Drinks in New York

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Some great friends from California are coming to town next week for a family event (his). We'll see them for dinner at Nobu one night but wanted to take them for drinks before dinner, somewhere beautiful and New York-y. They'd really love a view of something, or rooftopish, and their 15 year old daughter (very much a lady) will be with us as well.

Any suggestions?

[daisy17]

The Ritz at Battery Park has good views of the Statue of Liberty/downtown, and is close to Tribeca . . . . I think the bar upstairs is called Rise.

The bar at the top of the Peninsula Hotel (5th and 55th) offers great views of midtown.

This is so cheesy that I can't believe I'm suggesting it, but the bar on the 7th or 8th floor of the Marriot Marquis hangs right over Times Square and makes for an excellent NY view, and then there's the restaurant/bar on the top of the hotel (yes, the one that revolves, just kick me off egullet right now, jeez).

Stone Rose in the Time Warner Center is on Central Park - it can be fun but I didn't think the cocktails were very good. Trendy/crowded.

I've heard excellent things about the Brandy Library, which is very close to Nobu. No view but it sounds very cool.

Or you could go classic old school New York with Bemelman's, or to one of my new favorites, The Pegu Club or Little Branch. No view and not traditional NY since they're new, but they make some of the best cocktails in the whole city!

[Megan Blocker]

The Ritz at Battery Park has good views of the Statue of Liberty/downtown, and is close to Tribeca . . . . I think the bar upstairs is called Rise.

The bar at the top of the Peninsula Hotel (5th and 55th) offers great views of midtown. 

This is so cheesy that I can't believe I'm suggesting it, but the bar on the 7th or 8th floor of the Marriot Marquis hangs right over Times Square and makes for an excellent NY view, and then there's the restaurant/bar on the top of the hotel (yes, the one that revolves, just kick me off egullet right now, jeez).

Stone Rose in the Time Warner Center is on Central Park - it can be fun but I didn't think the cocktails were very good.  Trendy/crowded.

I've heard excellent things about the Brandy Library, which is very close to Nobu.  No view but it sounds very cool.

Or you could go classic old school New York with Bemelman's, or to one of my new favorites, The Pegu Club or Little Branch.  No view and not traditional NY since they're new, but they make some of the best cocktails in the whole city!

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Well, daisy took all my suggestions! Of these, my favorites are Rise (especially if it's warm out) and Stone Rose - partly because you can make a reservation, which is always nice if you're traveling in for a specific purpose. It's not too crowded before dinner, so I wouldn't worry about that...

[SethG]

There's no view, but the Bubble Lounge is just a block away, and it has a certain New York-ness to it. It's a very pleasant room in which to have a glass of champagne.

Another bar that's very New York, and very close to Nobu, is Grace. It has a beautiful, long bar. I haven't been in a while, but they used to make tremendous martinis with huge olives. Again, no view, sorry.

Edited April 6, 2006 by SethG (log)

[H. du Bois]

The bar at the Four Seasons is a beautiful place to have a drink (isn't that where Patsy and Idina of Absolutely Fabulous went all the way from London to see their perfect door handles?).

I also second the Bemelman's bar suggestion - for me, that's classic New York.

[Megan Blocker]

I would say, if you're willing to sacrifice the view, go for Pegu Club - it's pretty convenient to dinner, and you won't get a better cocktail anywhere.

[Marlene]

I would say, if you're willing to sacrifice the view, go for Pegu Club - it's pretty convenient to dinner, and you won't get a better cocktail anywhere.

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yes but they have a 15 year old with them, so I think Pegu may be out..

[Megan Blocker]

I would say, if you're willing to sacrifice the view, go for Pegu Club - it's pretty convenient to dinner, and you won't get a better cocktail anywhere.

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yes but they have a 15 year old with them, so I think Pegu may be out..

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It would probably be ok, so long as they weren't at the bar...maybe calling ahead to ask would be a good idea, though. Ditto with all of these, really.

[KatieLoeb]

If you want sheer jawdropping exquisiteness, then go to the Rainbow Room. It requires a bit more dressing up, but doesn't get any more classic or old school New York than that. And the view is TDF.

[Megan Blocker]

If you want sheer jawdropping exquisiteness, then go to the Rainbow Room.  It requires a bit more dressing up, but doesn't get any more classic or old school New York than that.  And the view is TDF.

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That's such a good point...I always think of the Rainbow Room as the place where we have our corporate Christmas Party. I've never been there when it wasn't for work!

[FabulousFoodBabe]

The bar at the Four Seasons is a beautiful place to have a drink (isn't that where Patsy and Idina of Absolutely Fabulous went all the way from London to see their perfect door handles?).   

I also second the Bemelman's bar suggestion - for me, that's classic New York.

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Yes, yes! Mr. FB's office is in the same building as the Four Seasons; whenever I walk through the doors, I think of the girls. I miss them. (The door handles are perfect ... and I love 'quickie' lunches at the bar, too.)

I wish we had more time! They're in town for just the weekend and a day (the "family function" is a performance at Carnegie Hall -- talk about overachievers! ), and Miss B. (the daughter) really wants a view. I wonder if she won't like the Times Square idea, along the way, with or without Aunt Fabbie as a guide.

I'd immediately thought of Pegu Club; I feel like it should be on the list. Perhaps after dinner ...

