Probably a 4.2 in my book though rounded up for good ambiance, inventive cocktails, and because friends were doing a live music set on a Thursday night, prompting my visit. I will say compared to the likes of other speakeasies in the city, their drinks were good 4/5 though could use a little more finessing.* Located on 53rd between Lex and 3rd, it's a street with a compact selection of restaurants and bars, meaning smallish storefronts shoulder to shoulder with each other and residential buildings. From the outside there are no large signs though there is a seasonal menu dimly lit posted at the base of the stairs leading up to the townhouse. At the top of the stairs, hallways branch off to what looks to be apartments, and Wildcard's entrance is unmarked though differentiated by the pink-red glow of their "Life is like a box of chocolates" sign. Inside the remnants of a railroad-style apartment are discernible by the large pass-thru window separating the seating closer to the bar, and a darker, more intimate seating area in what appears to have been a bedroom. Part library, part Victorian salon, it's gives plush yet comfortable while being chill and not too loud to have conversations, so I can see it being suitable for a date night or friend catchup. A Japanese theme threads itself thru the libations here, with both a selection of liquors and liqueurs from the land of the rising sun as well as cocktails drawing inspiration from Asian flavors. As they're mostly a lounge, they provide a little bowl of rice snacks for the table with several options of other finger food to order. Among the drinks we chose, I tried: - YUZU SPARKLE $23 合子の選 Tenjaku Gin, Heiwa Tsuru-Ume Yuzu, fresh lemon juice, tonic water, rosemary. Very yummy (ordered 2!) though perhaps a little generic in its citrusy bubbly temperament. - BONSAI PLUM $23 終麹プラム Ten To One White Rum, UME Plum, fresh lemon juice, pear, The Japanese Bitters Shiso, Yukari Shiso & brown sugar on the rim. This one was an interesting take on plum though I thought a little more sour than I would've liked, maybe because I had the Yuzu Sparkle first. - SWEET OLD DREAMS $22 さき甘き夢 Sato Shiki Single Grain Whisky, banana, Angostura bitters, charred cinnamon. The smell of the burnt spice was lovely, this was pretty much an old fashioned on the less sweet side, I wanted to taste the banana just a tad more though I still enjoyed it. I'd be down to try the Shiro Breeze, Suzume and Sansho Mule next time. The staff was attentive without being fussy, they were a little more lenient with letting us bounce between a few tables since we ended up being a party of 10-12 at various points including our friends performing that joined us towards the end of the evening. *Cocktails run $21-25 so for this price I'm expecting perfection in a glass. read more

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Wildcard Bar is a hidden speakeasy serving up great vibes and creative cocktails. My friends and I had a great experience here. The atmosphere is fun and the service was excellent. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation and checking it out for yourself. read more

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Idk if it was an off night but the service here was SO slow. It took a really long time for them to even take our order even though we kept trying to flag them down, they just kept rushing past us and avoiding eye contact. And the place wasn't even super packed either. Usually I wouldn't have mind but the drinks weren't even that good either, it's not on the same level of quality you'd expect from a speakeasy. My friend and I enjoyed the music though read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Hidden speakeasy which is at the 2nd floor of what appears an apartment complex or townhouse. However, you can't miss it once you are inside the complex due to the signage. We did not have reservations but luckily we were able to get seated within 20 minutes. We ordered a few cocktails and they were all pretty tasty. I like that the menu is anime inspired and everything is very Japanese culture forward. Would recommend and come back but make a reservation because it was crowded the entire time we were there! read more

Super cute Japanese-inspired speakeasy cocktail bar in the UES! The ambiance is dark and moody, while the playlist is mostly comprised of throwback, old-school music (think Dancing Queen). Note: each table has a max 90 minute time-limit. Cocktails were decent: - Tokyo sunset: 10/10 (this was probably my fav of the ones we ordered. It tastes just like candy, so it's pretty sweet. Not too strong though, so might not be the best choice if you're looking for a stronger cocktail.) - Proper credit: 10/10 (green-tea cocktail with egg white foam on top. Also very good!) - Cheri Devotion: 7/10 (not my fav... it was basically an espresso martini, but it was a little too strong and bitter for my liking. I prefer my espresso martinis to be smoother and a tad foamier on top) - For my love: 10/10 (very refreshing lemon twist-esque cocktail) read more

