R Bar

218 Bowery

Is it possible to be angry at a bar? Not the bartender, not the doorman, not any particular person, just the bar itself? That is exactly what happened with R Bar and I on Friday night.

I was invited to the Lower East Side lounge to celebrate a mutual friend’s birthday. What I intended to be a semi-enjoyable evening turned out to be anything but. My first encounter with animosity came from the mandatory $2 coat check. Others have said it; now I will shout it:

IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A COAT CHECK MANDATORY, MAKE SURE IT’S FREE!

I would rather be charged a $2 cover than have to pay a mandatory coat check fee. My initial reaction was to bolt. Unfortunately, because it was not my birthday, I stayed.

My second encounter with animosity came from the music. The DJ was awful, and I’m being nice. I cringe at the thought of the music as I type these words. He/she would play a good song, followed by three bad ones. There are poles but it doesn’t matter because the music kills any desire to dance. I’m usually pretty open when it comes to club music, but I actually found myself pissed off at the DJ. That has NEVER happened before.

The biggest deal breaker came from the crowd. I have not felt so much like a sardine since Thursday nights at Stingers during my university days. To get a picture of how packed it was, imagine Rockefeller Plaza 2 weeks before Christmas. Now replace the tourists with college students…

Highlights for the evening include the awesome wall décor (old rock star icons in black & white); the bartender recalling my current choice cocktail by heart (gin & tonic); and a couple interesting people I met throughout the evening, including the friendly bouncer who watched over our party of drunk and the random people who danced with me on my way out the door.

There are too many other great places in the area. Hold onto your coat and save your money on this one.


DAMAGE ~ $8-11/ avg. per drink
VERDICT: PASS

Raines Law Room

48 W 17th St It’s time I let the cat out of the bag. There are a handful of places around the city I refuse to blog about simply because they are too special, and I rather surprise people personally. Raines Law Room was quickly becoming one of those places. Because the place is brand new (i.e. still off the radar of New Yorkers), I decided it was safe to review.

I have been to Raines Law Room a number of times. The Flatiron speakeasy that opened end of January 2009 might be my favorite bar above 14th Street.

For my most recent visit, my drink companion and I were led to the open kitchen in the back of the bar while we waited for a table to open up. The kitchen features a large island where customers can watch the bartenders work their magic. Since I had tried nearly every gin cocktail on the menu by this time, I chatted up the bartender/mixologist for a recommendation. I told him I was craving berries, lime, and honey. We decided to drop the honey for a more favorable drink he had in mind.

We were seated at a yellow couch near the entrance. 5 minutes later, our drinks arrived. Typically, the drinks are served with popcorn but we ordered a cheese and olive tray instead. I was expecting something slightly fancier than what we received; 2 different kinds of olives served with sharp cheddar cubes. For the price, it was very disappointing.

On the other hand, my drink was fantastic (it always is). I have no idea what the particular concotion was called but know it contained blackberries and gin. I was very impressed. I do not recall what my companion ordered but suspect it contained vodka. He was quite pleased as well.

Pluses:
EVERYTHING
(see host with French accent; knowledgeable bartenders; doorbell entrance; open kitchen; dressing room bathroom with sliding door; cozy Harvard Law School décor; chill atmosphere; background jazz music, etc.)

Minuses:
Olive tray; pricey

I recommend going to Raines Law Room now. Stop reading and go. It opens at 6pm. If it is before 6pm, go stand in front of the door and wait. If it is packed, put your name on the list. The host will call you. I promise. He has my number memorized. Maybe. Probably.

If you are a tourist looking for a nice speakeasy, Raines Law Room is it. Trust me on this one. You will have better luck of getting in than some of the city’s better known speakeasies. Just don’t go when I want to go; I don’t like waiting.

DAMAGE ~ $13/per drink
VERDICT: GO NOW!

White Rabbit

145 E. Houston St

Saturday night, I found myself at a Lower East Side lounge called White Rabbit. I arrived at 10:30 to a half empty venue that filled to standing room only within a couple hours.

WestSideSurfer and I had not seen each other for many months and scored a comfy seat away from the main bar to catch up as much as the evening would allow.

The lounge was your average Manhattan size bar with plush seating lining the wall. My favorite part was the music. The DJ played many old school beats that I rarely hear nowadays. Because I am completely out of the music scene, I appreciated the familiar jams and even caught myself dancing to a few.

On the back wall, a projector displayed old episodes from In Living Color, something I have never seen in a bar. There are three bathrooms, so the wait was never more than a few minutes. White Rabbit also serves food, though I did not notice anyone eating.

I cannot quite put my finger on it, but something was off about the evening. Perhaps it was my watered down gin cocktails, the old In Living Color episodes (I have never watched a full episode in my life nor do I want to), or maybe the crowd (possibly BTCer’s). Whatever it was, the place definitely did not feel like other Lower East establishments in the area.

The coolest thing about White Rabbit is the name. I doubt I will return save for a networking event or something similar.


DAMAGE ~ $8-11/ avg. per drink
VERDICT: PASS

Fat Black Pussycat

130 W 3rd St

Fat Black Pussycat seems to be a favorite among locals. I know this because I have been here several times with various friends and get random phone calls from them weeks later at 2 in the morning asking me for the exact address (W 3rd St & 6th Ave).

