On a recent weeknight, it was time to check out some recently opened establishments.
Henry’s rooftop bar (at Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Avenue at 47th Street)
This is located on an outdoor perch on the 16th floor at the Roger Williams Hotel in Midtown East. Not much larger than a patio, this outdoor spot offers views of Midtown to the south and east. The drinks are a bit pricey ($7 for a canned beer, $10 – 14 for a “glass” of wine; the “glass” was a clear, plastic 6-oz cup). The food menu exhibits standard bar & grill fare. The spot feels almost makeshift. It’s as though the hotel, seeing the proliferation of rooftop bars in Midtown, took a small, unused outdoor deck and threw together a bar out of it. For a rooftop bar in the immediate nabe, you would be better off going to Patron or Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel. No need to include Henry’s as a stop on a Midtown rooftop NYC bar crawl.
This is located on an outdoor perch on the 16th floor at the Roger Williams Hotel in Midtown East. Not much larger than a patio, this outdoor spot offers views of Midtown to the south and east. The drinks are a bit pricey ($7 for a canned beer, $10 – 14 for a “glass” of wine; the “glass” was a clear, plastic 6-oz cup). The food menu exhibits standard bar & grill fare. The spot feels almost makeshift. It’s as though the hotel, seeing the proliferation of rooftop bars in Midtown, took a small, unused outdoor deck and threw together a bar out of it. For a rooftop bar in the immediate nabe, you would be better off going to Patron or Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel. No need to include Henry’s as a stop on a Midtown rooftop NYC bar crawl.
La Carafe (653 9th Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets)
From the people behind L’Ybane on 8th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, La Carafe, a block west on 9th Avenue, is a cozy wine bar and restaurant. Much smaller in size than L’Ybane, La Carafe has tables for parties of two and four in the front half and a small bar area with three high-top tables and a ten-seat bar in the back half. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food can almost be described pan-Mediterranean, including some Italian pasta dishes and Arabic mezze plates. Dozens of wines available by glass or bottle. Definitely a place I’d like to visit again.
Bathtub Gin (132 9th Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets)
Behind a small storefront, Bathtub Gin is the latest bar to join the Speakeasy trend. After you walking through the small storefront and pass through a doorway, you enter an inviting space with a ten-person bar on the left and tables beyond the main bar area. Wallpaper evokes the roaring-1920s feel. The focus is on cocktails, but there are a few beer and wine offerings available. Staff is friendly and the place has one of the more memorable bathroom sinks, which are actually small bathtubs (see picture below). This place is a good addition to the Speakeasy NYC pub crawl.
What are your thoughts on these spots? Please share your comments here.