It’s a fine line these days between what’s considered a bar and what’s considered a restaurant. In many cases the line is so blurred that foodies and bar enthusiast alike must refer to their favorite food and drink experiences as “barstaraunts”. This is how Eater Chicago recently referred to our latest edition of Drink Deck Chicago, and we couldn’t agree more!
Here at Drink Deck we are constantly on the hunt for those venues that care as much about food as they do about drink! Having a curated selection of beer, wine or cocktails is as much an art as is sourcing fresh & local ingredients for your cuisine! For us, and for our venue partners that fall into the “barstaraunt” category, food and drink are of equal importance.
Now that’s not to say that a good dive bar, cocktail lounge or music joint will be excluded from our destination guides! After all there’s a venue for every mood, right? Sometimes you just want a drink and other times food and drink are in order!
There are over 1 billion people worldwide on Facebook now, so no doubt you have an account. Or maybe you prefer twitter, foursquare, pinterest, instagram, Tumblr or LinkedIn! Well you can find Drink Deck on all of these sources and we want to hear from you!
As an incentive when you pose for a photo of you and your friends hanging out with your Drink Deck in hand or snap a shot of your receipt with a redeemed card we’ll get in touch and send you a card for a return visit to that venue! So find a Drink Deck friendly venue and log in to your preferred social network to join the fun!
Still not sure what we’re talking about? We’ve included some example photos below the list of destinations and our social network links.
Okay, kids, this is it. All the foreplay and build up is done. It’s time for the Big Game for the Big Game. As usual, we’ll be using Vinny’s (patent pending) 3 Drinking Game Measurements: Sip, Swig, and Slam (finish your beer/take a shot). And remember, this is for entertainment purposes only. Don’t end up like Justin Blackmon.
Take a Sip
1 Sip: Take 1 sip for every one of Ray Lewis’ tears. You’re a grown-ass man. Stop crying. 2 Sips: For every mention of Colin Kaepernick’s tattoos. 2 Sips: Any time Joe Flacco’s unibrow makes an appearance. 3 Sips: Any use of the phrase “Bro Bowl” or “HarBowl” or some other of the myriad of ways the NFL will remind us of how neat it is that brothers are coaching against each other in the Super Bowl. 4 Sips: For every Jim Harbaugh face or freak out. Add a bonus swig if he does that little child stomp. 4 Sips:If When Ed Reed gets an interception. There. I said something nice about the Ravens.
Take a Swig
1 Swig: For ever beer commercial. 1 Swig: For every commercial with a baby or scantily clad woman. Drink all the way through the Go-Daddy ads. 2 Swigs: For every celebrity sighting. Commercials count, but “celebrity” is left to your discretion. 3 Swigs: For every shot of Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh. Because their sons are coaching! Against each other! In the Super Bowl! 4 Swigs: If there is a camera shot where Terrell Suggs actually has his mouth closed.
Slam It
Slam Your Drink: If Beyonce has a “wardrobe malfunction,” then thank your lucky stars you weren’t watching the Puppy Bowl. Slam Your Drink: If the announcers mention any player in a negative light for off-the-field behavior. Don’t worry, they won’t. No one wants to keep their head on a swivel for a flying soap dispenser. Slam Your Drink: If one of the announcers, players or coaches audibly swears and they have to awkwardly cut away.
Drink for the Duration of:
Any video package of New Orleans. Bourbon St! Jazz! Mardi Gras!
Any Ray Lewis dance.
Any split-screen shot of the Harbaugh Brothers. Because they’re related, you see.
It’s extremely ironic that there are 52 weeks in a year and 52 cards in Drink Deck destination guides. Man, this sure makes your New Year Resolution a breeze! To up the ante we’ve got a promotion going that offers any of our destination guides for just $15! Get started today.
Interested in our iPhone or Android apps? Those are only $15 too, but for a limited time. So what are you waiting for?
We’ve got a deck of cards come destination guide chalked full of over $500 in savings for cities like Chicago, St. Louis, New York, London, Boston, Portland and more! Give the gift that keeps on giving, featuring the best independently owned food and drink bar scenes!
