This week’s bar: The Rebel House

The scene: The girl with alabaster skin and burgundy streaks in her goth-black hair having a cocktail by the door might as well be a paid advertisement for this place, which prides itself on its “dive charm.” The owners of Charm City burgers and El Jefe Luchador, who clearly know about great food and great flair, have brought some much-needed urban punk to sanitized Boca Raton. Inside, it’s the reclaimed urban look: caged Edison incandescent bulbs to exposed wooden rafters, alt-rock music of The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand and The White Stripes blended with hand-painted walls and tables (by Adam Sheetz, who drew the touring poster for the band Snow Patrol), red leather banquettes, hand-made lamps and mismatched chairs give The Rebel House it’s I-couldn’t-care-less appeal. A place with an edge needs an edgy menu, and from the drinks to the food, all the items dare you to order comfort food which has been given a spicy or sweet foodie twist.

The signature cocktail: The general manager with the tattoo sleeve up his right arm hands you an Anger Management ($11) and you’d better be tough to try this tequila-based drink with mint, lemon and lime and spicy Sriracha. Think of it as a Mexican Bloody “Maria,” savory with just enough of a kick to keep you entertained.

Other drinks: In a menu of creative drinks, nothing stands out like the selection of takes on the Old Fashioned (bourbon and bitters), in particular the Bee Sting ($11), which is like taking a swig of the 1950s next to Don Draper. It’s sweet and aromatic from the infused honey and sprig of rosemary, but has just a zip from the jalapeño. Lovers of fruity cocktails, the barkeep has not forgotten about you. The Sweet Revenge ($11) mixes vodka and fresh watermelon juice with just a hint of jalapeño to tickle the back of your throat.

Bar bites: The food makes as great an effort to be as unexpected as the cocktails, even from something as simple as the Pickle Plate ($4), which show off combinations of bread-and-butter sweetness in pickled tomatoes and jicama to brined mangoes and actual cucumber pickles. The Crispy Lamb Belly ($12) plays homage to pork belly in all the right ways—crispy outside, tender inside—without losing the delicately delivered flavor of actual lamb. For a stronger, luxurious taste, try the Wagyu Roasted Bone Marrow ($10) topped with short rib and onion marmalade.

Deals: Happy Hour cuts the price of drinks to $4 (top shelf, $6) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The restaurant invites industry folks to come by from midnight to 2 a.m. for special drink specials (bring a business card), and the kitchen as open as late as the restaurant, every night.

Info: 297 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; (561) 353-5888

C O C K T A I L

Anger Management

2 ounces El Charro Reposado Tequila

4 mint leaves

juice from 1/2 lemon

juice from 1/4 lime

1/2 ounce simple syrup

5 drops sriracha

In a cocktail shaker, combine ingredients. Shake and serve garnished with mint leaves.