Green beer, hard liquor and mixed drinks will definitely be poured on St. Patrick’s Day because it is a holiday traditionally recognized by raising a glass. But St. Patrick’s Day can also be celebrated without alcohol thanks to some pretty tasty mocktails.
“I think anytime there is a very drinking-heavy holiday, you have people who are looking for other ways to participate,” said Brianda Gonzalez, the founder of the Venice-based alcohol-free bottle shop The New Bar, which recently opened a new location in West Hollywood.
“And Mocktails are even more popular than ever,” she added.
Her shop sells all sorts of alcohol-free bottles of spirits and mixers and holds happy hour and other events for mocktail fans. She’s also holding St. Patrick’s Day holiday events at both of her shops on Sunday, March 17, and expects pretty good crowds.
“Whether you have to be at work the next day or you don’t drink, or you’re trying to drink a little less so you don’t feel so crummy after what tends to be a bit of a bender holiday, we definitely see people looking for ways to celebrate without being so hard on their bodies,” she said.
For those who want to pre-mocktail drink before going out or simply enjoy one at home, Gonzalez offered two mocktail recipes she created for her St. Patrick’s Day events at The New Bar.
The Irish Coffee
This is a classic morning drink, perfect for pre-gaming on St. Patrick’s Day. Instead of regular whiskey, Gonzalez makes hers with a 1.5-ounce pour of a non-alcoholic whiskey brand called Monday.
Gonzalez said to mix the whiskey with a splash of any higher-end brand of half and half to give it richness and body. Non-dairy drinkers can substitute the half and half with oat milk. This can be mixed with about 4.5 ounces of hot black coffee or a cold brew of your choice and can be topped with whipped cream.
“You’re going to get that little bit of heat from the Monday whiskey since it has that little bit of spice, so it has that warmth to it in flavor,” she said.
Irish Mule
Keep the vodka in the freezer because Gonzalez uses 1.5 ounces of Free Spirits Bourbon for this version of the classic drink. The bourbon does a good job of replacing the burn in the whiskey, she confirms. She mixes this with about four ounces of ginger beer and a splash of lime juice to taste all on ice.
And if you are going out to sober celebrate, here is a list of seven places to get mocktails on St. Patrick’s Day.
Bar Louie
9301 Tampa Ave., Northridge; 2467 Park Ave, Tustin; and 8860 Apollo Way Suite, Downey. 562-414-4400 or barlouie.com
Bar Louie opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 2 a.m. on March 17, so this lively spot will be a good place for a long St. Patrick’s Day party. They’ll have various drink specials including green beer. While people go up to the bar for regular drinks, mocktail fans can get refreshing and non-alcoholic tropical drinks like the Pineapple Ginger Cooler made with ginger beer, pineapple, bitters and mint. Mimosa fans will want to try the Island Hopper, made with orange and passion fruit and sparkling water to add that champagne-like sizzle. There will also be alcohol-free Guinness Zero on the menu, too.
Death and Company
818 East Third Street, Los Angeles. Deathandcompany.com
This Manhattan-founded cocktail bar takes its drinks seriously and has won some serious awards including Best American Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited awards.
And they have a serious mocktail menu, too. Non-alcoholic drinks include the Osprey, made with zero-proof rum, and the Buko Gimlet, made with zero-proof gin and coconut water.
Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen
229 E. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton. 714-853-1081 or khansaaboc.com
This is the sister restaurant to SHOR Bazaar in Hawaiian Gardens and yes, the bar here is totally non-alcoholic, too, with some seriously good mocktails. The star here is the Tower of Peshawar, which is made with Seedlip Garden 108 non-alcoholic spirit, cucumber, basil and Elderflower Tonic. They also serve zero-proof gins, whiskeys and tequilas plus several non-alcoholic IPAs, lagers and ales.
Oak and Iron
2967 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-630-1638 or oakandiron.com
This speakeasy-inspired hidden gem is one of the very few high-end cocktail bars in this area. This is where you’re going to want to go if you want a casual chill St. Patrick’s night out. And the drink to get is the Frisky Sour, which is made with the zero-proof Ritual Whiskey, lemon and an egg white. Here’s a pro-tip: ask for a tour of the underground bar.
SHOR Bazaar
12155 E. Carson Street, Hawaiian Gardens. 562-202-9274 or shorbazaarla.com
This new Afghanistan, Indian, and Pakistani restaurant is a mocktail fan’s dream because every drink on the extensive bar menu is alcohol-free. Since it’s St. Patrick’s Day, try the Manhattan, made with whiskey, cherry bitter and orange juice. They also serve shots. So, go ahead, down a few alcohol-free whiskeys straight up.
The New Bar
1821 S. Lincoln Blvd., Venice and 8363 West Third Street, Los Angeles. 424- 781-9962 or thenewbar.com
This bottle shop sells all the non-alcoholic drinks and mixers you will ever need and holds happy hour events on-site, too, including a St. Patrick’s Day happy hour from noon-4 p.m. at both locations. The New Bar celebration will include Irish-inspired drinks as well as non-alcoholic Irish beers.
The Overland
347 Orange Street, Redlands. 909-253-0393 or theoverlandbar.com
Cocktail connoisseurs in Redlands know this is the place to go for well-crafted mixed drinks. It’s also the place for non-drinkers to go since The Overland also serves a good selection of mocktails. A few to try include the Inside Out, which is a blend of Ritual Gin, passion fruit and lime. And while it’s not exactly Irish, why not raise a toast with the Queen’s Highway. This drink is made with Ritual Tequila, beets, pineapple and orange.
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