Saturday, January 31, 2009

Bianca

5 Bleecker St

For TheStageManager’s last night in New York City, I took him and TexasThespian to a Lower East Side eatery named Bianca, a tiny Italian restaurant family owned and operated. It was my second time to the restaurant establishment, but I knew they had reasonable prices and delicious food.
TheStageManager ordered mushrooms with Ricotta cheese as an appetizer. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, and it was served with a side of salad greens. For entrees, I had the ricotta ravioli with sage and butter. TheStageManager ordered the lasagna. TexasThespian opted to stick with appetizers as he had eaten a couple hours earlier. I loved my dish, but TheStageManager said his was lacking in flavor, something I cannot confirm or deny as it is made with meat sauce. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate mousse pie, another pure delight that my taste buds repeatedly thanked me for.

The space is small, so the wait can be long to get a table. All entrées are priced near $15. The restaurant may feel cramped (or cozy depending on what kind of mood you are in).

Bianca is one of my favorite places to eat in the city. I cannot stress how much I love this place; I know I will enjoy my meal and not cut up my credit card when I get home, especially since the place is cash only. I recommend running to the eatery as soon as possible. Do not let the long wait be a determent; there is a bar next door and the host will come get you once your table is ready.

DAMAGE ~ $75 (cash only)
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Death & Co.

433 E 6th St

When I suggested an East Village bar called Death & Company to TheStageManager, he envisioned a dark bar scene filled with Gothic New Yorkers. Little did he know…

Death & Co. is a small lounge open from 6-12 every evening and does not accept reservations. The unassuming exterior (no sign or windows) leads unawares to view it more as an abandoned warehouse than a swanky bar. Once inside, the place feels like a spacious lounge, with everything having a golden hue including the furniture.

The first night I attempted entrance with TheStageManager, we were denied. The second time I walked right up to the doorman, asked if he had a table for 3, and was directed to a small booth to the left of the door.
Death & Company does not have bartenders; it has mixologists. Mixologists consider the task of making cotails a form of art; each drink is made with precision and perfection. Several of the menu options allow you to choose your own liquor, which is what the three of us ordered. TheStageManager had the Electric Koolaid Acid Test with Tequila, featuring blackberries over crushed ice; TexasThespian ordered the Little Kingdom with Cognac, a small but strong concoction; and I ordered the Black Market Sling with Gin, another unusual but good mixture.

As much as I would love to divulge my thoughts about the drinks, I would never do them justice. You must go and experience it for yourself. I will say, physically, the drinks were beautiful. The Electric Koolaid Acid Test and the Black Market Swing did very well in the taste bud department; the Little Kingdom was way too strong for me, hence the very fitting name.

There is a secret to getting in, but I am not exactly sure what it is. I have a feeling it has something to do with being a New Yorker (i.e. tourists unwelcome), especially after hearing stories of people denied entrance only to learn later that the place was empty.

Death & Company is one of my top five favorite bars in Manhattan. I loved the feeling of being inside the beautiful windowless bar hidden from the world and the uncrowded aura of the space due to the fact it did not let people in unless there was a seat available. The drink menu was exceptional, and I loved the plug-in-your-liquor feature on the menu.

Negatives include the doorman, closing at midnight, and the booth we were made to sit in (it was right by the door so we felt a draft every time it opened).

DAMAGE ~ $45
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Blue Ribbon

97 Sullivan St
CanuckDJ raved about his favorite restaurant in Manhattan; a small SoHo spot called Blue Ribbon. He said it was his first visit to New York without a stop at the culinary treasure, primarily due to time constraints. The fancy eatery was on my “Go To” list anyway, but I could not wait any longer upon hearing this.

Late Saturday evening, I dragged Sir Fancy Pants and TheStageManager to Blue Ribbon. I put my name on the list and 30 minutes later, we were seated. To get started, TheStageManager ordered the Cheese Fondue, served with bread cubes, breadsticks, and sliced apples. I have no idea what cheese was used, but the presentation and taste were unlike anything I ever had.

For the main course, Sir Fancy Pants ordered braised lamb shank with red wine sauce; TheStageManager ordered steak with onions, mushrooms, green beans and fries; and I had the vegetable k-bob with pita bread and cous-cous salad. For dessert, my dinner companions both ordered the raspberry sorbet.

