IMAGE: Eliza Sohn

No shit—upon seeing that The Whiskey Bar and Grill (1135 SW Washington St., 227-0405) offered a “Kobe Burger” ($12), I called the bartender, Kevin, over to my table and asked if the owner was a Lakers fan. Kevin was as kind and polite as when I’d asked him to recommend a good whiskey (he gave me a Pendleton on the rocks, very good), and one of the bar’s five other patrons (on a Tuesday at 10 pm) told me all about Kobe beef. It says something complimentary about this newish spot, housed in the space last home to Bettie Ford, that a naive novice—albeit a liquor lover—like myself felt comfortable sticking around, eating sweet-potato fries and sipping smooth whiskey at a place clearly a couple of notches more classy than I usually frequent. Spacious, personable, stocked with the good stuff and equipped with a 6-foot-long porcelain trough in the men’s room (both unique and a touch invasive), the Whiskey is currently my go-to spot for a drink when I’m downtown and feeling a bit above my economic stratum.