Wildcard Bar - Cheri Devotion - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great Japanese speakeasy hidden inside a townhouse. The bar is very intimate and dimly lit. The place is well decorated and spacious inside. Perfect for date as the majority of customers were on a date. There was only two waitresses so the service was on the slower side. I had the miso flavored crème brûlée. It was sweet and sour. It was an exotic flavor that didn't really fit my palate. read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Love this speakeasy. It's dark but vibrant at the same time and has an incredible vibe. The cocktails, exquisite! read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Pretty cool vibes with a back room you can reserve for parties. Very chill atmosphere definitely very loungy. Drinks are a little more pricey, mostly Japanese inspired cocktails (in the $20) range. My server was a little helpful with how decide what to order, it was refreshing and interesting. Not a place I would visit often but more for once-in-a-while. read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I almost don't want to write about Wildcard because it feels like the rare true hidden gem when it comes to speakeasies in NYC. But reading about it on Yelp led me to it in the first place so I'll return the favor :) Wildcard is, really, totally hidden from the street inside a nondescript building. Inside, the vibe is refreshingly calm, intimate and non-sceney or pretentious. It feels like being in a private salon or a really nice living room, with nouveau jazz pop covers playing never too loudly on the stereo. It's easy to spend a couple hours relaxing w drinks and you'll never feel rushed out. As long as you plan a bit in advance, reservations are not horribly difficult to get. We've been a couple times and both times have had cocktails that were truly unusual and memorable (one made with matcha was a particular favorite). Because the menu changes, we've also missed favorites that went away, and have had a couple drinks that were less impressive even when highly recommended by the staff (a twist on an Old Fashioned wasn't really much of...a twist). Overall, this is a special spot and hope it stays that way! read more

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This is one of my all-time favorite places to get cocktails!! It's a hidden speakeasy and a townhouse which makes it super cool. Once you walk inside you least expect the glamour. The vibes are super fun with an array of masterfully crafted cocktails some of the best I've had in a long time. I definitely recommend this place. read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

The ambiance is cute and a great place to meet friends. We got the j cocktail (cinnamon flavor) and the suzume (floral) - both were whiskey based. We also tried one of the bites they have - a dip made of mackerel. I liked it but beware mackerel is a very fishy fish. The staff were friendly and they recommended good items. read more

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The location does not have prominent signs, so it's a bit of a hidden gem. The staff is friendly, and our group decided to sit at the bar. The bartender offered complimentary snacks, although the food menu is limited. The atmosphere is relaxing, featuring dim lighting and a couple of private rooms. The drink menu includes a good variety of sake and Asian-inspired beverages. All the drinks we tried were excellent, and the selection of Japanese whiskey is extensive, making it a great choice. read more

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I love speakeasies and I love sake. So, I had to check out Wildcard bar. I happen to visit on Wildcard Bar's 1st anniversary celebration. They had a sake tasting that included 5x premium sake tasting's, 2x cocktails, small bites and a sake glass to bring home for $50. There are no obvious signs for Wildcard Bar when you are standing on the sidewalk. You have to go up the stairs and into the front door before you see the entry way of the bar and the neon sign that says "Life is like a box of chocolates". The staff was friendly. The ambiance was warm and cozy with velvet love seats and dark walls. The drinks are Japanese inspired and are very tasty. I really enjoyed the Kotobuki cocktail. Cocktails are $20+, which is okay for a special evening out. I consider them to be drinks to sip, not to chug. read more

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Beautiful hidden Japanese inspired speakeasy in midtown. The drinks were excellent and inventive. Service was great. If we didn't have an early flight we would have stayed longer and had more drinks read more

I would ideally give this bar a 3.5. It has great speakeasy vibes and is extremely cozy and well decorated inside. However, my friends and I tried 4-5 drinks overall and really weren't blown away by any of them. They were good, but not good enough for the price. Would rather go to Raines or Death and Co for these prices. Not bad if you're in the area and are looking for a speakeasy, but wouldn't go out of your way to get here. read more

