Drinks were creative. Lots of interesting flavor combinations. Was very surprised with a few drinks. Would come back again

I have genuinely never had a more delicious cocktail than here. The bartenders are talented and the waiters are very helpful. I came with three other friends and we tried the sweet potato fries between us while we tried a variety of their drinks. Each drink comes in a different cup which is a fun twist. I was trying to remember the amazing cocktails I had but on trying to remind myself through their menu, it looks like the place switches up their menu every season - that's genuinely a real feat. The bar area is quite small but there are some nice seats in the back. Somehow the bartenders looked absolutely effortless making cocktails, each in a different style cup, doing small flourishes with how they poured - but in the most natural way. I was really impressed - it was like they could make the drinks in their sleep if they wanted to! The music was spot on for my taste - I've been stuck in a city pop era for the past few years so it was really nice to just sit and listen to some alongside mando/canto pop. I really want to come back for the food in front of the entrance as well because it looks really good. This place has their branding down pat, their cocktails down pat, their staff down pat - genuinely I've spent the last 3 months since asking myself why I haven't been back yet - I bring it up almost every single weekend because it made that much of an impact on me. You know what? I'll make this weekend that weekend I go back. read more

This is a new hidden gem in LIC and I absolutely loved the vibes and the cocktails!! It wasn't too busy for a last minute walk in for a group of 5. The vibe was good, loved the music, and our drinks came out pretty fast. I highly recommend The Most Familiar Stranger (it says savory but it is actually really good!!) and Not the Melon You Know mocktail. They happened to be out of the Midnight Pretender for the night so I will definitely come back to try it. There were still several tables available throughout the night so it might not be necessary to make a resy beforehand, which is nice b/c you can just hop over after dinner or just last minute while in the neighborhood! read more

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Love is like a bad cold 7.5/10 my friend said it tasted a bit weird and honestly a bit too small :/ Not the melon you know 9/10 believe all the good reviews on this drink! yummy and not too strong The concept is nostalgic and comforting, I love the interior design and decor incorporating the essence of the 80s and 90s of Chinese/canto pop music--brings back so many memories! Overall, a cute little place to reminisce memories and have a good time. Seating is a bit tight but service is quick and you wont really get distracted by others due to the extremely dim lighting LOL. read more

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Came in on a Friday night around 9:30pm. When I arrived with my friend, there was a short wait, maybe 10 minutes for a table. They limit each table to an hour and a half before they clear it. The place inside is quite small. The tables are all close together. The drinks are all unique, both name wise and ingredient wise. They're named after canto/mando pop songs. The drinks also use Asian ingredients. I got a Night Cruising, one of their seasonal specials. The drink was so strong considering the ingredients that were in it. It was on the more refreshing side, but the gin was the strongest flavor for me. It was good though, just not what I expected. The green tea was what I tasted next. Not too much plum, but there was shiso. The vibe is a very old-timey Chinese bar. There is a DJ that plays older canto/mando songs. It's little hard to hear since everyone is talking, but it's cool to get to hear canto/mando songs. They have food that they cook in the waiting area. The popcorn chicken smelled amazing, but since I ate beforehand, I ended up not ordering anything. read more

929 - Night Cruising - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I really enjoyed the retro theme! The drinks and food were delicious and the staff are very friendly. Staff had great reccs and descriptions for drinks. Would go again. read more

I came here with some friends on an early Saturday evening. We were able to stay for an hour and a half, but there was a reservation at 7:30p we had to leave before. An hour and a half was fine for us. They were blasting the fans, but it definitely felt a teeny bit sticky on one of the hottest summer days. Nothing that a few cool drinks couldn't help, though! This spot has some of the most innovative cocktails I've seen in a long time. I won't forget the sesame foam. Yum. Definitely a great cocktail bar for the adventurous. The music was great - different than you'd find other cocktail bars or speakeasies. They have real records, though the speakers/sound were nothing particularly special. Still, the nod to great music genres and appreciation of music and libations is always appreciated. I will definitely come back when I am next in this part of the city. read more

