Milk & Honey

My review is a bit tardy but better late than never! We stumbled upon this place during our visit in early March for Spring Break. It was an amazing find. It’s like walking into a bar in pre-​revolution Havana and the art deco is on point. The premiss is bartender’s choice, which I was hesitant about because I don’t like bourbon (I keep trying, but still no luck). However, the server was insistent that I try a bourbon cocktail and was SURE I would like it – so I reluctantly agreed. And much to my surprise and delight, I loved it and ordered a few more. Every bourbon cocktail they brought me, I loved. It was a great night and a lucky accidental find. I am bummed they closed, but I am keeping an eye for their reopening.

RIP Sasha… Legend
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It seemed as though Milk & Honey had just settled into its new home that news came it was once again closing, and in the process of searching for a new location.
The original M&H, which was located in the LES, was one of my first and favorite speakeasy locations. Though their official move and replacement by Attaboy had occurred quite a while back, I had only recently been able to make my way into the Flatiron neighborhood for a drink on an early Friday evening. Entering through a set of black curtained doors on East 23^rd Street brought us inside a dimly lit, exposed brick interior. At the time, there weren’t too many groups present, so we had our choice of seating in a spacious booth. In due time, our server came over to ask for our drink requests, and I specified my usual: a sweet, gin-​based, fruit drink. This time around, however, I asked for it not to be a Bee’s Knees, as it’s been the most common drink I’ve received with these specifications.
What I received was a drink known as the Troublemaker, which was originally created by Mixologist Theo Lieberman. With a base of strawberries and cucumber mixed with gin, sweet vermouth, and simple syrup, it’s already a fairly light and refreshing option. With additions of a little lemon juice and club soda, it became an even more delicious cocktail, especially when garnished with cucumber and strawberry. Served tall with a rectangular block of ice, I finished it in nearly record time. Those who prefer stronger, whiskey-​based drinks will appreciate the Expat, a simple cocktail that melds whiskey with lime juice, simple syrup, and a dash of Angostura bitters for that much needed edge.
I wish the best to the M&H crew on finding a new space, as NYC can never have enough good speakeasies or cocktail lounges, in my opinion.

I am certainly disheartened that Sasha Petraske closed his Cocktail Den in Flatiron on October 25^th, 2014.
Glad that I could spend the last hours of Milk and Honey 2.0-with my loved ones and new friends. We were celebrating my beloved’s birthday and had a wonderful time.
The melancholy and love was almost tangible as members and fans drank, hugged, partied for 6 hours or more. We stayed well past closing time: chatting with all the previous performers/​bartenders of Milk and Honey and imbibing in their delicious creations.
And finally I get to try the infamous Electric Current Fizz!
This is Sasha’s take on a 1895 classic from George Kappeler’s Modern American Drinks. This three step drink involves a piquant shooter and a tall bubbly sour. Swish the Gin Fizz in your mouth, then take a shot of the creamy egg yolk, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. After downing the raw yolk, follow it up with the Silver Gin Fizz– the effervescence an egg white, gin and lemon juice shaken and topped with soda water.
Most thrilling and amazing drink ever! Secretly I want a Electric Current Fizz everyday!
And one of the highlights of the night was we got to chat with Sasha Petraske about his pop up bar in Red Hook serving Southern fried chicken and margaritas.
Good Luck Sasha! You are a icon.

I’ve been to my share of NY speakeasys (ies?) and I must admit that I have indeed experienced better. Not really sure why there is so much hype about this one. Service was super slow. The cocktails were a standard (translation: expensive) $ 16. I was not pleased with the Psuedo-​Pina Colada that I was given. Luckily, my friend was gracious enough to offer me his drink instead, which I must admit was much better. It was made with scotch, honey and whipped cream. I also wasn’t a fan of the décor or ambiance. It’s a very long narrow space and the booths in the middle are so enclosed that you really feel like no one else is there. I supposed this would be acceptable for a date, but I didn’t like it for a night out on the town with friends.
Bottom line: Go to Apotheke instead.

