What is a cordial bar?

I wanted to go out and wanted to try someplace I had never been before.  And my husband and I also wanted someplace near a train stop because we planned to get drunk.  So, I looked around and found The Kenmore.  It was right by the Kenmore MBTA station.  The menu was mostly burgers and hotdogs, but I didn't want fancy.  Besides the "K" burger was only $5.95, and they had a good selection of sours, so it seemed perfect.

We get there on a Tuesday night at around 4:30.  It is not a big place but it was comfortable and inviting.  On a Tuesday night it was not busy and we easily got a seat at the bar.  We were told they had some specials where you could get a hotdog for a dollar or a burger for two.  We didn't try it so I don't know how big they were, but you can't complain much when you only pay two bucks for a burger.

We always start with a drink and we wanted some bourbon.  But we couldn't get any because they didn't have any.  The bartender told us they were a cordial bar and didn't carry it.  No straight whisky at all.  No straight anything as far as I could tell.  Fireball, Jack Daniels Honey, Dr. McGillicuddy's?  Sure.  But a drink of scotch, no.  They did have Slow & Low: Rock and Rye, which is a premixed old fashioned.  And since we were already there and didn't want to find some place else we settled for that.  It was tasty, a little sweet, but not what we were hoping for when we went out.  

The food was good.  We started with the steak and cheese eggrolls.  They were cheesy and crispy and delicious.  Then we both got the "K" Burger with a side of fries.  The burger was tasty.  It was not the biggest burger in the world but it was the size you expect for $5.95.  And the shoestring fries were delicious.  

I tried to get into the spirt of thing and got some Fireball.  Which I like.  So that was fine.  But then I asked for some amaretto and was told they had none.  No amaretto in a cordial bar?  I don't get it.  In fact, I really don't get the whole thing.  It's not that I don't enjoy a good cordial, but I want the option of getting a neat drink of whisky.

The service was... indifferent.  We got there between shifts, so we were served by two bartenders.  The first was, shall we say, casual.  She was attentive enough and gave me a sample of a sour because I finished off the sour on tap while I was there but she was not the friendliest bartender I've ever seen.  The second bartender spent more time sitting with his friend at a table than he did behind the bar.  I know it was a slow night but I had to wait for him to come back to order something a couple of times.

I can see that this might be a place some people might like to hang out in if beers are all you are after, but I will not be going back.