The Bar Downstairs & Kitchen — Restaurant in New York

The Bar Downstairs has a sign right next to a super bright and uniquely designed door. But, you don’t immediately think it is a door to a bar by looking at it. I actually remember walking by here on my way to somewhere else, thinking it is an interesting “graffiti”…

The inside was dimly lit, and much bigger than I thought. One thing about having a restaurant or bar in the basement is that there is a chance you can get a pretty good size space. Here, they had large sofas, low tables and chair by the entrance, showing off the large open space.

They have a lot of seating, all around the walls, by the bar, and everywhere in between. The tables in the open space were big long tables, meant to be shared among many customers. They have smaller tables around the wall, smaller size for two or possibly three people if you squeeze into it.

We started off with a couple of cocktails, Gin Gin Mule and Vodka Cobbler. They came in a nice large glass, high quality and tasty. With the portion and quality of the drink, I thought it was worth the price tag. For food, we ordered Papas Bravas and Shishito peppers. They were both great, addictive and tasty. We had two more cocktails, Airmail and Pisco Sour before ending the night. They were both classy and delicious.

The service was friendly and we had a really nice, relaxing time here. The cocktails were great, and the little snacks we had were both tasty also. With its spacious interior, it didn’t feel crowded the entire time we were there, and we never felt like we were being rushed. Read my full review of this bar/lounge and the food on my food blog,...

I spent way too much time at the New York Public Library, and as a local, I needed a quick escape from the Saturday tourism. Trying to avoid any fast food chains, I bumped into The Bar Downstairs sign and decided to give it a try. Stephanie, my server, was extremely personable and knowledgable about the cocktail menu specifically. When I inquired about potentially swapping a garnish, she went into further detail about the design and curation of each cocktail. To her recommendation, I stuck with the original garnish and glad I did. I also ordered a cheese charcuterie board with jam which was absolutely delicious. The ambience is a perfect getaway and in a busy area too. It provides that “lofty and chic” New York experience visitors crave for. A buddy of mine works near Bryant Park and we’ve been in search for a go-to bar after work. This may possibly be a contender. Working in the luxury industry for the some of the biggest houses and Maisons, departments like Learning & Development frequently search for establishments like The Bar Downstairs to welcome out of town employees for an authentic New York experience. This would be a great spot too for Holiday Parties, corporate gatherings, etc. A lot of opportunity here for the surrounding luxury houses on Fifth Avenue. The staff was very extremely professional and hospitable. Unfortunately, the refined eye that comes with the luxury industry can bring a lot of disappointment when standards are not met but that was not the case for The Bar Downstairs. Wishing you a wonderful and successful holiday...

Visited a while back for lunch with my coworker on her recommendation as she always stops for coffee and a pastry in the morning (which I've sampled and they have always been delicious little bites of satisfaction).

We used the walk-up bar and not the restaurant portion. Chose the Chicken Schnitzel sandwich which was served on a baguette with arugula and mayo and a pickle on the side.

Sandwich was very good. Decent size for lunch as I am full but not stuffed and there was just the right amount of mayo to make it moist and not dry. Schnitzel was seasoned and fried perfectly. I'm not a fan of pickles but this one was not bad. The cashier actually brought our food to the small bench/table we were sitting at which was nice. She also brought pots of tea to the customers who had ordered that.

I enjoyed looking at the various pots of syrups and things that they had for sale and would probably end up buying something if I was there too long. The general decor is very nice and I would definitely come here on a lunch date or for a small business lunch.

Sandwich was worth the 10.50 price. (Though we were slightly appalled that they have "Porridge" on their menu for 9.75 while a breakfast sandwich is only 7.25... what kind of...