It took me a couple of years before I finally made it to Bar Americano. Not because it is hard to find (which it is), or because it's especially exacting in entry criteria. The primary issue is that it's a very small bar, and they make a policy of limiting the numbers so patrons have a great experience and don't feel crowded.
Because of this (and the fact it's not on any route from one place to another) my random arrivals with a group of five or six meant that we were repeatedly rebuffed - in the politest possible way of course.
My partner and I finally made it to the bar on my birthday this year as there were only two of us, and it was late afternoon on a Saturday. We entered and were assigned a choice spot by the bar, and given a rundown of the cocktail menu. There are only sixteen cocktails on offer (originally there were eight), and they cover two themes - classic cocktails you might associate with the heyday in the US, and Italian cocktails in line with the bar's roots as an aperitivo spot.
My absolute favourite cocktail is the Negroni, but since it, in theory, is such a simple concept I was considering having something I haven't tried before. Stephan the mixologist dissuaded me, by saying they had gone out of their way to try and create the best Negroni in Melbourne - a very high bar. I went with his recommendation and was not disappointed. This wasn't the glassful of red spirit with an iceball and a twist of orange (or god forbid lemon). Instead, it was a finger of well-balanced flavours, with large single ice cube holding in place an expertly cut and folded rectangle of orange peel. The delivery expertly met the bar's mission statement of "drink less but drink better", while also nodding to the original Negroni recipe of having a substantial piece of orange in the cocktail.
All in all, it was a sublime experience and I can't recommend it enough. If you are in the area and are lucky enough to get in then certainly go for it.
[//]:# (!steemitworldmap -37.814953 lat 144.965714 long Bar Americano (perhaps) the smallest and coolest bar in Melbourne d3scr)