Service was a bit slow but really liked the cocktails! It’s fun because you can just tell your server what you like and the bar tenders will make a delicious drink customized just for you.
The outside definitely surprised me, nestled between a shoes shine shop and a SUBWAY, it’s very hard to tell where this place is and what it is!?! However, it was a really unique experience and a great date spot.
I ended up trying the cerrano jamon and brie which was like a mini baguette and it came with cornichon YUM! Small bites but it was the perfect addition to my 3 drinks. I would stick with the fruity and sweet drinks though. I tried this one blackberry and lemon drink — it was super bitter and I did not like it.
Overall good experience!

This was fun to check out, even as a non-​alcoholic beverage drinker.
The bartender asks me what flavors /​tones I like in my drinks and whipped up something random.
For some reason, bartenders always think I like ginger in my drinks — no thanks (only ginger ale). I have learned to add this to my list of ingredients to avoid…

Came here two times, once on a Wednesday evening and once at peak on a Friday.
The setting, with its wood finishes and predominantly candle lighting offers a very intimate and historic vibe to the establishment. I immediately fell in love with the music, which sounded as if played off a Victrola, and walked away thinking that was half responsible for my so very positive experience on the Wednesday I was able to secure a seat.
The first Wednesday, the place was not yet at capacity and I was quickly offered a seat the bar (coming alone). The bartender was extremely helpful in providing me with the flavors I did want and avoiding the ones I did not. Each drink was spot on to what I had been looking for and worked well one after the other. While I was not in the best of moods and was looking to drink, I well tended to without being disturbed.
The second time I arrived with a friend on a Friday. The place was certainly very busy, and a seat was not available for over 40 minutes. Placing our names down, we sought out another spot and stayed in the area for the next 2 hours. Though we were promised a text, like many others who have reviewed, did not receive one for the evening.
My suggestion is to go at an off-​peak time, and bring a date. The drinks are fantastic, and the music and setting are wonderful experience that seems meant to be shared. Will be back soon, hopefully.

Went here around 10pm on a Saturday night. Whoaaaaa, I said as I walked in, the inside is so they different from the outside! It’s intimate and quiet, yet swanky and sexy. It’s a mix of a lounge and a speakeasy. On each side of the room are private-​ish couches and tables, room for 2 – 4 people. It’s perfect for a date.
My date had an old-​fashioned, which apparently the professional bartenders here made very well. We shared the apple and honey sandwiches and the smoked salmon deviled eggs. They were nice bites to have, certainly not a place to have a full meal.
I’m only docking one star because a bartender asked me if I wanted a drink (3x) and when I said no, he gave me dirty looks. There’s no rule that I have to drink! The obnoxiousness made me leave with a bad taste in my mouth.

Pretentious and obnoxious waitress.
A word to the owner/​executive manager :
The waitresses on duty for that night (⁸⁄₂₉) needs to get fired ASAP ! period! listen to what other people said here in Unilocal about THE obnoxious waitress, I think we are all talking about the same one ! She NEEDS to go! and never be hired by anyone!
Beside that the place is cool but honestly if you are going to be severed by that or better said not being served as she just stand there and talk to her «friend» — we were sitting for 15 min while she was having a conversation right next to our table without even bothering to do her job and serve!

What can I say? The drinks here are exactly what the name of the place imply — smooth and tasty.
You enter through a very unassuming door that’s part of a plain façade. When you open the door, you are immediately greeted by a heavy black velvet curtain. Push the curtain aside and you enter a completely different world. Notably, the darkest bar I’ve been in! After your eyes adjust to the darkness, the fun soon begins.
The waiter/​waitress asks what you would like and you simply say a liquor and a taste/​flavor. There is no menu. (Fun!) I said bourbon or whiskey and sweet. What I got was a super smooth Gold Rush. When the waitress came around again, I said the same thing, but that I did not want the same drink. The drink that came was called a Berrymore Rue (see picture). It was described to me as bourbon with strawberry liqueur and egg whites. Amazing.
They also have a small food menu. I highly recommend the smoked salmon deviled eggs. Delicious!
If your eyes are functional in places almost completely void of light and like well-​crafted cocktails, this is the place for you.

