If you're up for crossing the east river, the Red Hook hood in Brooklyn is always a treat. Lotsa good pic 'tunities of Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline & good places to eat and da-rink – Lillie's: 46 Beard St., between Dwight and Otsego Sts.; 718-858-9822 and Sunny's: 253 Conover St., between Beard and Reed Sts.; 718-625-8211
Best bars in NYC, according to Esquire…
Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel New York City You're having: A stinger Ten or fifteen years ago, it was hard to get a decent drink in New York, particularly if you wanted anything other than a martini. Back then, my wife and I, unburdened by offspring or daytime jobs, used to pop into the Metropolitan Museum of Art just to look at one thing — a Vermeer, a piece of Roman statuary, whatever. Then we'd walk down to Madison and Seventy-sixth and go through the little door to the left of the main entrance to the Carlyle hotel. Inside, we'd order a couple of stingers. When they came, they were cold and crisp, with the cognac outweighing the crème de menthe, the way they should be. As far as we knew, these were the most expensive drinks in the city, but they made us feel rich. (35 East Seventy-sixth Street; 212-744-1600) –David Wondrich
Little Branch New York City You're having: A silver rye fizz Used to be, a nightclub was a dark, smoky place where well-dressed people sipped well-made drinks and made clever, well-educated chitchat while a hot Cuban band played rumbas. Little Branch does it like that, except for the smoke. (20 Seventh Avenue South; 212-929-4360)
The Bar at Keens Steakhouse New York City You're having: Single-malt scotch It has been there since the 1870s and has the memorabilia to prove it. And if you don't like to read, they also carry about 200-odd single malts. (72 West Thirty-sixth Street at Sixth Avenue; 212-947-3636)
Minetta Tavern New York City The streets outside Minetta Tavern are crawling with NYU students, but they never go in this former speakeasy in the heart of Greenwich Village. Probably because it's too old, too comfortable, too congenial. Too great. (113 MacDougal Street at Minetta Lane; 212-475-3850)
Jimmy's Corner New York City This place is a classic, impossibly narrow New York bar and one of the few places that remain from pretransformation Times Square. Boxing posters and Christmas lights: a perfect place. (140 West Forty-fourth Street; 212-221-9510)
The Angel's Share New York City You're having: Whiskey This isolated cocktail bar is attached to a Japanese restaurant but entirely separate from it. It's dark and quiet and has an impressive selection of whiskeys. They don't seat groups larger than four — great for a small celebration. (8 Stuyvesant Street at Ninth Street; 212-777-5415)
The Brooklyn Inn New York City If they gentrified the old brick section of heaven, the Brooklyn Inn would be the neighborhood bar. (148 Hoyt Street at Bergen Street; 718-625-9741)
The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel New York City A lot of people hate the Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel. It's expensive, the decor is contrived, you have to make a reservation to get in after 9:00 p.m. What detractors fail to appreciate is that that very aloofness is a quintessentially New York attribute and highly appreciable in small doses. (2 Lexington Avenue at Twenty-first Street; rosebar@gramercyparkhotel.com)
Flatiron Lounge New York City You're having: A manhattan Go for the cocktails — we like the manhattan. They're some of the very best in the country. (37 West Nineteenth Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues; 212-727-7741)
The Saloon New York City Thank God the developers haven't yet discovered the Saloon in the basement of Grand Central Station. It's hiding behind the Oyster Bar — don't tell anyone. (Forty-second Street at Park Avenue; 212-490-6650)
San Domenico Restaurant New York City The small key-shaped bar at San Domenico restaurant is a softly lit sanctuary near Columbus Circle. (240 Central Park South; 212-265-5959)
Spuyten Duyvil New York City You're having: The house cask ale A half dozen carefully selected drafts. One rotating cask ale, always fresh. Belgian beers divided into Flemish, Wallonian, and lambic styles. Cheese and charcuterie on a cutting board. There's no finer beer bar in the city. (359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-963-4140)
Those are some fine suggestions Mr. Chef. We’ve been to the Flatiron Lounge before and it’s highly recommended for cocktails (and ambiance).
We checked out Jimmy’s Place (awesome…perhaps the best no-frills straight-up bar you could chance to find w/ the best classic-soul jukebox) as well as Angel’s Share (which is very cool, with some very effective, original cocktail recipes).
Oo! Go to the Fountain Pen Hospital and get yourself a new pen!
