Holiday Cocktail Lounge
Cocktail bar · East Village ·
Inventive cocktails with fun garnishes and delicious bar bites
Inventive cocktails with fun garnishes and delicious bar bites
"You’re trying to get a big group together, and since you’re a nice person, you want to pick a place where everyone can have a good time without spending $100 each. Holiday Cocktail Lounge excels at people-pleasing: They serve good cocktails and buckets of beer, the soundtrack is classic rock, and the crowd is lively without being obnoxious. Try to grab a few tables in the back." - will hartman, bryan kim, kenny yang, neha talreja
"Even if the phrase “cocktail dive” makes us want to run for the hills and never show our faces in this town again, the fact is Holiday Cocktail Lounge fits that exact description. This dark, sticky-floored bar on St. Marks has been around since 1950, and doesn't get overrun with newly legal espresso martini seekers. Order one of their balanced classics off the menu that looks like a graphic novel and sink into a leather stool or booth." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"Holiday Cocktail Lounge has been around pretty much forever (Leon Trotsky apparently used to hang out here, if an establishment’s Marxist pedgiree is important to you). After closing for a while, the classic dive bar was recently revamped, and now makes very legit cocktails as well as some tasty bar bites. Despite the mixology thing, this place still has a dark, classic feel." - katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg
"An iconic East Village dive bar whose ownership includes Robert Ehrlich, the inventor of the puffy, cheesy snack Pirate’s Booty. Ehrlich founded Pirate's Booty in 1987; B&G Foods bought Pirate Brands for $195 million in 2013, and Hershey later acquired the business for $420 million in 2018. Ehrlich, 66, has recently become the subject of political controversy in his hometown of Sea Cliff: he has self-proclaimed himself mayor, declared himself a write-in candidate at a contentious town hall meeting, and among his first orders as self-appointed mayor demanded office space and attempted to fire the whole village staff (though they can reapply), prompting baffled village officials to call police to diffuse the scene. He said, "I have so many great ideas. I love Sea Cliff from the bottom of my heart, and I don’t want this to go in the wrong way," per a promotional video posted by Ehrlich. The status of his claim remains unclear; village officials posted that "the activities of daily governance are unchanged, and the Village of Sea Cliff continues to operate under the guidance of its duly elected Board of Trustees." - Tierney Plumb
"A two-day holiday market and hidden cocktail lounge in Williamsburg running Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 (4:00–8:30 pm) at 97 N. 10th Street, Brooklyn, NY. Presented by Baileys, Brach’s, Capital One Dining, Destination DC, and World Central Kitchen, the market is packed with holiday gifts, home essentials, cooking and bar-cart goodies and hand-picked products “from brands such as Fishwife, Maison Balzac, Dusen Dusen, and more,” plus exclusive apparel from Katie Kimmel. Guests can expect treat samplings from PopUp Bagels, hot chocolate from the Color of Chocolate, and Fan-Fan Doughnuts, as well as cookbook signings from creator-authors Justine Doiron (aka Justine_Snacks) and Paola Velez. The first 250 folks to purchase a market item will also take home a mini Eater cutting board, and there will be additional giveaways and surprises throughout the event. Hidden inside the space is a secret, cozy cocktail lounge where reservation holders receive a complimentary Baileys Brevé, dessert flight, and specialty cocktail and can enjoy dessert flights made in collaboration with bakeries like Lady Wong, Salswee, and Hani’s. Tickets for the lounge are $35 per person; the event is restricted to ages 21+ (bring a valid photo ID). Due to limited capacity, reservations are limited to a maximum of 45 minutes, gratuity is included, and Capital One rewards cardholders can book through Capital One Dining for exclusive deals and perks." - Eater Staff