Just updating: After a few more visits under different circumstances, with different goals and expectations, with different people, I'm downgrading to two stars from three. Food and drinks are fine but I am rarely wowed, and occasionally disappointed (like the pork buns on a recent visit; buns light and tender, but wicked dry pork with very little brightness/nuance). If prices were 30% lower, my rating would go up though.
Service is all over the map. It can be very attentive, it can also be absent-minded. Or weird. On the latest trip, my friend and I had reservations (Wed-Thurs only I think). We were seated at a nice corner spot in the otherwise nearly-empty bar. An hour and a couple drinks and snacks in, the bar still only half full, the same hostess who had seated us asked us to move so another party could sit where we were. Like--what?? We took the check instead, and they brought us half-drinks by way of apology I guess (though we felt like we had to pound them...awkward), but it is about the worst faux pas in service.
------------
[older]
So. I looooove Journeyman. Like, swoony-starry-eyed-love. Backbar? It's...fine. I will probably go back and give it another shot, but it fell flat for me.
Ambience:
Fabulous, warm space with clever details (and no TV, praise be). They take reservations on Wed & Thurs nights, which I appreciate, since it is TINY and otherwise you really could never ever get in since they restrict occupancy, like Drink, to ensure everyone has a spot at the bar or a little nook.
Drinks:
Honestly, the cocktails were fine, but they were not the equal of Bergamot's, or Hungry Mother's, or the Sinclair's (just within easy walking distance). Delicate to the point of losing the elements. Among three of us, we tried 5 variations, so my opinion is pretty well-formed. Beer and wine list seemed well curated. I remember really loving the mixed drinks we tried at Journeyman a while back, so maybe it was a new bartender...?
Food:
Spicy caramel popcorn = new favorite thing. $18 characuterie plate with your choice of 3 meats was okay, not great. The two types of bread were both too bulky and a bit dry, the lardo was waaaay boring, and the pork and veal grandmere seemed overset or something. Unappealing texture. The liverwurst was outstanding, though, and the coffee-cured bresaola addictive (they brought us lardo by accident, so we got to try four). They did give you a substantial amount of each meat. The only accents were mustards (good) and an Asian-pickled cauliflower that was downright inedible, the flavor was so off with the meats.
I am confused by the reviewer who said backbar was owned by the Independent. It's part of the Journeyman project. The Independent also owns the Precinct, their neighbors to the opposite side. read more