The "coconut milk was off" cocktail was soo good. All the cocktails (electric momisette and miso…read morecolada) were fun, creative, and delicious. The food (dingle pie and spice bag chips) were also really good. The spice bag chips seasoning was really good. We walked in Wednesday 8:30 PM and they had a couple of high chair seats at a side bar in the parlor room available. Really fun decorations and ambiance.

The Dead Rabbit is a multi-story Irish pub featuring a lively traditional taproom downstairs and a…read moremore intimate parlor upstairs, each offering its own unique menu. I've visited the Parlor twice, and I strongly suggest booking a reservation weeks in advance--especially on weekdays--as walk-ins can be tough to secure. On my latest visit to celebrate a friend's birthday, we kicked things off with the Amazake Kick and Button Down cocktails. The Amazake Kick was balanced with just the right amount of sweetness, making it a fantastic starter. For food, we ordered the scotch egg, sliders, and fish and chips. The scotch egg was solid, though the sausage layer felt slightly dry this time around. The sliders were great, while the fish and chips were decent--nicely crispy, but the fish needed a bit more flavor seasoning. We tried several other drinks throughout the night, and my top three recommendations would be the Amazake Kick, Hotmail, and Lock & Key. If you're searching for a cozy spot with great drinks and light bites, this place is definitely worth adding to your list!

Thank goodness we FOUND paradise LOST. You ring the doorbell, and are buzzed in to be put on the…read morelist. For my group of 2, it was approximately a 25 minute wait on a Saturday at 7. We jumped over to the bar right beside and drank some girly drinks before getting the notification our table was ready. As with nearly every establishment in NYC, it is very close quarters in paradise lost. We stood at a table while waiting for seats at the bar to become available. Which, we didn't mind. I could see how this might be a little harder to get a seat for a bigger group if you aren't there before 6. It seemed that once a group got a big table, they camped out. The drinks were strong and creative. Friendly bartenders, good music, and yummy options for bar snacks. Also, the bathroom is a nice touch. Given the hell theming for the bar, the bathroom is a 180 and while using the Lou, you can listen to the bible being recited. Theres also a spooky surprise if you press the button in the bathroom. Speaking of the bathroom, it is at the bottom of some decently narrow stairs. So, try and stay sober enough for stairs or you may fall. Go to this bar. You will have fun.

The vibe is cute, and the ambiance is cute, but everything is overpriced, although most tiki bars…read moreare. I don't know if I've ever had such a bad pina colada in my life at a tiki bar. I mean, I've had bad pina coladas at dive bars, but I expected more from this place. I would say it was very strong, though, so you know what? That's a good thing to be very strong for that price I'm paying. The spam musubi was also a rip-off. You see two here, but each one costs its own $10, so save your money. Eat somewhere else. Eat a pizza across the street.

The food was wonderful. It took them about 36 minutes to come and take our order which would be…read morefine if they hadn't started to bus our table while we were eating because they had another reservation to fill. If you need a good turnaround time I would encourage you to service your customers faster. The service overall was very nice and the food was good. Just did not make me want to return.

So this place on social media and wanted to take my partner out for a cute dinner. Walking there we…read moremissed it because there had two huge inflatable soccer balls on front of the restaurant. It was to represent the World Cup happen during the time. Walking inside it was cute. All the tables were high top but they sat us at a nice table. My partner enjoyed how the restaurant was decorated. We got some drink and I order Lost in Love. It was garnish pretty and the drink was tasty. I order the steak frites and it was delicious. It was cooked to my liking and the chimichurri sauce was so good. My partner enjoyed his burger. We got crème brûlée for dessert and wish it had a harder sugar shell. But it a nice ending to our meal. I would come back here again if I am around NYC.