Starting Cyber Monday Drink Deck & Friends is offering free shipping on all orders, and get $10 off when you order 2 copies of Drink Deck or a Drink Deck and another destination guide!
Tens of Thousands of food fanatics are about to descend upon Oak Street in Uptown for the 2012 Po Boy Fest! Come visit your friends with Drink Deck New Orleans in the front yard at Squeal Bar-B-Q where we’ll be providing you with a great chance at picking up the ideal gift for the Holidays – Drink Deck New Orleans: the bar enthusiast’s travel & discount guide. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! And if it’s just a gift for yourself you can feel good knowing that you’re saving over $520 on food and drinks when you go out on the town to spots like Squeal Bar-B-Q .
Everybody goes out at least a few times a year! And we’ve got the perfect gift that not only gives food & drink recommendations, but also saves money at top locally owned and operated bars and restaurants in great destinations like New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and London!
When you order one Drink Deck destination guide and any other product from Drink Deck & Friends you will get $10 off your order; thus “a double down special”!
Even better: enter your email address from our online store and get FREE SHIPPING!
Here are the other products available on our site:
City Dining Cards: Albany (Capital Edition), Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Providence, Rochester and Syracuse
So, this year skip the bottle of wine or box of chocolates and give a gift that keeps on giving, a gift that supports locally owned & operated bars and restaurants!
New Orleans is a spooky town, even when it’s not Hallows eve! Any town with this much history, especially history involving pirates and the like are bound to have some ghosts! Now not all the stories of ghost hauntings in NOLA are old in fact! Here are a couple stories from Drink Deck friendly spots that we’d like to share. So if you find yourself looking for something to do this Halloween why not put on your Halloween get up and take your Drink Deck out for a spooky bar crawl in the French Quarter!
Here are two haunted spots to visit:
The Jimani Lounge: The year was 1973 and the gay lifestyle was not yet as accepted as it is today. One man, a bar owner, named James Massaci, Sr. had demonstrated a rare tolerance and acceptance, allowing local gays to use the second story of his building as a bar and nightclub they called the Upstairs Lounge. It was through the door on the second story above The Jamani on the night of June 24th, 1973 that an angry bar patron tossed a Molotov cocktail, causing an explosion and subsequent fire that consumed the Upstairs Lounge, claiming 32 lives.
George “Bud” Matyi was a local entertainer who played at bars and restaurants around New Orleans at the time. Although he was “out” to his close friends most people never knew that Bud was gay, but he took this in stride. Playing piano at the Upstairs Lounge above The Jimani, Bud could be among friends in a comforting and open atmosphere. The night of the fire Bud actually made it out of the building, but went back in to help others escape! In the end he parished, and they found him dead under the piano. To this day George “Bud” Matyi can be seen walking around the building vanishing in and out of the space. Here’s the full story if you’d like more information.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith’s Shop: Regardless of when you are in New Orleans or for how long you’ve lived there, the old building at 941 Bourbon St is a must for any bar enthusiast! It just so happens that there’s life in that old brick and mortar, some of it supernatural! In fact, Lafitte’s oozes with genuine haunted New Orleans atmosphere like flickering candles, dark woodwork, old fireplaces and a musty brick courtyard. The one ghost in particular that everyone hopes to see is that of the pirate Jean Lafitte who once used the location as a front for a burgeoning smuggling business. The building was built sometime before 1772, and is one of the few remaining original “French architecture” structures in the French Quarter.
There have been reports of hauntings in this old bar for years.
A mirror in the upstairs area is said to be haunted by the spectre of a woman some say it is Marie Laveau Or Madame Delphine Lalaurie.
The fireplace grate in the downstairs bar, rumored to be the actual last resting place of some of Lafitte’s gold, is said to be haunted by the ghost of the pirate Lafitte killed with the charge to protect the treasure for eternity.
Staff and patrons have been alarmed by the sight of two ghostly red eyes staring at them through the grate and the atmosphere around the fireplace is said to be decidedly chilled and unwholesome.
