The obvious allure that keeps the ""same old crowd"" coming back for more is the premium martinis/shots. The bar staff is very knowledgeable and the bar itself has one of the best top-shelves in town, and definitely THE best top shelf in the ""Cinci"" District. A fine selection of scotch from bleh-blended to smokey single malts, bourbons few shelves in El Paso stock, and a huge selection of flavored and infused vodkas are the main attraction. A lot of attention is paid to detail all the way down to premium garnishes such as edible orchids, fresh muddled berries, and out-of-the-ordinary juices like white-cran... which is sometimes mistaken for ""slow"" bar service. Beer sometimes isn't as cold as it should be on a Friday, especially domestics which are iced in-box and usually not to temp during peak hours; not surprising, who drinks that p**s anyway? Imports are good, but a very safe selection is offered at best.
The DJs are top notch (I frankly think Esteban Carrasco and Dave Is For the Children are far more in-the-know and in-the-now when it comes to music than most other locals), and are also part of the draw for there being so many ""regulars.""
The main bar queues up 4-deep on weekends and getting a drink is easiest by occupying a table and waiting for a waitress, or hanging out on the patio on Fridays, where the bars are just as full-service as the inside.
All-in-all I say 02 is a hip place to beat the downtown crowds and the downtown service which is worse by leaps and bounds.
Pros: Knowlegeable/creative bartenders, premium martinis,
Cons: Really small bathrooms and main bar area.
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