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    Lea Wine Bar

    3.6 (152 reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Margherita
    Srini V.

    Lea is hard-to-find but conveniently located in the Helmsley Building. It likely goes after the same base of midtown white collars that would go to The Campbell Apartment, but the ones who prefer some peace and quiet in a cozy setting. Lea is a plush-looking lounge with fancy decor, largely in red and black, with gilt-framed paintings and fit-for-purpose lighting. I am a big fan of their thin-crust pizza (tortizza), the grilled vegetables, edamame and several other selections from the tapas menu. Others might find the sushi bar and cocktails to be the draw. Regardless, I am impressed with what Lea has created as a viable, and relative more attractive, alternative to the lounges and bars in the area. They are open late (1am), but not on weekends, except for private events. Lea will leave you wanting to come back, especially if you work in and around the area.

    Lisa F.

    Fantastic wine bar midtown east with a comfortable, contemporary atmosphere. Hidden, tricky to find if you are not familiar where to go. We went off peak so it was not overcrowded. Inviting ambiance, great aesthetically, with wonderful artwork on the walls. Wine, old fashioned and the appetizers (mini meatballs) we had were very good.

    It's just really loud after work.
    Sunny C.

    I must have passed by this place a million times but only recently had the chance to step in for drinks, and I thought it was pretty good (minus the loud after work crowd) The bar is dim, somewhat upscale and because of its obscure location is free of tourists (amen!). The drink menu seemed creative although pricey ($17-19 for a cocktail is a lot, even by midtown standards). Ordered the Lychee Martini and was not disappointed! Wanted to review it because I loved its location right next to grand central but for some reason, it doesn't really stand out for anything else. Would have liked to try their sushi but was told the chef was in Japan (yeah, okay). I could see this as more of an after work drink venue or a late night date spot bc during early evening, you'll have to shout across the table. So yeah, if you want to lose your voice, this is the place!

    Léa's Wine Bar: Manhattan's Secret to a Decadently Romantic Hot Spot!
    Alessandra B.

    Léa's Wine Bar: Manhattan's Secret to a Decadently Romantic Hot Spot! Dark and discreet, nestled inside The Helmsley Building Walkway is Léa's Wine Bar, a hidden gem located under the arches behind Grand Central Station. This was the quintessential, chic, cozy spot to hold Edgewater Markets' Holiday Bash back in December of 2018. Decorated in a decadently romantic way, with its long bar, high party tables, tall bold red walls, accentuated by a yellow-gold ceiling bedecked with artistic reproductions of Italian neo-romantic paintings framed in gilded antique gold. Think late 1800's bordello with wonderful music, or late 80's famous upscale mega-nightclub, Nell's, nesting hole to the "rich & famous", minus the coke denned bathrooms. Beautifully blended influences from French and Italian cultures, Léa's has an intimate feel centered around an artsy wall of liquor, though their apparent focus is on wines from different countries and a diverse scrumptious menu screaming: "Eat Me!" Unbeknownst to the local passerby, this jewel, co-owned by Rick Passarelli, owner of the famous Bobby Vans', with Chef Bobby Dickert at the helm, offers an interesting and marvelous tapas menu with heavenly options, lush in taste and aroma. We were tempted by the succulent nibbles of the Brazilian Pasteis, a saporous corn and palmetto deep-fried chicken empanada, and the chicken satay in an ambrosia of plum-ginger sauce. Both divine. Exciting the sensations, the Wild Crab Taquitos in a chipotle, chives and sesame sauce. The choice Filet Mignon Tips on toast with a caustically delicious biting horseradish sauce. The sushi station was a glorious addition to the delights of savory palmfuls of rice where the Sushi Chef, prepared the most unique flavored Dragon rolls, perfectly paired with the high-quality Chardonnay being served by the friendly staff. Resembling the swooners from the 50's, the likes of Frank Sinatra, Lenny Passarelli, Léa's General Manager, enchants guests with his charismatic old-world class elegance. Everything was prepared close to perfection. The cheese platters were covered with artisanal cheeses. The meatballs, scrumptious. The music wasn't too loud so you could speak to each other. The vibe was amazing. In the city where everything is on display, Léa's Wine Bar is the best kept secret in the heart of New York. The ideal spot for an afterwork "apéro" or delightful nibble! The best wine bar Manhattan has to offer.

    Mike L.

    I liked this place....larger than I was expecting, there were about 10 chairs at the long bar and a bunch of tables/booths, and hightops spread across the rest of the space. The menu was light fare from flatbread pizzas to sushi rolls...the wine list was pretty good and ranged across a broad range with one or two varietals from specific Regions. Not having the biggest appetite, I had a flatbread pizza and a side of sweet potato fries...and a couple glasses of wine. This would be a great place to grab a couple glasses of wine, a light bite to escape the crowded streets for awhile!!!