Several witnesses have actually reported seeing the man himself, The Notorius Ghost of Pirate Jean Lafitte, scowling from a dark corner, twisting his black moustache in his gloved hand. Several people who have seen the ghost say that as soon as it is aware of them, it will vanish into thin air. Some say they smell the presence of a ghostly strange tabacco blend when he is near.
No this post isn’t about alien invaders from outer space. It’s actually about making your Holiday online shopping experience more convenient! We made some phone calls, dropped some emails and got introduced to a few folks in other destinations across this great land of ours that are doing similar things; namely creating curated card decks featuring savings at top independent bars and restaurants! And thus we proudly present to you “Drink Deck & Friends“, a partnership offering a great way for you to gift something unique that keeps on giving! Present it to your clients in Chicago, your sister in St. Louis, your brother in Boston, your niece in New York City, your friends in Philly and your partner in Portland! Check out all our new destinations at Drink Deck & Friends!
Below you will find a little more information on how our friends The Diner’s Deck, City Dining Cards and The Discount Deck – St. Louis operate!
Happy gifting everyone!
52 NYC Restaurants
Every card is a $10 gift certificate
• Every card features a fun, informative description of a restaurant.
• Every card is a $10 Gift Certificate at the restaurant it describes.
Terms and Conditions: • Each card is redeemable only once
• $30 minimum purchase required
• Limit one card per party
• Discount may only be applied toward food portion of bill
• Cannot be used toward alcohol, tax or tip and may not be combined
with any other discounts or promotions, including
prix-fixe menus and some brunch menus
• Valid for dine-in only
• Valid Now thru December 31, 2013
To celebrate the one year anniversary of Drink Deck on Android we’ve released a sexy new version of our app that gives our Android users some awesome new functionality! Below are some screen shots and explanations.
The splash screen image is followed by a one time pop up message that tells you that you can scroll through the cards to see each of the 52 venues and their special offers. It defaults to London, but read below to learn how to change your destination.
The first card that shows up is the terms and conditions card. The image can be tapped on to increase its size or you can just scroll away from here. With your snazzy Android phone you can also turn the phone sideways to get a landscaped view of all the screens!
To change your destination just tap “More” from the menu at the top of the main menu. From here a pop up box will appear the bottom of the screen allowing you to select the city you wish to access.
If you see a card that you want while scrolling through the venues just tap the bottom left corner of the card and you will be taken to the purchase page where you have the option of purchasing an entire destination for $29.99 US / £19.99 UK or up to 10 cards from any of our destinations for just $13.99 US / £8.99 UK.
Any cards you’ve purchased will show up on the “My Cards” page and you can access them for redemption.
With the purchase any 10 cards feature you have the ability to purchase the same venue’s card a maximum of 3 times. You can see each of the venue signs in a list and can tap the venue you’d like to purchase and then continue scrolling down the list until you’ve selected 10. From this list you have the ability to select 10 from any of the 4 current Drink Deck destinations.
With tons of free travel and bar/restaurant recommendation apps out there it can be tough parting with $30US/ £20UK for an app, but we’re so sure you will love Drink Deck for iPhone that we’re putting our money where our mouth is! If you’re not 100% satisfied after downloading and using our app, we’ll refund your money!
Well, the savings for one! Imagine spending 100 bucks on food and drink and getting 30 off your bill, even during happy hour. That’s what Drink Deck does for you, use the app 1-3 times and it pays for itself!
Secondly, you get free updates any time we make a change to the app!
Finally, our satisfaction guarantee: we’ll refund your money if you aren’t pleased!
Oh and if you previously had the Drink Deck app for any of our destinations and you’ve redeemed some cards you’ll notice that the newest version gives you a clean slate of all 52 cards, our gift to you!
Now on to what’s new in the most recent update:
The snazzy new splash screen shows your destination’s skyline.:
It’s easier to navigate venue genres, neighborhoods and the venue list. :
The map view shows your location AND the Drink Deck Venues in the vicinity!:
We’ve enhanced the scroll feature & card touch points, making it easier to see the venues and to call or view their web site. :
Tap the share button on a card to text, email or share your location & savings with friends on social media! :
Hey New Orleans! We’re celebrating summer with a special offer that’s only good in July, our lowest price of the year for a full download of Drink Deck NOLA – just $14.99 on iPhone or Android. Heads up Android users, the .99 cent cards are going away soon and Drink Deck will only be available as 52 cards, so this is your chance to stock up. Get all 52 cards for just $14.99 – use it 1-2 times and it pays for itself!
