Theater Bar

4 Stars. Started with the lamb sliders which were some of the best I ever had. Also ordered the eggplant meatballs which were very good. They are also known for there specialty cocktails and I tried the yellow cab which was very strong and very good. The restaurant is set up like a theater and the bartenders are the show. The service was good too.

Food is great and the drinks are even better. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!!!

I was super excited for this place to open — Tribeca is getting to be a killer spot for drinks. Unfortunately, this is not one of those killer spots.
The bad:
— No scene. Yes, it’s nice to get a seat and all, but no, it’s not fun to be hanging out in an empty bar! A true buzz kill
— Drinks are creative, but not nearly as well balanced as at Apotheke (I had high expectations, but still…)
— Music was lame (maybe it was just the night?)
The good:
— Um, interesting space, maybe?
If it tells you anything, my group abandoned our half finished drinks to move on to Ward III. The mood here was really bumming us out. To be fair, maybe it was just that night, but I’ve walked by it a few other times, and it is almost always pretty empty.
Overall, I would be surprised if this place makes it

I went to Theater Bar at 7:30pm on a Thursday with 3 friends after buying the Daily Candy deal 8 artisinal drinks for $ 69. We were expecting a cool lounge vibe, but it was really more of a restaurant at that time with brighter lights and utensils on all the tables. The drinks and service were fantastic, but there were no shows whatsoever not even shaker flipping at the bar which was a big disappointment. We were told they do not start shows until after 11pm bummer. Back to the drinks, we had a honeydew vanilla drink that was delicious, another with strawberries that was really good and strong, and one with fresh grapes that was a favorite. The menu says the ingredients are all organic so that’s a plus. Also I have a friend with lots of fruit allergies and they were able to accommodate her and a make a special drink not on the menu.
While we were there Mariah Carey walked in with a few people. We hoped there would be a show for them, but they just sat and had dinner.
We were bummed about the lack of entertainment and lack of music, but the biggest disappointment of the night was being handed a bill for what the tax would have been had we paid full price for our drinks! It was @ $ 16 in tax basically the price of another drink. I have used many Groupons in the past and never have I been taxed on the price something would have been had I paid full price. It made no sense we had already left a big tip, but we were tired and wanted to get out of there so just paid it and left. We were thinking about coming back for a late night show, but after receiving the overcharged tax bill we were all turned off and opted to take our business elsewhere,

We came to Theater Bar for an ASW birthday party event, and knowing that the same owners run Apotheke, I expected much MUCH more.
Richie was DJing which was the only highlight because he truly knows his stuff, but the drinks were watered down and sticky sweet, the bar service was beyond abominable, and the whole mood was well-​awful.
In sum, I did not like this place at ALL; we were overcharged on our bill, and although we noticed it right there, the service was so incredibly bad, we could not be bothered to ask them to fix it. We just did not tip and left.
Horrible.

I was very disappointed after visiting this bar last night. In fact, I was so peeved, that I decided to sign up for a Unilocal account just to write a review of this place. While the place had good music and a good set up, one of the bartenders was extremely rude. We ordered a bunch of drinks and did not get any of them, but received the bill anyway. When I asked this bartender where the drinks were, he said, «sign it (the bill) and move, come on, get moving!» How rude! I have never been given such an attitude for simply wanting what I paid for. I still remained calm and tried to explain the situation to him, and his response was to turn to another bartender and claim that I was difficult and that he couldn’t deal with me.
I was shocked and couldn’t believe the rude and inefficient service we were getting. Truly the worst bar service in NYC.
Also, they were out of beer. Really, out of beer? Please, save yourself the aggravation and don’t go here.

Really cool set up, very pretty bar. Vibe was nice, not too crowded, not awkwardly empty, we had a really fun time here. Music was great too.
The drinks were of course very creative and tasty. Just so happened that of the 8 drinks we tried (there were four of us and we all tried each other’s drinks to see) I only really liked two of them. One had serious potential but was just too spicy. I like spicy drinks but this was crazy. Other than that it seemed like almost everything on the menu was made with tequila or cachaca. I guess I’m just picky but I’m not a fan of either of those in cocktails. The two drinks that were not the jalepeno one and were not made with tequila were quite delicious though. I assume they change the menu often, so I would definitely go back and just hope for a less tequila heavy menu.

Been there… not really understanding all the hype… perhaps it was an off night? Ugly people, lame music, bar out of virtually every specialty cocktail?
NEXT.

The drinks are very good but not strong enough for the price.

NOT the best layout of the space but the band that played last friday (July 15^th) rocked!!! And drinks were delicious — I think it was some sort of cucumber vodka infused one (omg don’t even know what I was drinking). Anyhow, I had a great time and the crowd was great! Just be aware of the tight space with narrow path !!!

H, S and I came here — music and people are whack.
We couldn’t hear each other and decided to skit daddle out of here.

Great drinks and really cool atmosphere, but the reason it gets five stars is the level of service and the friendliness of the staff, and maybe how comfortable their seating is.. .
The Ginza (very evergreen-​y) and the apple-​y drink with a shortbread crumb rim (not too sweet) were both amazing, with the rest of the drinks we tried (cotton candy and bourbon? yes, please) being above par as well.

