Review: A Drink at The Last Penny is Money Well Spent

Improvisation is the true mark of a bartender’s skill—and that was put to the test at the new Locust Point bar, The Last Penny. We loved our first round of cocktails so much that we couldn’t leave without having another. But what to order? On a mild May day, the Aperol Spritz sounded invigorating. But the bar was out of prosecco. No problem, our bar manager, Dan, said, before proceeding to whip up a similarly flavored, yet-to-be-named concoction of Lillet Blanc, Campari, and soda.

The drink, like each of the ones we tried at The Last Penny, was artfully constructed, and extremely satisfying. As was the atmosphere at this quintessential neighborhood bar opened by cousins Dipal Patel and Pratik Patel earlier this year. The smallish space, recently renovated and dominated by a wooden bar, feels brand new, but the spirit of the place is timeless.

The cousins wanted to keep it a “neighborhood location,” and they’ve succeeded. Juice boxes are available for kids. There’s local art on the walls, trivia on Mondays, and the bar has contracted with Volo City Sports and contributes to its philanthropy program. On the night we visited, the music wasn’t too loud, and the conversations weren’t too hushed. There wasn’t a food menu (the cousins have plans to change that soon, but Dan offered us bags of Lay’s potato chips and Planters peanuts). Muted sports played on two of the three TVs; a Bob Ross painting video ran on the other.

Beer and wine (including $5 glasses on Wednesdays) are available, but cocktails are the star here. We started with a Lazy River, a refreshing and not-too-smoky combination of mezcal, triple sec, orange juice, lime, and grenadine. The Rosemary’s Baby—vodka, house-made blackberry shrub, lemon, simple syrup, soda, and a dark rum floater—is garnished by delicious bourbon-soaked cherries. Best to give it a stir to integrate the rum floater with the rest of the ingredients.

Round two included the bar’s take on an Old-Fashioned (The Pop-Pop) and a Manhattan (The Broadway). Both were solid, if not revolutionary. The Knees of Bees, made with gin, honey simple syrup, and lemon, was light but flavorful. The drink was enhanced by the honey, not dominated by it. Undaunted by its name, we forged ahead and ordered a Corpse Reviver, an intimidating mixture of Lillet, gin, lemon, triple sec, and an absinthe wash. We were worried it would be a bit too alcohol-forward, but it was surprisingly drinkable. (“Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder,” a clever chap in our party quipped after taking a sip.) The next time we return, we’re eager to try Not Your Father’s Folgers (hazelnut rum, vodka, cold brew, and simple syrup). That’s a bedtime buster if we’ve ever seen one.

Even if The Last Penny is out of an ingredient for a cocktail you’re eyeing, ask your bartender to improvise. Whatever they come up with will be worth every cent you pay for it.