One of my favorite bars in the area. I've pretty much tried all their drinks at this point. The drinks are delicious and it's a really small and intimate bar, making it the perfect date night spot. It's also great for hanging out with friends. I love their mala fried and sweet potato fries with plum seasoning. read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This bar is fun and the drinks are so unique and delicious. My party of 4 showed up at 5:20PM on a saturday (they open at 5) and only bar seating was left. I was a bit hesitant as I wanted to chat but the bar was great. It's farther from the music so you can easily hear everything and you get to see the bartender make so many famous drinks! The drinks have asian flavors and are made with such care. They are inspired by oldies chinese bangers. My favorite were Fire and The Most Familiar Stranger (had sesame oil and soy sauce, so unique and delicious). The bartender also made us free shots for my brothers birthday! They said they release new drinks quite frequently since the bar is still relatively new. I highly recommend, this bar has such a fun speakeasy vibe. read more

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Came here on 8pm on a Friday. We waited approximately 30 minutes to get seated. When we got inside I was surprised by how close all the tables and people were next to each other. We could hear a lot of loud noise from all across the room. It was quite loud so everyone was trying to be louder than their neighbors so they could hear each other - this was a bit awkward since the tables were so close so it was hard to chat within our own party. The drinks were the standard Manhattan price, however the drinks were TINY. They also didn't taste all that good, they were different indeed but felt like they were trying to copy Double Chicken Please but unable to make it taste as good. It was small in portion and it tastes like they put no alcohol in at all. Def not worth in terms of value. Because it was so loud, I also could barely hear the music so it was not the experience I was hoping for. All in all, probably wouldn't come back but it was not terrible. read more

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Very intimate setting of a new mando / canto pop vinyl cocktail bar. Originally saw this on TikTok and immediately wanted to go. They don't take reservations and it's first come first serve. Luckily me and a friend were able to get seated right away. Cocktails are a little pricier on average ($18-20) but they're definitely inventive. Atmosphere is very dark and 80/90s retro with a cute vinyl setup. The menu includes dishes attached to Gulp which 929 is seated inside of. Definitely offers a unique blend of charm and modern vibes. read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Visiting town for a few days and was brought to this unique listening bar dedicated to post-80s Chinese pop. The interior decor was on point, complete with an old school VHS player and vinyl record players. The drinks were very unique, supposedly named after Chinese pop songs, and clearly came with Asian inspired flavors. Natsu no Breeze was the most "familiar" drink, reminiscent of common tropical cocktails you can find elsewhere. Sweet Guilty Pleasure was true to its name in being the sweetest drink. Not the Melon You Know was the one to write home for me, as the tea undertones made this a very distinct drink fitting the bar's theme. The Most Familiar Stranger was the most divisive drink, as its incorporation of soy sauce and sesame oil was very apparent and not for everyone. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a different scene with uncommon drinks, but be prepared to be adventurous with some flavors. read more

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My friend hard vouched for us to try this asian bar, and it definitely blew my expectations out of the water. It's a cute vinyl record bar tucked behind a food shop, with nostalgic mando and canto pop songs playing in the background. I like my asian cocktails, but these were just next level. Their cocktails are all tea infused, and taste of nostalgic dishes you'd eat in your childhood! I first had the Not the Melon You Know cocktail, which tasted so much like wintermelon tea, I actually did a double take. But the favorite drink of the night has to be The Most Familiar Stranger You Know cocktail. It's based off of the drunken chicken dish (醉雞 for my mando people), and it actually tastes like it?? Which is insane?? And it tastes good??? I'll definitely be coming by here more often, mark my words! read more

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This place is a bit of a tight squeeze and has loud music. The drinks were good, I liked the decor. The radish cake was good too, the perfect little snack. read more

A cocktail bar tucked into the back of a takeout restaurant (where you can also order their food inside) serving Asian inspired drinks! Their cocktails are around $18, which I think is pretty typical for NYC these days. I'd recommend making a reservation if you can. We came with a group of 4 without one and waited about 15-20 mins to sit at the bar. It would've been nice to get a table so we could converse with each other, but it was cool to see all the drinks being prepared in front of you! The bartenders were so nice and helpful with drink recs. We got The Most Familiar Stranger (sesame oil infused), Not the melon you know (a little on the sweeter side, but I enjoyed this!), the last emperor (not a big fan), and my favorite was the Sweet guilty pleasure with early grey. We also got the fried platter, which comes with assorted fried bits like chicken, fish balls, tofu and the fried buns w/ condensed milk to much on. The food is a bit pricey for the quantity. read more

