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Anja Reyes, bartender at The Boathouse at Sunday Park
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The Spicy Girl Summer cocktail, combining jalapeno-infused mezcal with flash-infused cilantro, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup
There’s a soulfulness to good cocktail making. You can feel it when you witness a bartender who loves what they do in action. There’s extra attention in their eyes and hands, and, beyond ingredients, they bring an instinct for delicate adjustments: a whisper more vermouth, an extra squeeze of citrus. These are the bartenders you return to repeatedly; despite being at the start of her career, 24-year-old Anja Reyes of The Boathouse at Sunday Park is one of them.
The Magic
Reyes loves experimentation, her steady regulars and a good espresso martini. She says, “Your passion should infuse every drink you put out, not just certain special ones. Putting love and care into what you’re doing is really fun. It’s like potion making.” Last fall, she experimented with browned butter and fat-washed Elijah Craig bourbon, coaxing out the spirit’s vanilla-caramel notes.
The Journey
Reyes’ first job was hosting for EAT Restaurant Partners at 17. Following a few promotions and location switches, the team took notice of her detail-oriented nature and creative drive and trained her on the bar as soon as she turned 21. She was hired as a bartender at Sunday Park in May 2025 and is now an assistant general manager.
“We get really, really good sunsets, so people love being here; it’s a little paradise spot, especially the Shrimp Shack [the outdoor patio bar],” she says. The appeal: sweeping views of Swift Creek Reservoir. One of her happy hour standouts is Spicy Girl Summer, a jalapeno-infused mezcal with flash-infused cilantro, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup.
The Future
Reyes’ other summery recommendations include the Whiskey Peach Smash (muddled fresh peach, simple syrup, mint, lemon juice and bourbon) and the watermelon margarita — but don’t stop visiting once the weather cools; her cozy-season menu shines, too. “I like to workshop at the holidays, and I’ve got a gingerbread eggnog cocktail: The base is a ginger liqueur, and I built on that — a dry shake with egg white, creme de cacao, spiced rum, a little cinnamon simple syrup.”