The bar/lounge features one pool table, booths, bar seating, and an adjoined lounge area with funky chairs that might have come out of the 18th Century.

Fat Black Pussycat is a very different experience during the week as opposed to weekends. Throughout the week, it is a nice relaxing spot to catch up with friends over a couple cocktails. On the weekends, it is standing room only as BTCers cross over and get trashed. It is extremely noisy and expect to get wacked by pool sticks as you cross the single pool table to get to the women’s restroom (directly behind it).

There is a huge black chandelier (close to the size of a midtown studio apartment) in the center of the main room. The adjacent lounge features a flat screen with creepy images playing throughout the evening, probably stolen from Tool music videos.

Downstairs is the Village Underground (and more bathrooms). During my last visit, friends and I started off in the basement nightclub, coughed up the $10 cover charge, and snagged a corner booth for the five of us (actually we reserved it; someone in our group celebrated a birthday that evening).

The house band onstage called Unionn was a mixture of reggae and funk, jazzing up familiar beats with their own unique style. The crowd was young, fun, and full of energy. Everyone in our group had a great time, both upstairs and down.

With cocktails at $7.50 and specialty drinks starting at $11 downstairs, Fat Black Pussycat is a spot not to be missed. There is no question it has the personality and energy of New York. Unfortunately, it gets too crowded for me on weekends.

DAMAGE ~ 8.50
VERDICT: Go… but only during the week

Flatiron Lounge

37 W 19th St

Flatiron Lounge is a speakeasy designed to be not so speakeasy, rather just easy. It has that exclusive relaxed vibe without being too exclusive. It is not well known enough to be a hot spot for tourists, but it is arguably one of the top three bars in Flatiron. If you disagree with my statement, please do tell in my comment box.

60sBumbleBee and I stopped by on a Saturday because we were in the area. She ordered a drink called the Cherry Royale (although I don’t recall what the ingredients were) and I ordered something off menu called the Jitterbug (substituted with gin and made with honey). Both of us were pleased with our drinks.

Cherry Royale

Several months ago, I would have given this a RUN! Now that I have been there a few times, I realize the atmosphere is just not there. I blame it on the location. The Flatiron District has one cool building, perhaps you’ve heard of it. Other than that, it’s a dead neighborhood. Walk around any night of the week; the streets are bare. You might even feel like you’re in midtown. Flatiron Lounge is primarily a space to be used for a couple cocktails following a long workday. Other than that, I would steer clear.

Pluses include the eclectic drink menu and a bartender that looks like Adam Brody. The bathroom has some pretty cool jazz art, and there is a downstairs near the entrance of the lounge, but I have not seen it in the three times I have been—the last two times it was closed off.

Although Flatiron Lounge is one of my favorite spots in the city above 14th, there is a serious disconnect in terms of what is happening in New York City once you cross that street, largely due to the young student populations of NYU, the New School, and Cooper Union, all located in East and West Village. I won’t be going back to Flatiron Lounge unless I am above 14th and can’t get into the latest speakeasy that just opened two weeks ago on 17th…

DAMAGE ~28
VERDICT: Go…but only for after work cocktails.

Little Branch

22 7th Ave S
Milk & Honey is one of the most popular bar establishments in New York City due to their unique drink concoctions, their highly skilled bartenders, and the satisfaction once you finally obtain entry. The only way to get into Milk & Honey is to call during the day and make reservations for the same night. There is one problem; the phone number is unlisted and nearly impossible to find. Add to this they change their number every few months. Even if you do manage to score the number, chances are it will be different by the time you call.

So I did what any other suave New Yorker would do. I visited its’ sister bar Little Branch and asked the hostess. Not only did she give me the wrong number, she claimed she had to research it first and to check back with her before I left. Had I not been so focused on obtaining that damn number, my experience at Little Branch might have been more relaxed and merry.

Several times, Sir Fancy Pants and I made plans, but for one reason or another (e.g. long lines in the rain, time constraints, etc.), they fell through.

We finally made it in around 8:30 on a Wednesday evening. Upon entering the front door, we walked down a tiny flight of stairs to the underground bar. The hostess took down my name and said it would be a 45 minute wait to get a table. Because we had dinner plans after, we left after one drink.

I went for the bartender’s choice and told him I would like a semi-sweet drink with gin and honey. He replied, “Say no more.” I was served a concoction called Bees’ Knees consisting of gin, lemon, and honey. It was delicious but definitely meant for sipping. Sir Fancy Pants had another bartender’s choice concoction with grapefruit juice, which he liked very much.

Little Branch, what a little place you are. The outside exterior is completely unassuming; I would never have known there was a bar down below had Sir Fancy Pants not pointed it out. The place is made to represent a speakeasy with live jazz on the weekends. Inside, the space is cozy with only 5 or 6 tables for seating plus standing room around the bar. Cocktails are $13 a pop, but the interesting concoctions make up for the steep price.

The bathroom was nice and clean with individual hand towels for drying your hands. The entire visit was pleasant, but I could not help feeling discomfort over the Milk & Honey number.


DAMAGE ~ 29 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: Go

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!

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

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