Monkey Bar became one of my favorite Midtown restaurants because its modern history ran almost…read moreperfectly alongside my years in New York. I arrived in 2008 with very little, and when Graydon Carter revived the restaurant in 2009, I was beginning a rise of my own, first at a large global bank and then, to my astonishment, at one of the city's most powerful investment firms. The suits were daily, the walls were gold, and the pressure was so consuming that even success could feel like a form of attrition. After a few years, I moved to a smaller firm with Southern roots, where the culture was more humane, the work gave me greater autonomy, and I produced some of the strongest results of my career, even within an industry still governed by fear, greed, and status. Inside, the red booths, low lighting, generous spacing, and hand-painted monkey murals made lunch feel ceremonial without becoming stiff. The room was timeless and handsome, with polished service, quality food, and the subtle assurance of a place where you could be proud to bring someone important. I especially remember sitting in one of those booths with two mentors, each only a few years older than I was and therefore close enough in vintage to feel relatable, trustworthy, and genuinely within reach. One had entered my life after I left the larger firm and helped me understand an earlier chapter that had also ended abruptly and, at the time, felt deeply unfair; the other had guided me through the smaller firm where I finally found a more sustainable way to work. Over that long lunch, I introduced them, we discussed several promising ideas, and for a moment my career seemed to have reached the point where relationships, experience, and opportunity were finally converging. One of those ideas consumed an extraordinary amount of my time and energy, and I believed it might become the foundation of my next chapter. Instead, the arrangement eventually turned on me, the role I thought I had earned never materialized, and the business itself sputtered. My professional life, financial footing, and pride all collapsed just as COVID was beginning. Then Monkey Bar closed in 2020, which made the ending feel almost unnervingly complete: the restaurant, the city, and the version of myself built around New York finance all went dark at once. For years, I experienced that ending as devastating and unfair; now I can see it as wisdom delivered through an unnecessarily rough process. The restaurant's later revival by a Chicago hospitality group feels fitting because it still honors tradition and ceremony while allowing the old forms to evolve into something healthier, looser, and more current. I have not been back since that lunch, but a return now would feel like visiting the museum of my past, not reclaiming a life that asked too much, gave too little, and finally lost its hold on me. Even now, I remember Monkey Bar as a great Midtown lunch in a memorable room, surrounded by the residue of old ambitions and the gratitude of having survived them. The cocktails were sharp, the service was impeccable, and the dining room carried that glamorous old New York energy without feeling trapped by it. I remain deeply fond of the place, partly for what it was and partly for what it witnessed. Some restaurants become attached to a chapter of your life, and Monkey Bar holds mine with unusual grace.

The truffle monkey bread while a total carb and calorie bomb was delicious and left a lasting…read moreimpression. It featured a crispy, sugar-glazed exterior and a soft, chewy interior, topped with truffle cheese and served with a truffle butter dip; the pairing was superb, and it tasted great both on its own and with the dip. For the main course, I ordered the miso-glazed black cod. The flavor was flawless, and while the portion was small (which was acceptable), the pool of broth accompanying it was completely unnecessary; it was inedibly salty, so what was the point of serving it? After finishing the fish, I was left with a plate full of broth, rendering the plate unusable. Plus, it was overpriced; for this dish, you're better off going to Strip House Strip House remains the undisputed king of this dish in New York. A friend ordered the chicken parmesan. It was just average. Another friend ordered the short rib stroganoff. The flavor was decent, but it was far too rich and heavy. As someone whose palate is split 50/50 between Western and Chinese cuisine, I could manage only five bites at most. If you have a palate that prefers 100% Chinese food, proceed with caution on this dish. Friends ordered sides of mac & cheese and mashed potatoes. These are dishes originally meant for low-income Americans to fill up on cheaply; there's no limit to how good they can be, but also no floor to how bad they can get. Both were on par with the average quality found in upscale restaurants. Honestly, these are two dishes I would never order myself. To sum up: the atmosphere was great. It's also hard to get a reservation; the place was packed when we had lunch at 2 PM. Aside from that monkey bread, I didn't feel like anything else justified the price or offered something you couldn't find elsewhere. I don't quite get the hype. Perhaps I just didn't order the right dishes; maybe next time I'll try the burger and the steak.

If you love great cocktails, this hidden speakeasy is an absolute must-visit! From entering with a…read moresecret passcode to the very last sip, the entire experience is incredible. It has easily earned a spot as one of my favorite bars of all time. The underground space flawlessly captures a raw, seedy, 1980s rock 'n' roll vibe, with eclectic decor that extends beautifully to the themed menus and custom glassware. Sitting at the bar was a highlight--the bartenders were fantastic, clearly proud of their craft, and they even humorously indulged my game of trying to guess the ingredients of each drink they mixed. The cocktail lineup is phenomenal. A few absolute highlights: the Purple Rain with its purple ice and peppercorn, the flambéed Dirty Dancing, a brilliant espresso martini riff called Flick The Bean, and Pure Temptation--which has glassware you just have to see for yourself. Don't miss this place if you're in NYC!

