Yard and immediately feel like you've stumbled into someone's actually good idea of a local—the kind of place where the bartenders care about what they're pouring and the punters aren't just passing through. Earl Street's been having a bit of a moment, and this spot absolutely deserves its part in that. The vibe is unpretentious but clearly thought-through, with cocktails that go beyond the tired classics but don't disappear up their own backside either. It's the sort of bar you'd recommend to mates without feeling like you need to explain yourself.