Surprised this isn't more popular. Decent drinks and great ambiance. I didn't have to wait to get a seat, which is a rarer and rarer these days with no reservations. I'd come back. read more

We stumbled upon this bar and it indeed was a wildcard ;). Surprisingly, a Japanese bar with very good drinks and aura. I really love Japanese bars. The menu is unique and reasonably priced (unlike some others like Martinys / Sip & Guzzle). I liked the Shiro Breeze (refreshing and sour) over Heiwa Mind. The matcha one also seemed solid. Dark and moody ambiance. It reminded me a bit of Osamil but darker. Good place for a date incl 1st dates - quiet when earlier ~730-9pm(?). It started getting louder a bit later but it was also on a Sat. Dark enough for canoodling. I also saw some couches. Would recommend read more

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Very unique ambiance. The service is great. Our server is super friendly and attentive. Concept for this hidden bar/speakeasy is cute. Drinks are $20-$22 each. So don't be surprised. I had the Christmas berry drink. Interesting. The tea one was not bad. The other purple drink was a little too sweet. Drinks are okay. But came here mainly for ambiance. Will try the other ones next time. read more

Wildcard Bar - two cocktails on a table - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Great ambiance and cocktails; true Speakeasy feel. A little hard to find but follow the patrons up the stairs into a different world. 'Nuff said read more

Good vibes. Tasty drinks. Great service! We can't wait to come back! Also try the shooters, they are really good! read more

Wildcard Bar - The Chapter 3 (on the left) was an exceptional take on a Negroni! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

We recently discovered this hidden Japanese bar and loved the experience. What made it special was the service - the bartenders are so friendly and make very creative cocktails - we tried the Mr Oolong, Bonsai Plum, and Spirit J - they all tasted amazing! The atmosphere was perfect too - low lighting, cozy vibes. If you're looking for a unique night out that doesn't disappoint on taste or service, definitely check it out! read more

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The hostess servers are young, pretty and receptive. We tried a few cocktails w the matcha being my fave. The ambiance is warm, sleepy, dark and comforting. Great spot for after dinner or a date to get to know someone. Nice spacious hidden gem. read more

Wildcard Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Great hidden Japanese bar! It is so hidden I almost couldn't find it haha. Their drinks are pricier, almost at $20-22. But it is good. I tried the lychee drink and it was very sweet. I love sweet drinks so it was perfect for me. We also tried the Karaage, which had a good flavour and texture. It was probably a busy night but they kept forgetting one of our orders even though we asked about it 3 times. But the server was nice and friendly. It's very dark in there, the music sometimes overpowers conversation during the more high energy jpop songs but it is a comfortable environment to hang out with some friends. read more

Found this place on a whim while we were looking for a place to grab a drink after it started raining on us. Service was great and our server answered our questions and gave us great recommendations. We got the tokyo sunset and the yuki-tini which were bothe refreshing and delicious! Definitely recommend this spot. read more

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Love the service, music, and crafty drinks. The mood is chill and trendy. There are comfy lounge chairs. The staff is accommodating and friendly. We found this place on accident and we will definitely return. read more

Wildcard Bar - Yummy Japanese beer. Sake cocktail menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you ordered food forget about it because the staff already did. They will "check on your order" for over an hour until you leave. Atrocious service better worth your time anywhere else. read more

If you like a focus on japanese inspired drinks, this is the place you should come to

We swung by Wildcard Bar at 9 pm on a Saturday to grab drinks and grabbed a table by the bar without a wait. The drinks were great--unique presentations and lovely (largely Japanese-inspired) flavors--but are definitely on the pricey side, at around $20+ per drink. The seating area itself was a bit toasty but otherwise comfortable, with nice chairs and a great volume to chat and catch up with friends. I'll definitely be back! read more

Very unique and great taste in Interior esthetics. Great atmosphere and amazing staff. Very polite and attentive. The drinks are very elegant and delicious. Will be back soon. read more

Extremely rude hostess. Karaage was microwaved and soggy. We sent back the karaage but they still charged us for it, hoping we wouldnt notice it on the bill. read more