Came around 7pm on a Wed night and there was no wait! Al thought by the time we left around 9, there was definitely a short line forming. My friend and I were actually very surprised by how good the drinks were! Usually Asian inspired drinks don't really capture the flavors well but they did an incredible job here!! We got the winter melon and earl-grey drink! Botha drs very delicious and will definitely be back again read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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My best friend and I came because it was a "taiwanese" chinese bar and it was so good! I thought it was a bit weird that there were no chopsticks for the snacks. Drinks were amazing, I am not the most adventurous but the two that I tried were good. The waitress definitely knew what to recommend. Ambiance is dark and intimate. Definitely a cool place to check out. Reservations are a must! read more

929 - drinks, tofu curd, beef, fried chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Great cocktails, and amazing atmosphere, staff was wonderful! Great cocktails, and amazing atmosphere, staff was wonderful!

Good to see that there's a speakeasy bar in LIC featuring my cultural component from the scene to the drinks! The vinyl playing Cantonese and Mandarin pop music from 80's just flew me back to my childhood. I have visited here several times already. They use special Chinese/Taiwanese ingredients for craft cocktails, which makes it so unique. I specially love their cocktail " the most familiar stranger", which has a rich sesame-flavored foam that balances so well with the liquor. BKK --HKG is another one that impresses me a lot because the milk tea flavor is subtle and so easy to drink! Follow @whatsuprosienyc on Instagram to explore more! read more

929 - BKK (front), The Last Emperor (left), The most familiar stranger (back) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This was my second time going to this bar, and both times it was great. The drinks here are tasty and unique. My personal favorite was the not the melon you know! I also liked the braised beef shank and the fried platter. The music and the vibe are also great. The only downside is that they kick you out after the 90 minute period. read more

929 - Braised beef shank - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I absolutely loved this speakeasy. It's a little loud inside so maybe not the best for chatting but every two seater inside are seated right next to each other so if you're there for a first date, you can be close and intimate! The vibes inside are wonderful--you make your way past the kitchen in the front to a dimly lit speakeasy in the back adorned with bumping cantopop, mood lighting, and old vinyls on the wall. The drinks and food themselves were delicious. We got the fried food platter and ordered probably every drink on the menu. The drinks are inspired by Asian flavors so if you're not used to that, the drinks may come as a surprise to you. I personally loved the Sweet Guilty Pleasure and I ordered four of those that night. They have a rotational seasonal menu which is also so exciting. Overall, a great spot with great drinks and atmosphere! read more

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a speakeasy-kinda spot hidden inside a Taiwanese restaurant! i've bookmarked this place for awhile and finally got to try it recently. the place had great ambience and they played a lot of Jolin Tsai and Jay Chou while i was there. the menu is fun in that the drinks are named after classic CPop songs. i got the "most familiar stranger" (because, shoutouts to Elva Hsiao!!!) and my companion tried "a smoking poet". my drink was complex and well balanced, the soy milk + soy sauce maple foam was DELICIOUS. it reminded me of the cream foam top in bobas. we also tried the sweet potato fries and plum powder and that was good too. overall, it was a well-executed concept and i had a great time. i'd love to come back! read more

The Most Familiar Stranger (Scotch Whiskey, Ginger Honey, Pineapple Juice, Mandarin Juice, Lime Juice, Soy Milk + Soy Sauce Maple Foam, Sesame Oil) Leslie's Sleepless Night (Ceylon-Infused Scotch Whiskey, Coffee-Infused Sweet Vermouth, Condensed Milk Foam) Hard to choose which one was my fave but def want to return to try the rest of the menu read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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929 is a small cocktail bar in LIC. It's super popular, and quite hard to get in on a weekend evening! I highly recommend getting a reservation, no matter when you plan to go. The cocktails here are about $18-22 each. It definitely adds up especially after tax and tip. They're definitely super interesting and creative, with complex flavors. I tried probably 6 different ones, and some of them are good, but some are maybe a bit too complex for me. It definitely makes you question its price tag a bit. Overall though, I like the vibe here a lot still. It's not too loud, super casual, and a nice place to hang out at. Seating is limited to 90 minutes during busy times. Food here has some delicious Taiwanese bites, all solid, but way pricier than they need to be too. I'll probably come back, as it's still one of the nicer cocktail bars in the area. read more

