Definitely as good as it gets. I started coming to the Living Room Bar when I was in school for their happy hour specials and 3 years later haven't stopped coming! If you're unsure of what i'm talking about, on their 5th floor they have an AMAZING bar/lounge area. Open year around, this spot offers unparalleled views of the freedom tower in an extremely modern setting. Anyone can go inside and grab a drink (not just hotel guests). The staff is friendly and go out of their way to seat you once you're inside. They offer bar snacks to go along with the drinks you order. They also have couches against the wall throughout the entire space, along with outdoor terrace seating. read more

Living Room Bar - Drinks! - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

Came here to celebrate my girlfriends birthday, while there was nothing spectacular about this bar it was a breath of fresh air given it was not packed, the server was frequently available and the decor is beautiful. The staff was very accommodating with our reserved tables. The drinks were average and me being a lightweight, typical "one and done" type of gal. They seem to be slightly of a lighter fare and I was able to handle the rounds. It's a fair rooftop (5th floor) view but not the greatest in the city. If you are looking for a cool place to grab a drink with the sounds electronic music, I would recommend this bar. Will definitely visit again. read more

Living Room Bar - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

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I don't understand why the ratings are bad here. I came here on a spontaneous night out on a Thursday night recently. My friends and I met a couple of guy friends here for drinks past around 10pm and I had a great time. First of all I don't see why people don't like the decor. I liked the lights. It's very modern and funky but sexy at the same time. The crowd, well I was having such a great time with my group I really wasn't paying attention to everyone else. The house music was a great background to it all. The cocktails were pretty good depending on what you order. It's pricey given that it's a hotel bar. But the Brooklyn Bridge cocktail with rye, blood orange liqueur, lemon, and bitters was very good. I'm not sure if I'll come back given the location but I wouldn't mind drinking there again. read more

Living Room Bar - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

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We came here to cool off, have a drink, and take a peek over the Ground Zero fencing from 5 stories up (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oiLwkx8GCPH0skbIDL5_yQ?select=xps5dhTVOrIfZGXJUg7acg). Cool decor (the ceiling ribs are lined with LED lighting http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oiLwkx8GCPH0skbIDL5_yQ?select=D6LU-_cfuLd8A9c4fg3JjA), friendly staff (they charged my phone for me behind the bar while we hung out), and pricey drinks ($10 for my Guiness http://deals.whotels.com/uploadedfiles/SOP/NAD/PDFs/WHotels/who-3154-Living-Room-Menu-11.5.10.pdf). The huge terrace area has an outdoor bar that the manager said is usually open Thursday - Saturday (IIRC) weather permitting. Come here with someone with a big wallet or an expense account ;-) read more

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Great modern bar in the financial district! It's wasn't very packed, since it was on the 5th floor in a hotel building. The staff is super friendly and are constantly checking up on you to make sure you have everything you need. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating available (great views of the world trade center). They also provide free snacks to munch on with your drinks - a pretzel mix combination, which I thought was the best aspect of this bar!! The interior was very unique and modern - great spot to grab a drink in the area. read more

Terrific 5th floor bar balcony to hang out on with your overpriced drink while admiring amazing views of the Freedom Tower surrounded by poseurs, rich folks, and wannabes. When I walked into this place last night as part of a special VIP party I instantly noticed the trendy chic decor. Plenty of comfy couch seating with throw pillows all around, DJ spinning tunes, and a crazy cool wavy light ceiling. Definitely posh if a bit over the top. The type of spot you'd expect to find some richy rich Eurotrash, trust funders, those on expense accounts, or clueless tourists dropping some serious cash on cocktails here while they stay at the W Hotel. Plenty of pretty people here and a good looking crowd overall. As far as a hotel lounge goes this is one of the better ones. It was such a beautiful night out that we decided to have a few more drinks after the party ended and take a seat on the balcony. I had no problems with the staff or bartenders here as service seemed ok. Getting charged $50 for two glasses of no name champagne was out of control though. Holy smokes is this place pricey. Guess you're paying to enjoy that view. read more

