Forty Four

You've heard the phrase "too many chefs in the kitchen", but "too many bartenders behind the bar?" The Royalton doesn't think that's possible with the drink list at their new lobby bar, Forty Four. Instead of enlisting one mixologist to come up with their drink list, they hired six. The group of spirits slingers is known as The Cocktail Collective, and they include names from top bars like Dutch Killed and Drink in Boston. The list contains classically inspired drinks with a twist. The Pharaoh Cooler is a tequila highball with dashes of watermelon and lime juice, grenadine, sugar and rosewater. If you're in the mood for gin, kneel before the Maiden's Prayer, which mixes the spirit with calvados and apricot liqueur. While the drink list got a complete over hall, the lobby lounge remains mostly intact. The one major change is a big new bar that straddles the middle of the space. Like the rest of the room, the lighting is sultry and the feeling is posh.

See more: Midtown bars, Midtown West bars, Hotel bars