The Woo Woo is loud and touristy--and honestly, that kind of sums it up…read more They market it as a speakeasy, which... technically yes. You need a password (easy to find online), and you go through a hidden door down a staircase. But it feels more like a novelty than anything else. NYC has way more iconic speakeasies, so this isn't somewhere I'd go out of my way for more than once. Nothing wrong with the vibe--it's Times Square, so you already know what you're getting--but it's definitely a one-and-done kind of spot. The drinks are good and super fun, but they're very extra (smoke, presentation, all that), so between that and how packed it gets, it can take a while just to get one cocktail. Didn't try the food. Overall, go for the pics and TikToks--it's perfect for that. I'd recommend checking it out once, but I don't really see it being a repeat spot.

Small renowned cocktail bar without a menu…read more Highlights: - Bartender led: let them know what you like and they'll make you something. Mine was uncanny as I gave him a spirit and he ended up making me one cocktail with peach and another with apricot--2 flavors I love but did not mention. - Lots of locals - #37 of best of North America list for 2026 Midlights: - He told me the name of the cocktails he made, but I didn't remember to be able to order them again. Lowlights - Can be hard to find in the dark and rain but good the door next to it has a note to guide you to the right place - I could've used some bar nuts snack to go with it

- 1st drink: light n refreshing, fruity or floral but not too sweet, gin based, no spices; this…read morecame out to be pretty good but not anything special nor memorable - 2nd drink: smooth n creamy, could be foamy, refreshing, tequila, something that can wake you up; highlight of the night! It really is light and refreshing with egg foam on top; i like the smooth and creamy factor; it wasn't too sweet but had a slight brightening flavor - 3rd drink: dark and stormy and that was quite of an experience; i indeed felt the storm rumbling down my throat n tummy; do not order unless you're having a tumultuous day rating: 4/5 - i like the concept of not having a menu and you just tell them what you like, because it really challenges them on how well they can deliver what you're feeling; i personally think they slayed - lively vibes and nice lighting but music was a bit too loud n poppy for my preference - vibe was cool but more for friend hangouts not so much date - the service was amazing! I felt the 100% attention from the server as he listened to my order; he was also super demure and personable - the highlight of my night was when he took my order AND when he gave us the check which was his super cutesie pirate ocean drawing - id recommend come checking out if you have strong preferences for cocktails and know what you like! IG: @nom.noms.only

Jorge's service was A+! Great atmosphere and ambiance. Had the French onion soup, escargot, and…read morelobster linguine. Will be coming back!!

Beautiful atmosphere both on the interior and exterior of the restaurant! Jorge took such great…read morecare of us, and made wonderful recommendations! Steak frites and French onion soup were incredible!

Apotheke was one of my first experiences with a hidden speakeasy a number of years ago, and it…read morestill remains the OG in my vast encyclopedia of experiences. :) Strolling down Chinatown's busy and gritty Doyers Street, looking for any sign of Apotheke is a fond memory, then finally figuring out where it was, and entering through the mysterious and otherworldly threshold resulted a transformative experience that made me feel like I time traveled. Mood lighting, comfortable seating, great drinks in a cozy and Victorian-inspired space are the perfect blend of unique and. I always felt like I was part of something special the few times enjoyed creative, delicious, and strong libations from the pros at the bar. While it has always been pricey, I do feel like the excellent service ambiance, and drink quality warrant this, but may prevent more folks from becoming regulars so to speak. I love the clever and compact bathroom design, too. IYKYK Long live Apotheke!

Fifteen years later and Apotheke is still one of my favorites!…read more You will walk past this hidden speakeasy several times before finding it. I could tell you to look for the blue beaker sign that says "Chemist" but the better tell is the random guy sitting on a stool outside. He'll be the only person on the street, so no worries about missing him! The menu has changed over the years, but the quality has not. The bartenders are social and personable. And the prices are in line for the area. My bestie and I loved the vibe. One of the best speakeasies she's had the pleasure of experiencing. Don't miss out on this place!