El Carmen
If "Twin Peaks" director David Lynch designed a south-of-the-border bar, this is what El Carmen would be like. Mounted bull heads watch over tequila drinkers, while black velvet paintings of Mexican wrestlers survey the room. The theme carries over to the wrestler masks hanging from the ceiling and the Pulp-style art covering the walls. The surreal mood is locked in when the jukebox jams its fourth Michael Jackson song in the last hour and no one even notices.
The kitsch factor draws its share of hipsters, but El Carmen also gets its fair share of the sleek and chic who come for the tequila, baby. There are more than 420 varieties to choose from; the sampler platter offers a sip or two of several different types. Or try a Mexjito, a delicious, tequila-based take on the mojito.
