When Anthony Nastasi Jr. launched Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails in March, he figured it would be a temporary concept. Back then, many hoped the novel coronavirus outbreak would be a receding nightmare by summertime.
The pop-up cocktail bar was conceived as a way to help out-of-work bartenders earn some income in the meantime, and relied on temporary alcohol carryout and delivery privileges instituted under Gov. Larry Hogan's state of emergency order. Months later, with no clear end to the outbreak in sight, he says Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails is here to stay. In recent weeks, the bar has added outdoor seating and hired former Sagamore Pendry sous chef Justin Spivak — most recently of Clinton Street Local — to craft a food menu set to debut Friday. Nastasi says he hopes to eventually buy the bar at 800 S. Kenwood Ave., which was home to Good Works Spirit House before the pandemic. Though Mr. Nice Guy started with a rotating roster of guest bartenders, Nastasi said he's now assembled a longer-term team for the bar.
