This place remains a great lounge even after so many years! Decent variety of cocktails - these are recommended: Legal requirements Long distance runner - albeit a tad too sweet for me but not for most people Espresso martini - 10/10 Haitian divorce - my absolute favorite here Velvet goldmine - also my favorite Society street Keep the Popcorn coming but hoping you're in such great company you don't need to see the movie there ;) Note - I kept asking for hot water and they obliged. This is highly appreciated if I'm being honest. I go to many cocktail bars and service is not this detailed on a busy night everywhere We need a watch party for a cult movie soon (is the manager reading this!!!) read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Still the best cocktail bar in New York, and one of the best dates spots anywhere. Perfect. No notes.

I wanted somewhere under the radar with some good booze. Subject is the place to be. Much quieter than many of the other big name bars, but this place can hang with the best of them. I sat solo at the bar and had some awesome conversations with the bartenders. They took wonderful care of me. As it turns out, we all love mezcal, and well nothing bonds humans more than that beautiful spirit. In any case, a carbonated mezcal crusher will always have my heart, and the drink i had at subject was no exception. Beautifully balanced with a bit of spice. Loved every sip! read more

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A perfect little date spot! They have good drinks, friendly service and a nice ambiance.

One of my favorite bars in the city Went here with a group of friends and it was hard to choose which cocktail we wanted since they all looked so amazing! We sat in a cute booth near the back and it was near a projector playing animations on the wall which I thought was a nice unique touch the the place too. Overall service was great and everyone was very kind. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I came here on Friday with my friend with an 8:15 PM reso and was seated at the bar facing a screen playing Harry Potter while our table was getting set up. While at the bar, I ordered "This Modern World" which was out bartender's favorite and she ordered the Au Pear. I liked mine better but both had a little something unexpected when drinking them! They came out in chilled glasses and even when they had our table ready, we opted to stay in the bar seats since it was more of a vibe! The playlist was also fantastic. The only thing I think that could be done better was the hot dog which came out on just a toasted bun and no toppings which was odd. This made it dry and I ended up just eating the hot dog and discarding the bun. I'd definitely come back and their happy hour til 7PM seems like a great deal! read more

Subject - Hot dog and This Modern World - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Was in the LES for dinner and decided to swing by this bar! Don't let the front of the bar fool you, there's plenty of seating available in the back! There's open seating and also booths that are very cushy and comfortable. The server took our orders by table and came out pretty quickly after. They have some small bites available and their non-alcoholic drinks are yummy too! Would totally come again if ever in the area! read more

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Cute place! Quiet lil cocktail bar. Nice booths that can accompany small groups to bigger parties. Crowd tends to skew a tad older (not in their 20s) which was nice. Nice selection of drinks too. Sleek atmosphere. Nice place to catch up with friends or a date. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This is the perfect date night bar! They have a solid cocktail selection, the atmosphere is dimly lit and the playlist was perfect (2014 arctic monkeys adjacent). The tables are surrounded by intimate booth seating. And there's a movie playing in the background! There's table service here and our bartender was super attentive. I think the prices for their popcorn ($7) and hot dog ($10) are a little expensive, so we skipped them, but maybe they're worth it. I'll try next time and report back. read more

Subject - Cabo crush - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This is such a great bar. I loved the ambiance and vibe of the place - it's a small place but they have done a great job with the seating and interior design so it feels like you have a lot of privacy. Great date night vibes with the dim lighting and snug seating. I loved the drinks - there were so many drinks I wanted to try from the menu and I'm sad I couldn't try more. We got the "Nobodoy's Lady" and "Person of Interest" - we loved them both. The first was salty and well balanced and the latter was refreshing and fruity. We also got their popcorn - they were okay, I probably wouldn't get them again I will definitely come back to try more of their drinks! read more

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This spot was recommended by another local restaurant waiter for nighttime cocktails. It delivered! Speakeasy vibe with interesting nooks for large and small groups. The cocktails were particularly innovative (unusual?). Be sure to ask for a recommendation! We were able to walk in on a Friday around 9, but it was definitely getting crowded. read more

Subject - Menu page 2 of 3 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Had a NYE reservation here and got to interact with the friendliest staff in a perfectly mellow and moody cocktail bar. The vibes were immaculate for an incredibly stormy NYE. They were super accommodating to our group and drinks were flowing. Cocktails were creative and strong - my favorites were the extra caffeinated espresso martini or the eye candy. They played some neo-noir movies (like Drive) in the background, which all of us appreciated. Thank you for such a great NYE experience! We will absolutely be back to try everything else on the menu. -Seriously though, this bar is so underrated. I'm pleasantly surprised that there are still gems like this in the LES. read more

