The Great Gatsby might be the singular novel that captures the glitz and glam of the Roaring ’20s –– lavish parties full of gilded imagery and jazz. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s world seems alien compared to the dust-covered Western swing of Fort Worth –– until now.
Adding depth to the downtown landscape, The Sinclair greets guests with polished green marble accentuated by original hand-carved crown molding and gold trim, along with a touch of a Western motif. The Art Deco building, constructed in 1929, underwent a major overhaul from office building to a 164-room boutique hotel powered strictly by ethernet – a first of its kind. You’re instantly transported to another era in the most refreshing way.
Refreshing remains the theme when you realize a cocktail is a necessity and when the Wicked Butcher lobby bar or rooftop bar with unrivaled views of downtown beckon.
The lobby bar is lengthy, with each stool sporting cowhide as another subtle hat tip to its city’s past. Playing it safe with the trend of white subway tile, diamond-shaped tile flooring, and sputnik pendants, the designers have crafted a style befitting the age of the building, holding it timeless. Each dangling overhead light fixture maintains its own IP address that rests at a low 25 watts, giving the bar a coolly lit undertone. Leave your phone chargers behind because the bar top is equipped with built-in charging stations nearly invisible upon first glance. Simply set your phone on them for a boost, or, better yet, leave them tucked away.
Knowing Wicked Butcher has a fully stocked bar and bartenders who possess the ability to mix whatever cocktail requested, we recommend working your way down the list of mindfully curated cocktails. Happy hour is a Monday-through-Friday engagement, beginning at 4pm and ending at 7pm, with select cocktails attractively priced at $8, with wines arriving at $6 a glass and $1 off draft beer.
To start off, ease into the TX Whiskey-based Urban Cowboy – reminiscent of an Old Fashioned, except with a lemongrass syrup that cuts in half the fire of the hooch and tartness of the orange bitters.
Building upon that is the Smoking Barrel, which incorporates lighting mesquite wood on fire for show, though using a double rye base and peach bitters, rimmed with orange peel. On a lighter note, the namesake The Sinclair is a combination of the popular aperol and prosecco before adding a splash of Sprite and lemon juice.
While the main Wicked Butcher restaurant is actually subterranean, having a kitchen in close proximity allows the lobby bar to provide a condensed version of the restaurant menu. Specializing in dry-aged steak and fresh seafood, which includes sushi, the bar menu’s offerings are more in keeping with the casual upstairs diner. Dishes range from small bites, such as shucked oysters and deviled eggs thoughtfully renamed Wicked Eggs (topped with smoked bacon), to a chef’s selection of cured meats and cheeses for a charcuterie board or a 6-oz. filet and frites plate. There are vegetable options that straddle the fence of health like tempura shishito peppers and fried artichokes, both of which can be enjoyed with the Wicked Margarita.
Off to a promising start, we selfishly hope to see all three hotel bars eventually develop their own beverage menus to reflect each identity. Nevertheless, saddle up to downtown’s newest dwelling and drink like Gatsby, old sport.
The Sinclair
512 Main St, FW.
817-601-4621.
