Accidental Bar is a true gem. From their incredibly well-curated sake list, to their scrumptious food and intimate space, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars. I wanted to try everything on their menu. Everything we tried was magical. Austin, the owner, was such a generous host to me and my husband. He took his time to walk us through the details of the menu and history of the bar. What an experience. This bar has great energy and we'll definitely be back! Dont miss your chance to go here. HIGHLY recommend! read more

Accidental Bar - Lovely window seat, sipping on sake - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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It was my first time at Accidental and my first sake bar! I wish i remembered to snap our drinks because they were the tastiest! I had a limoncello style sake that was so perfect. The bartender was super kind and allowed us to taste any sake before ordering. The ambiance was so lovely--dimly lit with smooth jazz playing. It was a perfect atmosphere for great conversation. This plus the tasty drinks was a solid experience! I highly recommend! read more

What a great time! Came here for drag bingo. Got greeted by the owner, he let me try a few types of sake before committing to one. The bar is cozy with good vibes. Great service and I would definitely come back. read more

Accidental Bar is AMAZiNG, they have great Sake, they are so passionate about sake and they known so much and the best part if that they love to share the knowledge. The Food is so good! everything os great, fresh and perfect! we love Accidental Bar read more

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Accidental Bar in Alphabet City is a funky sake bar serving small plates alongside delicious glasses of sake. As someone who knows very little about sake, I appreciated the staff's ability to recommend glasses based on the wines I typically enjoy. The food was also surprising good based on the size do the kitchen. We ordered the "whole shebang" which included a sampling of their larger plates including the Otsumami Plate which consisted of various pickles, pecorino cheese nori bites, roasted carrots and olives meant to pair with your sake, scallop crudo, crab with miso cream over crispy potatoes, roasted red peppers with anchovies, Huitlacoche quesadilla, and crispy sweet potatoes. Accidental bar is a great place to learn more about sake and enjoy some delicious bites while you're at it read more

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Ventured all the way here at the recommendation of a friend, and I'm so glad that I did! Every sake that our bartender shared with us was amazing. We met the owner of the bar, Austin Power (yes, he has the best name), and we all had a cham-bong together! What's a cham-bong? Try it out for yourself... read more

I'm not a huge fan of this place. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of sake, maybe it's because I find their need for barside reservations annoying -- BUT still I am fair and need to say it's a solid 4.4/5 I've been here about three times. But the second time was the best, it was the first time we met Austin Powers. Like so many other reviewers state -- hell yeah it's an awesome name, but he's also an awesome guy. We were sat at the bar, after being pushed along to a corner seat for "RESERVATIONS" but we at least got seats. The bartender, who I think in the manager is a bit snooty but helpful. I think you're allowed to have that air about you while working a sake bar in Avenue C tho. So we're sat at the bar picking our sake and discussing the quote on the wall by Austin Powers. There's a fella next to us that is smiling along at our comments and questions until he finally peeks up and admits he's Austin Powers. Which my friend responded, "No, you're not." Austin replies, "Yeah, that's actually my name. I'm Austin Powers the owner of this bar." Really funny. He tells us the story about falling in love with sake, growing up in the south, growing up with the name Austin Powers, and about some of his life in NYC. His energy is super warm and welcoming. He carried an air of serenity. The sake was delightful too. While I'm not a huge fan of sake, it's alright -- GIN is more my thing. One of my friends is a fanatic and he and the bartender got talking. The bartender and the owner play this wonderful BAD COP - GOOD COP which makes the whole experience hilarious. Both of them invited us to partake in the chambong experience which was also quite fun. It sort of felt like being at a field trip at the SAKE museum. They obviously care about what they do here and tho it could be a bit snooty at times, I think it's because the limitations of the space. The best experience is by yourself or on a date. Also, be passionate about sake. Also, be ready to spend a decent chunk of change. But you're at a sake bar on Avenue C. You know that already. read more

