Dear Irving on Hudson: retro cocktails on the 40th floor
Two floors, two moods
This is the younger sibling of Dear Irving, a cocktail bar in Gramercy, from the same team as the Raines Law Room. It sits atop the Aliz Hotel Times Square, on West 40th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. The lower level channels a 1960s spy movie, with velvet sofas, brass accents and arched doorways; the upper floor, open by reservation only, takes its cue from Art Deco, with colorful velvet banquettes.
The lounges are laid out as a series of intimate nooks, perfect for a tête-à-tête. Most of the seating is indoors, facing the big windows, but several open-air balconies let you step out for some fresh air with the skyscrapers of Midtown and the Empire State Building right in front of you.
Classics, reimagined
The menu riffs on the great standards, at around $20 to $21: a Gibson with Tanqueray No. 10 gin and a pickled onion, a vodka highball with yuzu and basil, or the Royal Roots, a rhubarb and aquavit twist on the negroni. A short menu of shareable plates and a selection of spirits round things out. There's a one-drink minimum per person, and a 20% gratuity is added to the check. The bar is available for private events.
Practical information
Open Monday and Tuesday from 5pm to midnight, Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 1am, Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 2am, and Sunday from 4pm to midnight. 21+ only; reservations can be made online and are essential for the upper floor. The 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal subway station (A, C and E trains) is two blocks away.
