The most moody and chicest of bars in the UES. A hidden gem if you will. The drinks can be a hit or miss but there's one guy who knows his stuff when it comes to explaining and making drinks. Service is attentive and efficient. The space is just a lovely bar lounge to be in. I haven't tried the food here but it doesn't seem to lend itself to that beyond drinks. read more

The Auction House - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

I recently threw my 30th Birthday Party and the Auction House was the star of the show! The bar is a hidden gem on the UES with an elegant Victorian Lounge decor and very reasonably priced drinks. Perfect space for 50-100 people. The staff, shout-out Adam, were not only great bartenders but helped with set-up/clean-up and made sure our guests were having an excellent time throughout the event. Megan, the events coordinator, was world-class and able to accommodate arrangements for food and entertainment. I can't recommend the Auction House highly enough for your next event. read more

The Auction House - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

Cute charming place off the main street if you are looking for a more tranquil place to get a drink, the decor is super nice with velvet drapes, curtains and old style paintings, dim lighting and vintage vibes. Good service and nice drinks, we were the only people here and quite enjoyed our time there. read more

Amazing place, happened to be there accidentally and absolutely in love with the place. The atmosphere, great vibe, cool interior, everything is great. Super happy to discover this place. Will definitely come back read more

The Auction House - Window - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

See all

This bar used to be an excellent Upper East Side interesting place. However on Wednesday nights there is a short man named John who works there. He is a bartender. He looks me straight in the face and says Phil go home. Phil go out. He lets my friends in and smiles at them. He says Phil go home he gives me no reason why he's sending me out the door. He has a vitriol and hatred for me. He wants through a drink at me and it went all over the bar. I don't know why I even bothered to tip him maybe I was afraid he might do something nasty. I don't know wherever they found this person. I refuse to ever go in there again if he is there. Goodbye read more

Great cocktails, friendly service and beautiful atmosphere. From the same group as Revision and the Back Door this gem is a one of a kind bar in the UES. No table service, which I like, the perfect spot to chill with friends and catch up without being rushed or pushed to keep ordering or go. The music selection was very good but I wish the volume wouldn't have been that low, a bit higher would have been better, funnier, more lively, but regardless I had a great time. From their cocktails menu we tried the smoke and Honey and the girl friday. both well made and tasty, decent size, and fair price for New York. I didn't see any food menu so probably there's no food service. They open until 4AM which is rare for this neighborhood, but also a good thing if you wanna hang out until late. Would definitely be coming back and enjoyed the night. read more

See all

Lovely cocktail bar/lounge with immaculate vibes. Very intimate place, great service, and yummy cocktails.

This is an upper east side gem right off of 2nd avenue. It could get easily overlooked. What I love about Auction House is that it feels like a speak easy without any gimicks to get in. I also love the dark ambiance with velvet couches. It's nice and intimate. The big challenge is finding a spot. I have had the best luck on Wednesdays. read more

Great place and fun vibe. The drinks were not the best but the atmosphere more than makes up for it.

Drinks are not bad. The aesthetic vibe is very moody, has a lot of potential... ... Potential that is ruined by the music. Why are they playing Capital Cities? Weird pop music? Way too upbeat for the place. The service is good in an objective sense, but something about the bartender's vibe feels like it belongs more in a pub than the Auction House. The dissonance between how the Auction House presents itself to the eyes and how it presents itself to the ears is disappointing. EDIT: I'm still here. There's a TV playing a hockey game. Vampire Weekend just came on. Huh??? I need to finish my drink and get outta here. (That said, the drink isn't bad, I'm still staying for that money spent.) read more

Listen, this place has the best cosmos ever. I mean ever. Adam, the bartender, is super kind, cheeky, and fun! The ambiance of the place is so relaxing it's like entering your own home--almost like it has its own story to tell. But seriously, best cosmo I've ever had! Go go go to this place! read more

The Auction House - An Orange Cosmo and a New York yankee hat - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

Great service and good drinks (the price is right too!) but the vibe is dark and drab... not romantic. Fine if you're in the neighborhood, but wouldn't necessarily recommend otherwise read more

Still love this place..... I'm glad it survived covid. Tourist IDs checked at the door....out of state... need to go down the street....to another bar on your list. Great staff, decor, drinks, dark, sexy, magical. Always have an A+ date time there. No pics....do not want to give it away! read more

I was excited to try this place as I always pass it and it looks mysterious and closed. We decided to stop by at around 9pm on a Saturday. Immediately I loved the quiet, quaint, and dark ambiance. We took a seat at the bar and were immediately greeted by the bartender. I was excited for the drink I ordered, the ruby slipper. Unfortunately it was way too sweet for my liking. I decided to grab an abita next since it's a beer I know I like. It unfortunately was a light version and seemed like it was laying around for awhile. Overall i would probably give this place a second chance given the ambiance and the service being polite. But maybe I'll try a wine instead next time. read more

