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Home > Nightlife & Music > Little Branch

Little Branch

Critic's Pick Critics' Pick

20 Seventh Ave. South, New York, NY 10011
at Leroy St.  See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-929-4360 Send to Phone

  • Reader Rating:

    6.5 out of 10

      |  

    11 Reviews | Write a Review

  • Scene: Hot Spot, Live Music, Private Party Space, Romantic
Photo by Carmen Lopez and AJ Wilhelm

Hours

Daily, 7pm-3am

Nearby Subway Stops

1 at Houston St.; A, B, C, D, E, F, V at W. 4th St.-Washington Sq.

Payment Methods

Cash Only

Profile

The third arm of hallowed drinkslinger Sasha Petraske’s empire is a kindler, gentler, larger permutation of its predecessor: The bartenders wear suspenders and many of the old rules still apply (no talking loudly or misbehaving), but Milk & Honey’s pressed-tin aesthetic has been replaced with a warm color scheme of mustard-painted walls and low ceilings made from orange-painted sheets of corrugated steel. An old standup piano occasionally used by jazz trios also lightens up the subterranean location. Yet, although the vibe is looser, the mixology is still rigorous: The staff arrives two hours ahead of opening to squeeze fresh juice, chill glasses, and cut blocks of ice (to keep the drinks from diluting quickly). Name your favorite liquor and they’ll give you an encyclopedic list of old-fashioned cocktails and egg flips that incorporate it. Yes, they may serve the best mojito this side of Havana, but why settle for that when they also make the Trinidadian version: the Queens Park Swizzle. This ruby-colored variation uses bitters to give it a tart, eye-opening flavor. An abundance of booths makes walk-ins a cinch. But for a lesson in libations the true alcohol aficionados will stand at the bar.

Live Jazz

Sundays through Thursdays at around 10:00 p.m. catch performances of different styles of jazz, from standards to Brazilian.

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Best of New York Awards

Featured In

6.5 "Recommended"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10
Write Your Own Review
63% Would you go back?
63% Would you take a date?
36% Would you go on business?

Good place gone bad!

cheech from 10011 | Posted on 11/9/09

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)

I have visited Little Branch for cocktails many times and have enjoyed it so much so that I decided to bring a group of girlfriends visiting from LA recently. It was such a rude experience from the door man to the manager that I will NEVER go back there again.

For the true mixology enthusiast

Veammn from 10022 | Posted on 7/12/09

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)

Anyone complaining about the large blocks of ice in thier drinks is completely missing the point of this bar. This is not a place to get drunk. This is a place to enjoy well-crafted, artisanal cocktails made by bartenders who have truly mastered the art of mixology. The short wait to get inside is completely worth it (I went on a Saturday night and waited for only 5 minutes). The bar is never too crowded, no loud music plays over your conversation, and the staff is as polite as can be. This bar exists for its cocktails, and each is made to perfection. I began with a Dark and Stormy and instantly fell in love. I decided to see what else these masters could whip up. I ordered a Sazerac, a Sidecar, a Ramos Fizz (it was the single best Ramos Fizz I've had in my life). I apologized to the waitress for ordering so many drinks that weren't on the menu. Her response: "Oh, that's what we do here! The menu is merely suggestions." The only drawback is their cash only policy. I recommend this bar to anyone looking for a well-made cocktail.

Read All 11 Reviews >>

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