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Sure, Soho has evolved over the decades from scruffy art haven to luxury goods showroom, but this is still where John Lennon and Yoko Ono once celebrated free love (and so forth). And now The Crosby Bar, located in the Crosby Street Hotel (pictured)—the first US outpost of the U.K.'s boutique-y Firmdale Hotels—struts and preens in this nouveau hyper-chic scene, hiding from history behind a tall glass wall, handsome lobby desks and some very well-attired people.
Imagine a hotel bar where, just by visiting, you're sent on a journey: You're suddenly in the land of Any-City Fashionistas and Average Height Men in High-Quality Denim. No, this is not the land of a local New Yorker. This is the land of visitors, enjoying the layover lifestyle. Drop in, sip a drink, and text a friend—but don't get attached. You're just another high-class rover.
Digs: The hotel hot spot is reminiscent of a jar of candy, from the color scheme to the sweet-sweet cocktails to the empty-calorie clientele. There's a lot going on with the décor, too, from the bright green-and-blue dangling jelly-like lamps to the bright striped couches and abundant indoor foliage. (There's also a warm-weather-only garden out back.)
Crowd: Good-looking in a "The Hills" or "The City" kind of way. And there's nothing wrong with that! But these stylish creatures seem to have trouble improvising, and they tend to keep to themselves and their mobile devices until about 10 p.m., when the scene loosens up.
Booze: Beer, wine and cocktails—"classic" according to the menu. And while the drinks are purportedly grounded in the early 20th century, the prices are modern and then some: Expect to pay $20 for a glass of wine (!) and $18 to $22 for a cocktail. Speaking of cocktails, here "classic" apparently means conservative and candy-sweet—cosmos, bellinis and mojitos all make the list. Still, there's a delicious Sidecar to be had for $18, and the slightly more adventurous tipplers can opt for Moscow Mules or Americanos.
Food: Unlike other hotel bars and restaurants, the Crosby exists completely within the hotel, with no direct exterior entrance. Why? Because the food menu is supposed to reflect the hotel itself, and not a big-name chef. Troubling for foodies, but freeing for the frugal. There's a variety of bar foods for $8, including crispy pork belly with cheese grits, cured duck spring rolls, Spanish frittata and hummus with labneh and pita. Still, multicultural menu aside, the focus here is on the drinks.
Service: The staff is obviously overwhelmed, but improving day by day. Arrive and the hostess will tell you to go back to the bar; the waitress will send you back to the hostess. The bar back will tell you to order at the service bar; the bartender there will, rightly, ignore you. It's all in a day's work, but what saves the day is how genuinely nice everyone is. The patrons may be in a different city by (next)daybreak, but the servers are invested in the future of this place.
The Crosby Bar
79 Crosby Street at Spring Street
212-226-6400
Photo courtesy The Crosby Bar
What other people are saying...
saraht from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn - November 04, 2009 at 3:35 PM
I'd love to check out the interior of the hote and bar but $20 for a glass of wine and $18 to $22 for a cocktail is not worthy any fancy setting.
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