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Rarely do I write reviews but UGH. First of all, Sake can feel intimidating or pretentious by this place could not be more opposite. It's like the vibe of your favorite West Village regular spot but in the East Village. The owner is the coolest most interesting person and you can tell he put so much passion and thought into every part of this "accidental" bar. Very reasonably priced and such a good date spot, spot to catch up with friends, spot to sit at the bar and flirt with a server. The kind of place you feel good sitting at for 3 hours on a Tuesday because the atmosphere is so great. If you're one of those "I don't like sake" people, dip your toe into Accidental Bar. You won't be dissappointed. read more

Accidental Bar - Indoor bar area - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This is an incredible bar that absolutely deserves your attention. If you find yourself lucky enough to sit in when the owner is here, he will teach you all about Sake. I learned so much during this experience and have such an appreciation for Sake now. They really focus on delicious flavors here. From the drinks to the food, everything here is intentional. The service is phenomenal and the overall atmosphere is breezy and cooling. We tried basically everything on the menu and were over the moon with how delicious every bite was. I personally was a huge fan of the chili crisp corn and the crab over crispy potatoes, yum. I also love that they use bread locally from C&B (another favorite). If you are looking for a personalized, full-of-life sip & nosh experience, I would absolutely point you in the direction of Accidental Bar. Come here on a date or with a friend/two and you won't be disappointed. I'm already looking forward to my next visit. 5/5 read more

Came with some friends for the first stop while bar hopping. Friendly bartenders, and a cool vibe, would recommend for first dates. It was a bit hot on the day we went though so that's worth taking into consideration. We ordered some Nigori to share and it was incredible, exactly what I had hoped for. Would recommend if you're not usually a fan of Sake. We were only here for a short while but it was relatively uncrowded. read more

Accidental Bar - Nigori Sake - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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What can I say about this place. We literally accidentally walked into it while waiting to go to the nuyorican cafe for a show. Don't let the small space fool you, it is beautifully detailed, done to the glasses. We met Austin I believe his name is the owner and he is full of life. Serving drinks, talking to almost every customer. We shamefully told him we were in love with the glassware, I mean I've never seen a fancy beer glass like theirs. And they told us their love for that style and aesthetic, showing us how passionate they are about their business. It is a romantically lit, beautiful put together space and we will definitely be coming back on purpose. read more

If you're expecting a proper sake education, this is not the place for that. But if you want a fun and laidback place with a bit of whimsy and zero pomp where there is a wide variety of different sakes with quirky descriptions, Accidental Bar is the place for you. For one, there were no options for half glasses or flights, despite being a supposedly educational institution. Hannah was kind enough to set up half pours for me and my friend, though. None of the sakes really stood out for me. Perhaps I don't have quite the palate, but none were particularly complex or sophisticated. I got the entire food menu, and my favorites were the scallop crudo, ponzu marinated mushrooms, crab over crispy potatoes, and anchovies with marinated red peppers and a bit of bread. The dishes are definitely on the pricey side for what they are, but I suppose you're paying for an atmosphere. The bbq jackfruit polenta cakes felt like bland and wet cotton wool, so do not get that. read more

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This place is so so so lovely!!! We had a really nice time at Accidental bar. My friend and I had reservations for a Friday at 6:30 and when we got there it was pretty quiet. We sat by the window & took in all of the awesome people-watching. We split the whole shebang (everything on the menu!!). The crab and potato dish was our absolute favorite. I also liked the scallop crudo and the red peppers/anchovies. The polenta/jackfruit dish was the only thing that was really not good. Tbh, I think I'd sum up most of the food here as unexceptional but very fun to try. We had a lot of fun trying a few of the different sakes. This is definitely not the place you'd go for a cheap night, but it's a really good time. Also, the service is great and Pete was really wonderful to talk to. Will definitely be back! The vibes here are wonderful and the people are great and we had an altogether great time. read more

All I have to say is this bar is amazing. I recently visited with a group of friends and felt welcome upon walking in. Austin was very helpful when it came to choosing what kind of sake each of us would like by asking us what drinks we usually tend to lean towards, and he did not disappoint any of us with his choices. I definitely recommend ordering The Whole Shebang to try all the different snacks. The standouts for me were the scallop crudo and the roasted red peppers with anchovies. If I'm ever back in the city visiting, I would definitely come back. read more

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Very cute spot for a night out. Recommend to make reservations beforehand as it gets crowded. The sake options are great and best to get bottles! read more