Very intimate vibe. Great date spot and easy to hear conversation. Drinks are super yummy. read more

Subject - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Really solid cocktails. Vibey cocktail bars are a dime a dozen. Finding one that delivers on the drinks is harder. This place does it. I got the Au pear and it was fantastic. Balanced not too sweet but the pear came through. I love the fizz from the sparkling wine. Unfortunately the entire place smelled so strongly of truffle. It really put a damper on enjoying the cocktails. The food menu was non existent except truffle popcorn (hence overwhelming truffle smell) or a hotdog. Kind of a miss considering the rest of the vibe and how good the cocktails were. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Came on a freezing Thursday evening with a resy for two at 7pm and were seated right away. It wasn't crowded and they had a movie playing on the projector which was nice. Noise level isn't too loud so you can have a conversation without shouting at each other. Great for date nights or small groups. I got the Nobody's Lady, it tasted more like pickle juice which I wasn't expecting. I saw cucumber and mango in the ingredients, and I thought it'd be more refreshing but I guess the white vinegar added to the pickily taste. However, that's just personal preference, I didn't get to try the other drinks, but they look promising. read more

Great cocktails and concept. They have a bit of everything for any type of drinker. Service was pretty on point in terms of attentive and helpful on answering questions. Only knock is food options. Not really much there and I feel like a few more options would allow some patrons to stay there a bit longer. I do recommend the popcorn, was much tastier than expected. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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really cool vibe, dark and moody, friendly bartender. the drinks were solid. bartender was by himself for the entire bar and did a shot with us bc the wait was a little longer than usual read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Drinks: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 Subject is a nice, well-appointed cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. It's on the corner of Houston and Suffolk streets, which means it's closer to Avenue B than it is to Avenue A, so it's a bit of a walk from the more central, active parts of Manhattan. It's a bit small on the inside but that is to be expected of this area. It is nicely appointed though, as the seating areas and bar area are all nice. Dark interior. Feels classy. Seemed like there were a number of people on dates here. They were showing Bill Murray's "Scrooged" on the back wall with the sound off. I like Tiki drinks so I ordered a "Cabo Crush": Copalli White Rum + Perry's Tot Navy Strength Gin + Blue Curacao + Velvet Falernum + Passionfruit + Pineapple + Lime + Tiki Bitters - $20. It was electric blue and had an umbrella in it. Very nice and refreshing, not too sweet. The mock tail I ordered was the "Rent Party": Fresh Ginger & Lime + Honey + Hibiscus + El Guapo Non Alcoholic Cuban Bitters + Seltzer - $14. It was much spicier than I thought it would be. Fresh ginger packs a kick, I guess. Still not bad though. Service was prompt and helpful. Prices are high. Five years ago, numbers like these would have included gratuity, but not anymore. But I don't think the prices are far off from the going rate of most craft cocktail places in NYC these days. Quality, well-made drinks. read more

Nice, intimate bar! My friends and I made a reservation at this nice but intimate spot. They were playing throwback movies, the lights were dim, but it was still appropriate to where you could carry a conversation. The cocktail menu was great. I ordered the Pomp and Circumstance, a gin based drink which was very enjoyable especially with the hint of pineapple. Service was good here, the bartender came to our table to take our orders. Would return! read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Nice spot to pop in and out of for a drink - great cocktail selection obviously but selection of non cocktails is a singular beer and cider option. My friend got the Au Pear, which I tried and was deliciousssssss, refreshing and citrusy. I got the cider, Aval which was good as well but tasted a bit soap after I tried my friends cocktail haha - lesson learned! The outdoor seating is wooden and has a certain aesthetic, a bit claustrophobic for more than 2-3 people but cute nonetheless. They charged me incorrectly initially but were happy to adjust. Would definitely come back and recommend to cocktail lovers! read more

Subject - Aval Cider 6%, Au Pear - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a rainy night with some friends while we bar hopped in LES and really enjoyed the atmosphere and the drinks. Since it was around Halloween, the big screen had some scary stuff going on but no sound. It's oddly funny to watch really scary movies with no sound because the scenes become comical, but that's a total side note. We sat in one of the back booths, and being that it was a Monday night, it was not crowded at all, but I can totally see this place being super packed since it's small. They have some parklets on the street but it was raining that day so we of course opted to be inside. Their drinks are definitely creative, but not as strong as I would expect, for example, an old fashioned. I like that they focus on the flavors more, such as smokey gins or tequilas because the smoke definitely comes through. I'd come back! read more