My vegetable k-bob was good, the cous-cous salad a nice touch to vegetables on a stick. TheStageManager mentioned his steak was about half the size of what he is accustomed to, but he was visiting from Texas, the land where they consume animals whole. No complaints from Sir Fancy Pants.

At $19.50, I ordered the cheapest item on the menu. Both Sir Fancy Pants and TheStageManager’s meals ran in the $30 to $35 range. Blue Ribbon is not the most vegetarian friendly, and the place felt pricey for what I had. Despite this, I would return for the right occasion (i.e., CanuckDJ insisting on Blue Ribbon during his next visit). The atmosphere was great and very intimate; the host was down-to-earth and accommodating; and the food was a feast for my eyes and buds, taste buds that is.


DAMAGE ~ $200
VERDICT: Go

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Public

210 Elizabeth St
CanuckDJ, Sir Fancy Pants, and I visited Public, a Nolita hot spot, for Brunch Saturday afternoon. A thirty minute wait was lightened by the offer to sit at the bar until a table opened up.

To get started, I ordered the Public Mary, Public’s version of the Bloody Mary. It is not listed on the drink menu of their website, and I can’t say I blame them. It was the best Bloody Mary I ever had. It was a refreshing take on the classic cocktail. Sir Fancy Pants ordered a Fig and Vanilla Bellini, which was light and crisp. Drinks for my meal included my staple Café au Lait and the Passionfruit and Orange Bellini, also very nice. CanuckDJ stuck with coffee and later on pineapple juice.

We were seated at a table near a brick wall towards the front of the restaurant. All three of us ordered some version of Eggs Benedict. I ordered 2 fried eggs on English Toast, which came with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. I also ordered a side of hollandaise sauce because I heard good things.

When the food arrived, I was disappointed. I quickly realized I had ordered the wrong dish. I could have easily executed the meal myself and I make much better fried eggs. The hollandaise sauce was good, but I was so disappointed with the rest of my meal that I barely noticed. Sir Fancy Pants and CanuckDJ had no complaints.

After our meal, we split a blood orange muffin from the table in the center of the dining room. It was good but nothing special.

Public is owned by a concept and design firm called AvroKO. In addition, they own recently opened Double Crown in SoHo, and do a number of other projects around the city. Judging by the scene and presentation at Public, the masterminds behind AvroKO know exactly what they are doing, but the chefs have a thing or two to learn.

The space was bright with high ceilings and mirrors along one wall, giving the appearance you were dining in a space much larger than it was. If you were to walk past the bar, you would come to the Monday Room, a small space with lounge seating, meant to enjoy cocktails or perhaps a muffin.

The bathroom had free bars of soap for the taking featuring the Public logo. In the center of the restaurant was a small table with different types of bread and muffins. If you wanted one, you simply paid for it with your meal.

There were 2 larger spaces enclosed in wine bottles that were shut off by a sheer curtain. My guess is those areas are reserved for larger parties over 10 or for a fee.

Despite my meal leaving something to be desired, I would be open to going back for dinner or perhaps Brunch, if nothing else but to have the Public Mary grace my lips again. If I do go for Brunch, I guarantee I will not order the same dish.



DAMAGE ~ $120 (Brunch for 3 w/ drinks)
VERDICT: Go

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Lombardi’s

32 Spring St
Yummy, yummy, yummy! A quest for the best pizza in the city is not complete without a visit to Lombardi’s. This was actually my second trip to the nation’s oldest pizza eatery (est. 1897) located in Nolita. I cannot say it took the prize for “best pizza in nyc,” but it definitely tied for third place.

TheStageManager (a friend from out of town) and I arrived on a Friday evening to a 15 minute wait. We took advantage of our spare time and immediately sat at the bar ordering a glass of wine each. About 10 minutes later, a table opened up on the other side of the restaurant. We were led down the dining area, through the kitchen, out the other side of the “U-shaped” restaurant and seated next to the brick wall on the right.

We ordered a medium size pizza with the following 5 toppings: red onions, olives, sliced tomatoes, red peppers, and ricotta cheese. Man oh man, was it delicious. I ate three of the six slices with my fork. I used to have a saying that you know you have good pizza when you have to eat it with a fork; that’s exactly what I had was good pizza.

The restaurant was big for Manhattan; people were not seated on top of each other as you find in many other pizza parlors. The medium size pizza was perfect for two people and the toppings were a delicious combo leaning on perfection. Although the pizza could have been a bit crispier, I enjoyed every minute of it.