This place is elegant and low key. We went on a Saturday night and it was chill, not overcrowded and some amazing music -90s to be exact :) Drinks were mediocre - sort of watery and overpriced . read more

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Perfect late night spot to take friends who are visiting * Unique & memorable decor. Relatively quiet atmosphere so you can have a good conversation. * The place was not crowded when we went, and it has comfy seating * Food is definitely above average for a lounge. The french fries were very good, and the chocolate cake was decent. The sliders were sold out and were probably delicious. * The drinks are pretty good and interesting but are expensive so I wouldn't order too many. read more

This is a nice, relaxing place to grab a drink at the end of the day if you're staying in the financial district and are too tired from sightseeing to venture back into the heart of Manhattan. Note that I said "end of the day" and not "night", because last call is around 11 or 11:30 (depending on how busy they are). Drinks were fine but expensive, and service was OK. The outside terrace was really nice and had a good view, so it's a nice place to sit around and chat for a while, but don't expect things to get too exciting. read more

Recently visited this spot for a friend celebration and I had a pretty decent time. The decor is pretty nice and the bathroom is awesome! Drinks & food seems a tad bit pricey, but its a hotel, so what do you expect? I had french fries and the margarita pizza - both were good. DJ was ok but could've been better. It did not put me in the mood to dance, it was basically background music. So this spot is good for socializing, networking, and basically just chilling out. Works for me! read more

Gorgeous ceiling and interior effects. That's what drew me so far away from the area I normally stay in New York. The view was unmatched and the cartoons and fun colorful furniture gave it a classy/party vibe. However the cocktails didn't really match quality wise. They were ok, but was not the highlight of the visit. The staff was friendly and quick service. read more

I feel small. The ceiling is ribbed and fans the length of the room. I think it's even pulsing. Is it living? It's all so new, so shiny, so white, so metallic. If Lady Gaga and HAL 9000 had a baby. You'd find it drinking here on the 5th floor after another grueling therapy session. But in order to really be in awe of this space, and maybe come back down to reality step onto the huge wraparound terrace and remember what century you are in. Living Room Bar and Terrace at the W Downtown: Much like at my Grandmas this Living Room is all for show the "Lived-in-Room" is outside. read more

I'm really proud of this find. Not because I scouted it, or scored a hot tip from a travel show. I'm proud because I was about 50 seconds from peeing my pants when I found it. It was about five o'clock on a summer afternoon when I rolled up. The W Hotel door man was kind enough to point me in the right direction. If you're a tourist, this is really the perfect bathroom spot if you're downtown. If i remember correctly, head to the fifth floor and just veer off to the right. I don't even think you have to walk awkwardly past the front desk or even the bar. It's just there and it's fancy. The best surprise of all was an outside terrace (closed during winter I imagine) overlooking the Freedom Tower and the World Trade Center site. It's a magnificent vantage point. Stick around for one eight dollar beer at the corner terrace bar, take a camera phone picture, pretend to act important, then jet. read more

If I could give this place less than one star, I absolutely would. Like many others I thought this would be a great deal for drinks and appetizers at a fancy new bar given the TravelZoo voucher. However, this turned out to be one of the worst experiences ever. I don't want to get into details because recalling the situation will only make me angry again, and I rarely get mad. I'm a calm, peaceful person and it really takes a lot to upset me but the shady bar manager, bartenders, and waitstaff accomplished that. All I'm going to say is look at the other reviews of this place, especially Alyssa K's, Tara S's, Nichole B's, Pimp D's, and Kerrie T's since they experienced exactly what I went through. Worst bar ever in the history of worst bars in this universe. read more

Such a beautiful venue with a prime location and spectacular views ... and staff with ZERO personality. Popped in for a drinks after a dinner in neighborhood and felt bit unwelcome. When there was a closing time the manager just could have said get out! He basically shout at us from the door:"We are closing so if you could leave." Aha, got it! Let me leave and not come back. read more

