Dear Irving Gramercy — Restaurant in New York

Hi everyone,

This is Fırat Uran. I am a copyright lawyer and a piano teacher who is visiting from Turkey. We had a terrible experience with this place. Here is what happened.4 days ago my Greek friend and his wife wanted to meet us at Dear Irving. Me and my Mexican friend Alek went to Dear Irving to meet with them. At the door they asked us their names. We told them the name. Please do not get me wrong, staff was very nice and helpful. This mail is all about the blond, blue eyes manager. She immediately cut our conversation with the door man and said that we are in the wrong place. She said 'Perhaps you wanted to go another place and you are here as a mistake'.

I was like no, this is where they wanted to meet with us and they are inside now. She said 'i do not think your friends are inside'. Then i said 'is it possible that you guys go inside (i meant her and my mexican friend Alek) and check if they are inside or not. If they are not we will leave. She was very unhappy about this. She said 'well i do not think they are inside but let's see.' Then we saw our friend at the gate. He was worried and came to take us.

My friend and her started a conversation. She was very aggressive and ready to explode. My friends were waiting at the bar and asking her how long will it take to get a table. (they were already waiting more than half hour). She became more aggressive. She said 'as you can see it is busy today, if you do not want to wait i can lead you to the door.' My friend said 'no we want to wait i just want to know how long will it take approximately' She said 'i do not have that information, it depends of people who decide to leave.'

She left us at the bar and then came 2 minutes later with a security guide and she said this

'i want you to leave right now, if not i ll call the cops!'

this is exactly what she said!

we were shocked!

we asked her 'can we talk with the manager?'

she said

'i am the manager!'

i said 'is this how you handle the situation as a manager?'

she said 'yes, if you are not happy with it you can write a review about it. now leave or i ll call the cops.'

we left this place. Since that me and my mexican friend Alek was not white, and we have accents she discriminate us. This was very racist. My friends wife cried on the street. She said this was the first time she was kicked out from the bar. All night long we talked about white, blond, blue eyes aggressive manager who kicked us out without...

Dear Irving is one of the best speakeasy bars I've been to. Between the waits and how quickly the few reservations fill up, getting in can be a hassle. Awhile back I had the foresight to book a prime time (Saturday at 7pm) a month out and lo and behold, I forgot about it! Luckily I remember leading up and invited a friend. This is definitely an impressive date spot. I thought the theming of the 4 different rooms (Mad Men era, roaring 20's, Lincoln-esque, and Marie Antoinette) was brilliant. It also lends to the place being a slightly different experience every time you go. Servers being summoned via buzzer is also a great idea that helps service stay efficient; it doesn't hurt that the servers and buspeople are all very friendly when you get them. All in all you can't really ask much more in terms of atmosphere from a place like this. As you could expect from this quality of ownership, the drinks measured up as well. They're priced ~$15 which is on par for a mixology bar. But unlike some other places I could name that just do slight variants on classics or create something crazy that ends up tasting weird at best, these drinks are unique, nuanced and worth their price. I got the Screaming Viking which was aquavit (Norwegian moonshine-ish liquor), Palo Cortado Sherry (sweet wine), cherry heering (cherry liquor), and a dash of ginger. Aquavit is intense stuff and the 2 sweeter elements helped to balanced it out while the ginger lent a bit of variety. It was still very alcohol forward though which was what I wanted. I don't remember what was friend got, but it was fruity and very well made for what it was. There are also more familiar items on the menu for the less adventurous, they do custom orders, and they have food as well. If you want to introduce someone to speakeasys for the first time, try this place out. Just book...

Excellent spot for a night out with a few friends when you want to chill and chat over a few fancy drinks. The service was incredible and completely defies the New York stereotype.

First impressions: When my friends and I went, we were greeted by a server with a glorious chuckle and friendly personality. He started chatting with us and kept up the conversation as he led us inside, where we were overcome with awe at the interior decor. The music was old fashioned and laid back, and didn't drown out our voices, which was key. Everything so far was on point.

Interior: The front-most section has a retro design, the second with bedazzled chic decor, and the third (with the bar) had a speakeasy vibe. The lighting in the second section is amazing if you want selfies, by the way.

Service: They have switches next to each table or booth when you need service, similar to airplanes, but with waaaaay better service. I would go as far to say that the servers played an integral part in making our night, because they were so friendly, knowledgeable, and appreciative! I pointed out an error in the bill, and they were so grateful for it that we got a free round of off-menu drinks.

Drinks: My friends and I tried 7 different drinks, and they all hit the spot. The bar does a great job of making flavorful cocktails that are not overly boozey or sweet. I do like the fact that they have reusable straws/stirrers, because besides being eco-friendly, that small touch really helped maintain the ambiance.

Price: Their drinks are $17 each, but don't let that dissuade you. My 3 friends and I had spent around $130 after tip, and I still felt like I underpaid for such a great experience.

Do yourself a favor experience this place for yourself, I doubt you'll be...