The wait was not as bad as I expected; the server was friendly; and the prices were cheap. I cannot wait to go back.

DAMAGE ~ $40 (before tip) CASH ONLY
VERDICT: Go

Friday, January 23, 2009

Beard Papa’s

5 Carmine St.

Oh...my…Cream Puff! What a lovely little delight you are! The tiny Japanese Bakery called Beard Papa’s, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, specializes in cream puffs and also features a couple other delicious goodies, including a Fondant Au Chocolate, which you heat in the oven until the chocolate in the center is melted. I ordered one of these and one original vanilla custard filled cream puff. Both lived up to my expectations. The chocolate fondant was amazing, especially for the cheap price, and the cream puff was light with a flaky outside and a creamy center.

Beard Papa’s features a different cream puff flavor each week, ranging from Earl Grey Tea to Strawberry. Their website cites them as the “World’s Best Cream Puffs.” I cannot testify the truth of this statement (as I am not well versed in cream puffery), but they were damn good. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

DAMAGE ~ $4.75
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Bleeker Street Pizza

69 7th Ave South Sigh. How I longed for Bleeker Street Pizza to be more than what it was. The tiny pizza parlor on the corner of Bleeker Street and 7th Avenue was cramped, dirty, and left much to be desired.

I ventured out to Bleeker Street Pizza on a snowy evening after learning the Food Network chose them as the "Best Pizza in New York." I ordered a slice of the Grandma (cheese pizza on a Sicilian crust) and was told to come back in 20 minutes when it was ready. 30 minutes later, I returned and was met by hostility by one of the workers behind the counter; he practically threw my slice at me. I brushed it off, figuring he was having a bad day.

I took the slice back to my apartment in order to “enjoy” it away from the hostile workers or the disgusting restaurant (there were crumbs everywhere). Unfortunately, there was no enjoyment to be had. My fresh-from-the-oven pizza was soggy and cold; I had to reheat it. The tomato sauce was sweet, and I would not be surprised if it was canned. The only thing making my slice bearable was the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar I added.

I have had better pizza in the city, and I have had a better Sicilian slice in the city. Bleeker Street Pizza is NOT the best pizza in Manhattan, and the attitudes of the workers were a major deal breaker.

DAMAGE ~ $3
VERDICT: Pass

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

KGB Bar

85 E 4th St. KGB Bar & Literary Journal is a place true to my own heart. The small space features a bar on the second floor and a theater on the third. There are a handful of tables available for sitting and the walls are covered with portraits of dead, important novelists and poets.

I hit up the East Village dive bar on a frigid Friday evening around 11pm, meeting up with a couple of my writer friends. I bought one drink for under $10, cheap by Manhattan standards. We stayed for a couple hours, enjoying lively conversation and watching several bar patrons suck the face off their significant others.

Had I done my undergrad at NYU, I could see KGB being a favorite spot following a midterm or for a cheap theatre show (tickets for whatever was showing upstairs on Friday night were $8). Since I did not do my undergrad at NYU, KGB Bar will remain an option in the future for a literary reading, as they host authors nightly before 9pm.


DAMAGE ~ $8
VERDICT: Go

Friday, January 16, 2009

Café Asean

117 W 10th St. (b/w 6th Ave. and Greenwich Ave.)

Café Asean in Greenwich Village was suggested for dinner on Wednesday evening. Sir Fancy Pants and I arrived at the Southeast Asian restaurant to a packed dining room seating maybe 30 people. We were shown to the back patio, also seating for about 30 and covered in glass due to winter (apparently the back patio requires reservations during the summer). After a couple minutes, the server informed us space opened up inside, so we moved indoors.

To get started, I ordered hot sake and Sir Fancy Pants, a Japanese beer. For my meal, I had egg noodles with vegetables and tofu covered in peanut lime sauce; Sir Fancy Pants had a pork dish. The name of the plates escapes me as they were highly unusual.

Overall, the food was ok. My meal arrived in a big, white bowl. It featured two huge chunks of fried tofu with mixed vegetables, including two half slices of tomato, green beans, and carrots laid atop egg noodles. The peanut lime sauce was good, but I could not taste the lime and the server did not offer any. The tofu was great, oversized, and fluffy. Prices were cheap for the Village; my meal was only S10.50.

Space was cozy and the ceiling was littered with different colored Chinese lanterns. I doubt I will be back despite some of the appetizers looking very tasty. Although the restaurant was cute, the food was decent, and the server was attentive, nothing was noteworthy enough to warrant my return.


