Heather H
Google
Hubby and I are coming up on two years back in Florida after 9 in New Orleans, and we are very aware that we are cocktail snobs. Our palates changed while there, and many Florida bars offer drinks that are far too sweet for our tastes. To make matters worse, we live in Lake County, which is not know for its vibrant cocktail bar scene (although shoutout to the team at Roasted Spirit, who we love).
Today, a random turn of events led us to darken the door of The Neighbors and our lovely bartender Jerry. After looking at the menu at TN, I noted that it had been a long time since I’d had trouble ordering a drink because they all looked exceptional. And they were. We had a College Park, a Formosa, and a Coytown, all exceptional and BALANCED, which is my main critique of most cocktails (that they are unbalanced).
Jerry is a gem. We swapped stories about New Orleans, as he will be going to compete in the Tales of the Cocktail competition later this month. He shared with us some of his concepts for drinks, and even let us sample a specialty ingredient he developed (with much work). He has the passion for the craft without the over-jaded attitude that (understandably) pervades the profession. I’m sure everyone at this bar is just lovely, but I hope to ask for Jerry when we return.
I forgot to nab a photo of their liquor selection, but they carry a lot of unique products, and additionally, their menu changes frequently with a seasonal menu plus a monthly focus. You would never get tired of drinks here.
I can’t speak to the food, as we did not eat, but the rest of the space houses a high-end, Florida-focused gift shop that was just delightful. I was especially pleased to find boutique perfumes, as (y’all I know this is nerdy) I’ve decided to try to better train my nose to scent different aromas, and I rarely see local perfumerie products.
Anyway! Enough rambling. This place is a gem. We try to build a happy life where we live, work, and play in Lake County, but this was an excellent field trip that I look forward to visiting again when life takes me into town.