    Tahara M.

    A little on the pricey side but the service was excellent. We got the trio burger, tacos, and truffle fries and everything was delicious. Great place if you are in grand central and want to go somewhere close.

    Sam P.

    Oh Lea, how you are suffering from a location problem! I think this bar is gorgeous and a lovely little surprise in the East Helmsley walkway - as Lauren C put it - an "oasis" in the strange, bustling desert of midtown east. Fabulous cocktails, a gorgeous staff, and I not loved the sexy, stylish decor and awesome staff, I clearly would not have chosen it for a Yelp Elite event. But here's why it's 4 stars instead of 5. The two times I visited this place before deciding to hold the event here, it was full of some very uptight corporate types in light blue shirts and grey slacks who were all in serious need of a drink. Decidedly not my crowd. And secondly, while the management staff couldn't have been more wonderful - thanks again Mario and Sheila! - the bartenders were simply not up to snuff. Several people told me they were rude, and there was no care whatsoever taken in mixing the drinks for the event. It doesn't makes sense to me for a bartender to have attitude about mixing comped drinks as long as people tip - and my Yelpers always tip. It's not like you're getting a cut of what the bar makes in charging for drinks! But aside from some unfortunate attitude behind the bar, this is place is quite lovely, and I love knowing about it. A great place to take a friend for a drink who's in town on business and won't get to see much of NYC beyond Grand Central. Or just sexy place to pop in for a drink if you work in the neighborhood or happen to find yourself there.

    The reserved card says 'Lea'. Take a look at our receipt - Bobby Van's

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    4 years ago

    Amazing drinks and even better service! Fun bartender, great for happy hour. Would def go again.

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    Vin Sur Vingt - Ratatouille

    Vin Sur Vingt

    4.0(208 reviews)
    1.0 mi•Flatiron
    •$$

    Interesting place to say the least. Not big on wine however the happy hour sign brought me in…read more While the staff muffled at me when I commented on the French options I quickly learned they are very much French- IYKYK. Grabbed my wine and got out the way. Clearly they aren't catering to welcome people coming back but it's NYC, it's expected. Ps everyone ordered the oysters!

    Just a Great hors d'oeuvres spot in NEW YORK CITY! In a…read morelittle under a year, I have been to this spot uncoincidentally twice through passing- The street is bustling with enticing cuisine and merging sense of palette confusion. This STICKS OUT. It is French, it offers a sunlit outdoor patio and rests on New York cobblestone. Only the finest. We ordered their 30 dollar happy hour wine selection (their choice of white, rose or red). We went for rose as it was only approaching cocktail hour. Ended up spending $60, do your own math! As for food, this was where I had a blonde moment. The French wordings of cheese or meat was simply something I haven't even seen in France. So what to do? Tell our server we love rich goudas, goat cheeses and manchego's; but stray from any blue cheese family member or associate. He brought an array of an assortment! I do not recall the names of their cheese, two we liked one we did not appreciate. The unappreciated cheese was a reminder to my deep hatred for blue cheese and utter regret for even bringing it up to our server. TOO MUCH BREAD. Not because I am a model, but because I believe in proportion sizings, especially when it comes to the delicacies within the cheese world I aspire to be apart of. NO MORE BREAD PLEASE, I begged as I calm and swiftly maneuvered the slices into my concerned and judged mouth. We also enjoyed the escargot, 10/10. Get the escargot and wine babes xxx

    Photos
    Vin Sur Vingt - Busy Thursday night

    Busy Thursday night

    Vin Sur Vingt
    Vin Sur Vingt

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    Carlotto - Tagliatelle Ragu Cinghiale | Slow cooked wild boar, parmigiano.​

