Small Victory

Owner Josh Loving’s Small Victory is actually a huge victory; the bar serves cocktails borrowed from the past in a gorgeous space that still feels like a secret, despite all of its acclaim. Nestled in the corner of the parking garage behind the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel, the bar is found up a flight of stairs and behind a heavy wooden door. The space has been transformed with plush banquette seating that spans the length of the room, as well as a large, round booth in the back that you just know is the epicenter for wheelings and dealings. In addition to a customizable martini menu, there are expertly crafted house cocktails like the Artist’s Special—adapted from a 1927 bar book, it's a variation on the whiskey sour using Scotch instead of American whiskey to add alongside the sherry, lemon and grenadine.