I had to write an update on this place because I have just experienced the worst service ever. It's too bad, since the first time was very positive. Wife and I arrive at 7 PM for after work drinks. The place was crowded because of a corporate event reserving half the lounge. We sat down and ordered 2 drinks and 3 small bites (tuna tartare, meat pizza, and sliders). After 10-15 minutes the drinks arrived - very well made and tasty. However after this it goes downhill. After chatting and finishing our drinks, we notice ONE HOUR HAD PASSED AND NO FOOD. We flagged down our waitress who said she saw the food was ready downstairs and it is coming up immediately. Ok I guess I'll wait and ordered another round. Drinks arrive in 15 minutes and tasted like crap - maybe bottom shelf liquor or regular bartender went home? After 30 minutes of more drinking and chatting still no food - WAITING TIME SO FAR 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES. We then flagged our waitress and she said that our food was delivered to the wring table. I replied in a nutshell (and in a nice fashion) so what...you messed up big time...I'm pissed...give me my food now! She then went on to say that the pizza we ordered was out and we needed to order something else. How the fuck to you run out of pizza? I responded well I wouldn't have to order something else if you had given me my food in the first place. So grumbly I ordered another tuna tartare. Waitress is silent. 15 minutes later the first tuna tartare arrives, without utensils or the accompanying chips. How was I supposed to eat this? Another 15 minutes to straighten this out. WAITING TIME SO FAR 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES. Then we get a burger (without any ketchup or utensils) sent to our table. WTF we ordered sliders not a burger? I was so hungry at this point I just ripped in half and gave the other half to my wife. When the waitress arrived again to see if all was well, I said I did not order a burger...we ordered sliders. She replied they ran out of sliders and gave us a burger instead. I then replied thanks for telling me that now...maybe if you brought my food two hours ago I wouldn't have to go though this BS...btw how are we supposed to split this burger without a knife? Again waitress is silent. Finally the last tuna tartare arrived - we ate quickly and left. I just sent a complaint to SPG (the W's corporate head office) about this horrendous experience. I won't be visiting this establishment ever and neither should anyone else. Hopefully SPG will fire the entire staff and replace with competent employees - in this economy there are lots of qualified people looking for employment. read more

As someone who works in the area, Living Room Bar at the W Hotel Downtown is one of my favorite places for happy hour! They have beers, wines, and cocktails - I usually opt for cocktails. Their selection is pretty good and includes their own concoctions that have creative names! The bartenders are also very nice. My company has an employee discount (half off) so if you work nearby, you should check if yours does too! The best thing about happy hour here is the atmosphere. It is never too crowded which means we get our pick of indoor lounge area or outdoor sofas (no bar service outside though)! Inside, the decor and ceiling is pretty hip and trendy. Outside, the bottom half of the view from the balcony area is not that great (still a lot of construction going on) but the top half is great because you can see all the office buildings including the (new-ish) Freedom Tower! If you've never been, I need to point out that you take one set of elevators up and another set down..get ready to be confused. read more

Talk about the slowest service possible. We were probably 1 of 3 groups there and they didn't bring out our food for about 45 minutes. Is it really that hard to make a cheese platter, sliders, and pizza? On a brighter note, you do have a wonderful view of the WTC. read more

review is for the lounge in the w hotel only.  the hostess was very accommodating and very helpful to our no reservation group.  she is the only reason why this is a 2 star and not a 1. the waitress was fine. although I noticed my last round of drinks, my happy hour cocktail was 1/3 less than my colleague's. might also be because the waiter /busboy tried to take away some dishes without asking and I told him we were still working on it...and he got a little sassy with me. the waitress came by a little later and just took it without asking as well. the food was ok. calamari was ok for what it was. the fries came in a tiny portion and looked like frozen fries they threw into the fryer. the happy hour cocktail ($10) was also ok.not amazing for $10 though.  overall, not worth coming here with the number of different bars in the area. I'm a stickler for service and felt insulted over a plate. that's not  cool or professional. I won't be coming back, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone else read more

Excellent Service. Staff are modelesque with good manners. Plentiful of seats. The pony tale blonde DJ in a fitted black short dress on high heels does mean addicted mixes. Light meal was Tabasco Deviled Eggs served on a bed of vinaigrette lettuce that appropriately cuts the mayonnaise. Exhilarating to see more than 1 selection of sparkling wine cocktail. The first unisex bathroom in bright pink lacquered walls outside Boystown. read more

