In its first incarnation as a bougie banh mi shop, Double Dragon had its fans. I was not one of them. But Double Dragon’s boozy reboot has bettered the place. They’ve kept the stylish branding on the walls, but moved the counter to make room for a long bar that serves an outstanding warm toddy called the Gold Soundz—which has lemongrass and an absinthe rinse—plus a variety of special alcoholic punches. The loungey space hosts Baby Ketten karaoke and geek trivia. The chicken chorizo banh mi is no rival for Binh Minh or An Xuyen, but it’s not an affront to the form, and an expanded menu of soups includes a coconut curry ramen. But you shouldn’t eat here when you’re feeling picky, or when too much sunlight streams through the massive windows facing Division Street. To my mind, this is a bar now. It has the same vibe as the old Dragon, but far more utility.
Happy hour: 3-6 pm weekdays and 10 pm-midnight daily. Various specials including a $10 pint-and-burger.