DAMAGE ~ $40 (before tip) CASH ONLY
VERDICT: PASS

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Bar 89

89 Mercer St.

Following Brunch one Sunday afternoon, I trekked over to Bar 89 in SoHo with Sir Fancy Pants. We were in the area and decided to stop in for a cocktail.

We sat at the bar; he ordered a Bloody Mary and I a Mimosa. There were 3 other people in the two story bar. The place was nicely decorated in a minimalistic modern design and each table contained a fresh purple tulip.

Bar 89 had over 20 different Vodkas on hand, including some I had never heard of like Pablo Picasso Vodka. It serves lunch and dinner and stays open until 1 a.m. during the week, 2 a.m. on weekends. It is the perfect place for after work cocktails, for a date, or a get together with friends. Drinks are average Manhattan prices ranging between $7.50-$14.00.

Do you want to know a secret? The real reason anyone ever goes to Bar 89 is for the BATHROOM! It is by far the neatest bathroom I have ever seen/used in my life. I heard of similar bathrooms on the Travel Channel and was super excited to experience it myself. Located on the second floor behind a wall are 4 unisex bathrooms with clear, glass doors. The moment you step inside, the bathroom door begins to fog up. A sign displays the word OCCUPIED in purple lettering across the now opaque glass. Each stall has its own sink, and when you step out you are greeted by full length glass mirrors and the bathroom door defogs itself immediately.

The entire experience, the bathroom and enjoying my Mimosa at the empty bar, was truly relaxing. I cannot wait to go back. Next time, I prefer to go when it’s later in the evening and busier so I can see how other people react as they trek upstairs to the bathroom.


DAMAGE ~ $15 (before tip)
VERDICT: Go

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Pommes Frites

123 2nd Ave.

Several weeks went by before I managed to make my way to a tiny fry place dubbing itself with “authentic Belgian fries.” Pommes Frites in East Village was recommended to me by a friend who lives nearby. The tiny restaurant nestled between 7th Street & St. Mark’s Place on 2nd Avenue that literally sits around 8 is known for having some of the best fries in the city and allows customers to sample their many sauces for free. The wait the first time I tried to go (over a month ago as the temperature was dropping significantly) piqued my curiosity. It was 1am and the line was out the door, despite the freezing weather. I put Pommes Frites on my list and promised myself I would come back at a more appropriate time.

That time came this past Saturday in the morning. I hit the place up right when it was due to open at 11:30 on the weekend. The sign read “Closed.” I hiked the block and returned 10 minutes later. The sign now read “Open” and there was a line. I barely squeezed myself in the front door.

I waited in line watching new batches of cut potatoes frying while the people in front of me sampled and ordered one of the 30 sauces Pommes Frites features with their fries. The fries are served in a cone and come in three sizes: regular, large, and double. Sauces are $1.00 extra, or you can order a combo of any three sauces for $2.50. When my turn arrived, I asked for a sample of the Sundried Tomato Mayo and the Peanut Satay. The guy behind the fry bar handed me a napkin with four small fries on it and a small dollop of both sauces. The Peanut Satay was too oily for me. I ordered a regular order of fries with a combo of the following three sauces: Rosemary Garlic Mayo, Sweet Mango Chutney Mayo, and the Sundried Tomato Mayo. I asked for it to go, and they also give a side of raw onions and regular ketchup with every order.

The regular portion was huge; it took me two settings to finish it. The fries were a bit on the soggy side, but the sauces were very good. The Rosemary Garlic had the perfect combination of garlic and mayo; the Mango was very sweet and tasted almost like Thousand Island Salad Dressing, and the Sundried Tomato was also sweet with a slight kick at the end. I did not favor one sauce over the other as all were equally delicious. The complimentary raw onions were a nice touch as well.

For out-of-towners, if you are looking for an authentic New York experience, Pommes Frites has it. Belgium is known for its frites, so anyplace claiming to have “authentic Belgian fries” is a must go. Although I have had better fries, at another Belgium restaurant no less, the damage to my pocket book was much more appreciative of Pommes Frites. If you have some time to spare, go wait in line, and get your frite on.

DAMAGE ~ $7
VERDICT: Go

Monday, January 5, 2009

Balthazar

80 Spring St.

Balthazar, Balthazar, Balthazar…
How I longed to whisper sweet nothings in your ear.
Instead, you have left me bitter…
No. Stop. I don’t want to hear.
I really thought we could be happy,
but you lied and abused me for your own personal gain.
You hurt my pride in more ways than one;
Don’t call me. You’ve caused enough pain.

