I've gone to the Downtown Cocktail Room twice now and part of what makes me enjoy my time there is how sociable and knowledgeable the bartenders are here. Since they aren't stuck serving the same drinks as every other place, they definitely put a lot of pride in what they make.
Now the prices here are certainly higher than some dive bar, but they're also pretty reasonable for a specialty drink. They use some interesting flavor extracts as well as more exotic ingredients (jamica??) to both compose and accompany the drinks. Additionally, the place itself has an interesting vibe to it that you don't get in a lot of other places.
Come here for the drinks though. I can't even begin to describe the list, and it changes seasonally anyways.