Johnny N.
Yelp
One of my pet peeves is when a celebrity tries to get into the hospitality/restaurant space just because. I don't know, maybe I'm just a born hater, but it irks me... Just because you can act doesn't mean you should open a bar. Just because you play basketball doesn't mean you should open a steakhouse. I guess I always feel like it's a PR move or to just try and make some extra cash. Where is the soul?
All this to say when I heard Baz Luhrmann, the director of the Great Gatsby and Elvis, was opening a cocktail bar in the East Village, I was ready to hate it. I was especially ready to hate when I saw an article that Madonna "endorsed" it... who cares what Madonna thinks of a cocktail bar in 2025?
However, right when I walked into Monsieur, I had to eat every last word. It was so tasteful without being pretentious, and that is such a fine line. Dim lighting, old rustic wooden stools and tables, glass chandeliers, tall candles lining the walls, the bar backed with stained glass window panes, etc.
It was giving goth/medieval vibes, but not in a try hard way. I'm obsessed. I guess he is working on a Joan of Arc movie, so it all adds up.
Cocktails were $19, which is sadly right in line with market price for a good cocktail in Manhattan. I was ready to see $25+. I got a couple Vespers because getting a Vesper makes me feel BEAST. Like James Bond. These bad boys were STIFF. I was rocked walking out of there.
We also got some fries because there is nothing like a couple of cocktails and fries, and these fries were phenomenal. They were a thinner cut and extra crispy, so no complaints here. Plus it's hard to mess up fries.
Shoutout to Baz. So much soul in here. Sorry for not believing off rip, but you made me a believer. BAZZY BAZ!!
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