The Buildout

Amor y Amargo was only supposed to be a six-month pop-up. Instead, it became one of the most influential bars of the modern era—a place with a distinct philosophy, a fiercely loyal audience, and a legacy that still matters. On this episode of The Buildout, Sother Teague joins Adam to tell the story of Amor y Amargo, explain why the drinks are always stirred and never shaken, and reflect on legacy,...

Jeff Bell may be best known for PDT, but as much as the bar reflects his influence, it wasn’t something he built from the ground up. That bar is Kees. A deeply personal project, Kees gave Jeff the chance to create something entirely his own—and to do it under the weight of expectations that come with being so closely associated with one of the most famous bars in the world. On this episode of The...

People come up with bar names and cocktail ideas in all kinds of ways, but for Josh Harris, inspiration often comes from memory, art, and whatever happens to spark something bigger. That creative instinct helped turn Trick Dog into one of the most influential bars of its generation. But Josh wasn’t always sure the bar—or even his place in the industry—would work out that way. On this episode of Th...

When Kenta Goto left Pegu Club to open his own place on the Lower East Side, he was stepping into unfamiliar territory. He knew how to run a great bar program — but building a business from the ground up was something else entirely. So he did what came naturally: he studied. Kenta read everything he could about owning and operating a business, and that preparation paid off. From day one, Bar Goto...

When Cure opened, Neal Bodenheimer had a simple goal: create a great neighborhood bar. He did that—and then some. Over the years, Cure has grown into one of the country’s most celebrated drinking destinations, a New Orleans modern classic, and a must-visit for anyone in search of an exceptional Sazerac. On this episode of The Buildout, Neal joins Adam to share the story behind Cure, why he returne...

What makes Yacht Club one of the most fun bars in America? A lot of it comes down to the energy behind it: owners Mary and McLain are clearly having a blast. On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with the duo to talk about how two Southerners ended up in Denver, why they traded the music business for the bar business, and how they built one of the country’s most joyful places to drink. F...

The founders of De Vie met while working at Paris’s legendary Little Red Door, where they began to imagine a bar of their own—one that carried forward everything they’d learned there, but stripped away some of the operational headaches that come with running a bar that has lines that form before the doors even open. The result is De Vie, one of the most exciting new openings in Paris. On today’s e...

Shingo Gokan and Steve Schneider may not seem like an obvious bartending duo at first—but that’s exactly why they work so well together. Shingo is rooted in the precise, classic style of Japanese bartending, while Steve comes from the high-energy, hospitality-driven world of Employees Only. After years of friendship and collaboration, the two joined forces to open Sip & Guzzle in New York’s We...

What started as a bar opened by some of Mexico City’s most famous party promoters has become one of the world’s great cocktail institutions. On today’s episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Limantour founding bartender José Luis to tell the story of the bar’s rise—and to explore how Mexico City became one of the premier cocktail destinations anywhere in the world. Follow us: https://www.ins...

Death & Company is one of the most influential bars of the modern cocktail era. It helped establish the East Village as a true cocktail destination, launched the careers of many of today’s best-known bartenders, and evolved into an internationally recognized brand with locations beyond New York. On today’s episode, Adam sits down with the founders to talk about how it all started. Follow us: h...

How do you inherit a room as legendary as Milk & Honey—and still make it unmistakably yours? On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy to unpack the pivotal moment when they persuaded Sasha Petraske to let them hold onto the space as he prepared to move on. They talk through the philosophy behind Attaboy—what it carried forward, what it deliberately chan...

On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with acclaimed bartender Joaquin Simo to tell the full story of Pouring Ribbons—from the early buildout days and opening buzz to the hard realities of running a modern cocktail bar. Together they unpack what made the place special, what ultimately led Joaquin to close its doors for good, and why he’s not sure he’ll ever open another bar again. Follow...

Stepping into Shinji’s feels a bit like tumbling down the rabbit hole. Drinks arrive inside hollowed-out oranges. A Ramos Gin Fizz appears in seconds instead of minutes. Plumes of dry ice drift across the bar. It’s playful, theatrical, and a little surreal—yet somehow everything still tastes incredible. The creative force behind it all is Jonathan Adler. On this episode of The Buildout, Adler join...