See all

I used to live a few blocks away from here when I first moved to the city and recall I went on a date here some 15 or 16 years ago. Let's just say the date ended with me running home into the fetal position to caress Cocoa the pound puppy while noshing on a hot pocket vowing I'd never get out of my jammie jams again. Anyone that has an obsession with the band "Aqua" it's probably safe to say 'run, Nelly, run'. Anyway, I remember loving the decor of the place. It's like a boudoir loungey living room cocktail bar with a museum inside. Came back recently and everything still seemed the same. Couches looked nice. Drinks shockingly affordable for the area (Beers $6-9, Wine/Well drinks $9) and for being kind of more of a cocktail lounge. Well drinks are also legit strong. read more

Oh my goodness. I loved this bar. It's got a dark, intimate vibe, and I we didn't really have trouble getting a seat. (Saturday, 8 pm.) The Ruby Slippers drink is awesome, and the music was really getting me in a good mood -- actually good pop hits, although maybe some jazz mixed in would add to the vibe. Julian was our bartender and was so lovely. 12/10 will be coming here again, and we're already talking about hosting an event there. read more

Interesting place to meet someone. Very intimate, definitely not crowded but again it was a Monday night.

It's has great ambiance and decor, high ceilings and intimate velvet couches, great spot for a date or a small group of friends. However, I've been a few times and the drinks are too sweet and not tasty, I've never been impressed with any drink I've had here-- last time I had the girl friday which tasted like artificial fruit syrup to me. Service was good despite only one person serving as bartender and waiter for the whole room. read more

Great decor and ambience marred by too loud music. This is the kind of place where you want to be able to have a chat. That is rendered impossible by how loud they blast music. I don't mind the songs themselves, just the absurd volume. You will have to speak at the top of your lungs to a person who is inches from you--the music is seriously as loud as if a live rock band were playing there, but no, it's just a playlist. read more

Currently my favourite bar for it's environment. It's beautifully decorated with awesome paintings and has a good music playlist. I would say it's only fun if you can grab one of their very comfortable couches. I saw a lot of people come in, have a drink, stand around, and then leave shortly after. I tried the Ruby Slipper which I loved, and the Arnold Palmer which I really disliked. Sweet tea DOES NOT go with Vodka. I'm a little iffy about their drinks selection but as long as you're ok with just enjoying one, you'll like this place. The best thing would be to expand their cocktail menu and put some great ones on there. I was very surprised to read all the bad reviews about experiences with the bartender. Mine was very pleasant. I didn't have to wait long and he was not rude to me at all. 100% perfect for dates. read more

See all

It is a cool spot to visit as the decors were pretty interesting...but the taste in cocktails was lacking. We had two drinks there, and honestly can't say I enjoyed any of it. The price was reasonable, so it is a decent spot if you want to just chill. read more

Romantic dimly lit gem/ lounge on the upper east side. Velvet seating, large paintings with golden frames... beautiful. Seating is somewhat limited but I've never been there where it's so crowded we couldn't get a spot. Great date spot. Wines are not the best, so I only get basic mixed drinks. I think a revamped specialty cocktail list with well crafted, pretty cocktails in nice glasses, as well as a few more solid wine options would make this fantastic gem 100 times more amazing. The ambiance is worth the visit, but great cocktails would definitely warrant more frequent and longer visits. The ambiance is definitely worth coming here for a date or to show friends a different type of upper east spot . read more

The Auction House - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

Tried to grab a quick drink at 6:30 on a Sunday night. The sole worker told me to grab a seat anywhere, but that I'd have to take my baseball cap off. I was literally the only customer in the building, so I left. I've been many times before and the drinks are mediocre at best if I'm being generous. read more

Sultry, cozy restaurant and bar. I read Tarot there for a Vampire themed birthday party. Helpful staff. Interesting art work. Recommend for something different! read more

Interesting space and vibe. Drink were really sweet and not balanced. All You can taste is elderflower. No reason for a gin/herbal/floral drink to be so sweet. Drinks came in plastic solo cups No garnish at all Cash only Definitely not an upscale product or service which their main website claims. Disappointed because there's so much potential. :( read more

Great 2nd to 3rd date spot for a couple of drinks followed by a night cap. Ambience is great, never too rowdy. Perfect vibes to set the mood so you can make a move read more

Gorgeous environment, the furnishing really create a Victorian atmosphere. A bunch of friends rented out this place for a private meet up. I found the space to be spacious, easy to have a conversation and plenty of places to sit and move around. - you can rent out the space for private events - two bars - drinks are pretty strong - lighting is rather dim. read more

The Auction House - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

Beautiful space with decent drinks and a unique vibe. Good date spot. Feels more mature than some other cocktail bars

I really enjoyed this place for the atmosphere alone. It is very intimate and romantic. It's cozy. The service is good. The bartenders are nice. Good for a date. read more

My favorite part is the dark, artsy atmosphere. One wall holds the side-by-side paintings of Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach. I like the music too which is mostly alternative rock and alternative pop. The cocktails are good but if you really want impressive cocktails there are many options that are better for that. read more

This is where all the cool kids go. But seriously, relaxed atmosphere and the bartenders are very friendly.