Plus downloading the full deck of 52 venues gets you free updates for the life of your device! That means each time we reprint the physical playing card deck, you get free updates of the newest Drink Deck venues and their special offers.
Hey New Orleans. So you heard about Drink Deck New Orleans on the radio and ordered through Get My Perks. Now what? Here are instructions for redeeming. Just a heads up, if your code doesn’t work check back in 24 hours as we probably haven’t entered your code yet. If you need to reach us with a question, please email will@thedrinkdeck.com.
4) The item(s) will be added to your cart at the top of the page
5) Click the highlighted linked at the top showing your order and amount
6) Click View Cart
7) Click Use Coupon Code
8) Enter your code
9) Scroll to the bottom and click check out
10) Follow the next steps, registering an account or clicking Guest Checkout
Our smart phone apps are not part of this offer through Get My Perks, however we have lowered the price on our apps for the next 14 days from $29.99 to $14.99, so download the app to your phone and give that deck of playing cards you purchased as a gift! Remember, Drink Deck never expires so you can even save it for the Holiday Season and have one less gift to buy this year!
We love our customers…aka fellow Drink Deckers. You guys and gals totally keep it real. As you may know we recently conducted a survey asking for input from current and future Drink Deckers. Here are some responses from the vets and newbies:
Comments from Veteran Drink Deckers:
“I think its a great idea, I love going to new bars that I might not have gone to before.” – Colette
“All of my drink deck experiences have been great. The merchants redeem without trouble. I love thumbing through the deck and even though there are some places I will never go to, I have more than made up the cost of my deck.” – Bobbi Jo Delany
“I use it weekly for “Random Wednesday”. I shuffle the cards, make a random selection and head over there. So far the cards have not steered me wrong.” – Paul McKay
“My friends and I love Drink Deck! It’s been really great for us, mostly as a catalyst to get us to go someplace other than where we usually go” – Erin Cooper
“ I love the idea and will definitely use them soon! I love that they do not expire… great idea!” – Sara Ginsburg
“I don’t carry them around all the time. I use foursquare as well, so I always see when I could have used them! If I were to purchase again, I would go with the mobile app.” – Emily Basten
“A lot of fun! I like using these cards and have purchased decks as gifts.” – not disclosed
“I need to go to the bars that I’ve never been to before, and this is an excellent excuse!” – not disclosed
“The drink deck has been a great motivation to try new bars and many have become favorites that I never would have known about otherwise.” – Holly Mashaw
“I initially had some apprehension regarding drink deck. After I ordered it I went on Trip Advisor Louisianna forum. I did not get a response from anyone when I queried if anyone had used the drink deck successfully. The two locations I used were Tracy’s and Lafitte’s and both locations were aware of the discount. No hassles!” – Michael Isserman
“One waitress thought she had to keep the card, but after talking to the manager it was sorted out. That was one of the “selling” points for DrinkDeck; that you can keep the cards as a souvenier and see where you’ve been!” – Dana Tedesco
“The Android App is wonderful-I love the convenience of always having access to it, especially because even though I generally carry my coupons with me if I’m heading out at night with friends I don’t. Thanks!” – “Sandhya Krishnan”
“I love the idea and I always tell people about it. I’m on a mission to use all of my cards! Good luck!” – Sarah Gutierrez
Drink Deck Newbies – When asked, “What’s Drink Deck?:
“The coupon deck of cards you can use to go to all the cool bars in Chicago and Portland“- Kristiana Kaufmann
Here’s a recent article on the Drink Deck concept. Click the image to bring the article up in a new screen and then click that image to enlarge the article all the way. Thanks to Lisa Morisson and Beer Advocate Magazine for the support!
Savvy travelers do research to find the best spots to visit before departing: checking Trip Advisor, reading blogs, asking friends for recommendations and purchasing travel guides. It’s a lot of work and rarely results in saving money!
