Five NYC Mixology Spots You Can't Miss

Jun 16, 2012 — Home to thousands of places peddling palliatives at every price point imaginable, New York is a helluva place to have a cocktail.

Granted, it’s not always easy. Some of the city’s top mixologists lay in wait behind velvet-roped doors not even Rambo could get through. Unless Rambo was in 12-inch heels…

…and looked like Lara Stone instead of Sylvester Stallone.

But hey, fine-crafted libations don’t have to come with an exclusive air or even an exorbitant price tag, and while you’re obviously paying a little more for expertise that extends beyond the use of a bottle-opener, mixologists in New York have enough sauce in their shakers for everyone.

So if you’re willing to drop mad cash on a unique beverage fit for a king or just looking for the same classics grandpa enjoyed before he and grandma made your dad, then you should check out these five mixologically magnificent NY bars that will surely tantalize your taste buds.

1
Apothéke

Cocktail Bar / Lounge
Why we love it: They call their drinks “prescriptions,” which might sound a bit highfalutin until you check out some of the ingredients. We’re talking beet-cognac reduction, cherry licorice garnish, and essence of thyme – which we’re guessing is the illusive power source for a thyme machine – and that’s only the tip of the ever-changing drinks list. Cocktails are pricey as hell, but you can pace yourself just checking out the amazing décor, which includes chic-industrial Steampunk lighting and a stunning pressed tin ceiling salvaged from an old opium den.
- Review
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Chinatown / Nolita

9 Doyers Street
New York, NY 10013

212‑406‑0400
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2
Maison Premiere

Bar / Lounge / Oyster Bar
Why we love it: Right in the middle of Williamsburg, a little stylish slice of New Orleans awaits, mixed in with just the right dose of old Parisian class. Confused? You won’t be, at least not after you cozy in with an old-world cocktail and a round of oysters in the airy front room, or head back to the bronze absinthe tap above the circular bar styled after a traditional French Quarter statue. Okay, so maybe after a few hits off the absinthe drip we were still a bit confused…but that’s only because the oysters on our plates started chanting something about a walrus and a carpenter so we ran and hid in the lush patio.
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Williamsburg

298 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

347‑335‑0446
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3
Lovers of Today

Cocktail Bar
Why we love it: So tiny it makes us feel better about the size of our shoebox apartment, Lovers of Today is the little sister of adjoining speakeasy Cabin Down Below – though we’d argue a good deal less pretentious than its underground-chic sibling. Sparse in décor, LofT more than makes up for its lack of flash with a delectable collection of cocktails like the Astral Plane, which blends herbs de Provence, syrup, gin, and champagne in such a tasty way we totally forgot to ask them what herbs de Provence is. You likely find a bunch of rockers and stylish creative types drinking here, and if the ambient soundtrack sounds like somebody’s eclectic mix tape…that’s because it is.
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East Village

132 ½ East 7th Street
Manhattan, NY 10009
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4
Death & Co.

Bar / Lounge / Restaurant
Why we love it: They don’t take reservations at Death & Co., so it doesn’t matter who you are or who you think you are, not even The Reaper himself is getting in if there’s no space to sit. Don’t misunderstand, there are still plenty of dapper suits and waify model types inside the elegant single room, but the vibe is warm and welcoming, and so is everyone’s tummy thanks to the lengthy collection of aged whiskeys and scotches on hand. Not into spirits? The wine list is nearly as long as the hard stuff, while the powerful punches and champagne cocktails taste amazing whether you’re in close company or flying solo.
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East Village

433 East 6th Street
New York, NY 10009

212‑388‑0882
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5
Booker and Dax at momofuku ssäm

Cocktail Bar / Lounge
Why we love it: We always get a little nervous when someone walks out of the kitchen carrying a flaming hot poker, but that’s only because our wainscoting is highly flammable. It’s far less worrisome at Booker and Dax, which is kind of like what we imagine the bar of a mad Bond villain would look like if he focused on mixology instead of stealing nuclear launch codes. Apart from shoving a 1500-degree rod into select drinks to enhance flavor, savvy mixologists wield everything from liquid nitrogen to painstakingly sterilized saline – and that’s on top of a host of delicious ingredients like pistachio buttered rum and blueberry with lemon tarragon. Do we know why they do what they do? Not a clue. We don’t question Santa Claus either.
- Review
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East Village

207 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
(entrance on 13th Street)

212‑254‑3500
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Links: Bars and Clubs in NY Cocktail Bars in NY Speakeasies in NY
Tags: Mixology Lovers, Mixology, Specialty Cocktails, Food & Drink, Nightlife

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