    Carlotto

    4.4(139 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Gramercy, Flatiron

    The care that was taken into each table is truly impressive. Our server was very attentive and made…read moresure everything was safe for me as I have a few food allergies. The hostess was doing just as much as our server from side work to helping the bartender with drinks to bussing tables she was on it. The manager as well was attentive to everyone dining and made sure everything went smoothly. The atmosphere was intimate and well lit so you could read the menu without the lighting being so in your face. I went for restaurant week with a few friends and the place was packed for a summer Sunday night. It was a choice of one antipasti, one pasta, risotto, or secondi and one dolce. We had focaccia for the table (not included with restaurant week), which was light and fluffy and served with salted butter and olive oil, for antipasti I was recommended the crispy baby artichokes with lemon and shaved pecorino which did not disappoint and reminded me of crispy potatoes. My friends had Beef tartare and Zucchini Fritters highly recommend as well. For the second course I had lasagna with bolognese, crispy mushrooms, béchamel (sauce that mac n cheese is based) and mozzarella and it did not disappoint. My friends had Ricotta Cavatelli and Spicy Vodka Rigatoni (which wasn't listed on the menu online and seemed to have replaced the Spaghetti Carbonara online). For dolce I had my all time favorite Tiramisu as I looooooooove coffee and while very delicious it was a bit heavy on the coffee. My friends had the strawberries & cream verrina and Limoncello (also very strong). I also had the Calypso cocktail which was good. If you like strong drinks it's the place for you, next time I will get a mocktail. I will definitely come back here for cousins night or with a date, truly an amazing restaurant experience.

    {Overall: 3.5; Food: 3.5} Ambiance: 4; Service: 4…read more Carlotto is enjoyable, but on the more expensive side for what it is. The pastas are good and the ambiance is dark, romantic, and intimate. Service is good and the overall experience is pleasant. I enjoy the food, but it is not something I find myself craving, which makes it harder to justify the prices.

    Photos
    Carlotto - Dinning area

    Dinning area

    Carlotto - Lasagna Bolognese

    Lasagna Bolognese

    Carlotto - Spicy Vodka Rigatoni

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    Spicy Vodka Rigatoni

    Barlume - Aperol spritz and truffle fries.

    Barlume

    4.2(55 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Flatiron

    I met a friend here for happy hour on a weekday, and we had a wonderful time. The restaurant was…read morespacious and the marble bar was gorgeous. There's even a speakeasy lounge downstairs. The bar seating was plentiful and comfortable. There is plenty of space for people to stand behind the bar or a high top tables enjoying happy hour after work. If you go at 4:30 or 5, it's a bit calmer as the after work crowd trickles in. And as the evening went on, it started to get more and more packed, and it became a really lively vibe. After my friend left for another function, I stuck around a little bit longer for a little solo dinner. I had a glass of Prosecco off the happy hour menu followed by a dirty martini, and I did request to look at their full dinner menu because there was a couple items that I wanted to try. I wanted to try the duck Ragu and halloumi cheese, both of which were absolutely fantastic. The halloumi cheese was perfectly grilled and flavorful, and the duck Ragu was very comforting. I highly recommend both dishes. I ended up chatting with a woman sitting next to me who happened to work with select apertivo, and next thing I know one of the bartenders handed me a lovely bright cocktail to try on the house. It was a refreshing bubbly Barlume spritz that I'll definitely have to get again next time. Overall, I had a really great time at Barlume. The service was excellent from the servers and the bartenders, and they were all very attentive, personable and friendly throughout the evening. I'll definitely be back for happy hour or dinner with friends!

    It's been a minute since we'd dined out (life on the other side of having a kid has been DIFFERENT…read morey'all) so we decided to go check Barlume out. Did you know this is where the Beecher's used to be?! RIP, I miss their Mac n cheese.... the vibe is completely different now (think extravagant Mediterranean vibes, it's very instagram-mable with the beautiful bar area). I had made a reservation for 5:30 (again, life with a baby is very different)- we arrived early but the staff were very gracious and were able to get us seated. They seated us in a side alcove area where they had cushioned seating, which was very helpful. What we Ordered: Drinks: Barlume Spritz and Hibiscus Mule (N/A cocktail)- drinks were good, nothing too special but we appreciated the cute stirrers Appetizer: Halloumi- grilled halloumi with roasted eggplant puree. The saltiness of the halloumi went so well with the creaminess of the eggplant. (Baby liked the eggplant puree too hah) Entrees: Lobster Arrabiatta and Duck Ragu and Truffle Pizza. My husband got the lobster arrabiatta and was raving about how delicious it was. He said it was the perfect level of spice. My duck ragu was served with busiate (a corkscrew shaped pasta) which I thought 'trapped' the sauce perfectly so you get a nice saucy bite each time. Pasta was perfectly al dente- my one gripe is that I felt the duck ragu was a bit too salty, which even managed to overpower the tomato flavor. We shared the truffle pizza, which came topped off with stracciatella, porcini mushrooms and shaved truffles. I liked the porcini mushrooms on the pizza, this was a first for me. For dessert (which we had to gobble down quickly because baby was starting to get fussy) we got the pistachio cake. SAVE SPACE IN YOUR STOMACH FOR THIS ONE!!! This was my favorite in the whole meal, the kataifi gives it that wonderful crumbliness and it went soooo well with the mango sorbet that's served with it. Recommend for a nice dinner with friends or a cool place to grab drinks! 4.5 stars

    Photos
    Barlume - Downstairs

    Downstairs

    Barlume - Oysters

    Oysters

    Barlume - Signature spritzes and cocktails to elevate your night

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    Signature spritzes and cocktails to elevate your night

    Oscar Wilde - New York's Favorite Halloween Restaurant & Bar!