Definitely not as difficult to find as some make it seem. Besides the fact that the building number is clearly marked on an adjacent entrance, the entrance to the speakeasy itself is very obviously set apart from the surrounding storefronts. I am sure that if I had been walking by on a random day though, I probably wouldn’t have noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Drinks are $ 16 across the board, and the wizard behind the bar is the mastermind behind everything that is poured. All you need to give him is an idea of what you’d like to drink: sweet or sour? fruity? rum? egg white maybe? You get the gist of it.
It was delightful watching him magic together the drinks. I was also very impressed that he was in charge of making ALL of the drinks in house that night (a Saturday, no less!). Of course, this meant that ordering drinks took much longer than usual, but it was a definite treat watching each drink come into being.
If you have a small party, I’d highly recommend sitting at the bar so that you can watch the magic happen!

Old New York! Oh how I love thee! Wonderful drinks, romantic and easy going ambience. I want to take the old lamps home! The music is low enough to talk but loud enough to appreciate. We gave the waiter free range in regards to our drinks with a few comments as to preference of taste. We were NOT disappointed! I had the mint julep and my friend had a gimlet… HEAVEN!!!
We will DEFINITELY be back. It is our new favorite place!!!

Ugh, you guys.
Why do I love all the speakeasies, all the time?
It’s like a weird addiction. Whatever.
So I went here with a friend after work. We both live nearby and we thought we might try it. I figured we flat out wouldn’t get in, because… you know… speakeasy and all that jazz.
There were definitely four to five other people milling about outside since we were about 10 minutes early before they opened for the night. This isn’t my first rodeo.
I will say I have never been to the original location, so I don’t have much to compare it to, but I was pumped up anyway. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sasha Petraske, so how could this possibly be bad? My friend and I were greeted by the friendly host and seated right away at one of their tables up front. Perfecto.
As is the Milk & Honey tradition, we were not given menus, only asked what sort of cocktails we love most. I went with my classic «Ahhhh, I love Old Fashioneds, a little sweet, cardamon, clove, cinnamon flavors… yeah». The mixologist had no problem at all creating something I loved, which is no shock to anyone that has ever been mixed a drink by one of Sasha’s mixologists. That guy doesn’t mess around with his staff.
My friend loved her drink, too. We sipped on a few more, each time the mixologist changed up our drinks slightly which kept it fresh and interesting, and our waiter would explain all the ingredients in detail and how it was crafted.
So I loved it so much I went back a second time, which comes as no shock to any of you. This time with the same friend. She’s so fun. We sat at the bar this time and had no problem getting a seat. She was considering it for a private party so we looked around the back room which is super cozy and great.
Our drinks this time were just as good as the first time, and completely different, which I love.
I went back a third time for my aforementioned friend’s birthday party. She had rented out the back for cocktails and small bites. What a pleasure. They did have menus this time, but with the basis for all their cocktails. You could order off the menu, or have them craft you a personalized cocktail. Shockingly, it didn’t take forever for your drink to arrive, either, which was awesome. The staff was so friendly and nice. Everything we asked them for, they provided. We brought in our own cupcakes, which they happily served on platters.
The food was very simple, but very tasty. Actually, really smart drinking food. Miniature sandwiches with prosciutto and brie, and others with apple, honey and brie. There were also salmon deviled eggs and a bruschetta, but those sandwiches were pretty good. Nothing too special, but good little bites to help soak up all that bourbon.
Smart bar bites and amaze cocktails are completely my jam, so now I’m coming up with reasons to throw my own party there ASAP.
It’s so good. I have to go back again and again. The struggle is real.

This is the type of place that only «those in the know» know about — there is no signage or street address. Look for curved silver doors (to the left of the McDonald’s.ugh I know!) and open them up — you will pass through a black curtain and then be transported to a speakeasy!
This is one of the swankiest cocktail lounges in the city. There is no menu. Everything is bespoke… DON’T FREAK OUT! As long as you have an idea of what you like/​dislike, you’re set!
I asked for a rum-​based cocktail, inspired by a daiquiri. The bartender whipped up a «Cloak & Dagger» which is a daiquiri (not a frozen one… the traditional type with rum, lime juice and simple syrup) with multiple types of rum.
I don’t remember the technical term for Aish’s cocktail; it was gin-​based with citrus.
We really enjoyed both of our cocktails. We saw the bartender mixing up some fun drinks and asked her some questions. I guess she could tell we were big cocktail fans, so she served us a cocktail sample. It reminded me of the flavor profile of a piña colada without all the fake flavors — just the purity of pineapple and coconut.
This place is NOT cheap. Cocktails are $ 16 a pop. I recommend sitting at the bar so you can watch the bartenders at work — this is an art form. I love the craftsmanship of building cocktails. It doesn’t get much better than a front-​row seat.