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Cute little speakeasy style Mando/Cantopop bar tucked past the main entrance. The food and drinks were yum but very overpriced for the size you get. I did enjoy the cozy and chill ambiance, and their wall decors were representative of the late 90s and early 2000s Chinese pop music. They also have this small corner of vinyls and box tv from the 90s. Overall, the experience wasn't spectacular but it's a nice place to hang with friends after work. read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I've been here twice now and will probably continue to come due to the ambiance, mando/canto pop, and proximity to my home, despite the hit or miss of the drinks. The interior is dimly lit with colored accent back lights, cute table decor, and nostalgic music. It's hard to get a reservation which makes it less ideal to come here on a whim. On weekdays, the last reservation is at 10 but you can stay till midnight, though it was pretty apparent they wished we would clear out sooner. The snacks are a little pricey but delicious and nostalgic. I would absolutely get the sweet potato fries every time, they sprinkle magic seasoning on them! A couple standout notes - Not the melon you know: easy to drink and enjoy - Leslie's Sleepless Nights: has a kick, does not give coffee cocktail if that's what you're hoping for - Midnight pretender: very very.. floral? Not for a beginner cocktail palate. Unfortunately I could not appreciate or enjoy it at all, and I asked them to dilute it with juice or anything to make it more palatable, but they refused... no one in our group was really able to enjoy it but since it was $18 we kind of just shoved it down. Next time I come back I'll definitely stick with the sweeter drinks or maybe beer and get the snacks! read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a small cozy place with very nice decoration. Definitely need to make a reservation. I tried 3 drinks between my friend and I. They were all amazing. The place is kind of dim but they give the table light which is such a cute touch. We tried the beef, mixed fried and raffish cake. All the food is also amazing but kind of pricy for the portion of the food. Will def go back if I want to grab some drinks with friends. read more

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Great drinks! Get the mango sticky rice. It really tasted like the dessert. They are very strict with the time limit though read more

i would say come for the drinks!!! everything is made with unique & asian ingredients which i really liked the drinks: i got the faye's love life, the last emperor, and not the melon you know -- faye's wasn't my favorite, but the other two were amazingggggggg. i was SHOCKED at how delicious the winter melon one was, i will def be getting that again. i am also excited to try the most familiar stranger bc of it's soy sauce maple foam!!! the food: just got sweet potato fries - thought it was lil weird that it comes with no dipping sauce, but it's chill the space: it's pretty dark and packed (came on opening day). the only thing that made me kind of sad was that they didn't actually play any LP's this night?? despite being an... LP.... bar??????? read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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ive been here twice now bc the first time i went the drink i got was the best cocktail ive had. very intimate date spot with dim lighting and great music. the food tasting menu is definitely pricey for the portions but theyre cute small samplers to share and the drinks are very unique. read more

929 - shes spicy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Dark & retro canto/mando inspired speakeasy. Our group of 5 went on a Thursday night recently and was told there's a 90mins time limited. Well we understand since it isn't a big place and it did get busy after a while. The server was nice and informative. They have limited items on the bar food menu but the food was really good to our surprises. We ordered the Fried Platter(Popcorn Chicken, Cuttle Fish Ball, Green Bean, Bai Ye Tofu), Braised Beef Shank, Fried Buns and Radish Cake. Everything was tasty and flavorful. I personally like the radish cake a lot. We end up ordered 2nd on some since the snacks were quite small. Now onto their cocktails with interesting names for the drinks. We've tried a few and were not too much of a fan on them. Innovative drinks with ingredients like sesame oil, herbal syrup & Chinese five spices (just to name a few) weren't so much enjoyable to us. We ended up order generic drinks like gin and tonic on our 2nd round. I would give 4 stars if they weren't trying so hard on creative cocktails. After all it's bar and drinks matter! read more

