Fig. 19 Bar / Speakeasy

Lower East Side, New York –

Secreted behind an art gallery and directly above sister establishment Home Sweet Home, Fig. 19 is a small speakeasy with big-time exclusivity.

Patrons won’t find velvet ropes, however, or the flashing bulbs of paparazzi, or any indication of this bar’s existence at all save for a Godzilla-sized doorman parked outside who looks like he’d just as soon eat someone’s face as allow that person in.

Once through the doors, however, Nylon Mag girls and their scruffy mates stroll through the gallery and into the cozy bar, where a glam décor complete with antiques, crystal chandeliers, and lots of skulls in white curio cabinets transports the fashion-forward to a bygone era.

Everything in the space is muted, from the pale tufted banquettes and marble cocktail tables set against the exposed brick walls to the flickering candlelight and the taxidermy lurking on shelves behind the bar.

Although it’s tiny, the venue rarely feels overcrowded due to its über-strict door policy, all the better to spend time ordering from the ever-changing menu of custom crafted cocktails. Fine drink connoisseurs will be hard-pressed to stump the bartenders, who frequently build intricate libations from scratch if nothing on the day’s menu appeals to the discerning guests.

Quiet and cool, Fig. 19 takes the speakeasy cocktail lounge to a new level that is bright, light, and inviting – at least to those who manage to get in.