Midnight Blue

"Show up to Midnight Blue between sets, and there’s a chance you might see the evening’s band outside, smoking cigarettes and wearing vintage suits with wingtip shoes. This Gramercy jazz bar from the cocktail experts at Martiny’s and L’Americana is the group’s latest project, and it’s the most fun of the three. Besides serving cocktails that range from a simple but perfect Toki highball with a grapefruit twist to a $39 Old Fashioned riff with osmanthus-infused Hibiki whisky, there’s also live jazz every night they’re open on a small stage. The music is loud and the room is narrow, and you might find yourself spending more money than you’d planned (note that there’s a $10 music charge after 8pm). So take someone you’re comfortable chilling with, without too much conversation." - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, sonal shah, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick

"Do you like jazz? The team behind Martiny’s and L’Americana does, and they complete a Gramercy three-peat with their third bar, Midnight Blue. There’s live music every night that it’s open (Tuesday-Saturday), and cocktails lean a bit more casual than the other two spots, with a focus on highballs. You can pair them with some Japanese drinking snacks, like gyoza." - will hartman

"Midnight Blue—the third spot from the team behind Martiny’s—is a jazz bar in Gramercy that defines the word swank. A night here starts in the “whisky library,” a front barroom and waiting area lined with rare and expensive bottles, which has a separate menu of four whiskey-based cocktails. But the main event is the back room, where spotlighted players swing on a small stage, and bartenders in immaculately pressed Canadian tuxedos mix cocktails with expertise. Drinks start at $18 for a simple but perfect Toki highball with a grapefruit twist. Even the $39 Old Fashioned riff with osmanthus-infused Hibiki whisky feels worth it. We also like the Wabi-Sabi sour—a refreshing, sweet wasabi and apple-forward cocktail, and snacky, Japanese bar bites, like karaage and gyoza. Note that there’s a $10 music cover, and come with someone who makes you feel like Ryan Gosling in La La Land. photo credit: Joanna Lin" - Will Hartman