Had the best time ending our night at Accidental Bar. After a great sushi meal we wanted to continue and found ourselves here. We could not have been luckier. Not only were all of the drinks we had amazing, we met the owner who told us his and the bars incredible story and it made the place even more charming (if that is even possible). read more

Very knowledgeable staff. Delicious small plates in a beautiful room. If you're at all interested in sake you should visit! Great! read more

Accidental Bar - Bar with select bottles of sake - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Yeah baby! I'll be back this summer to enjoy sake at Accidental Bar and try out the Intentional Menu. One of the bartenders chatted with us about all the Murakami feels... kinda perfect, Norwegian Wood and sake. The owner was a bubbly delight, idk how we even got into conversation with him - it was seamless. Small suggestion: get a reserved sign or similar to avoid awkward moments of asking folks to slide over. If it's mostly empty, we're gonna sit wherever at the bar! The place filled up by 7 on a Friday eve, so we were perhaps lucky to easily transition to an outdoor table when our group scaled up. read more

Go for the sake selection (or to try it if you *think* you don't like it), stay for the people. There IS a sake for everyone here, and while the staff is incredibly knowledgeable, it's also fun to play around and trust the quirky flavor profile descriptions ("as if someone spiked your Sprite at prom"). The ambiance is so fun, with a layer of casual sophistication that fits so well into Alphabet City/EV vibes. Great for date night or just meeting up with friends. Usually stay for a snack and drinks and grab dinner in the neighborhood. Shout out to Austin & Peter for being some of the most welcoming people I know in the neighborhood! read more

Accidental Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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How has this place not been reviewed yet? This is such an excellent gem of a bar. Mellow, comforting yet funky tasting menus alongside uncommon sake selections make this spot my perfect choice for showing off to my friends. Handwritten menus, unique sake options - not just your usual Hakkaisan or canned sake - and small crafty food options which will redefine what words you use to talk about sake. Their whole goal is making sake more accessible, so what more could you ask for even if you're intimated? I'd say this place transcends sake bombs, but maybe better yet - they perfect them? elevate them? There is something here for every sake nut or amateur. I've been searching for more sake-specific bars other than just Decibel and Satsuko, and happened upon Accidental Bar. It's really nicely tucked in Alphabet City. read more

Expensive for what it is. Cocktails very watered down and portions are kid's meal sized. Better off going to the 2 establishments right next door for food and drinks. read more

Wow. This is by far one of my favorite places in the LES. You're always welcomed with such hospitality and love. You can really tell that Austin is a master of his craft and just is so knowledgeable in this space. I recommend the whole shabang to pair with your sake. Could not recommend this place enough. Jeff read more

Accidental Bar - Chambongs - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Food, drinks, ambience and company were all great, even on a random Wednesday. The owner was super engaging and welcoming and we will definitely be back! Every dish was perfect and the custom sake pairings are beyond. read more

Lovely little bar with a great sake selection and cute vibes. In addition to being super warm and welcoming, Austin also has a PhD level knowledge of sake. A great addition to the neighborhood. read more

I went out for drinks here and they had a 1.8L bottle of sake listed on the menu for $100. We ordered it and they brought out a bottle that was less than half the size. They opened it, refused to refund us and were extremely rude. Will never come here again. read more

Fantastic addition to the neighborhood, taking over the (much-beloved) Lois space. Really knowledgeable staff ( Austin and Pete) without any pretension, helping people have a great time while learning a bit about sake. The food is also pretty great - especially the crab and the jackfruit over polenta. Also don't miss the "cham-bong," which is basically a champagne shooter. Great for small groups and highly recommended. read more

Accidental Bar - a glass of water and a note on a table - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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First time to Accidental Bar (what a phenomenal name!) and loved it. Absolutely astounded by the sake and the owner, Austin Power. Will come again as soon as feasible. Highly recommend. read more

Delicious sake pairing. It was so fun to try all the dishes on the menu. One of the most enjoyable and memorable meals I've had in a while. Highly recommend for a date night. read more

This is a sweet spot with great food and atmosphere. Austin is a convivial host with an in depth knowledge of sake.