Both bars are higly rated. The Thirsty barber is higly rated thanks to the cocktails and how they are made and the way, they take care of You. Tower 22 is famous only for its exclusivity. Posh looking bar, amazing glassware, the furniture, the lights and obviously the view serves the only purpose here. To impress You.
Then, to actually enter the place, You will need to make a reservation. Naturally, there are some tables inside the builing and then 2 relatively open terraces. Naturally, I asked in my reservation, if I can stay on the terrace. They told me, that all the tables on the terrace are taken already, however they always keep 2-3 tables aside for those people, who show up at the door. They are being taken by the rule, who comes first, takes first. I really wanted to have that table outside for myself, so I went to the reception at the opening time, sharp. Receptionist took my Id, confirmed my booking and show me the elevator. I was the first and for a while even the only guest. Wow, what a privilege to open so posh bar, this evening. I was excited and a bit nervous. Then The elevator have stoped and I entered the bar itself.
First feelins? Impressed. Of course. The atmosphere will get You. You are in a luxurious interrior of the highest building on Malta. You can even watch planes landing and taking off on the main airport of Malta, which is around 10kms away from here, while sitting on a white-coated leather cube with blue LED color underneath and having a drink. However - when the whole bar is built around the atmosphere, it better be working.
What was not working here at all, was the service. I wasn't sure, how does the bar serve people. If You need to walk up to the bar every time You want a cocktail, or if I should wait for a waitress to get my order. By the head bartender I was told, that I should take a seat ANYWHERE on the terrace and the waitress will come to me.
Reminder no.1.: The day before, while making my booking, I was told that all tables are taken already... Reminder no.2.: I was the only guest at the bar at that time.
Yes, I was the only guest in the entire bar, but nobody came to me even after 20 minutes. If I would've not stand up and walked up to the bar by myself, I am probably sitting there unnoticed until now. My first drink was a Mojito. Classic Mojito, that ordered without having a look inside the menu (simply, because I didn't get any) was based on 3 y.o. Havana Rum, wasn't too bad.
I went back to ''my'' table and I was enjoying the view and I put my jacket at the other chair. And then something very interesting happened. Another 2 guests have entered the bar - an older couple. They joined me on the terrace. Lady sat down at the end of the table next to me and started to smoke a cigarette, which is allowed here (because both terraces have partially no roof and therefore, they are perfect smoking areas) and the man sat down....directly on top of my jacket. At my table. They didn't even look at me, they talked to each other in a language, which I didn't recognize and as soon as she finished her cigarette, they stood up and left. No questions, no apologies and no explanations. Reminder no. 3.: We were only 3 people in the whole bar, with the capacity of only this terrace around 20 places... And he sat down on my jacket...I was speechless.
Never mind. I came back to my head from the universe of rage thanks to the waitress, who finally brought me the menu. So I opened the menu and went right back to the universe of rage.
I found a serious fails. For example Mai Tai included tequila, campari and grenadine(!!!) and Hemingway Special was made with ABSINTHE AND CHAMPAGNE (!!!)
After I got back to my head again, I decided to order a Daiquiri. Simply because that was the only recipe of a famous cocktail from the menu, which was not wrong...
Look. 1st of all - Daiquiri is a cocktail based on freshness. Using sugar crusta on the rim of the glass will not make your pre-made sour-mix any more fresh. And it will not cover it either - if You write in the menu, fresh lime juice it will be more than nice, to actually use it.
Then, If you make a crusta all around the rim of the glass, You DO NOT put any fruit as a garnish on the rim.
And lastly - A lesson, I've learned myself almost 10 years ago, when I was standing behind the bar on my first-ever working day in a cocktail bar - If You make garnish out of any citrus fruit, DO NOT cut them into the slices. Always cut them in segments!!!
After this type of explanation it has to be clear, why I didn't even finish this cocktail and left. This place made me angry and sad, actually. In other reviews, we were already talking about ''how to be considered as a good cocktail bar and what do you need,'' Or ''what abilities and skills you should know as a good bartender.'' In a review of a cocktail bar, which is just 5 minutes walking from here, we were even talking about ''what customers, does a good cocktail bar deserve?'' And here I am talking about a place, that has everything they need to be amazing. Except of one little detail. That detail is called conscientiousness... or simply - CARE.
Is it worth the view? If You don't care, that the whole team of people working there, doesn't care about You and all You want, is a romantic view and just something to drink, You will be fine. From all other points of bartnending or even customer service - this is just simply not the way to do it.
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