Mike Moreno Jr.’s family owns Moreno’s Liquors, and when he decided to open a bar to showcase the store’s supply, he didn’t go far — he tucked Osito’s Tap right behind it. The bar feels like it was imported from Mexico City and draws locals and industry folks for its deep mezcal offerings and inventive drinks with Mexican ingredients from Moreno and lead bartender Denisse Soto. It’s not all agave: El Oscuro, a smoked old-fashioned with bourbon, ancho, chocolate, and orange, is already a classic.
