Dan Rodriguez loves venues that tell a story and offer a dash of ‘if you know, you know’ mystery. Just look at Electric Avenue, Dan’s antiques-and-memorabilia-adorned bistro that features a hidden upstairs speakeasy accessed via a secret doorway. Or have a gander at Mr. Badger’s, Dan’s new sandwich deli and bar that features a life-sized replica of an early-1900s tramcar (that you can dine in) as a decorative centrepiece. Canvas Club (the famed cocktail-driven locale that Dan took over a decade ago) might be his most straightforward operation, but The Tailors – Canvas’s new neighbour and the latest addition to Dan’s Logan Road-based hospitality portfolio – boasts enough of a transportive vibe to compensate. You might not notice The Tailors if you’re absentmindedly passing by. From the street all one will see is an upmarket alterations boutique called Rodriguez & Co. – a suiting shop reminiscent of the sartorial institutions that populate London’s Savile Row. Step inside, though, and instead of pins and pincushions, scissors and measuring tape you’ll find swizzle sticks, jiggers and assorted glassware. The site has housed an assortment of businesses throughout its history – everything from plumbers and banks to tailors and locksmiths. Today it’s a cosy 35-seat drinkery and live-music venue inspired by the small bar culture of Central and South America, with its narrow space spruced up with the addition of comfy teal banquettes and high tables, back-lit mirrors, twinkling fairy lights, a small stage, and old-school tourism posters advertising the idyllic lifestyle of Cuba.
As one would expect from a venue run by the cocktail-savvy crew behind Canvas, The Tailors boasts a cracking list of concoctions – the kind that will have you feeling like you’re cozied up inside a Santiago speakeasy, Havana hideaway or back-alley bar in Buenos Aires. Tiki and Latin American influences saturate the offering, with ten kinds of cocktails drawing upon a 60-strong collection of Central American, Caribbean and Australian rums. Standout sips include the Paradise Love (spiced rum, cognac, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla and lemon), Queen Anne’s Revenge (aged rum, banana liqueur and banana prosecco) and the Golden Humming Bird (white rum, vanilla liqueur, DeKuyper triple sec, sugar and prosecco). As for the music, on certain nights folk can file in and enjoy performances from Cuban jazz trios or sets of South American salsa – with its roster of live acts set to grow and diversify as the months progress. Dan envisions The Tailors as the perfect late-night go-to, with an opening time of 8:00 pm perfect for anyone seeking a post-dinner tipple after dining at one of Logan Road’s many eateries.
The Tailors is now open to the public. Operating hours can be found in the Stumble Guide.