Ooooo..fountain pens…
If you're up for crossing the east river, the Red Hook hood in Brooklyn is always a treat. Lotsa good pic 'tunities of Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline & good places to eat and da-rink – Lillie's: 46 Beard St., between Dwight and Otsego Sts.; 718-858-9822 and Sunny's: 253 Conover St., between Beard and Reed Sts.; 718-625-8211
Best bars in NYC, according to Esquire…
Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel
New York City
You're having: A stinger
Ten or fifteen years ago, it was hard to get a decent drink in New York, particularly if you wanted anything other than a martini. Back then, my wife and I, unburdened by offspring or daytime jobs, used to pop into the Metropolitan Museum of Art just to look at one thing — a Vermeer, a piece of Roman statuary, whatever. Then we'd walk down to Madison and Seventy-sixth and go through the little door to the left of the main entrance to the Carlyle hotel. Inside, we'd order a couple of stingers. When they came, they were cold and crisp, with the cognac outweighing the crème de menthe, the way they should be. As far as we knew, these were the most expensive drinks in the city, but they made us feel rich. (35 East Seventy-sixth Street; 212-744-1600)
–David Wondrich
Little Branch
New York City
You're having: A silver rye fizz
Used to be, a nightclub was a dark, smoky place where well-dressed people sipped well-made drinks and made clever, well-educated chitchat while a hot Cuban band played rumbas. Little Branch does it like that, except for the smoke. (20 Seventh Avenue South; 212-929-4360)
The Bar at Keens Steakhouse
New York City
You're having: Single-malt scotch
It has been there since the 1870s and has the memorabilia to prove it. And if you don't like to read, they also carry about 200-odd single malts. (72 West Thirty-sixth Street at Sixth Avenue; 212-947-3636)
Minetta Tavern
New York City
The streets outside Minetta Tavern are crawling with NYU students, but they never go in this former speakeasy in the heart of Greenwich Village. Probably because it's too old, too comfortable, too congenial. Too great. (113 MacDougal Street at Minetta Lane; 212-475-3850)
Jimmy's Corner
New York City
This place is a classic, impossibly narrow New York bar and one of the few places that remain from pretransformation Times Square. Boxing posters and Christmas lights: a perfect place. (140 West Forty-fourth Street; 212-221-9510)
The Angel's Share
New York City
You're having: Whiskey
This isolated cocktail bar is attached to a Japanese restaurant but entirely separate from it. It's dark and quiet and has an impressive selection of whiskeys. They don't seat groups larger than four — great for a small celebration. (8 Stuyvesant Street at Ninth Street; 212-777-5415)
The Brooklyn Inn
New York City
If they gentrified the old brick section of heaven, the Brooklyn Inn would be the neighborhood bar. (148 Hoyt Street at Bergen Street; 718-625-9741)
The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel
New York City
A lot of people hate the Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel. It's expensive, the decor is contrived, you have to make a reservation to get in after 9:00 p.m. What detractors fail to appreciate is that that very aloofness is a quintessentially New York attribute and highly appreciable in small doses. (2 Lexington Avenue at Twenty-first Street; rosebar@gramercyparkhotel.com)
Flatiron Lounge
New York City
You're having: A manhattan
Go for the cocktails — we like the manhattan. They're some of the very best in the country. (37 West Nineteenth Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues; 212-727-7741)
The Saloon
New York City
Thank God the developers haven't yet discovered the Saloon in the basement of Grand Central Station. It's hiding behind the Oyster Bar — don't tell anyone. (Forty-second Street at Park Avenue; 212-490-6650)
San Domenico Restaurant
New York City
The small key-shaped bar at San Domenico restaurant is a softly lit sanctuary near Columbus Circle. (240 Central Park South; 212-265-5959)
Spuyten Duyvil
New York City
You're having: The house cask ale
A half dozen carefully selected drafts. One rotating cask ale, always fresh. Belgian beers divided into Flemish, Wallonian, and lambic styles. Cheese and charcuterie on a cutting board. There's no finer beer bar in the city. (359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-963-4140)
Have a wonderful time – I’m hoping to get to NYC next year… last time I was out there,, I was too young to understand where I was!
Pictures to follow I hope? 🙂
(Ooops to the deleted post – was signed in as Ian..)
Those are some fine suggestions Mr. Chef. We’ve been to the Flatiron Lounge before and it’s highly recommended for cocktails (and ambiance).
We checked out Jimmy’s Place (awesome…perhaps the best no-frills straight-up bar you could chance to find w/ the best classic-soul jukebox) as well as Angel’s Share (which is very cool, with some very effective, original cocktail recipes).