Bar Francis

We have been meaning to come here for over two years now since they first opened. We always love ourselves as speakeasy cocktail bar. The service was nothing short of amazing. The spirit selection varied a lot. We were actually shot at how many bottles they carried. A lot of them aren’t regularly seen. The bartender was super knowledgeable and friendly. We grabbed two seats at the bar. And the drinks were very pleasant. Would be happy to come back and try out a few more of their cocktails.

I’ve lived in Brooklyn for ages, walked by a million times, and somehow never noticed it. The drinks? Incredible. Strong enough to give you a confidence boost but smooth enough to keep things classy. Perfect for date night or your first Bumble date — long cocktail list, unique flavors, and not as crowded as you’d expect.

The vibe is a vibe. Amazing customer service, drinks are distinctively magical. Super calm and cozy. Intimate setting where you can actually hear yourself think.

Get the warm Hummus with brown butter and toasted pine nuts! It's so good. Can't explain much than that. Also get into an african gin that reasonably priced. Bayab orange and marula . Really good good gin for all gin based cocktails. Been looking for this brand for awhile. Glad they have it here! Also the bartenders here are amazing, know their spirits, and care about their craft. Really friendly too.

These guys make some great cocktails. A nice place for a relaxing evening.

Calm and cool setting. Our waiter Gabriel was very nice. The ambiance was perfect; my husband and I truly enjoyed the vibe. I ordered the roasted oysters (which were amazing) and several dirty martinis. We will be back.

One of the charming, new hidden gems of Clinton Hill neighborhood. Cocktails are top notch and love the classic NYC Art Deco atmosphere. Bar snacks were also better than we expected!

Great speak easy! Hidden behind the coffee shop. Cute, vibey date spot with snacks and cocktails!!!

Meeting a friend after work for cocktail while there's still daylight outside is still my idea of a good time, and honestly even better when hidden behind the Hungry Ghost coffee shop. Businesses hidden behind businesses is so hackneyed at this point but they don't have you whispering a secret code or anything here, so it doesn't feel like they're taking themselves too seriously. You can simply pick up a pastry or coffee if you'd like and march straight past the big wooden door to this sleek and stylish watering hole. I got there on the early side of a Thursday evening so I had plenty of seats to choose from, and slipped into one of their velvet booths near a window. The baroque floral wallpaper and long drapes by the window gave it a moody vibe. When our server appeared, they showered me with compliments, from my outfit to my drink choice. Now that's how you win over a customer! It wasn't hard to have "good taste" in cocktails here, for everything on the menu screamed creativity, cohesion, elevation. A few noteworthy drinks to call out: Help Me I'm Feeling...: Bourbon, Ceylon cinnamon, persimmon, and winter melon bitters. Such a treat and not overly sweet at all. Soul Glo: mezcal, rum, passion fruit, guanabana, and cane sugar. A refreshing, fruity, summery drink. They have a full bar so you can order any classic drink as well, and they'd surely make it with aplomb. Lovely little bar with the loveliest staff.

- hidden behind the coffee shop - make that resey - great date night - hip music - expensive by small bites - drinks run around $20 - drinks taste great My moxie was really good, but really icey - drinks are inventive - the wunderlust drink was really strong

I had this place on my list for a while. The concept is intriguing. Having a bar connected to/hidden inside a café is a great concept in itself. Plus I like Hungry Ghost. You don't have to do a treasure hunt or put in a code to find the entrance. It is just behind the brown door in the cafe. The aesthetics of the place are very nice. They use colors other than black for their decor. The staff was generally nice and accommodating and technically there is WiFi available (through the cafe). I was there on a Wednesday at around 4:30 pm and it was empty. More people came around 5:30 when I left. In terms of options, since they are a cocktail bar, they had many options for cocktails in different categories, beer and wine choices and some non-alcoholic pickings. Plus since their happy hour is 4 to 6 PM, they did have some wines and a cocktail of the month available for cheaper (you have to ask the server what cocktail is available). The cocktails looked intriguing and had fun riffs. Because I had other plans, I just did a glass of the happy hour wine. I really appreciated the food and snack options they had. They went out of their way to be at least very interesting. They had raw oysters, shishito peppers and nuts you might expect (available for happy hour deals). But they also had unique twist like roasted oysters, miso popcorn and other warm and cold treats that could serve as a light dinner or pre-game. I was a fan of the roasted oysters Served with Urfa Chili-Sumac Butter & Parsley Sauce. I think this could be a good date night place. Or a for someone who likes unique drinks or wants to be a little bit fancy. I could definitely recommend people going here.

