Profile

Hidden behind the Columbus Tavern dining area’s sizable bar is a narrow sliver of a cocktail lounge, ideal for both post-dinner conversation and pre-apartment nightcaps. While not as zealously wooden as the rest of the restaurant, the space still makes good use of timber, with its candlelit mahogany tables and paneling accenting the room’s warm earth-toned walls. The décor here becomes even more of a factor since the primary seating option—a long maroon booth, littered with throw pillows—all but forces guests to gaze at the wall ahead. Of course, the drink menu is something to look at, particularly the inventory of neighborhood-repping cocktails: the Ansonia (a Negroni), the Dakota (an Old-Fashioned), and so forth. As for snacks, the duck-fat cashews are a safe bet, and the entire dinner menu is available as well. — Ray Rahman