Sycamore Bar + Flower Shop — Restaurant in New York

I'm really sad to have to give such a terrible rating to a bar that I've liked very much in the 2+ years I've been visiting, but the way I was treated tonight has made me decide never to come here again, nor to ever visit Rusty Nail on Foster Ave. in Brooklyn, which is owned by the same people.

I went with my partner to meet a friend at Sycamore around 8:00 PM today, Friday, March 12. We know that the bar closes at 11:00 PM and were prepared for any restrictions related to the closing time, particularly since we were sitting in their outdoor setup on the sidewalk. Everything was great until a little before 11:00 PM, when we were instructed to go inside. That was absolutely fine with us -- we love our neighborhood bars and want to do whatever we need to do to help them comply with the rules around COVID-19, which I know can be tricky. We went inside as instructed, with full drinks in hand, since they'd served us only a few minutes beforehand.

However, once we were inside, we were screamed at (really -- this is not an exaggeration, it was like switch flipped and the previously relaxed, professional bartender and bar back were suddenly in a war zone) that we couldn't be drinking (again, that's fine, though not what we were told) and when I asked what we were supposed to do, the bartender literally screamed at me to stop arguing with him, protesting that he'd "been nice all day." I'm sure he has, and I'm sure that this is a difficult job to maintain during a pandemic; however, I have also been nice all day at my job and I don't really know what to do when I'm being screamed at for both doing exactly what I was told to do and also asking clarifying questions when I'm told that's wrong. He continued to yell at me to "stop drinking!!" when I had my mask fully on and was holding my full drink in my hand, trying to figure out what they wanted me to do. Finally, they screamed at me that I had to put my drink in a paper cup to take outside, which I complied with.

This is honestly bizarre. It's like the bartender and bar back were performing for an audience I couldn't see. But at the end of the day, I don't know the rules and regulations bars are expected to follow! I'm happy to do what you tell me to do, but screaming at me isn't the solution.

I don't know what kind of stress this bar is putting its employees under, but the two people working 8-11 tonight need to be given paid time off to rest if this is how they're interacting with people. I'm an adult woman with autism and I have a very thick skin when it comes to interacting with people; I know that I can misunderstand things sometimes and I know that it must be hard to shepherd a bunch of drunk people at the end of the night. But I was treated with utter vitriol in this bar for no reason, and the fact that the men around me weren't yelled at in a similar way makes me think that there's some element of misogyny here too.

I will say that I've been to Sycamore many times at closing both pre-COVID and during COVID and have never experienced this kind of hostility from any of the other bartenders or bar backs, whom I've generally found to be lovely, even when explaining what we needed to do to comply with COVID regulations. However, I'm so shaken by the experience that I feel it outweighs any positive associations I have with the bar, and I'll be certain to share this negative assessment with everyone I know in the neighborhood.

Do not go to Sycamore or to Rusty Nail. I'm more than happy to talk about this incident directly with bar management if...

Honestly, I never do this, I'm pretty sure this is the only Google review I've ever written. As someone in the service industry myself, I have a great understanding of ppl having off days or unfortunate situations being of no actual fault of an establishment or their staff. But what I experienced at Sycamore was truly one of the slimiest things I ever experienced at a bar. The bartender grabbed my drink that clearly still had alcohol left in it, did not even bother to ask me if I was finished even though I was sitting right there. But even this was only mildly irritating. At this point we had been talking on and off and had developed the usual bartender/bar patron banter, so when he asked me if I'd like another drink, I cheekily said "Only if it's for free". He then agreed to give me a free drink, which I was not expecting but greatly appreciated. Tell me why when I closed out I was charged for this supposedly free drink? When I asked him about it, he looked at me like I was stupid and said "It's my job". Now, I understand that not all bartenders are allowed to do buy backs, and I in no way just expect to get free things for the hell of it, but why would you pretend to give me a free drink? That's so incredibly manipulative. I would have not gotten another drink if I knew I was going to be charged for it. And then to gaslight me about it?...

I absolutely love Sycamore's sister bar the Rusty Nail over on Foster Avenue, so I wanted to give this place a shot. The last time I stopped in was to get flowers for my mother for Mother's Day. The flowershop portion of the establishment is a bit costly, but the arrangements you get are really beautiful. On my recent visit, I came in for a couple of drinks. I really don't understand some of the negative reviews about the service and the quality of the drinks. My bartender, whom I didn't get a chance to get her name, was friendly, and she really put together a couple of great cocktails for me. My painkiller cocktail alone had plenty of rum that as soon as you put your nose to the glass, you can smell it. The prices for drinks are pretty standard, and they don't serve food like their sister bar. They do, however, allow you to bring your own. You can either sit out front, inside the bar, or outside in the garden area. Overall, based on my experience, this bar is a very chill place to just hang out and grab a quick drink, and I will definitely stop in again...