I've been a few times, and I like the venue. But, I feel about this place the same way I feel about many places in NYC: it would be great if it wasn't for all the other stinking people. So, my advice? Go for an afternoon drink. I did yesterday, and it was fantastic. Nearly empty, great place to chill and watch the rain come pouring down. Oh, and someone else brought their dog...the bartenders gave him a dish of water = instant +1 in my book. Just don't bother later on when the tourist-hotel-guests and the B +T crowd descend on this place. read more

Macallan Scotch Tasting When I heard that the W New York - Downtown was hosting a Macallan Scotch tasting through Gilt, I knew I could not miss this opportunity! With the guidance of Sir Charlie Whitfield--Macallan Brand Ambassador--I took away five key things from the event: 1. Whisky comes from the Gaelic word "Water of Life". 2. There is an expression for EVERY palate--triple cask Fine Oak or Sherry Oak which range from soft and fruity to robust and spicy and yet they are all very smooth. 3. DO NOT swirl when nosing. Scotch is not wine. 4. Adding water to whisky is like adding air to wine. If you add a drop or two of water it smooths it out. 5. The Macallan 18 (Sherry Oak) is my absolute favorite! The Living Room Bar & Terrace is now one of my favorite go-to spots downtown. They have various events and specials throughout the week. My two favorite things are: Travel Tuesdays Every Tuesday join W Insiders for classic films, cocktails and complimentary small plates. Sign up for W Happenings HERE! Residential Thursdays If you are a registered Perk Pass holder you can find out about all types of drink specials and events every Thursday. read more

Super chill bar on the fifth floor of the W Hotel - it overlooks One World Trade and you can expect an older, more relaxed crowd there. Good happy hour! They even serve beer with a chilled glass to make spending close to $10 for a bottle not so bad after all. read more

There is nothing special about this bar other than the location, being right next to the 9/11 Memorial it provides great views of the site. However, that is only the case when the balcony is open. When I went I was told not only was there no service on the balcony but it was locked for the winter. I can understand not have tables as most people would not want to sit in the cold, but not allowing people outside if they want to take in the view is ridiculous! No explanation was given. The drinks were good but nothing special and were all over $15 a piece (even for NY this is high for call level liquor). I would much rather have spent that money at a bar that makes good drinks, because all this place has is the view and it was closed. :-( read more

We came with a TravelZoo, and immediately received friendly and attentive service, though a little lagging at times. Yes, the place was packed with FiDis and tourists and the appetizers were mediocre and overpriced. But they did honor vouchers through September when the expiration was in mid-July. The hotel and bar is trendy and hip, classically W and that night, the DJ was phenomenal, I even heard some oldies slipped in like 'Ain't too proud to beg". Additionally, the long drinks were pretty tasty. For me the real drag was the view. I guess for tourists looking over your cocktail glass into 'the pit' under construction is an eye-popping attraction, but for a native I try to avoid it as much as I can. It all seemed a bit morbid for my taste, like dining at a cemetary. No wonder they had this deal--- if I were to go back, I would wait until construction at WTC is complete. read more

My hubbby and I used to live in the area and were always intrigued by this place, but not enough to pay up for it. Oh Travelzoo. You had the best deal... and unfortunately, everyone decided to cash in on the last weekend, on a Friday. Tip was automatically added to the bill after the voucher kicked in... which translated into inattentive staff and poor service. I'll give it to them though. The bar was overwhelmed. But you don't ignore a customer after they're done ordering their first round. Rude! Anyhoo... the drinks were good - cocktails were well prepared and tasty, very light and appropriate for summer weather. Food was middling, average bar food. Not only was service incredibly slow (poor BLT Grill downstairs being mobbed by food orders during happy hour... what if heaven forbid it was actually this busy and popular every weekend? Clearly not running up to snuff). Chicken panini: medicre. (My husband said it tasted fishy; he hates the taste of anything from the sea. How does chicken taste like fish? Seriously.) Kobe beef sliders: tasted absolutely normal... (I'd say not as good as PJ Clarke's in WFC and we KNOW that joint isn't exactly gourmet). Diablo Pizza: disaster. Spicy if you're into it, but at this point, my husband and were so fed up, we abandoned BLD dinner plans and headed home. No dinner. Decor: modern, minimalistic, similar to all the trendy Ws I've run across in urban settings. Nice, but I won't be back. read more

