Every time you need a drink at Dear Irving, you can just press the buzzer at your table—every table has one connected to the bar. Your server will come, and behind the scenes someone has handcarved the ice cubes that will accompany your spirits.
The bar, from the creators of Raines Law Room, is inspired by Woody Allen's Midnight In Paris, with four rooms representing different historical eras.
Instead of sitting in Gertrude Stein's living room, you'll be lounging in Marie Antoinette's decadent parlor. Then there's the JFK Room, which has stylish 1960s vibe—you can almost smell Don Draper's Lucky Strikes in there. If you want to travel back to the 1920s, head over to the Gatsby Room, which features bead-enclosed booths (our photographer noted: "great place for an illicit affair"). Lastly, there's the Abraham Lincoln Room, which houses the bar itself, alongside some velvet couches.
While there are small bites available (croque-monsieur, chicken liver, lemon bars), this is a place to drink, and more specifically, it's a place to drink slowly. These cocktails are not for pounding, they're for savoring—bartender Meaghan Dorman has created new takes on old classics (try the Greenpoint, an herbal riff on the Manhattan). Each will cost you around $15—another reason to drink slowly.
Photo by Sai Mokhtari/Gothamist
The bar is nearing its one year anniversary, and if you hadn't heard of it yet, it means their speakeasy vibe has worked. There's no name on the door at 55 Irving Place, but if you walk up the stairs this is what you'll find behind those doors. Walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend you make a reservation before heading over.