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New Taiwanese bar that opened up and thanks Cooper and Bee for being super hospitable. They have small bites and seasonal drinks. We got there late so kitchen was closed but our fav drink was the shacha flavor ones. Will definitely be back to try out other drinks! read more

929 - a bar with a lot of glasses on the counter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I liked the concept and therefore went to check it our. The drinks were pricey and besides the specialty drinks, everything else was not good. Either too sweet or no taste of alcohol. I don't like drinks with heavy alcohol taste as well but there were some drinks where I couldn't even tell if there was alcohol in it. Food was also relatively expensive for the small bites read more

929 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Canto speakeasy?!?! Great cocktails and cute vibes. Get "Not the Melon You Know"! My friend also got "The Most Familiar Stranger" which had this thic cream on top that I loved -- soy milk+soy sauce maple foam and sesame oil - you can really smell it and taste it! Very eclectic and SO good. read more

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This is a new speakeasy that just opened down the street. The drinks are pretty good and they are made in a unique way -- milk washing -- which diluted the taste of the alcohol but not the actual content. I wish the drinks were slightly larger for the price (pretty expensive for LIC) and that there were more bar bites than just bigger plates to purchase. I'll definitely go back but more so when it's a special occasion. read more

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Very cute speakeasyish bar behind a store. Better to have a reservation already made. One complaint was that I felt the music was super loud and it was hard to chat with the person I was with. Some of the drinks were good and refreshing but one that I highly disliked was the Fire. Not sure what I was expecting with a drink with sriracha in it but it definitely did not taste good at all-especially combined with tomato juice. The not the melon you know was my favorite of the night because of how refreshing it was. The buns were nice, basically donuts. read more

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After seeing this spot everywhere on IG I just had to try it out. I dropped by on a Friday night, and the wait time was 2 hours for a table, which made sense for a popular spot and it being a Friday. However, I don't really think it lived up to the hype. I was sold on the experience of it being a music bar, expecting to hear very nostalgic Chinese songs. Unfortunately, the spot was just so small and having so many tables crammed together and speaking loudly, I wasn't able to hear the music playing. Honestly, I could barely hear my group speaking with how noisy it was. The drinks were also just ok. The only one I enjoyed was 'Not the Melon You Know'. 'Fire' and 'The Most Familiar Stranger' were both quite mediocre. While I really appreciated the theme of the bar, I felt like the execution could be better. read more

Had the chance to come here for a date and arrived without making a reservation prior. It was fairly busy yet they were able to seat us without us having to wait. The space itself if a bit small but intimate too. They've got bar seating as well as table seating available. After we were seated we scanned the QR codes on the table and looked through the menu. Throughout our stay they were specifically playing 90's Japanese pop and apparently they change the genre every three months at the venue. When it came time to order I started with the Midnight Pretender, then had the Not the Melon You Know, and ended with the Cat's Eye. All drinks were great and each one had a delicate design on them too. Overall it's a great venue for new music and an intimate setting for friends as well as a date. I'd totally recommend visiting if you're in the area! read more

929 - Tainan Arancini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Fun Taiwanese bar/speakeasy located in LIC. You first enter into a restaurant, open the 929 labeled door and greeted with a dimly lit, beautifully decorated bar. Great place for fun drinks. I recalled enjoyed the melon drink. The food was okay, portion sizes were smalls. The braised beef was the best in the menu along with sweet potato fries. Shrimp balls were sweet, contained pineapples and sprinkles for an added touch. The fried platter had an assortment of fish, chicken, and veggies fried with a light dusting of seasoning. If you're in the area and looking for an aesthetic drinks, this is the place. read more

Going to give this place 4.5 stars The drinks are the most unique I've seen in the area. They have ingredients and references more popular with those familiar with Asian culture. I had the Natsu No Breeze which was incredibly refreshing. Knocking some points off though since the music was just way too loud to hear my friends' conversations. I will say though that as a tan Hispanic, I noticed a lot of stares from the other patrons. Nothing worth bringing up to management but worthy of noting. I'd return to try more of the menu! Staff was friendly and speedy. Would recommend coming with a reservation! read more

929 - Natsu No Breeze (tallest drink) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York