Monsieur
Bar · East Village ·
Dramatic medieval-themed cocktail bar with gothic vibes and pub fare
Dramatic medieval-themed cocktail bar with gothic vibes and pub fare
"Need somewhere to cosplay as a vampire navigating life in modern day NYC? Head to Monsieur, where the windows are stained glass, the tapestries are medieval, and the swords are safely attached to the wall. The East Village bar, an unlikely collaboration between director Baz Luhrmann and the people behind The Nines, is kitschy in a fun way, with fine-tuned, uncomplicated cocktails and a bunch of little tables that are perfect for dates." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, andrew ryce
"Monsieur feels like a speakeasy that King Arthur built inside Camelot, with tapestries, stained glass, and complimentary kettle chips. A collaboration between director Baz Luhrmann and the team behind The Nines, the kitschy, medieval-themed bar is perfect for an impressive first date, but it also works for any scenario that calls for quality drinks and zero natural light." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"At this East Village collaboration between director Baz Luhrmann and the people behind Le Dive and The Nines, the mood is gothic kitsch with a touch of canoodling. Think Romeo & Juliet meets Andy Warhol, or Nosferatu addicted to rummage sales. The intimate room, featuring stained glass windows and a suit of armor in the corner, looks like the chapel of a particularly fun castle, with a few modern touches like photos of NYC nightlife and free kettle chips. Monsieur is a no-brainer for a drinks-centric date—try the Acapulco Gold with mezcal and passionfruit—and it’s also a nice spot to sink into a booth under a taxidermied bird and waste a few hours chatting. There isn’t much to eat, but if you need a little something, try the flaky, palm-sized meat pies. photo credit: Emily Andrews" - Bryan Kim
"A dramatic cocktail bar opened by director Baz Luhrmann, designer Catherine Martin, and Golden Age Hospitality CEO Jon Neidich with gothic, medieval, and bohemian vibes; the space is described as seeming "straight out of a film set," awash with stained glass, candlesticks, and rich tapestries. Drinks skew toward classic cocktails like martinis, and the pub-style food menu leans English and Australian." - Emma Orlow
"Opened January 21, this cocktail bar in the East Village is a collaboration between director Baz Luhrmann, business partner Jon Neidich (CEO of Golden Age Hospitality, which oversees spots like the Nines, Le Dive, and Le Crocodile), and designer Catherine Martin. Madonna, in an Instagram carousel post posing with Luhrmann, celebrity friends, and interior photos, wrote, “When you’re feeling down, go to [the bar].” Per the press release, the creator supplied a backstory for the fictional titular host: “He was the kind of fellow who looked like he’d just stepped out of his own self-portrait; a fabulist, a trickster, a man who made fiction feel more truthful than fact, a true impresario of East Village nightlife in the 1970s.” The aesthetic is described as gothic, medieval, and bohemian and the space is likened to a film set (Luhrmann has been working on a film about Joan of Arc): plant-filled wallpaper, glass chandeliers, draped curtains, tapestries, stained glass, walnut details, medieval artwork, chambersticks, ornate candlestick holders, and shelves full of knick-knacks like leather-bound books, busts, and armored figures. The logo is a bespectacled monkey holding a martini and a book (there’s a stained-glass image of it, too). The venue took over what had previously been longtime gay club the Boiler Room. The bar will serve classic cocktails such as martinis; the kitchen is led by Golden Age Hospitality’s executive chef Nicole Gajadhar and offers pub-style English and Australian takes including sausage rolls, minced meat pies, and fried stuffed olives. Hours are 5 p.m.–2 a.m. Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and 5 p.m.–3 a.m. Thursday through Sunday. Reservations can be made online, and there is room for walk-ins." - Nadia Chaudhury