As the aforementioned poem states, my visit to Balthazar did not go quite as expected. After struggling for weeks to get Brunch reservations at the trendy French bistro in SoHo, owned by the same folks that own Pastis, I finally managed to nab Sunday Brunch reservations at 11:00a.m. A dream come true…or so I thought…

We were seated immediately upon arrival, three minutes after 11. The place was packed and there was a line out the door of people waiting to see if anyone failed to show up for their reservation. I ordered my standard Café au Lait to start. The server asked if I would like it in a bowl or cup; I said bowl. My cup of coffee arrived in a huge bowl as shown below. Little did I know, this was only 1 of 2 things worth noting about the popular restaurant.

I then asked for a mimosa and was kindly informed they do not serve alcohol until after 12 in accordance with New York State Law. Given that I had worked so hard to get into the place, I let this slide. I ordered the Eggs Florentine, 2 eggs served with spinach and artichoke. Sir Fancy Pants ordered the Eggs Meurette, 2 poached eggs served in wine sauce topped with bacon and mushrooms. The server informed me the Eggs Florentine does not come with English Muffins. Incredulous as to how they could serve Eggs Florentine without muffins, I asked for them on the side, which I was charged an extra $3.00 for in addition to the $18.50 pricetag of the meal.

After he put our order in, another server brought us a bread basket containing 4 decent size pieces of white and wheat bread. Then it was time for our meal. The Eggs Florentine was topped with Béchamel sauce instead of the traditional Hollandaise sauce. The sauce turned out to be dry and bland; it consists of only milk, flour, and possibly butter. I heard no complaints from Sir Fancy Pants.

The second thing worth noting was the Apple Tart dessert we shared following the meal. It was very nice and cooked to perfection topped with Vanilla Bean ice cream. I also ordered a Hot Chocolate. After two sips, I asked the server to take it off the bill. It looked like hot chocolate, but tasted like brown liquid and steamed milk.

The atmosphere was nice and open with high ceilings, and the bathroom in the basement had its own attendant. The service was also very good. Unfortunately, a good Café au Lait, a delicious Apple Tart, and attentive servers does not justify going back for Balthazar's pricetag.

I’ve done Brunch at Pastis; I left feeling delighted, satisfied, and open to going back. I don’t know what the owners were thinking with Balthazar. I really do not get all the hype surrounding the place. At nearly $20 a portion, it is not worth it.

Perhaps the only good to come out of this much anticipated visit to Balthazar was it broke (i.e. scarred) me of ordering my staple Brunch entrée of Eggs Florentine.


DAMAGE ~ $55 (before tip)
VERDICT: PASS

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Galanga

149 W 4th St.


Saturday night dinner was set in a normal only in Manhattan size Thai restaurant called Galanga, located in Greenwich Village. The place was about half full, and we were seated next to the brick wall, rather than the booth on the opposite side or the long table in the center. I wish I had requested the booth because I felt a draft each time the door opened.

Sir Fancy Pants started off with a glass of red wine and I with the Galanga Ice Tea, sake with lime juice and mint leaves. Next came the appetizers. We ordered the Corn Fritters. 5 corn fritters arrived on a small plate with a purple flower in the corner. The taste was similar to a corn empanada; fried on the outside with a sweet doughy mixture of corn on the inside, very good. For dinner, Sir Fancy Pants ordered the Drunken Noodles with beef asking the server to make it as spicy as possible, and I had the Pad Thai with Vegetarian Duck. I might have ventured outside my Thai food staple but did not due to a sense of urgency on the part of the server.

The food was your typical Thai food. Vegetarian Duck tends to be hit or miss, but I enjoyed it at Galanga. The rest of the pad thai was average. With the exception of the Vegetarian Duck, the rest of the dish was lacking in flavor. I ended up adding too much chili sauce and burnt off half my taste buds in the process. In addition, each time I took a bite, I felt something crunchy. This is highly unusual for a platter of pad thai. Sir Fancy Pants said his Drunken Noodles were not as spicy as he wanted, but overall very good.