[Sneakeater]

Hey, the Pegu Club has a view! When I'm there, I always sit at one of the window seats and gaze out at beautiful Houston St.

(Little Branch, OTOH, sort of has the opposite of a view.)

[Megan Blocker]

Yes, yes!  Mr. FB's office is in the same building as the Four Seasons; whenever I walk through the doors, I think of the girls. I miss them.  (The door handles are perfect ... and I love 'quickie' lunches at the bar, too.)

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The Seagram's Building! That section of Park is a worthy attraction in and of itself...the view down to the Helmsley Building, Lever House, Seagram's Building...it's like the uber-business district.

It's the only good thing about working in Midtown.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Hey, the Pegu Club has a view!  When I'm there, I always sit at one of the window seats and gaze out at beautiful Houston St.

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True, Sneakeater! I should have asked, "view of what?"

[rich]

No better place than the Rainbow Room if you want a view.

Until four+ years ago, the only better view in NYC for drinks was the Windows bar at the World Trade Center.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

The Seagram's Building!  That section of Park is a worthy attraction in and of itself...

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Not to mention Mr. FB, who is quite a babe in his own right.

The view at the bar of the Four Seasons is usually very very good. Last time was a rootin' tootin' cowboy being wooed by about a dozen businessmen and women. Maybe we'll start there, and wait for my spouse to come down from his aerie.

[ewindels]

The lobby of the Mandarin Oriental on the 35th floor of the north Time Warner center tower has a spectacular view across Central Park South and the park, and they have a full bar menu, including lots of whizzy colored cocktails.

The roof of the Gansevoort hotel also has a bar, but this gets very crowded and sceney, and not in a good way. Amazing view across the Hudson, though.

Brandy Library is a gorgeous place, and well worth a visit for novices and connoisseurs of brandies, cognacs, and the like. But definitely no view. Ditto for Bubble Lounge. Pegu sort of has a view -- but with what they offer, who cares?

Both New York Magazine and citysearch? have listings on such places, if you want to browse.

[Sneakeater]

FWIW, I wouldn't recommend the roof bar on the Gansevoort to my dog (if I had one, and if he were a barfly).

[ewindels]

Neither would I, but it definitely has a view.

[Sneakeater]

Can't disagree with that!

[JohnL]

I have an offbeat suggestion.

Take the ferry--NY Waterway Taxi-- across the Hudson

to Arthur's Landing Restaurant--the views of Manhattan are absolutely fabulous!

(the shortest ferry route is from 38th Street pier and takes about ten minutes--you could take a longer route for fun so check with NY Waterways).

after drinks you can catch a ferry back to the world financial center and be fairly close to Nobu.

Arthur's Landing restaurant in Weehawken NJ is outstanding for drinks (the food is just ok) and the view of the Manhattan skyline is about as good as it gets).

The short ferry ride is a lot of fun)--go at dusk.

Edited April 6, 2006 by JohnL (log)

[FabulousFoodBabe]

IThe short ferry ride is a lot of fun)--go at dusk.

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Ah, the ferry. When we lived in North Jersey, another lifetime ago, it was my favorite way to get into the city.

I wonder how much time this would eat up? And my friend is more of a princess than I am , so I am wondering in advance about our hairdo's. Yeah, I know, we can sit inside, but that kind of defeats the ferry purpose. This is a very cool suggestion -- it'll be on the list I email to her later in the week.

[getxo]

FWIW, I wouldn't recommend the roof bar on the Gansevoort to my dog (if I had one, and if he were a barfly).

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Sneakeater,

When was the last time you went to the Gansevoort? I heard you had to be a guest of the hotel to have access to the roof (evenings). Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Sneakeater]

FWIW, I wouldn't recommend the roof bar on the Gansevoort to my dog (if I had one, and if he were a barfly).

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Sneakeater,

When was the last time you went to the Gansevoort? I heard you had to be a guest of the hotel to have access to the roof (evenings). Please correct me if I am wrong.

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The last time I was on the Gansevoort roof was last summer. You most certainly did not have to be a guest of the hotel to get access to the roof bar then. (You did in order to get access to the pool.) I had heard they were going to institute such a limitation for access to the bar, but as of last summer, they hadn't.

[JohnL]

IThe short ferry ride is a lot of fun)--go at dusk.

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Ah, the ferry. When we lived in North Jersey, another lifetime ago, it was my favorite way to get into the city.

I wonder how much time this would eat up? And my friend is more of a princess than I am , so I am wondering in advance about our hairdo's. Yeah, I know, we can sit inside, but that kind of defeats the ferry purpose. This is a very cool suggestion -- it'll be on the list I email to her later in the week.

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The best views (most dramatic) are of Manhattan from the boroughs or especially from NJ.

(the River Cafe is pretty good).

There are all sorts of water taxi's now--they run from the South street Seaport as well as up and down the west side of Manhattan to NJ.

Arthur's landing Restaurant is right on the water with a spectacular view of Manhattan.

Depending on where you leave NY--the water taxis can take anywhere from ten minutes to twenty. I would call em and check out the times.

I know there is a dock at the financial center which would put you within a ten minutes ride to Nobu.

anyway--i thought this would be a fun anbd memorable activity--if you can work out the timing/logistics.

By the way--have you been to Harvest on Hudson?--Westchester.

talk about a view!