Nice find in the LES, wide variety of cocktails on their menu. I stuck with the mezcal one - Legal Requirements - I liked it a lot. Had to flag down the waitress/bartender to get the check but not her fault she was the only one working at around 5/6pm on a Thursday evening. I like the ambiance, there's a cool projector playing old movies towards the back. Not rushing to go back, but it's nice to try a place with good cocktails. Pro Tip : If you want to book a reservation on Resy, they do charge you for not showing up (yes they are one of those places). It's $20 a person if you don't end up going to your reservation. read more

Subject - Cocktails : Legal Requirements - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Man I love this place - perfect atmosphere, dimly lit in the right way, not too loud, truly a great place for a date or group of friends to enjoy a drink. My favorite is the Legal Requirements, really well balanced and thoughtfully constructed. Also, the truffle popcorn is simple but addicting bar food. Service is great, they'll always have a good rec based on what you like. I like my cocktails on the drier side and my server knew exactly what to describe/compare each cocktail to which made it a breeze. Love this place and have already come back twice, will be making it a regular spot for sure! read more

Subject - Legal Requirements, Truffle Popcorn - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Went to bar trivia around the corner and swung by Subject afterwards and loved it! I ordered off-menu for both drinks (a scotch Old Fashioned and a Last Word) and the bartender was happy to make them. The bartender was so personable and checked up on us multiple times, and the ambiance was great--love the seating arrangements and lighting in particular. The cocktail menu was inventive, and I'd love to come back again. read more

Subject - Scotch Old Fashioned - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Small but cozy little bar in LES, which wasn't crazy packed for a Friday night (something I can always appreciate!). My friends and I made a last minute reservation here, and the process was surprisingly painless - use the Resy app for groups of 6 or less, or fill out the online form for bigger parties. I happened to ask a question on the online form, and someone got back to me pretty quickly. My group started off here before a night of other bars, and it ended up being a nice chill spot for drinks and mingling. I tried a few drinks but my favorite was the Thyme Last Forever (gin, thyme liqueur, kiwi, lemon honey). It was sweet and floral, with a prominent thyme flavor to it that wasn't overwhelming. Side note/suggestion for the bar: there was a large projector playing a movie on the back wall; I wasn't paying much attention to it but my friend made a comment that the film was a bit too gory for the classy/refined bar vibes. I turned over to look and there was indeed a lot of blood during the scene...maybe the bar should play something a little more lighthearted? Regardless, all the bartenders here were fantastic and very accommodating. I love that there's also boozy cupcakes from Prohibition Bakery on the menu. I'd come by again next time I'm out in LES. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Easy, cozy and unpretentious: the perfect neighborhood cocktail bar. I came here with 7 friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We were the only ones at the bar and had the undivided attention of our awesome bartender/server. Some ordered right off the menu, others (like me) asked for something bespoke. Mine was just a Hot Toddy, but it was perfect to ward off the late autumn chill. The Au Pear and Pump & Circumstance were the best of the batch we sampled. read more

This is a cozy spot for any occasion. Great place to catch up with friends or go on a date. The bartenders are friendly but they don't invade your privacy. Very cool sitting at the bar to watch them mix. read more

The owner of the bar was so friendly and graciously accommodated us, despite being a bit early for the reservation. He seemed very knowledgeable about the cocktails and what would go well for each person, depending on our preferences. I really liked that the menu specified how boozy a drink was, because I prefer my drinks to taste a little more like juice than alcohol haha. Very sophisticated decor and I loved the large screen that played videos throughout the night. Such a cute and intimate bar that'd be great for a date! read more

I miss living in the les for a reason . The neighborhood has changed a lot since I lived here close to 10 years ago . I'm glad we ended up at this place after our omakase dinner a few blocks away . It's exactly what we were looking for , a nice, quaint , cozy , trendy, cool bar . As usual , i had old fashioned but what truly won me over is the truffle popcorn . How can every morsel have the taste of truffle . It' paired well with my drink or any cocktail drink they made . Service was very attentive . read more

