Phatsy Kline’s - The Cat’s Meow of Hotel Bars
I’ve done a lot of travelling in my life. In that time, I have discovered that there is a certain vibe found in hotel bars. There is a feeling of emptiness; of customers never there long enough to gain a rapport; of a menu that seeks to offer items to make their customers comfortable and nothing more. For this reason, it was an absolute pleasure to experience Phatsy Kline’s: the coolest hotel bar I have ever experienced.
Phatsy’s is an extension of the Inn at Second and C, in the Historic Eagle House. The bar sits adjacent to the Inn’s ballroom, and conversely feels as though it is its very own space as well as an integrated part of the Inn.
The balance of vintage and modern aesthetic blends flawlessly to make you feel like your hippest self. Feathers in stylish vases adorn the corners of bar tops and bookshelves. Velvet booths wrap around featured paintings by local artists. Turquoise and copper walls are framed by built-in shelves dressed with antique books, crystal decanters, and eclectic cat figurines surveying you from their perches.
I sat down with co-owner, Jennifer Metz who ordered us cocktails and snacks (yeah, they’ve got food) and told me about the rich history of the building and the restoration that it’s undergone since she and her sister, Rebecca Rex, and their spouses Tim and Tammy chose to purchase the space.
The old building sings of ghost stories and the mindful addition of historic redwood in the form of reclaimed wine barrels and lumber recovered from the bottom of the bay infuse the lush history of Humboldt County. But the long list of events that the bar and Inn host like “Libations for Donations,” boudoir photoshoots, cabarets, open mic nights, trivia, and parties for New Year’s Eve, Halloween and more, make it clear that the team of new ownership is breathing a fresh breath of life into the Eureka cornerstone.
The beautiful, Lavender Pisco Sour, and my horribly messy, misspelled notes
Our bartender, Jess, delivers us each a “Lavender Pisco Sour,” which is a botanical play on a classic cocktail delivering a soft touch of lavender balanced by acidity that only comes from fresh-squeezed citrus and Pisco, a Peruvian brandy, which rounds out the finish. The garnish of a floating pansy, sprig of French lavender and lemon twist make this drink particularly Instagramable.
A small, painted paw print in the epoxy on the bar top peaks out from under the foot of my glass, and Jennifer explains that her cat was the original Phatsy Kline. She points to a portrait just above the back-bar of the fluffy feline yawning lazily, completely undisturbed by the hustle and bustle of the quickly growing crowd. The single paw print on the bar leads to another, and another and shows a path of where the ghost of Phatsy herself has appeared to traipse down the length of the counter, attending to customers.
Their menus mirror the same authenticity and attention to detail as their design, including an impressive list of local beer, wine and cider, and cocktails made from ingredients squeezed, muddled, infused, and picked in-house. Specialty cocktails include such as the “Cherry Poppins,” “Frisky Kitty,” “Tiki Hooty Hoo” and more including their take on a classic French 75 called the “French 007” and one of the best Old Fashioneds that I’ve had in the area to date. They also feature a menu of mocktails, or non alcoholic mixed drinks, and a large selection of snack boards featuring house-made, local and carefully curated items like hummus, dolmas, pickled veggies and so much more.
Literally, the best Old Fashioned in town
As I sit at the bar writing this very article, probably the cutest couple ever sits down next to me and orders their drinks and their food. They glance over at my notebook, and ask me if I’m writing a review. I say “yes,” though as I’m drafting it I realize that it is going to read more as an exuberant fawning rather than a professional review. The two of them beamed and told me that this was their first visit to Phatsy’s, but that they absolutely loved it and proclaimed it as their new favorite site for date night. They told me about the drinks that they ordered, arguing playfully about who ordered the “girlier” drink and told me about how excellent the food was on their charcuterie board.
My new friends went back to their date, customers continued to pour in through the front door and Jess continued to gracefully mix drinks like potions with vials and containers of the house-made shrubs, simple syrups and bitters; the Justin Time band setup for their set that evening; and it is clear that this historic building which has survived so many diverse eras was settling into its newest life as a hub of our community’s creativity and community connection, in addition to being the coolest hotel bar that I have ever been to.
A version of this article was published in the Humboldt Insider Magazine in Fall/Winter of 2019