Where is the Best Martini in New York, New York?
If you’re lucky enough to make it past the unmarked door and down the purple velvet steps, what you experience in RdV is luxury and exclusivity at its best. This hidden lounge is filled with the most beautiful people…I even saw a few celebs! The Old Hollywood vibe made me feel like I was a celebrity myself. In addition, the drinks were phenomenal. I tried one called the Miss Liberty that was made with a hibiscus flower (it was tasty AND strong!) 5 stars for sure!Pros + amazing ambiance, great drinks, attractive crowdCons – Don’t even try if you’re not beautiful and wealthy.
I’m not sure what was so wet about it, but Liz said it was one of her favorite Drink Club bars: S*xy decor, (I’m not kidding! Citysearch censored the word!) upscale, relaxed, with music, but not too loud for conversation. For me, it was a bit on the pricey side. $9 beer! That’s strip club prices! I’ve got to give it to the staff though, they were accommodating and friendly, in a professional way. Attractive too. (I thought the bartender looked like that guy on CHEERS, but everyone else disagreed.) The bar is very red, and softly lit. (I needed a candle to see the bill– not to read it, just to see it.) The male clientele is extremely muscular, and the woman are a lot whiter than I’m used to. Still, it was a mellow night, extremely unsleazy considering the lighting. Not bad at all. –DrinkClubnyc is a roving group of NYC drinkersPros + relaxed, accommodatingCons – poor beer selection, expensive
I’ve heard mixed thing about here, mostly great cocktails and rude service. Personally I found the cocktails to be great… as well as the service. The caiparinah was tasty even if the didn’t have my favorite cachcha and the fried oysters were a good snack. The Oysters had full flavor, the potato salad served with it was nice, but oddly there was no potato flavor, but the seasoning and cucumbers in there made up for it. it was busy but not to noisy to talk and there a nice view looking out over stuyvent.
APT is a chill and reasonably priced bar for the area of the Meatpacking. I particularly enjoy DJ Akelepse who will spin a great blend lightly known hip hop artists such as Dilla with a soft touch of true old school. They do a decent job of booking downstairs, if you’re a true music aficionado I recommend Cielo. Besides a few nice, respectable doormen and bartenders it is unexpectedly staffed with a few extremely rude and inconsiderate doormen as well as terribly unprofessional and pretentious weekend promoters. I am also a bartender/server/sommelier and extremely familiar with the industry, and these service industry workers are everything short of hospitable. Someone below used the term doorslob and I think it is appropriate for the situation. I definitely avoid this place on the weekends as the term ahole describes an ample amount of their staff. THE MAIN REASON FOR POSTING: I WAS RECENTLY TURNED OFF BY YET ANOTHER DOORMAN AFTER BEING ESCORTED TO THE BASEMENT BY AN EMPLOYE
I’ve been here a few times for the Friday night Poetry Slam and its a nice place to get some “urban culture”. Get there 1/2hour early (9:30) if you expect a seat, otherwise you’ll find yourself on top of the piano or fire escape It’s $10 at the door and the only thing the “bar” serves are beers and wine. The bartender was rude and demanded a tip even before giving me my drink. Drink afterwards, no reason to tip just for taking the cap off my Corona ($4). It has a small homey feel, red brick walls and a 4’x4′ stage. Slams last until 1-2am. 3-4 poets compete, 3 poems each and audience members are given score cards. The highest and lowest scores are dropped, remaining 3 scores are averaged, at the end of the highest scorer gets the biggest cash prize, others get a smaller fraction.Pros + Nice, laid back spot, "authentic" new yorkCons – bartender, SMALL