A fairly small but comfortable sized spot in the pretty far down LES..we came here on a Saturday night and were able to sit down as soon as we had arrived which was pretty nice..they have a giant projector like TV with a few couches as well. When it came to ordering drinks, we had ordered the hot not cray and the Thyme lasts forever..the cocktails are $15 each and I really liked the fact that they had boozy cupcakes although I was pretty full at that time so I chose not to get any... The cocktail menu was unique compared to other bars in the city which I liked. My drink consisted of rum, lime, honey and fresh kiwi. I wished there was a little more booze in the $15 drink (it was a bit overpowered by ice cubes) but that's NY for you. Overall a good experience! read more

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Very nice cocktail bar, came during happy hour so it wasn't crowded. Nice selection on menu. Tried a classic old fashion. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Nice, cozy place, great atmosphere. Stopped for drinks with a friend on a rainy day. They were playing a throwback movie with dim lighting which was especially perfect for the weather. Drinks were pricey but hey that's Manhattan. I do wish they had more food options. They only have popcorn and hotdogs. Staff was super nice. Would stop by again. read more

Subject is a wonderful bar with excellent cocktails and mocktails should you need it. The staff is very friendly and I loved the little chats I had with them. It's a pleasant place to catch up with friends and when I went on a weekday night, it wasn't too packed. read more

This was a cool little bar my boyfriend and I decided to stop by after watching a film nearby. We ordered the Thyme Last Forever and the Person of Interest and both drinks were delicious and well made. The Thyme Last Forever had a nice fruity taste to it and was a sweeter overall drink. The Person of Interest had the nice Toki whiskey taste with a hint of fruit and pepper, which added to an overall enjoyable drink. If I'm in the area I'd be happy to come back! read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Bartenders know what they are doing! The drinks are unique, smooth, and diverse enough to please just about anyone wandering the LES. The place is a little noisy when crowded but the ambience is still intimate. Ideal second date spot, or someplace to have drinks with old friends. Beer list is ok too. Drinks: 5/5 I had the "hot not cray", which was a spicy blend of mezcal and rum. The bitters and peppers were mixed perfectly so the burn only came at the end and faded fast. Also had the "Accidental Tourist", which was alitte too smoky and pungent, but that's what happens with scotch and gin drinks. Seating: 4/5 The only down side was a lack of seating, the tables along the wall fill up fast and the lounge couch was in an awkward L shape. Seating at the bar was also limited given the crowd, but people turned over after an hour. Move quickly Ambience: 5/5 It's small, cozy, and busy all at once. Definitely ideal to lean into an intimate convo or to rub knees with your friends. Lots of books scattered throughout the bar, and a functional pin ball machine next to the bathroom. Great vibes overall read more

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Subject is great. On a weeknight, it's a semi-low key cocktail bar with some interesting mixes. Their take on a Manhattan (the Society Street) was good, but I liked the Steady Eyes more (two types of rum + benedictine). If I had one criticism - they desperately need a whiskey list. They have four shelves full of whiskey (separated by Scotch, Japanese, bourbon, and general/misc American), but they have to look up prices for each one. Makes you feel bad for the bartender, and not worth perusing. Speaking of, the night we were there, it was a guest bartender. Cool guy, and he also had The Matrix playing on the projector in the back. read more

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My husband found this place on a whim. If we could give this place more than 5 I would! Kitty, the waitress/mixologist, was so kind and so helpful. I asked for an Aviation and she went into this dissertation about one of the unique liquors used in the drink--and that the drink would not be exactly as I might expect. So instead I asked her to suggest something (which she did)! It was amazing and very close to what I originally asked for. Not only that but she treated us like the "regulars" she greeted throughout the evening. Great place. Would go back in a heartbeat!! read more

Subject - Yummy handcrafted cocktails! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Loved the interior of this bar! It was very swanky very cool. The drinks were strong and tasted pretty good. read more

Subject - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Really cool bar with good cocktails and nice service staff. I'd recommend : 1. The hundred acre wood (bourbon but juicy/sweet) 2. Their margarita 3. The mezcal based cocktail 4. The espresso martini - not sure if it was made with espresso or coffee. They only serve hot dog and chips and I actually would recommend the hot dog. Nice cocktail bar! Good cocktails and kind service and staff. read more

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Cannot praise Subject enough! A local spot in my neighborhood that has become a classic go to. Subject offers cocktails that are delicious, unique, and well-made in a very unpretentious space. The staff is friendly and quick with their service, and make you feel at home throughout your stay. I have used Subject for dates, friend hangouts, parents in town, a small group, and of course as a casual local spot, and each time my friends are impressed. Could not recommend this bar more! read more