It may look like an espresso martini, but there’s far more to the Dead Reckoning than meets the eye. Photo: Ash St George.
Devil You Don’t was opened in late February by the same team behind Braddon bars Volstead Repeal and Peacemaker Saloon. The underground bar lurks beneath Li’l Brew Espresso Bar in the New Acton precinct.
The bar was formerly High Jinks, and part of the upstairs Parlour restaurant. With the closure of Parlour in October 2025, followed by the closure of neighbouring Italian restaurant Bicicletta, the centre of New Acton has been devoid of much nighttime activity.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the door to Devil You Don’t and found the place buzzing!
The interior has changed dramatically from the Art Nouveau stylings of High Jinks and now resembles something closer to a vampire’s lair: all red velvet and black trimmings. Even the logo has a Dungeons & Dragons-esque vibe to it: it’s devilish and dark in a delightfully camp fashion.
Devil You Don’t takes over the New Acton space formerly occupied by High Jinks bar. Photo: Ash St George.
The team behind Devil You Don’t has built their brand on concept bars, with Volstead Repeal themed around the whisky-soaked era of post-prohibition America, and Peacemaker Saloon, all cowboys and yee-haw. Devil You Don’t leans on its cocktail prowess, offering twists on familiar cocktails and using high-brow techniques to create something entirely new. There are also more familiar cocktails on the menu, but we were there for something wild.
The Espresso Martini is a devil you know, but a Dead Reckoning is a devil you don’t.
The bartenders have infused rum and vodka with coffee, which is then ‘washed’ with milk, a technique known as a milk punch where the alcohol is mixed with milk, then separated (usually by freezing). The remaining alcohol is incredibly smooth, with a creamy mouthfeel and free of any impurities. This milk-washed, coffee-infused concoction is then topped with pandan-infused cream. This is a multi-step cocktail that requires days of preparation, and the result is divine.
In comparison, an espresso martini is generally made by combining coffee, Kahlua, vodka and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. After shaking like hell, it’s strained into a martini glass and garnished with a few beans. The whole process takes about two minutes.
Suddenly, the $28 price tag on the Dead Reckoning begins to make sense.
The team behind Devil You Don’t have won multiple awards for their cocktails at Volstead Repeal and Peacemaker Saloon. Photo: Ash St George.
I chose a Wicker Man, inspired by a Sazerac. This cocktail is made with ghee-washed cognac, armagnac, honey and pastis. At first sip, I was worried that the pastis would overwhelm the drink; subsequent sips were smooth and balanced. The bartender told me afterwards that they spritz the pastis on top of the drink, which is why you get that initial hit. The whole thing went down a treat.
My friend followed up his Dead Reckoning with a similarly indulgent Devil’s Dance: an Old-Fashioned-inspired drink with fried banana liqueur, ice-cream-washed vodka and cocoa bitters. A touch too sweet for my taste, I picked something off the blackboard: a Mezcal Negroni. The mezcal added a touch of smokiness to the bitter drink, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and it’s served with a massive ice cube stamped with the bar’s logo (it’s all in the details).
There are charcuterie boards and snacks on offer, but we decided we needed something a little more substantial to line our stomachs after two cocktails each, so we wandered up the road and ate our body weight in grilled meats at Terra.
For a drink after the movies, a post-work decompress or for a boost before dinner: Devil You Don’t is devilishly, decadently and deliciously delightful.
Devil You Don’t is located downstairs at 2/15 Edinburgh Ave, New Acton. They are open from 4 pm until late, Tuesday to Saturday. Follow Devil You Don’t on Instagram.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
