Specialty drinks the norm “At Random”

By STEVE SEAMANDEL

“I want you to hold hands and make a wish,” said our waitress. “Now blow out the flame at the same time, and take a drink together.” We did. “Now your wishes will come true,” she concluded, before disappearing into the dark confines of At Random.

I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a drink (a lit one to boot) that came with instructions from the server before, other than “be careful while drinking that, son.” But it made my roommate’s and my $18 co-investment in the gigantic Tiki Love Bowl a little more bearable.

At Random, located at 2501 S. Delaware St. in Milwaukee, serves only specialty drinks. The menu proudly boasts “No beer or wine,” and the place is pretty much an all-around classy joint. No hats or caps; you young punks will be asked to remove them, and I was quite glad to have changed from my pajama ensemble of fleece pants and grubby t-shirt. I could smell the swank of the place before I even set foot inside.

The inside décor is, well, dark…as in, dimly lit. Very dimly lit. While Frank Sinatra croons over the speakers throughout the entire building, the inside of At Random is divided into a bar area and a separate lounge with tables and cozy plush booths. Waitresses, dressed to impress, serve all of the guests at tables, and are always smiling and a great pleasure to talk to.

Drinks are pricey, and At Random’s ‘60s style lounge get-up extends beyond decorations, waitress uniform and red velvet – they haven’t quite made the jump to plastic or ATM machines yet either, so bring plenty of good ol’ fashioned cash. The price of drinks isn’t the only reason why not to drink heavily while At Random, though. While most of their specialty drinks, including a vast array of ice cream drinks, martinis and manhattans, will set you back about $10 to $12, they’re all goldfish bowl-sized. You really only need one. Once you see your drink and take the first sip, the price won’t be hard to swallow anymore. In our case with the Tiki Love Bowl, it’s definitely meant for two people to consume - maybe even three livers processing the alcohol would be a tad safer. Quirky drinks from the menu include The Bosom Caresser, Caramello, Hershey Bar, Snickers, Cookies and Cream, Mound’s Bar, Almond Joy, and a string of other common yet rare favorites like Grasshoppers, Mai Tais, all types of Irish coffees and nearly every flavor of Martini you could imagine.

The doors to At Random open at 7 p.m. nightly, except for Sundays and Mondays. That should serve as no deterrent from going any other night though; At Random will serve you up right with an ultra-exotic cocktail after dinner…when you’ve got an extra $20 laying around that is.