The entire meal felt rushed. I did not have time to delve into the menu and see what else was available because the server kept bothering us. We got there late in the evening, so I am not sure if the restaurant was near closing time, despite several other people arriving after us. The prices are reasonable (on average about $10 per plate and $8 per drink). There is one bathroom located in the basement. The restaurant has your dimly lit, slightly romantic vibe to it. Unfortunately, I was too irritated by the draft coming from the door, the urgency of the server, and my roasting taste buds to notice.

I have enjoyed much better Thai food in the city without feeling rushed at about the same price. Save your money on this one.



DAMAGE ~ $43 (before tip) CASH ONLY
VERDICT: PASS

Friday, January 2, 2009

Empire Hotel Rooftop Bar

44 W 63rd St., 12th floor

New Yorkers lead fairly busy lives. So busy in fact, we often don’t realize what day it is until we get to the office and, upon seeing nobody else there, kick ourselves for waking up early on Saturday, head back home, get into bed, and sleep through the rest of the weekend pretending it never happened.

That said, when New Year’s Eve came around, I did not see it coming until it was literally 48 hours away. I had been so busy just trying to get through Thanksgiving and Christmas, New Year’s Eve was the last thing on my mind.

I debated standing in Times Square with one million strangers for 9 hours, but decided against it due to a lack of public facilities and the chilly weather. My next option was buying tickets to a party at a bar/ lounge. My budget for the night was $150. Anything on 42nd or near Times Square was out of the question due to the massive crowds. I decided upon Stone Rose Lounge, an upscale bar overlooking Central Park on Columbus Circle. When I went to buy tickets the night before New Year’s Eve, the price was jacked up to $195 from $150 earlier in the afternoon. Sir Fancy Pants suggested the Empire Hotel Rooftop bar. He had been for a company party and said it was nice and featured spectacular views of New York from the Upper West Side. It was late, I was running out of options, and tickets were $125 each for the rooftop party. Empire Hotel it was.

After taxes, our tickets came out to $140 each. We arrived about 10:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The lounge was smaller than I expected, two rooms, and about half full. The following is a list of pros and cons from the evening.

PROS:
1) Views: Lincoln Center, CNN Tower, Dakota Building, Upper West Side.
2) Proximity to Empire Hotel sign. Bar opens up to outdoor deck where sign is located.
3) Two full bars. Did not experience long lines to get drinks at all throughout evening.
4) Music was good- mainly older stuff from the past several years and some rock music.
5) VIP admission. Doorperson gave us pink VIP wristbands because she misread our tickets. VIP allowed us access to the second room of the bar, enclosed entirely in glass windows on one side.
6) The furniture was modern and spacious with many oversized chairs in the VIP area.
7) Crowd was cool and friendly.

CONS:
1) Appetizers included in price of ticket were far and few between. When servers did come through with plates of food, people attacked them, leaving crumbs in their wake.
2) No champagne toast. We ended up paying $20 extra at midnight for ONE glass of champagne. We then split that into two glasses to ring in the New Year.
3) No television screens. We did not get to watch the ball drop on New Year’s, as many other bars featured live feed of the ball dropping in their evening’s activities.
4) Due to the heat from the overcrowding of people, the windows showcasing the spectacular views were completely fogged up in the VIP area. Sir Fancy Pants said when he went the ceiling was open, allowing for some impressive views of Manhattan. The only way to get the views on this evening was to walk outside to the outdoor deck. The weather was freezing, so I did not last more than a couple minutes both times I went outside.
5) Lack of dance music/ eurotrance. I do not remember the DJ playing any techno/trance/dance music during the evening.
6) No dance floor. You danced where you were standing.
7) Half the bartenders did not know how to make a Tom Collins; it was hit and miss all night. For those of you wondering, Tom Collins is 3 parts club soda, 2 parts gin, 1 part sour, and sugar if you have it available.

I did have a good time but I feel like the evening could have been had anywhere rather than where it actually took place, in New York City. We left around 2:00 a.m. By that time, most of the crowd had cleared out. The place also had a fireplace, which is always a nice addition to any bar. The women’s restroom had four stalls and a bathroom attendant. I did not wait longer than 7 minutes to use the restroom. I cannot vouch for the men’s stalls.

I would not mind going to Empire Hotel Rooftop Bar again given the right occasion, such as a networking event, to impress out of towners, or warmer weather, but I will not be returning for another New Year’s Eve celebration nor recommending it to any fellow New Yorkers for New Year's.


DAMAGE ~$300 (or $150 each plus tip)
VERDICT: Go when it’s warmer