Very nice spot for drinks and happy hour. Service was great! I got the Saturn's return cocktail which was a perfect summer gun cocktail with grapefruit and passionfruit. Enter through the hungry ghost coffee shop which apparently stays open late serving cold brew and tea.

The tackiest speakeasy I ever went to was in Buenos Aires in one of the Palermo neighborhoods and was called Frank's. You had to enter through a telephone booth, and the password was "Michel Foucault." So needless to say, Bar Francis' slightly unnecessary speakeasy entrance through Hidden Ghost didn't overly bother me. I was mostly here to try the baklava inspired cocktail, which came complete with a piece of honeycomb and was an interesting way to start the evening, if a bit sweet. The menu here is occasionally and vaguely Turkish inspired across beverages and food. We shared a few of the mezzes, of which the warm hummus was the definitive favorite. All come paired with plain Turkish pide.

Came here on a Friday night. They accept reservations but I was happy to get a seat at the bar without a reservation. You enter through the coffee shop. The bar itself is dimly lit with ample seating. Good for groups, date night or a solo outing. I was impressed with the cocktail menu. I opted to try the Garden Variety. It's on tap which had me intrigued. Great flavor profile. Vodka, lemon, black peppercorn, Lavender, thyme, oleo-saccharum and citrus essence. I'd definitely order it again. I also tried the starling which was also really tasty. The bartender was busy but was quick and efficient with orders. Music wasn't too loud. I'd visit again.

Dare I write this review of this gem of a speakeasy and let the cat out of the bag? Fine, but you owe me a drink. Located inside of Hungry Ghost on the corner of Vanderbilt and Fulton, is a secret little bar. They'll have someone waiting outside of the hidden door to let you in. No passwords here. However, if you just want to say "The baby needs a handkerchief" to confuse the host, be my guest. Inside is dim lighting, a cute bar, nice booths, and a pretty great vibe. The service is spot on and they are attentive. The drinks are on the pricier side, but the $17 is starting to become more of the norm. I'll be making illegal cocktails to go soon, if you need, BtW. The cocktails are excellent. Some of my favorites are the Eva Ducati (a peated scotch cocktail), the Royale (their take on an old fashioned), the Shift Over (their take on a Manhattan, and the Rowdy Razzer (the cocktail you came to take a picture of. The tequila cocktail in a shark glass) I've only had the oysters here, but they were top notch. This is a really excellent spot to come out with friends or a date night. Now please be quiet and don't spread the word, because if you do that baby won't get their handkerchief.

Brilliant gem of a place. Ambient and swish without a hint of pretension, it's like a jewel of a hotel bar hidden behind a coffee shop. Literally. The service was warm, chatty and friendly. We've only had small snacks as it's not enough for my husband to call it dinner- but the cocktails are delicious. If you want a low-glow space to warm you - or cool you down- scamper on over.

I have now been here 3 times in about 6 months and this place has proven it never fails. The service is impeccable, the drinks are delicious, and the foods are delectable. I've been fortunate enough to experience one server all three times I've been there I think their name is Felix-- they have been so awesome and warm, likewise every person that works there has been such a joy. The drinks are so unique and balanced, even the mocktails are worth trying. Every time it's a wonderful experience, so much so that some friends have canceled their other plans to join. I want to keep this place on the dl but I also want to praise it for its quality and I can't wait to plan my next night there.

Such a sweet spot! Fun to sneak our way in through the unmarked door. The drinks program was so thoughtful (cute names too). Two mocktails on the menu and two adorable bartenders who were happy to make custom drinks, too. The oysters were really good--extensive menu of bar snacks. And there's dessert! The one con was the volume; the building is boxy new construction and the sound bounces everywhere.

Good vibe. A little overdone to do the speakeasy through another business thing but it's whatever. Sweet Polly set expectations really high. The cocktails were great and so was the service. The food is lacking but that's to be expected. Overall good experience but didn't sway me away from being a regular at sweet p.

Cute interior and lots of things to do in the neighborhood, so this place is good for barhopping. We ordered a bunch of different cocktails but they need a bit of work as they were not well balanced. Some of them too sweet. Luckily the bar tenders were friendly and swapped them out. Same with the food. Staff was nice though!

Let me start by saying the ambiance is perfect and the service was great. The drinks, on the other hand, need some work. We ordered three cocktails and they were quite unbalanced, intense, and felt like they we're trying too hard. It has potential but they've got to revamp the bar program. I think leaning into the elegance of the space would be beneficial--drop the novelty shark cup and swap with a nice crystal to match the rest of the line up.