Whisky Mistress earns #4 because it expands the range of the ranking. The first three venues lean toward sophistication in different ways. Whisky Mistress loosens the tie. This isn't necessarily the place we'd choose for the quietest date night or the most meticulously crafted cocktail experience. That's not what it's trying to be. Its strength is combining a mature social crowd with enough energy to make the night feel like an occasion. Most importantly, Whisky Mistress reminds us that upscale Black travel doesn't mean behaving upscale every minute of the trip.

Sometimes you want the good hotel, the nice dinner and then somewhere you can hear R&B, order another round and dance. We rank the experience, not the stereotype. Whisky Mistress fills a very specific gap on this list. Sometimes grown and sexy gets translated into sit down, look good and don't move too much. Not here. Whisky Mistress gives the 30-and-up crowd somewhere to actually have fun. There's food and there are cocktails, but as the night develops, the music and crowd can push the experience much closer to a party than a traditional lounge.

That's part of its appeal. Current programming like R&B Thursdays speaks directly to the audience we're looking for, and the multi-level layout gives the room enough movement that you're not locked into one kind of night. Grab a drink. Find your people. Dance when your song comes on. Sit back down when your knees remind you you're not 22 anymore. No judgment.

There's also something very Atlanta about a place that can sit somewhere between restaurant, lounge and club without feeling the need to pick one. For travelers in their 30s and 40s especially, Whisky Mistress answers a question that doesn't get enough attention on traditional travel sites: Where are the grown people actually going? This is one of those answers.