Any place with dollar oysters until seven is good in my book, but The Ten Bells goes one step beyond by offering a civilized old worldy atmosphere and a menu of great French and Belgium beers. I've yet to take advantage of their other menu items, but am eagerly awaiting the day I can get out of work early enough to gorge on beer and oysters again. When it happens, I will cherish it.

See more: Drinks Bars French Lower East Side

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on September 7, 2009

Can you fault a place for its douchey clientele? Not when it's The Rusty Knot, which serves such a delightful menu. There are few places that offer so many of my favorite things: spicy beer (cerveza Cubana, their refreshing and flavorful take on the michelada) and sides of pickles and oysters; even in a sea of pleated khakis, halter tops and going-out-pants, we had a great time.

The interior is tight with only a few coveted tables (one of which we hogged for hours) and a stupidly large pool table taking up most of the largest room. The theme is big-time nautical with a Polynesian twist, expect Tiki cups and lots of wood paneling; the drinks are cheap (regular beers start at 99 cents) and the general mood is low key, but any sense of divey-ness is carefully fabricated – the gentlemen behind the popular hangout come from Freeman's, Milk and Honey, The Spotted Pig, and Momofuku; a group well versed in what's hip and how to convey it without seeming to try too hard.

It's a skill that's made them very rich I'm sure, and I don't mind adding to their coffers when they're serving such yummy snacks and drinks – but next time I'll make a wiser decision than to go so close to the meatpacking district on a Saturday evening.

See more: Drinks Bars Beer Cocktails West Village

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on August 17, 2009

The Flatiron District isn't an area of the city that I might expect to find a decent, sophisticated cocktail spot not marred by bland ambiance and overwhelmingly lame and obtrusive clientele, but then I found the truly impressive Flatiron Lounge. Flatiron began pouring high end cocktails towards the beginning of the trend and feels comfortably lived-in with its art deco inspired interior and restored wooden bar. While seats may become hard to come by as the night wears on and on weekends, after work our group was able to snag a corner booth – and I find booths most conducive to indulging in whiskey concoctions.

The drinks I tried were both whiskey based and excellently mixed but the menu changes often and I can't ind a current menu to let you know what I had by name, but if you go for lemony and whiskey I can promise it will be wonderful. Nothing on the three page menu that interests you? Jim ordered off menu requesting a fizz and the guy made it special for him.?

See more: Drinks Bars Cocktails Gramercy Park/Murray Hill

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on July 13, 2009

Countless times I have strolled past The Richardson and said to myself, I really have to try a drink there sometime. We finally made it on Cinco de Mayo, and it was blissfully free of party antics and the crowds that perpetrate them.

It's spacious and bright and the d?cor is as you would expect from a modern cocktail lounge in Brooklyn: dark woods, damask wall paper, chandeliers… even the mixologists don old timey bar keep outfits, complete with stiff white shirts and vests with pocket watches. It fits the mold to a tee, but I like the mold, so bless them.

All the cocktails are $9 here, which make quite a difference at the end of the night compared to the neighborhoods other swanky shrine to booze – Hotel Delmano (which in all I have to say delivers a bit more sophistication in their drinks).

On the plus side the Scottish Dew was a refreshing cucumber dream, perfect for the sunny day I wished I was experiencing while drinking it. A nice and very strong concoction called the Brooklyn followed which will please fans of Old Fashions.

On the down side, their Old Fashion may not. My very discerning friend was disappointed to find his had granulated sugar at the bottom which had not been mixed in well with the rest of the drink. A minor faux pas, but still, you do, I assume, call yourself a mixologist.

I will happily return, it seems pretty quiet on week days, though it quickly filled up with dudes, dudes and more dudes as the night progressed; if you're looking to meet a man with a taste for rye, there are worse places. Service was friendly if not a bit distracted, and it offers several good beers on tap for your friends that are like that.

See more: Drinks Bars Cocktails Williamsburg

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on May 11, 2009