Enter, Drink Deck for Chicago, Portland and, the newest addition, New Orleans! With “bar enthusiasts” and “foodies” in mind Drink Deck has combined the traditional travel guide and entertainment book concepts into a handy deck of playing cards, or location based iPhone app, featuring a curated list of 52 great bar/restaurant concepts; each offering up to 30% off with no expiration.
Will Glass, Founder of Drink Deck LLC says “We started in Chicago, a historically significant bar town from the bootlegging prohibition days. Portland, Oregon was next because it’s known as ‘Beervana’, offering more micro-brew beer than any other US destination. Next we moved on to New Orleans, a town that boasts the invention of more http://liquor.com/ [cocktails __title__ cocktails] then any other US city. Now work has begun on a very popular tourist destination known for partying…Miami!”
It’s a great way to be an urban explorer, either as a local or as a visitor. There are cards in each destination’s Drink Deck for every mood. Sometimes cheap beer and eats at a dive bar are in order. Yet other times it’s more about pairing food with drink, or listening to live music. Create a food, drink & entertainment bar crawl by picking out cards by neighborhood, bar genre or just pick a card, any card, and hit the town spontaneously.
We are pleased to announce that our expansion to New Orleans is complete! Our vision of Drink Deck as a “travel guide for bar enthusiasts” is becoming a reality; as this product gives our brand representation in three outstanding towns perfect for food & drink travel!
New Orleans is known as the Crescent City, a name given based on the path the river takes. Others refer to it as the Big Easy; a reference that originated in the Prohibition era, when the city was considered one big speak-easy due to the inability of the federal government to control alcohol sales in open violation of the 18th Amendment.
Steeped in culture, rooted in hospitality and well represented as a world class food & drink destination!
Drink Deck New Orleans can be ordered as a physical deck of playing cards at Order here or for your iPhone in the iTunes Store!
Our official launch party is scheduled for Monday, June 27th at d.b.a. and you can RSVP at here. Why Monday? We want as many of our Bar Partner locations, bartender & mixologist friends and members of the Hospitality Community to be able to make it out to the event. Most of the rest of us aren’t working all weekend and have some flexibility to attend after work. We hope to see y’all out at d.b.a. on Monday, June 27th.
New Orleans is one of the most unique destinations in the world thanks to the Crescent City’s rich food and drink culture. Educating Bartenders & Mixologists is an integral part of keeping this culture alive!
Drink Deck is happy to support the continuation of educating Bartenders and Mixologists by donating 10% of our proceeds to the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society (NOCCPS), which hosts Tales of the Cocktail®, the internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine & culture. Taking place for it’s 9th year in New Orleans from July 20-24, 2011, the event mixes the best and brightest of the cocktail community: award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs.
NOCCPS is committed to preserving the city’s worldwide culinary acclaim. Our non-profit partner raises funds to benefit hospitality industry members, while spreading the unique culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans to locals and visitors alike. NOCCPS further supports the hospitality industry through education, and scholarship programs like the Flo Woodward Fund and the Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship, Trails of the Cocktail for emerging talent in the cocktail industry.
So, next time your travel plans take you to the Crescent City pick up the bar enthusiast’s travel guide to New Orleans, and drink for a cause.
What’s shakin this Fall? With the burgeoning craft cocktail scene in New Orleans we went in search of what’s on the menu for Autumn.
This year skip the pumpkin pie or sweet potato casserole that you usually bring to the family Thanksgiving feast. Instead mix it up a little by trying your hand at a fall themed cocktail! Or, here’s a better idea! By pass the hard part, actually making the cocktail yourself, and instead take your crew out for a night on the town over the Holiday weekend to experience some fall concoctions brought to you by our favorite cocktail bars in town.
This is a great time of year, especially if you’re a fan of the brown liquid loveliness like bourbons, dark rums and even sweet vermouths that come into play as the autumnal equinox gets into full swing. Below you’ll find a review of 5 great spots to visit this fall and what’s shakin’ behind the bar from some of New Orleans’ best. If your internal mixologist is up to it, give these lovely recipes a try at your own cocktail lab this Thanksgiving.
