One does not wish to encourage irresponsible drinking. But sometimes during tough times, a cocktail is the best answer. For this fraught edition of our monthly Where to Drink feature, we offer some suggestions of cozy Dallas bars where you can grab a drink (with gatherings of less than 500 people).

Here's our March edition of Where to Drink:

Draft Sports Bar & Lounge
Sports bar at Sheraton Dallas Hotel would ordinarily be rolling out drin specials that it saves for NCAA basketball games. But coronovirus. There's still a dozen local beers on tap, craft cocktails, and outstanding eats in an high-energy lounge featuring 25 TVs.

First Watch
For your day drinking - never too early to start - this breakfast chain has rolled out its first ever cocktail program starting with select restaurants Texas. Yay us. Borrowing a page from the Snooze an AM Eatery book, they've introduced brunch cocktails including the Million Dollar Bloody Mary, made with Gluten free vodka, bloody Mary mix, and a strip of bacon; Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk with Coconut rum, cold brew coffee, coconut milk and agave nectar; and Vodka Kale Tonic with gluten free Vodka, fresh juiced kale, Fuji apple, English cucumber and lemon.

High Fives
Henderson Avenue bar is picking up the baton dropped by the canceled St. Patrick's Day parade by hosting a small (under 500 people, of course) party over St. Patrick's Day weekend, and will continue to hold down the fun fort during March with drink specials and a chipper attitude.

Iron Cactus
Downtown Dallas Mexican restaurant has a new menu featuring drinks that put a unique twist on old favorites. The Peanut Butter Rita contains Corralejo Silver, Skrewball, Peanut Butter Whiskey, fresh lime, and agave. The Espresso Peanut Butter Martini has Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, espresso, and fresh cream. New Margaritas include Patron Barrel Select, Passion Fruit, Black Diamond, Peanut Butter Rita, Tequila Old Fashioned, Mexico City Sour, Ranch Water. And there's a new Mezcal Cocktail: Mezcal Negroni. There are also new tequilas and flights.

The Lobby Bar
Bar at the Fairmont Dallas has 10 new drinks, including the Nacional Royale, invented at its namesake Hotel Nacional de Cuba with rum, St. Germain, Pineapple and Lime Juice, and Veuve Yellow Label champagne.