Although summer 2011 is the season of the rooftop lounge, the recently opened Bathtub Gin may be worth the trip back down to ground level. Named for the liquor that was homemade during the Prohibition era, this promising addition to the New York City bar scene, in the fashion of a genuine speakeasy, is hidden inside an unassuming, seemingly alcohol-free venue—a coffee shop on 9th avenue. The only indication of the activities taking place beyond the façade of the café is a small image of a bathtub painted onto its window.
According to some cryptic intel, guests seeking more than a caffeine fix should look for a fake wall with a red light above it—there they’ll find the door to the bar. Once inside, guests will find a 1920’s era bar decorated with a copper-colored ceiling, fringe-covered lamps, nailhead-tucked bar stools and, naturally, a giant, claw-foot bathtub in the middle of the room.
The project is headed by renowned Irish mixologist Sean Muldoon, who also just completed revamping the cocktail program at Harry’s Steak. Muldoon’s partners on the project are Peter Poulakakos, also of Harry’s, and nightlife veteran Dave Oz.
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