One of the better speakeasies I’ve been to in this city and the only one where I was happy with bespoke cocktails.
I rarely trust bartenders who don’t know me and my taste well to make me bespoke cocktails because they always come up short. I’ll probably get a lot of hate for saying this but I was extremely disappointed by the bartenders at two of the more well known bespoke spots in town — Little Branch and Ward III. So when I showed up at Milk & Honey and found out it was bespoke, I almost ran out the door.
Fortunately, we ended up sitting at the bar and were able to chat up the bartender, Gil. He listened well and made sure to get all of our preferences before he got to work. And he worked some magic. He ended up making us funky variations on classic drinks like a mojito or a corpse reviver, and these drinks delivered. He was also fun to talk to and I think being able to sit at the bar made the experience what it was.
Drinks are not cheap, $ 16 a pop, but for the care and effort I saw put into them, and the overall experience, worth it.

This place made the most DEELICIOUS cocktails I have ever had in my life! I don’t think I can ever get cocktails anywhere else again. Too bad I live 3000 miles away from NYC!
The service was great. From the moment we walked in, the host greeted us and even though all the seats were taken at the time, they let us sit down in the waiting area and offered to take our orders first. They asked us each what kind of flavors, fruits, or whatever we liked so that they could customize our drinks for us.
Every customized drink they made us was amazing! I told them I liked refreshing fruity drinks with pear or I also liked strawberries and peaches. They didn’t have pear, but they did make me really refreshing fruity drinks like the Peach Blowfizz and the French 79. Never again can I drink those disgusting sugary drinks they serve at typical bars. The bartenders here seriously know what they’re doing, and they use real fruits!
Price — Each drink is about $ 17 to $ 18 but I gave like 20% tip so it came out to $ 20 each drink, but well worth it. That’s how much I pay for drinks in LA anyway that don’t taste as good.
Ambiance — This is a place you’d come to sit and chat with your friends. It is classy and quiet with nice background music playing. Not a rowdy bar to get crunk at or hit on girls.
Size — The room in the front is pretty small, just the bar that seats 4 – 5 ppl and about 5 booths that seat 4 – 5 people each. I’m not sure if they had a back, because that’s all I saw.
One day I shall be back whenever I come back to NYC!

Incredible, unbeatable cocktails with a sweet, speakeasy style. Walking by it, I almost didn’t realize that it actually existed wedged between a Subway and a McDonalds.
Milk & Honey is cozy, perfect for an intimate date or double date with friends. There’s something for everyone here. Whether you’re a bourbon drinker or want something fancy, you’ll find a great drink.

Cute date spot but I wasn’t too pleased with their seating layout. We had to wait for 45 minutes before getting to sit down. Their drinks are fabulous and made up for the wait.
Overall: the dark, dimly lit ambiance was a plus and the drinks were phenomenal but the wait time was a bit too long.

I’ve been wanting to try this speakeasy spot, so on a Friday night three of us decided to try our luck. It was right before 9pm when we got in, the place was busy but no wait. We were seated right away, at a booth, score!
There’s no menu, you name what kind of tasting profile you want, e.g. liquor type, sweet or tart, and anything you like. Or you can be a little less adventurous and order any classic cocktails. I tried two drinks. The first drink I asked for gin, something really refreshing, and a little sweet but not overwhelming (yes, my description was a little vague). The second drink I asked for something similar to a bloody marry but with a twist. Both drinks were really good, I can’t say they blew me away or they were the best drinks I’ve had, but they were solid. So if you happen to be in the area, stop by and name your drink!