Ended Saturday evening with drinks at The Auction House. A wonderful space, but needs to commit on a more robust and interesting cocktail list or bring in more beers and wines. Quality: After staring at the drink list for too long, eventually settled on the Smokey Mule. The beer options were boring and the wine was limited and priced strangely. But since it had the feel of the cocktail bar, I eventually went in that direction, even though the menu was not too appealing. The Smokey Mule was fine, with the use of mezcal instead of vodka in the traditional drink. My girlfriend ordered the Girl Friday, with two types of gin, elderflower liqueur, cucumber, simply syrup, and lime. All I could taste was the elderflower and I didn't understand why it came out pink with that assortment of items. This is a bar where the best choice is probably liquor straight up. Quantity: Served in water glasses you typically see at diners, and with tons of ice, it was hard to judge if it was a fair pour. Value: $14 for the House Cocktails. Ambiance: The Auction House is a bar located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The best thing about the bar is the awesome space. Brick walls, red satin couches, marble fireplaces, chandeliers, and artwork reminiscent of romanticism. Even though the seats are not comfortable, you still have this urge to sit and immerse yourself into the environment. The alternative rock music selections would not have been my pick, as it did not seem to match the vibe, but it was played at a volume that still allowed for easy conversation. Crowd: A decent sized crowd on Saturday evening. Mostly young professionals in small groups. Service: Bartender was fast, even with a good sized crowd and not a lot of help. However, I did not like that he had to kick people out of their seats saying it was a reserved area, despite no signs to suggest that was the case. Parking: Limited street parking in the area. read more

The Auction House - Smokey Mule - Lounges Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Held a private event at The Auction House and loved it. Great vibes and decor, went well with my Wonderland theme. The cocktails were great and the staff was very accommodating; they let me rename the cocktails to match my themed party. They helped us set up and decorate the place and clean after the party was over. We had 80 guests and they made drinks really fast. Would recommend this place for anyone looking to privatize a bar for a special occasion. If you have more than 60 guests and everyone drinks, it shouldn't be hard to meet the bar tab minimum for a full buy out. It's also a great date spot on a weeknight. Thanks Megan and our three amazing bartenders for making the night so special! read more

The bartenders suck. Bored. Hate life. Don't know what their issues are, but they're terrible to interact with. They really bring the ambience down. Not the slightest bit helpful or knowledgeable. The signature cocktails (we had the Smoky Mule) were terrible and the bartender hardly put any effort into making the sickly sweet swill. We opted for the beer on tap after not finishing the mules, and they were flat and barely cold. The ambience was kinda cool, but not worth the crappy drinks. read more

Nice ambiance and super-efficient and friendly staff. But could you please get some new furniture? The vintage couch in the first room was truly killing me. It feels like there is nothing but old springs inside. I know that with the current global supply chain disruption, it may take months to get new furniture, but those ones on the curbside every Thursday and Sunday look even more comfortable indeed, and please consider reusing them! read more

Adam this guy. great bartender ...He is the thing that make Auction Auction, He's been here every time I've ever been here over the last , what 15 years?!?! This spot is still somehow a best kept secret....it isnt a elevated cocktail lounge, but for all that fuck all, it a rock n roll chill spot that perfectly combines cocktail/chill bar/cool scene..........anyway, I imagine the other bartenders are great as well, but Adam seems to have been there every time, and its always good cool music dwink flow, so...... read more

Pretty cool aesthetic especially for an UES bar. It's much more suited to dates or a very relaxed and intimate friend get-together but you have to have places for those, too! Could be easy to miss because it's not on the main ave or that busy outside (when I've gone) but it's worth looking for. The interior has a lot of velvet surface treatments, and renaissance art and mirrors in gilded frames cover the walls. It's definitely the place to live out your mysterious artistic fantasy. I have really enjoyed The Auction House but flagging that one of the bartenders can be very hit or miss. He yelled at a group that left without giving him a tip (which is fair) but then loudly proclaimed he couldn't believe they left without a tip several times just to make sure everyone knew to leave him a good tip (mostly comical and harmless but like - enough). He also asked me what I wanted for a second drink and that he would make me something special based off of what I liked and then definitely just made something on the cocktail menu (and one I wouldn't have ordered) but it happens when you let others decide! $14 average cocktail cost and a few of them have a unique twist but overall pretty standard and okay. Overall it's a good experience and good spot! read more

Perfect for a date night! It has a dark ambience, and has couches to sit on for that cozy feeling read more

Although the moment I entered this place I tripped and fell flat on my face because some dumb b*tch tripped me, the staff was really nice when I asked for a bandaid! Also I really liked the drink "Girl Friday" The art was really nice and I loved the interior of the place. Will definitely come by again and hopefully not trip this time. read more

My neighborhood spooky dive bar when I lived here. This place has a lot of nostalgia for me as it was the bar I always went to as a 21 year old intern and then again 10 years later. The nicest most awesome bartenders (hey Adam!) with a heavy pour and really interesting patrons. read more