    Oscar Wilde

    3.8(1.7k reviews)
    1.0 mi•Flatiron
    •$$$
    Private events
    Free WiFi

    9/30/26: (Update) Looks like "Skeletons Gone Wild" inside and outside at Oscar Wilde's!…read more Love the holiday Halloween themed decor at Oscar's . We arrived at 4 PM. The place was packed. The hostess told us there were two seats left at the bar. So we grabbed them. It took a couple minutes to catch the bartenders attention. We ordered a specialty cocktail a "Cup of Joe" (Expresso Martini) $19 and a beer. Once we placed our order, the drinks were made quickly. My cocktail was fantastic! The bartenders really work their tails off here. Think this restaurant could use more bartenders, considering the large number of customers. Interestingly, I said the same thing from my last review in November '24. Anyway, it's always fun to stop in Oscar Wilde's to check out their holiday themed decor.

    Came here for an after work dinner with coworkers. I was not expecting them to be ready for…read moreHalloween but how fun. they really really went all out with decorations. No inch of the restaurant was left alone. The plan was super packed so i am glad i made reservations. We got seated right away. Keep in mind the tables are high tops. Usually not an issue but i am quiet short so hanging out for a long time made my legs hurt since they dangled the whole time. This place does drinks right!!! The whole team kept getting more and more and we couldn't stop. I got their cocktail that was similar to a cosmopolitan, can't remember the name. But i could have had 15 of them. Extremely good. For dinner, for the chicken sandwich, it was ok. Nothing special. It's just a sandwich for the price, which i thought was weird. Because of how busy this place gets, i do think the service is slow. So order your drinks at once because you don't know what your waitress is going to come back. However, the drinks and food comes out quick. So you don't have to wait for that. I will be back for drinks!!

    Photos
    Oscar Wilde - New York's Favorite Halloween Restaurant & Bar!

    New York's Favorite Halloween Restaurant & Bar!

    Oscar Wilde - New York's Favorite Halloween Restaurant & Bar!

    New York's Favorite Halloween Restaurant & Bar!

    Oscar Wilde

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    Opto - Tagliolini al Amalfi Limone

    Opto

    4.6(47 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Flatiron

    2nd time here. In a city with so many options, the service and hospitality blew me away. During my…read morefirst visit I had made a comment, which they remembered and then proceeded to go above and beyond. Ambiance was upscale, intimate, perfect for a night out or something more casual. The dill vodka martini was dangerously easy to drink. We enjoyed every dish here, but standouts included the labneh (+simit), wagyu filet mignon, and the seasonal butternut squash. If you like uni, then the spicy tuna crispy rice or the uni pasta. Unpopular opinion, but the carrots were OK so i'd skip in favor of other options. Get the dark chocolate mousse for dessert and thank me later. We left stuffed and will be back. Shoutout to Hector!

    Opto had been on my list for a while, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get a…read morereservation. The space feels warm and inviting the moment you walk in. But just as I'd given my name and the hostess was about to seat me, someone at the bar stepped in to greet friends, and three people stood up to meet them. By the time I could get around them, the hostess was already at the far end of the restaurant, near a back room, not having waited to guide me the rest of the way. I'd barely reached the table, hadn't sat down or taken off my jacket, when a waiter greeted me and asked if I'd been to the restaurant before. I gave him a look that said I haven't even sat down yet, but he pressed on, asking what kind of water I wanted and whether I'd decided on a drink. In that moment, the room stopped feeling like fine dining and started feeling like a diner. When my friend arrived a few minutes later -- someone I hadn't seen in a long time -- a waiter was at the table the instant she sat down, asking what she wanted to drink. They tried to clear our starters twice while we were still eating, and at one point took the cutlery off my friend's plate while she was mid-bite of her salad, just to make room for the entrées. During the entrées, two waiters and a back waiter attempted to clear our plates three separate times while we were still eating. The food was delicious, and the space was lovely. But the sense of being rushed throughout the meal was the most absurd I've experienced at a restaurant like this. I won't be going back.

    Photos
    Opto - Cute window into another dining area

    Cute window into another dining area

    Opto - Whipped Sheep's Milk Ricotta (with bread)

    Whipped Sheep's Milk Ricotta (with bread)

    Opto

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    Lea Wine Bar - wine_bars - Updated October 2026

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