I was invited here for an after work Christmas party ! It was a bit chaotic and disorganized, was my initial impression! I couldn't understand why everyone was huddled by the entrance. Which was making getting around uncomfortable. I went to what appeared to be an indoor balcony. It was freezing. As I'm finding my way back in, while everyone continues to be huddled by exit- I ruined my heels! There was a whole that my heels got stuck on! Ruined , brand new heels. I didn't want to be lame and allow that to damper the evening. So I find seating to try their limited selection of meals and waited endlessly. I started snacking on some kind of home made chips to my surprise the bartender took them and threw them away ! Ignores my please for water and then attends others , wow My time to exit ! I wish i had been an undercover boss! The bartender Afro American ! Boss, that was strange !!!! read more

Totally underrated. Unmatched views. Staff excellent (kudos to Kat). Cocktails were good. Entire staff were very accommodating for a birthday party ( kudos to Erin Baker, the bar manager). Loved the bar and the service. If you miss it, you're missing out! read more

Pros: A good view of the Freedom Tower. Delicious/Interesting Drinks. Cons: Drinks are on the "Manhattan" side of pricing, but that is to be expected. Service, though friendly, is a bit slow. The seating setup isn't the most comfortable but looks good. Bottomline: Treat this as any hotel bar with a view in NYC. Not the most special. read more

Second time going there. All and all what you would expect from a hotel bar especially in a SPG property. Nice decor, good bartenders decent cocktails a little pricey. The crowd was a little too cool for school on a work night. The seating was pretty comfortable though the bottle neck where the traffic congregates was right by the exit/entrance ;-) (great design and flow) Minireview Went to the inaugural Downtown: SATURDAY NIGHT with Jasmine Solano party all and all a decent party. Loved the music the crowd was a little too hip and people weren't really dancing at least when I was there(stayed till 1130). I will defiantly check this party out another time when I can stay the whole night. Trevor(bartender) made 2 great old fashions for my boy and I when the bar was packed (way to go for good bar tending)...... read more

5 stars for the setting and view, albeit over something of the perpetual construction site that is the Ground Zero area, but there is the Freedom Tower and the Memorial park to gaze upon along with the reflected sun and sky and clouds. Don't expect some great meal as it is bar food and @ 7pm "we are out of caesar salad." That also tells you all you need to know about your choices if that is an NYC dinner option. Calamari came with something that must have been ranch dressing. Marinara had to be requested. Whatever. Beer is all bottled and like the food "we only have ..." Alcohol was priced to pay the rent on the view, such that bar food and two rounds were more than the price of a good meal and drinks at a nice place. Definitely worth a visit after work for the view, outdoor seats or comfy indoor couch lounge but doesn't merit a return. read more

I really enjoyed the Living Room Bar. Maybe because it was off-peak and empty? Maybe because I'm obsessed with W Hotel's in general? But we loved it. I sampled the Lychee Blossom Martini - divine. It was sweet, subtle, and smokey (from the bitters). Our server, Kristen, was the right amount of in your face - enough to know she cared. The prices are steep, but what can you expect? You're at the W near the WTC. It's worth a drive by. read more

Living Room Bar - Lychee Blossom Martini - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

A fine place for an upscale cocktail. The best thing about the Living Room Bar in the W Hotel is the nice view of the World Trade Center. Drawbacks to the place are that many of the seats and baquettes are not terribly comfortable, drinks are expensive and the stylized wavy ceiling actually made my wife a bit sick. Service was better and less pretentious than in many swanky lounges, and this neighborhood doesn't have a ton of nightlife, so the Living Room is a decent choice. read more

Living Room Bar - The wavy light ceiling at the Living Room - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

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We came here for a Gilt Macallan Scotch Tasting event. The space is stunning if you're into this sort of thing. The view is great too. Like every W hotel, everything in these spaces reminded me of Miami. I can see the undulating ceiling and lighting making you feel incredibly disoriented after a few too many drinks! The service was great and the food that they provided for the event was really fantastic. We were surprised by how good it was! The girls working there are so nice. I'm sure it's wonderful in the warmer months when they open up the balconies! read more

Kind of a has-been overpriced place. Not a huge fan. Took me forever to pay. Lots of nooks to hang in.