The Skinny: Bar Tonique is a laid back off the beaten track craft cocktail bar on the outskirts of the French Quarter. Exposed brick, chalk board menus and the sweet sound of jazz coupled with ice rattling against cocktail shakers create the setting for both full time and guest bartenders to work their magic.
The Cocktail: Steve Wiltshire’s “A Dire Invitation”, has the perfect name for a drink that you’d shake for a guest you were hoping would join you for a Thanksgiving day meal! It’s a champagne cocktail mixed with sour cherry shrubb, reposado tequila and Cocchi di Torino Vermouth. It’s served in a champagne flute and garnished with an lemon peel.
The Recipe:
1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
3/4 oz Cocchi di Torino
3/4 oz Sour Cherry Shrubb
Stir and strain into flute
Top with sparkling wine and lemon twist
The Skinny: An award winning concept and one of Travel & Leisure’s Best Bars in America in 2011, Cure is located in a reclaimed fire house in Freret District. Noting the giant wall of liquor behind the bar you get a good feeling that whatever they are shaking is going to be done well!
The Cocktail: From bar man Neil Roche comes “Midnight In A Perfect World” and another nod to Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. Concocted with a fortified peach syrup and bourbon this drinks bound to light up a few faces around the dinner table. Seems to us that it would pair well with turkey, oh or peach cobbler!
The Recipe:
1 oz Nardini Tagliatelle Liqueur
1 oz Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon
1 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
2 dashes Bittermen’s Mole Bitters
1/8 oz of Fortified Peach Syrup*
Stir until chilled and strain into a coupe.
Express the oil of one grapefruit peel above the cocktail and drop in the glass as garnish.
*Fortified Peach Syrup
2 Cups water
2 1/2 Cups Diced and Muddled Peaches (equivalent to 3 ripe peaches)
2 Cups White Sugar
Add all ingredients into a pot.
Bring to Boil. Drop the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Take off the heat and let cool.
Add 4 oz of Wray and Neph Rum
Add 3 Dashes of fee peach bitters
Stir ingredients.
Let mixture sit over night and strain the next day.
The Skinny: Don’t let the facade or surrounding area scare you away from a visit here. The space is plush and the stone topped bar sprawls across the room like a never ending all you can eat buffet, providing plenty of space to mingle with friends. With candle lit tables off the bar in the lounge area this is a perfect spot to spend a chill evening.
The Cocktail: The Hayride by Sean M. Neary. Like a Dark and Stormy with Bourbon instead of rum the Hayride is one of those cocktails that keeps you coming back for more. And what a perfect name to conjure up images of autumn.
The Recipe:
1 1/2 oz. Bourboun
1 oz. Hiver Amer Bitters
1 oz. Lemon juice
1 1/2 oz. Honey
Topped with Ginger Beer
Combine Bourbon, Bitters, Lemon Juice and Honey in a shaker without ice. Shake vigorously to incorporate the honey. Strain over ice. Top with Ginger Beer. Garnish with a twist of lemon.
The Skinny: A refuge from the action just off the Bourbon Street strip is this quaint little hide away where you expect to hear Billy Joel playing Piano Man while men in smoking jackets mingle with dames in cocktail dresses.
The Cocktail: The Bombay Club is known for their martinis so it’s no surprise that their fall inspiration, the Cinnamon Spice-tini by Becky Rovelo, comes in a long stemmed glass!
The Recipe:
2 parts Fireball cinnamon whiskey
1/2 part Tuaca
1 part Amaretto
Half N half
Shaken and poured into a cinnamon sugar rimmed martini glass
The Skinny: Special things are happening in this French Quarter carriage house dating back to 1796. With a blending of creations old and new food and cocktails are exquisitley combined making Sylvain a go to spot on any visit to the Crescent City.
The Cocktail: Nieux Jersey, cocktail by head bartender Liam Deegan
The Recipe:
3/4 oz Sazerac Rye
3/4 oz Laird’s Bonded Applejack
1/2 oz Becherovka
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
Stir in mixing glass with ice
Strain
Serve with one large ice cube
Orange Peel Garnish
