Museum Tavern was the result of the mother of all bar crawls. The brainwave hit brothers Kyle and Glen Kristenbrun during a tour of bars across the U.S. Inspired by locales such as The Breslin in New York’s Ace Hotel, Chicago’s Purple Pig and a few venues in San Francisco, the brothers decided to open their version of the quintessential American tavern north of the border. But it’s not as if the Kristenbruns were jumping into the unknown: They already own the Over Easy restaurant downstairs and their father, former Toronto Argonaut Tom Kristenbrun, owned the El Mocambo and the now-closed French restaurant to the stars Bistro 990. Dad noted the brothers’ pitch sounded a lot like his former Bloor West landmark Bemelmans and supplied them with a few antique knick-knacks for the space. So, in early July, Museum Tavern opened its doors with a list of new and classic cocktails and spins on all-American dishes.The vibe: Museum Tavern hearkens back to a time when not wearing a fedora was considered tantamount to public nudity and gentlemen still held the door open for a dame (you still should, actually). An antique cash register sits atop a long marble table inside the brown-and-burgundy dining room, flanked by black stone statues of deer. There’s a touch of the 1970s, too, thanks to the signed poster of the Rolling Stones’ famous ’77 gig at the Elmo (one signature notes “Ronnie Wood was ere”). The enclosed patio is the place to be on a bright day, as it affords a second-floor panorama of Bloor St. W. right outside the Royal Ontario Museum. Kyle vows to keep it open as long as the weather permits.The Drinks: Bar manager Moses McIntee, formerly of Lucid, was given free reign. The extensive collection of spirits, especially the more than 40 single-malt whiskies, is a sight to behold. “Pretty gangster, huh?” notes McIntee, adding he plans on stocking more than 100 of them in the near future in his mission to make Museum Tavern a destination for cocktail nerds. In the meantime, enjoy original $12 creations such as the Watermelon Collins (Bombay Sapphire gin, watermelon, basil, lemon and pink-pepper and aloe syrup) and the French Tonic (Cointreau, Jerry Thomas decanter bitters, falernum, tonic and lime). Oak-aged classics include Manhattans, Negronis, Old Fashioneds, Sazeracs and Remember the Maine (Alberta Springs 10 rye, sweet vermouth and angostura bitters).The Food: Executive chef Stephen Gouzopoulos’ top selections, according to Kyle, include shareables such as the Stuffed Chicken Wings (with bacon, blue cheese and hot sauce, $16) and Duck Buns (with green onions, hoisin and Sriracha, $12). Torpedoes (mini-submarine sandwiches) such as the Turkey Confit (with pork belly, gruyere, tomatoes and lemon mayonnaise, $15) rank among the top mains.