Drinks were good and we got two of their pizzas which were tasty. Their calamari was good just a bit on the spicy side. We also got their shrimp cocktail and the shrimp were huge! The service was great! Atmosphere was as expected. You could sit outside with the views of the old WTC and a nice summer breeze or relax on the couches inside. It was dark and had a lot of black lights with uplighting. Modern and Posh look to it. read more

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WORST. EXPERIENCE. EVER. EVER EVER EVER. Yelp needs to enable "zero stars" for businesses like this. Why was it so bad? Let me count the ways... 1) First, we tried to get in around 9 p.m. on a Saturday night. Mind you, this is in the Financial District. We were turned away b/c it was "full." Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would get rejected by an establishment in f'ing FiDi. 2) The following evening, we returned. We had a TravelZoo voucher, purchased for $35 and good for four handmade cocktails and three "Nibbles" appetizers up to $108 value. The Living Room's website says it opens at 6 p.m. on Sundays. We arrive at around 6:02, and the place is already packed with people eating and drinking already. Naturally, I'm thinking, "wtf..." Turns out, the place opened at 3. We had tried calling multiple times earlier that day to try to make a reservation, and no one, not even an answering machine, picked up. 3) We checked in with the bar manager and were told a table wouldn't open until around 9:30. A 3.5-HOUR WAIT, AT A BAR, IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT, ON A SUNDAY. I've never even stood in line at a popular club for more than 30 minutes, and the most I've ever waited at a restaurant for REAL food is an hour. At this point, I was boiling mad, but the worst hadn't even happened yet. 4) We put our names down and were told that we could at least get our four drinks now, but that we weren't allowed to order any food b/c we HAD to be sitting down at a table or at the bar to eat. We asked about eating on the terrace, which was fairly empty and had tables and chairs, and they flat-out told us no. 5) We went to the bar to order our drinks. We wanted to try ordering our appetizers with the bartender, b/c we really could've cared less about sitting down and eating. We would've been totally fine just standing and holding our plates. The first thing the bartender told us even before taking our order was "no food orders " 6) After the bartender gave us our drinks, he asked us for our TravelZoo voucher and a credit card. We noticed he swiped it. We asked why. He said it's for "pre-authorization" and that nothing was charged. Why should the card have even been swiped in the first place if we were redeeming a pre-paid voucher?? He should've only asked for the credit card when it was time to close the tab and we had to pay tax and tip. The bartender even specifically told us, "Nothing has been charged." I read a couple of reviews here about bogus charges, so I told my boyfriend he should check his account. Well, lo and behold, my boyfriend saw a $62.50 pending charge when he logged into his account on his phone. He showed it to the bartender, and he seemed flustered a bit, but quickly said that that's just a "pre-authorization charge" and that it should clear within two days. Even if it does clear, this policy is totally unnecessary. 7) This fatass bouncer rudely kept kicking people out of empty seats who were just sitting down to read the menu. No wonder there was a 3-hour wait... they were taking their sweet time filling empty seats. The bouncer even came right up to us to "remind" us that we couldn't order food at the bar. Then he made us move to the terrace to "clear space" by the bar (even though there was plenty of space.) 8) The drinks weren't that great, and we certainly weren't going to waste another two hours of our lives to eat what looked like typical bar food. We figured we got our money's worth with the four drinks that cost $62.50, since my boyfriend paid $35 for the voucher. When we got the receipt, we saw they slapped an automatic 20% gratuity onto the bill. We complained to the manager that this whole experience was awful and that we didn't want to leave any gratuity and just pay the tax. He said that was impossible and that the 20% gratuity is policy. I can slightly understand if it's policy for waiter service, but we didn't even order food. Tax and gratuity came out to just over $17, so essentially, it was like we tipped $4 for each of our crappy cocktails. Absolutely RI-DI-CU-LOUS. In the end, we saved about $10 for four crappy overpriced drinks. To "make up for it," the manager gave us someone else's redeemed TravelZoo voucher with his initials scribbled in the corner, telling us to come back again. I'm sorry, but if they gave me a lifetime of free food and drink, I still wouldn't go. What happened to the customer always being right? I don't ever wish ill upon anyone, but I hope this place shuts down. Judging by most of the reviews here, I'm not alone in my opinion that this place is absolutely dreadful. Who do they honestly think they are to treat customers so poorly? Please, whatever you do, take your business somewhere else. Living Room Bar has the most bogus policies (pre-authorization, automatic 20% gratuity, eating only if you're seated indoors, no standing by the bar, etc.) and apparently it's a pre-requisite that you have to be the biggest douchebag ever to work here. read more

