Hard to Explain

Stumbled upon this unassuming bar on a rainy Sunday and what a find! Teddy and Cameron were fantastic bartenders — friendly, attentive, and fun. The crowd was lively and engaging, which made the atmosphere even better. Our favorites were the Empress X and the espresso martini. We’ll definitely be back!

This is a beautiful, small bar with amazing service and yummy drinks. A safe and quiet space. Perfect for an intimate date or just to have a nice moment with friends.

What a great hidden treasure. Unknown from the street that this speakeasy bar even existed. Had to sniff out the vibes to find it, but happy I did. Delicious cocktails, kind staff. Had two of their cocktails and both were superb. Had I had more time I would have happily worked my way through their menu. Very intimate setting, so please get there early as I’m sure it fills up fast.

insanely obsessed w this bar (sorry for the couples around i kept recording i hope it wasn’t awkward lol) + i said min 20-30 dolars pp cus drinks are amazing u cannot stop drinking

Unlike its name, it’s really easy for me to explain why I will be coming back to this bar! They have a happy hour special that runs from 5-7PM, and lets you have 10% off any drink! Hard to explain is an intimate speakeasy type bar that seats about 10 people, and allows for people to stand as well. It offers a wide array of unique asian cocktails, a lot of them sake base, and served in a variety of cute glasses! I got the fall special, falling for u-bae, and it came in the cutest teacup. It tasted dangerously good, like an actual milk tea, and was a favorite among me and my friends. The cafe purr-isa was also really tasty, which was their take on an espresso martini with sake. We also got some kurobata sausages to share, and they were super tasty! The bartender recommended we order it with the mustard because it was a special kind, and it definitely did not disappoint! All in all, definitely check this place out if you’re in the area! The happy hour deal is worth it, and their cocktails are unique and tasty!

This Japanese-themed cocktail bar is pretty small, fitting around 12 people. The bar can be easy to overlook since there are no signs; just a small chalkboard out front. There are no tables, just stools at the bar. It gets crowded fast, even by 4 pm. The bartender was really friendly and kept an eye on us, refilling our water as we checked out the menu. They've got some interesting cocktails priced between $19 and $21. I'd suggest trying the Cameron Obscura and Cafe Purr-risa. They take credit cards.

New favorite place! Gets filled up pretty quick, but the narrow space is incredibly cozy and invites good conversation. All of the cocktails and sake we tried were also amazing. To boot, the very kind waitress also gave us great complimentary sake! This place is great for a date spot, vibing alone (saw someone doing that!), or just a chill spot to catch up with your friend over some solid drinks. All I wish was that it was open later and NYC were cheaper.

I hosted a couple of private parties at Hard to Explain, and the service and quality is unmatched! The staff is kind, the selection of sake, beer, and wine is stellar, and the vibes are great! (Personally a fan of the wine choices!) The communication and ease of working with the folks at Hard to Explain are so smooth, and I highly recommend if you're hosting a small event :)