Amazing drinks and ambiance! The cocktails are well worth the price and so is the service. The ingredients used alone make it a must try.
Crazy unique and interesting cocktail flavors. Popped in on a Thursday night to live music and a good energy crowd. Was able to grab a seat at a low table and sipped on a sesame oil and cucumber cocktail while chatting with friends. Definitely a must try if you like interesting cocktails. The ambiance is elevated and nice but still you can be casual when you come here
This Apotheke location has a totally different vibe than the NoMad location. The bar is located next to Chinese Tuxedo restaurant in the building that has a "Chemist" sign out front. There is a bouncer out front as well checking ID. This location doesn't take reservations, doesn't serve food and has minimal seating. My friend and I stopped in on a Saturday evening for a quick drink. Upon entering, there's a tiny coat check window to your right. If you blink, you'll miss it. The bar itself of course is beautiful and the drink selection is fun and interesting. Upon walking up to the bar, we didn't have to wait long at all to place an order despite the crowd. The bartender recommended the Victoria Quay to me when I asked for something sweet. This drink was phenomenal! Smooth, sweet and went down easily. My friend had a Paper Plane which is her signature drink she orders at every bar. We stood at the bar to finish our drinks. It wasn't too bad. But people with no sense of space or respect did bump into us or stand right up against us. There's plenty of room for every one but most people I find have no spatial awareness of their surroundings. This is why I typically only like going to cocktail bars where I can sit. The minimal seating Apotheke had was taken of course and we didn't bother to wait around for one to open up. This location is good for a quick drink if you're in the neighborhood. If I was able to get a seat, I could picture myself staying longer and getting a second drink. I do not believe there is any server service at the seats, so you would have to order while one person holds your seat. The noise level was pretty loud but I did not find myself shouting to talk to my friend. Drinks were standard for this kind of cocktail bar (I.e pricey but worth it!) If I had to choose between either location, I would say I prefer the NoMad location because I like the vibe better with table seating, reservations and a full food menu. They have a bathroom though I did not use it so cannot comment on it. Small coat check is available upon entry. There are two small stairs leading to the front door, and I don't know if there's an accessible way to get inside if you cannot do stairs.
Coming with a group on Thursday evening, we found this speakeasy/lounge to be a warm, inviting space with a cool, old-school apothecary theme. The drink list is cocktail-focused, with a broad range from fruity to smoky to boozy. There is sometimes a live Latin band that brings a lighthearted vibe. The service is good, though not exceptional. Would recommend!
Need a late cool spot to go on a Wednesday Night? Worth the wait if you are visiting New York. Open til 3am.
Apotheke is such a cool concept- an apothecary-styled bar where the bartenders wear white pharmacist coats and shake up concoctions claiming to cure various ailments ranging from stress relievers to aphrodisiacs (but most will just get u a bit buzzed which is a good cure-all!). The menu is intriguing- organized into various ailments and containing interesting ingredients. My friend and I went on a Friday early evening and were able to stand at the bar with no wait. I got the Moonage Daydream which was interesting- tasted a bit like soap, but in a good way? I loved the little seeds. My friend got the Lawyers Guns and Money, and it kinda tasted like a fancier negroni. Overall the vibe is immaculate and the drinks are interesting (if a bit pricey ~$24), but worth a try if you're in the area!
An amazing find in Chinatown! A bit hard to find because of the small sign but we were with NY natives. Upon entering, imagine a dimly lit space with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Behind the bar, shelves are stocked with with bottles of various shapes and sizes and the mixologists are dressed in pharmacist-style garb ready to mix up some crazy cocktail concoction. I ordered the Devil's Playground - a mix of gin, dragon fruit, prickly pear, lime and absinthe mint. My friends ordered the Sitting Buddha, Here Comes the Night and Siren's Call. Tried a few of their drinks and you really can't go wrong. We came in past 10pm on a Sunday so there was no line. We were lucky enough to find the last seat. By 11:30PM, there were more available seats. It's definitely the perfect background for a post-dinner date drinks or a small group. Music is playing a little loudly (not deafening) in the background and patrons lean in close to talk creating an intimate yet lovely vibe. A little bit on the pricey side for cocktails but the ambience more than makes up for it. I would definitely be back when I come back to New York!
The drinks were amazing. I tried out the shadow roll. Even though it's always packed the service was good. They bartender try to get to me as quickly as they can. Ambiance at the place is amazing for a date for sure. I remember last year when I took a date here, she would love the speak easy vibe. If you want a place where there's not just music blasting but a good vibe of just the right music then I would totally recommend. The drinks are amazing as well! I'll have to go back to try other drinks here.
Overall: B) - Apotheke is a speakeasy located in Chinatown and it was actually quite hard to find as the sign outside was very discrete. I ordered the Shadow Roll, which demonstrated expertise in infusing strong fruits into bourbon, a naturally strong drink, which I enjoyed. Their menu also contains some notably interesting options worth trying as well. However, one thing I disliked about their atmosphere was that the seating is first come first serve and there's not that many seats so it's almost more of a traditional bar vibe than the intimate speakeasy atmosphere I was expecting based on other places. Furthermore, the music got progressively louder throughout the night, making it that much more difficult to talk. Finally, there is a hidden step in the middle of the room where people easily trip on, which is obviously unideal. -- Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: -1 Service: E Menu: +1 Overall: +2 B IG: @amei.eats