Jason DeRusha is the self-deprecating funnyman of local TV news, an all-around social-media sage who also posts his foodie ramblings in the blogosphere. In three years on WCCO-TV's weeknight segment "Good Question," he's answered questions like "Where do zoo animals sleep?" and "What happens to raked leaves?" OK, but what does he know about bars? Let's find out.
Nightlife: Jason DeRusha's belle vies
We asked WCCO's Jason DeRusha: What are your 5 favorite bars?
"You'll see people in $1,500 suits and people in $20 jeans. I like that. Johnny Michaels is just a brilliant bartender. I don't know if he invented the craft cocktail [movement] in this town, but he certainly mastered it. The wine list is phenomenal."
- Favorite drink: The Old Cuban (Mount Gay rum, fresh mint, bitters, fresh lime and cava).
"The cocktails are amazing. Dan Oskey is such a great bartender. He's creative, he's funny, he's sarcastic, he's just fantastic. It's kind of in a weird spot, so you feel like you're going on a little adventure. The place is cozy and dark. You look out the window and see the St. Paul skyline."
- Favorite drink: The Cobra Kai (Kilo Kai rum, habanero bitters, egg whites, sour).
"They have a late-night happy hour. One of the joys of Pittsburgh Blue is I think it's one of the top spots for marital infidelity in the Maple Grove area. My wife and I had a very funny night sitting next to some woman who was trying to convince a guy to leave his wife. That's a good bar."
- Favorite drink: "I'm secure enough in my manhood to go with the blackberry mojito."
"[This] is a place where you can go to the bartender and say, 'I like gin, can you make me something?' and they'll do it. It's kind of a cool room without being over-the-top and intimidating."
- Favorite drink: The Captain Wentworth (bourbon, Fernet Branca, Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur, black walnut bitters).
"Bunny's is the type of bar where you walk in and a stranger wants to buy you a shot at noon on a Tuesday. They've got free popcorn. They have cheap happy hours. There's nothing fancy, and sometimes you need that."
- Favorite drink: "I think beer would be the favorite. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the most exotic thing they have on tap is Summit."
Critics’ picks for entertainment in the week ahead.