Barfly's Beat: The Empire Room opens!

The long awaited Empire Room has opened at the Empire State Building in New York City. This cocktail lounge harkens back to the  golden age of cocktails and sophistication. Added bonus, Jonathan "The Cocktail Guru" Pogash is behind the cocktail menu. Here are a few cocktails that we will be sure to sample:

Waldorf (Rittenhouse Rye, Carpano Antica Formula, absinthe, and Manhattan bitters)


The Throwback (Laird's Applejack, Yellow Chartreuse, Punt a Mes, Lemon juice)

The Moscow Mule (Russian Standard Vodka, Fever Tree ginger beer, mint)

Mezcal Martinez (Sombra Mezcal, dry vermouth, Cormbier orange liquer, white creme de cacao, aromatic and mole bitters)

Here is what the Off The Menu blog from The New York Times had to say about the lounge which is in a former post office space:

"At 3,500 square feet of brushed stainless steel, a generous curved marble bar, tufted banquettes, glass-topped tables and Art Deco chandeliers, it accommodates up to 150 people in sophisticated style in a former postal substation."

We look forward to putting on our best duds and making the scene at "the Empire."

Empire Room
Empire State Building (ground floor)
350 Fifth Avenue (34th Street), 
(212) 643-5400, 
11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

(Photo courtesy of Shecky's)