Raines Law Room, New York, NY

This past Thursday I had a date, so I suggested we grab a drink at Raines Law Room. I’ve heard several good comments about this place, so I had been dying to check it out for a while. Unfortunately, I don’t always venture “all the way” up to 17^th Street, but my date wanted to meet at Union Square, so I thought it would be the perfect place. I was a little skeptical when we first arrived, since there is a kind of pretentious door policy, where you have to ring the doorbell at an unmarked door and hope that the maître d’ will seat you. Given that it was 20 degrees and there was a party of six waiting ahead of us, I almost suggested we go elsewhere. However, we ended up getting a table pretty quickly and I was definitely glad we stuck it out.

I’m kind of obsessed by these sort of dark, period-setting speakeasies, like The Bourgeois Pig. I would describe Raines Law Room as an English dandy’s living room, complete with plush Chesterfield sofas, a fireplace, and heavy curtains. To order a drink, you simply illuminate the call-light at your table and a friendly waitress will rush over to help you choose a cocktail. Raines Law Room has a four-part cocktail menu (classic, signature, fancy, and seasonal), as well as a beer, wine, and liquor menu.

My date got the Champs Elysées (Hennessy VS Cognac, Green Chartreuse, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Angostura Bitters, and a Lemon Twist, shaken and served up). I got a glass of Moët & Chandon Rosé. Champagne is my go-to drink, but after tasting my date’s cocktail, I kind of wish I had ordered one myself. I definitely recommend Raines Law Room, with the caveat that it might be more difficult to get a table on a weekend night.

-Marcus

Raines Law Room

48 West 17th Street (between 5th and 6th)

New York, NY 10011

www.raineslawroom.com/