Blue Martini Lounge

Blue Martini's eponymous cocktail might be first on their list of "classic" martinis, but those ordering it shouldn't expect it to look traditional. For starters, it's not clear, but blue (of course). It also eschews the usual glassware, arriving over ice in an oversized snifter rather than a martini glass. The drink gets its hue from a dose of Blue Curaçao, and its taste from a blend of vodka, Cointreau, and orange juice, a mixture patrons can continue to stir with the glow stick that comes propped inside the glass. Blue Martini is able to take such liberties with their libations because they've created 40 unique specialty martinis, a list that draws from flavor inspirations as varied as cucumber, caramel, and sour apple. There's even four different "skinny" martinis, which weigh in at less than 250 calories each.

It's not all martinis, though; bartenders are adept at crafting limitless cocktails, popping bottles of champagne, and pairing guests with selections of red and white wines almost exclusively from California. To keep their drinks company, guests can order from a succinct, yet diverse menu of dishes including a beef tenderloin flatbread and seared tuna with an Asian seaweed and calamari salad. The upscale, sizable environs at each Blue Martini location make them ideal party venues; in fact, hosts can even treat their guests to bites from party-platter menus designed to feed up to 400 people or one really hungry garbage disposal.