I have been to this bar twice, both times because I had the TravelZoo voucher that others here also had. Usually when I am using any sort of coupon, it is pretty much a given that I am going to cut the place some slack. I tip appropriately and SHOULD receive the same service someone not using a coupon would get, however I recognize that oftentimes waitstaff have to deal with coupon users who don't do so, etc.... I try to give the place the benefit of the doubt. That being said, I had two bad experiences at this place and certainly have no reason to ever go back. I would tell others to avoid it. First time was winter, the coupon had just come out and the bar was trying to use a special TravelZoo limited menu (limited to a selection of only 4 cocktails, and 4 of the cheapest nibbles). We were told only those selections could be ordered with the coupon. This was contrary to what the coupon stated and how it had been advertised. My friends and I decided just to order regularly. We had several drinks and some calamari. Drinks were NOT very tasty or special. There was a terrible DJ that night, laughable shtick.... I wrote a letter to TravelZoo explaining what had happened and asking just to get a refund on the cost of the coupon. They investigated, came back to me saying that the bar was wrong in what they had done, problem was fixed and you could now order anything as the coupon had stated. Took me several months to get back because I wanted to wait for nicer weather to try their terrace. Was hoping to go in the daytime and perhaps try the board games they had advertised. When I realized the coupon was expiring yesterday, I hesitated making a last minute effort to go, but in the end I went with a date. We got there a little before 10pm. The place was surprisingly crowded, but with several seats available. We were greeted by a manager/security guard type who asked us loudly if we could be helped. We said we were just taking a seat. He asked if we were staying at the hotel, and when we said we were just visiting, he informed us that none of the empty seats could be used by us - that they were reserved for use by hotel guests. We then asked about sitting on the terrace. We were told we could, but that you couldn't have food outside. We asked when a seat inside would be available, and he said there was an hour and a half wait. We pointed out that they would be almost closing then and he agreed with us.... He said he would "put us on his list" and that we could check back with him in 30 mins. This was all completely bizarre as the first time I had been to this bar was on a Friday night and there was no reception, no reservations, no wait list. On a Sunday night in the financial district this all struck me as just arrogance and hype. We ordered drinks at the bar, which we took outside to drink. Then my date went back and somehow convinced them to let us order our nibbles at the bar and that we would come check for them in 10 mins. Someone at the bar told my date that they were sold out of most of the items on the menu because everyone had come in to use their TravelZoo coupon. We got the margarita pizza, the calamari, and the deviled eggs. Pizza and calamari weren't hot, but the pizza had a nice taste. Calamari tasted good, but was salty. Eggs were "feh." All in all, not bad for bar food. The drinks, however, were pretty disgusting (as they had been during my first visit). I have no problem paying $15-20 for a craft cocktail in the city, but these drinks weren't even as good as happy hour well drinks at my local bar. They all sounded tasty on paper, but were just gross when you drank them. I had the Five Towns, and some syrupy pink concoction that I couldn't finish. My date had a long island iced tea (that was weak), and also a Five Towns. His Five Towns tasted nothing like mine, so they are hardly consistent from round to round. There was a nice boy bus..... thank you nice bus boy for being the one person not acting put out by our presence there, lol! The funny thing was, the terrace is quite beautiful. It was a gorgeous, gorgeous night, and apparently they don't open that bar on Sunday nights (?) It made no sense, but whatever.... Nicest thing was that no one ran us off from the terrace when they closed at midnight. We stayed out there talking until 1:30am. That was lovely. 18% tip automatically added on bill! In summary: Drinks - 0 stars Apps - 2 stars Service - 0 stars (except for the nice bus boy) Terrace - 10 stars (too bad it wasn't technically "open") Shame on this place! Although the TravelZoo "local deals" are similar to groupons, etc., TravelZoo is (duh) a site for people who love travel.... people who (for example) book hotel rooms, lol..... I have no reason to go back to this bar as a local new yorker, but (more importantly) this bar does damage to the "W" brand. They should be embarrassed by how they handled this whole coupon endeavor. read more

