Brick and Mortar

"Why are they discouraging water consumption?" asks the woman sitting next to me at the bar at Brick & Mortar (no website?).  You certainly have to wonder when you look at the tiny glass they served water in compared to the inappropriate and large glass in which they served the manhattan (I apologize for the quality of photo - is it better to not post photo or post a bad one; that is the question of the day).  

But let's start from the beginning - I was looking forward to a meetup planned here after reading the recent Globe article.  I wander up and down Mass Ave trying to find the address.  Of course they don't have a number on the door, but this is not that unusual.  But folks, this is not New York City.  Put a sign up, will you?  After 3 passes, I ask a man standing in front of the door next to Central Kitchen (no number on their door either).  Turns out he is the doorman - yeah, the doorman.  Get over yourselves already. 

So I grab a seat at the bar next to the aforementioned woman.  She has some pink iced drink.  I inquire about the bourbon and rye options.  Several ryes to choose from so I'm feeling pretty positive and several more bourbons.  I settle on Buffalo Trace and am offered an orange twist.  Sure, I'll try that.  The drink arrives in a giant tumbler (4" tall by 3" wide) and about an inch of liquid.   The bartender makes a grand ceremony of pouring each of us a tiny drink of water.  Should, when confronted with such a shocking lack of appropriate barware, one inquire?  Should one insist on a proper glass for a cocktail that costs $11.75.  I didn't.  However, I did ask for a large glass of water and was told to order it from a waitress when I went to join my friends who were not at the bar.  Apparently Brick & Mortar did not appreciate a meetup group of 40 or so over 40's who just dropped in (and I'm not sure I blame them) but another woman from the group was told she could not sit at the bar when she tried to order her drink.  Several people in the group suspected ageism.

I don't want to write this place off completely.  The drink itself was fine and I liked the orange twist but I was sorely disappointed in the ambiance.