The original idea behind Clover Club was simple: open a great bar closer to home. What wasn’t simple was the execution. When the bar debuted, no one had yet brought a Manhattan-caliber cocktail experience to Brownstone Brooklyn. Clover Club set out to change that—and in the process helped redefine what a neighborhood bar could be. Today, Clover Club is an industry icon. But getting there meant yea...

Perched high above the clouds, Overstory is unlike anything else in Manhattan. Launching a refined, high-end cocktail bar in the heart of the Financial District was a bold bet. The neighborhood has long been defined by dive bars, happy hours, and big screens—not destination drinking. Yet Overstory has defied expectations, becoming one of the most celebrated bars in the country. Co-founder Harrison...

When Takuma Watanabe left Angel’s Share, he wasn’t just moving on — he was chasing a vision: to build the ultimate Japanese-style cocktail bar in New York City. The result is Martiny’s. Takuma sits down with Adam to talk about what it took to make the leap from acclaimed bartender to owner, the principles and details that define Martiny’s, and how he translated Japanese craft and hospitality into...

Why would one of the most celebrated restaurants in the world — Eleven Madison Park — open a cocktail bar? Turns out the answer isn’t “because they can.” In this episode, Adam sits down with EMP Beverage Director Sebastian Tollius to unpack the story behind Clemente Bar: how it came to life, what it means to build a bar through a three–Michelin-star lens, and the standards that carry over from the...

Mexico’s bar scene has exploded over the past decade — but bartender and owner Nacho Jimenez set his sights on something different: building a New York City bar that feels unmistakably Mexican and unmistakably American. On this episode, Adam Teeter sits down with Jimenez to trace his journey to opening Superbueno, the choices that shaped its identity, and what it takes to build a bar that resonate...

When GN Chan and Faye Chen opened Double Chicken Please, the idea of cocktails that taste like food was still a novelty in New York City. Almost immediately, the bar captured local and national attention—and soon after, international acclaim. Within a year, Double Chicken Please rocketed onto the World’s 50 Best list, and today it draws lines from the moment the doors open until last call. GN and...

Masa Urushido will never take credit for the runaway success of Katana Kitten. Despite the awards and global acclaim, he insists the real story is the community that lifted him up—transforming a shy, awkward newcomer into one of NYC’s most admired bartenders. Adam talks with Masa about that journey, and how teaming up with Greg Boehm and James Tune sparked the creation of Katana Kitten, a bar whos...

Today, Meaghan Dorman is rightfully considered one of the OGs of New York’s craft cocktail movement—but breaking into the scene wasn’t always so straightforward. Her entry point? Answering a Craigslist ad for a mysterious new speakeasy in Chelsea called Raine’s Law Room. That gig would ultimately lead to Dorman opening an equally—if not more—celebrated bar with her partners a few years later: Dear...

What began as a weekly pop-up inside the now-shuttered Fort Defiance slowly evolved into one of Brooklyn’s most imaginative cocktail destinations. The Sunken Harbor Club charted its own unlikely course—thanks in part to a shortage of decent drinks near the Downtown Brooklyn courthouses (yes, really), and the sudden availability of one of New York’s most visionary bartenders. Adam sits down with St...

Ask most drinks writers to name their favorite New York City bar, and chances are you’ll hear the same answer: The Long Island Bar. But the story of how Toby Cecchini and Joel Tompkins finally opened this now-iconic spot is far more complicated than its easygoing vibe suggests—complete with notes slipped under doors, late-night window peeking, and a perfectly timed chance encounter. Adam sits down...

In 2011, industry veterans Joshua Boissy and Krystof Zizka quietly opened Maison Premiere on a then-sleepy stretch of Bedford Avenue—far from the bustling hotspot it would later become. The bar didn’t stay quiet for long. Its immersive, transportive design and exceptional cocktails quickly drew crowds and set a new standard for New York hospitality. Adam sits down with Joshua to unpack the near-mi...

In 2013, two celebrated bartenders from Belfast arrived in New York with a single goal: to open the world’s best bar, proudly rooted in Irish heritage. Adam sits down with co-founder Jack McGarry to unpack how they made that vision a reality—and where this now-iconic brand is headed next. Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcast The Dead Rabbit: https://www.instagram.com/thedeadrabbitn...