i would give this place five stars if I were reviewing their ability to hustle-they got us good! My friend and I both purchased the daily deal coupon on Travelzoo that advertised $35 for four drinks/three apps. We had been once before the week it opened and were unimpressed with the Port Authority like fluorescent Lamella LED lighting (most definitively form over function AND flattery in this case) and did not plan to return, however decided we should give it another shot with this deal. After all, we live in the neighborhood and are always looking to discover our next Cheers. Three of us arrived excited to try an array of adventurous cocktails for $35, already paid a few months back (holla)! We did not hesitate to ask the waitress what would be covered with the coupon and after she insisted it was "everything" several times, we ordered the $26/glass Veuve Clicquot and the $23/glass Oban, among other things. We were astonished when the bill came as they charged us $120, on top of the coupon. which also included a righteous "service charge", an automatic 20% tip for the waitress and tax. We scrutinized the bill and complained about being grossly mislead, while other patrons gawked at us, but the waitress insisted the finel print read: "four drinks/three apps, not to exceed $108". To add insult to injury, my friend also gave her card to hold as requested by the waitress, and found a $120 hold charge on her acct the next day, even though we paid with a different card. We ended up being comped one Oban and when my friend called the manager, he promised to "make it up to us next time", so I added an extra star for the effort there. read more

I really wanted to like this place. Unfortunately, with the bad attitudes and miscellaneous charging of my card, I don't see myself going back...unless I have to chase someone down in person to fix the charge on my card. I bought a travelzoo voucher to the Living Room Bar and Terrace and was excited to go check it out with 3 of my girlfriends after work. I had been told that we wouldn't need reservations, so I was understandably confused when that evening, we showed up and was told that the Bar and Terrace was taking reservations only. I explained what I had been told earlier, was told that the Manager, TJ, said that they're only taking reservations, but that we could go talk to a waitress about getting on the waiting list. Waitress 1 didn't know what we were talking about and Waitress 2 refused to take our name and said that we would first need to find a seat or a table at a bar. I finally found TJ, who explained that we could order our drinks by the bar (which was filled) but that we wouldn't be able to order appetizers until we found a table, which would be available on a first-come first-served basis. I proceed to try and place a drink order with Waitress 3, who tells me I cannot place my order unless I'm seated at the bar or at a designated table. I explain what TJ had said and she rudely responds, "I don't know, I'm not him." I then go to the bartender to order instead. Bartender 1 is rather dismissive. Bartender 2 (Dustin, I believe) was super sweet, took my order, and even told me to place my food order then since the kitchen was being slow (apparently they had a lot of those vouchers being used that night). I placed the order, and the rest of the evening seemed to go well. The drinks were interesting and fairly strong, although not particularly delicious. The "Nibbles" were all pretty good (we got sliders, calamari, and pizza). When the busboy came out with our appetizers, since we still didn't have a table or a spot at the bar, he made a makeshift table for us and was also super nice (redeemed some points). Overall, I hadn't been thrilled with the experience, but they were starting to make up for it..until... I check my bank statement the day after and I have a $50 charge, even though I already had paid for the voucher, and we had paid gratuity and tax on another credit card. Now, I've spent all weekend leaving messages and trying to get them to credit my card but no one will return my messages. Save yourself the money and aggravation. Go somewhere else. read more