There is nothing like this place in the city… The place is electric and the cocktails are amazing. Albert Trummer knows how to throw a party. A must place to be…

Theater Bar has only been open to the public for about two weeks now. On the surface it seems a bit pretentious but I kind of liked it once we got settled in.
The cocktail menu is extensive, the only problem is it’s too dark too read the damn thing. It was a pain in the ass to read the menu with my iPhone backlight. Can we get a few lamps on the bar or something? Once that was sorted out I had two drinks that were both excellent. I’m not much of a cocktail drinker so maybe the fact that I really enjoyed them says something. The guy who appeared to be the head bartender was friendly and, despite the crowd at the bar, took a few moments to offer some assistance with the menu.
We were there to see my girl’s friend’s band. Unfortunately, we couldn’t actually «see» the band, as the stage is behind the bar. I could see their heads from my seat near the door. Apparently some type of riser is in the works to bring the performers up a few feet so they’re actually on the «stage» behind the bar, which even has a red curtain. Hopefully they throw a DJ booth up behind the bar when there’s not a live performance. This isn’t the type of place you’d really expect to see a band.
I did like the nice long, upholstered benches lining both walls which provided plenty of seating, granted it wasn’t too crowded. On slower nights it will definitely be a cool place to bring a date or your significant other for some post dinner drinks. Even with the band playing it wasn’t too loud to have a conversation.
I’m still not sure I’m cool enough for Theater Bar but maybe I’ll check it out in the future. It should be a good spot once they hit their stride.

Nice décor, but the drinks are so sweet!

In a city where it feels like everyone is a mixologist and any old basement qualifies as a speakeasy, it’s rare to find something that looks and feels original. Albert Trummer’s New Theater of Booze is looking to push that envelope.
I’ve had the opportunity of attending a few private parties here and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. The space is great. There are two awesome VIP areas. The first one is in the balcony which puts you on another floor above everyone else. To reach the second, you have to go downstairs, pass the bathrooms, and walk back upstairs. It’s a little tedious but worth it and I look forward to spending a lot of time there.
The drinks are similar to Apotheke’s infamous menu but here the bartenders will put on performances while mixing them. Picture The Box but with good drinks and less dbags.
Theater Bar is not open to the public yet. They’re still setting up a few things for a proper opening but I highly suggest a visit when that day comes.

I did a fashion show here for Affinitas Intimates for the end of fashion week. The mixologists were exceptional. The place is SMALL (like most NYC bars). It’s set up like an old theater which is very cool (hence the name ;) it’s very lounge-​like and the VIP section is located behind the bar so it’s very private. The sucky part has to be the bathrooms are downstairs and there are only 2 (unisex) so the line was steadily ridiculous. The door guy was a douche (like most NYC door-​guys) and had people waiting forever. Good crowd though, idk if it was the lingerie show. but the place was PACKED.

I have to say that I was disappointed by this place. Being a big fan of Albert’s other lounge, Apotheke, I was looking forward to see his upscale twist on old-​fashioned vaudeville and circuses at Theater Bar (or Teatro, not clear which name he’s going with).
Perhaps it’s too early to tell but all of the employees seemed like they didn’t know what they were doing. The door guy was having a panic attack and one of the bartenders looked like he wanted to go hide in the bathroom. The interior itself was underwhelming and even a bit plain. What I love about Apotheke was the detail and inventiveness of the design — from the prescription wallpaper in the bathroom to the lab coats on the bartenders. Theater Bar was ho-​hum in comparison.
Aspects I did like, though, made me have hope. The drummer was great and there are more performers in the works. The bar actually moves and there is apparently a stage set-​up, though when I was there it was a VIP area. The upper balconies are a nice touch and I can just imagine all the naughty behavior happening up there late night.
Either way, happy to have a new lounge in this area. Hope to watch it come into its own in the next few months!

Cute venue; almost like a miniature of The Box. Always love to see new places in Tribeca. The doorman spent a lot of time inspecting ID’s– even for people who were clearly in their 30s.
Reaching the VIP area is rather tedious– walking down two flights of stairs to the bathrooms– (whilst annoying ppl in the bathroom line who think you’re trying to cut in) then walking through a chilly basement room adjacent to a kitchen (complete with ogling workers) and then back up the stairs on the other side. There was no one manning the area so anyone could just walk through (which they did). Pretty good cocktails made with Karlsson’s Vodka and experienced bartenders; sound system not the best. As I was only here for the opening party I’m not sure what crowd they’re targeting.

A night out is almost always an adventure with friends.
Someone gets drunk, someone falls down, someone makes out with a bartender, and someone gets lost.
But Theater Bar in Tribeca adds a whole spin to on the word Adventure.
Invited to check out this new Tribeca bar for a press event had me transported to Vienna or Paris nightlife of the 1930−40s. The red velvet curtains, red brick walls and a tin roof ceiling which I expect Nicole Kidman will swing down from at any moment, are all just the supporting elements to the elevated center stage. Or should I say bar.
And why wouldn’t the bar be the stage? It is after all the center of our the universe at any of our favorite establishments, is it not?
Esteemed mixologist Albert Trummer’s Theater Bar grabs its audience and doesn’t let go. You are almost transfixed by every part of this place.
They host a nightly show, which is full of shaking, mixing, pouring, and flaming all while the back beat from the DJ booth plays on. I mean come on who doesn’t love flaming booze?!
An entertaining experience to say the least! However, I have a feeling as the excitement fades out and the VIP balcony just becomes a second level it might just be another lounge filled with birthday parties and annoying bachelorette parties. But until then in the words of Steven Sondheim «I’ll drink to that!»
Theater Bar: The create your own adventure of theatre with a cocktail!