Skip to content
Melo Podcasts Home
CategoriesLanguagesFollowing

Season 1, Episode 46 · The Buildout

Mírate

30 Sep 2026 · 58 min

Play episode WhatsApp Download

Episode notes

From the first time Max Reis visited Mexico, he was hooked. What began as an obsession grew into a deep passion for agave and Mexican spirits, eventually making Reis one of the foremost authorities on the category in America. That knowledge and respect for the culture behind the spirits led him to open Mírate and Daisy, two Mexican spirits-focused bars serving some of the most exciting and inventive cocktails in the country — all while honoring the spirits, traditions, and people who make them. Max joins Adam on The Buildout to talk about his journey, how he views the current Los Angeles bar…

Podcast

The Buildout

VinePair · Business · English

Every great bar has a story. We’re going behind the scenes with the people who built them: the founders, dreamers, and industry legends shaping the world’s most inspiring drinking destinations. From Maison Premiere to The Dead Rabbit, Long Island Bar, Schmuck, and beyond — this is how the world’s be

More from The Buildout All episodes →

  1. S1 · E47 · 7 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 22 min

    Capitaine

    When Cody Pruitt opened Libertine, the acclaim was immediate. The restaurant became one of the hardest reservations in New York, while its saucisse-purée quickly took on a life of its own. But three years later, the initial fervor had faded, and filling the dining room every night was no longer as easy as it once had been. Pruitt made the difficult decision to close Libertine and transform the space into a new concept: Capitaine. Drawing on both the successes and shortcomings of Libertine, he set out to create a restaurant that would be easier for regulars to return to again and again.…

  2. S1 · E45 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 11 min

    Andrew Carmellini

    Andrew Carmellini has spent the past decade building one of New York’s most successful restaurant groups. From the breakout success of Locanda Verde, opened with Robert De Niro, to hits like The Dutch and Bar Primi, NoHo Hospitality has repeatedly shown an ability to understand what New Yorkers want to eat and drink. The group has even created bona fide cultural phenomena along the way, from Frosé to the viral Suprême pastry. Carmellini joins Adam on this episode of The Buildout to talk about his career, the rise of NoHo Hospitality, and what it takes to keep creating restaurants that…

  3. S1 · E44 · 16 Sep 2026 · 51 min

    Bar Bambi

    Katie Renshaw simply loves being behind the bar. That passion has helped make her one of the best bartenders in the country, from winning World Class in 2019 to leading some of Chicago’s most acclaimed bar programs. But despite all of that success, she had never owned a bar of her own. Until now. Bar Bambi is the culmination of Renshaw’s experience, personality, and creativity — a bar that takes drinks seriously without ever taking itself too seriously, and one that has quickly started attracting attention in Chicago and beyond. Renshaw joins Adam on The Buildout to talk about why she…

  4. S1 · E43 · 9 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

    Popina

    How did James O’Brien build the restaurant where seemingly every sommelier in New York wants to drink wine on their night off? The prices are certainly part of the appeal, but Popina’s location is hardly the most convenient. Its success comes from something deeper. It begins with the hospitality of the owner, which carries through to the entire staff, and a shared commitment to creating a restaurant that feels inviting, delicious, and accessible. James joins Adam on this episode of The Buildout to discuss how he created a restaurant that is both a destination and a neighborhood spot filled…

  5. S1 · E42 · 2 Sep 2026 · 39 min

    The Violet Hour

    Toby Maloney is one of the country’s most respected cocktail creators, responsible not only for multiple modern classics, but also for some of drinkers’ favorite bars across the country. Through his consulting business, he has been involved in more projects than even he can name, but the bar he is best known for is Chicago’s The Violet Hour. On this episode of The Buildout, Toby joins Adam to talk about how The Violet Hour came to be, the impact it had on Chicago’s cocktail scene, and the legacy it leaves behind following its recent closing. Follow us:…

  6. S1 · E41 · 26 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 7 min

    Kidilum

    Building a celebrated restaurant group in New Jersey is already an accomplishment. Bringing that success across the Hudson to New York City is another challenge entirely—one many restaurateurs never even attempt. But Sidharth Sharma and Sammeer A. Raajpal were determined to try. With Kidilum, their celebration of Kerala cuisine in Manhattan, they are betting that the same commitment to hospitality and showing guests a wonderful time that fueled their success in New Jersey can also resonate in New York. Sidharth and Sammeer join Adam on this episode of The Buildout to discuss how they built…

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play