This summer, a few friends and I have decided to start something we call the Tuesday Night Drinking Club. Every Tuesday, we’re going to try to get into some of the most popular speakeasies and bars around Manhattan, but without the terrible long wait times.
Last week, we went to The Raines Law Room, a speakeasy tucked away under an unassuming front door in Flatiron. The bar isn’t hard to find, there is a clear sign outside that will let you know you’re at the right place. As you walk through the door and black velvet curtains, you are immediately transported back to the Roaring 20s. I was fascinated by its art deco decore, it made me feel luxurious and like I just walked into the set of The Great Gatsby. The metal ceilings, gold tables and the velvet tufted sofas and chairs created such a great mood for me to unwind and enjoy a good cocktail.
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| Source: The Raines Law Room & Empire Guides |
Reservations & Wait time
Raines Law Room only take reservations on Sunday – Tuesday, so perfect for the inaugural Tuesday Night Drinking Club event! We were able to get a reservation for 6 people at 8pm just a few days before by e-mailing them. If you’re a planner and dislike ambiguity, this is a much better option than, say, PDT, another speakeasy in the city where you have to call a busy number at 3pm at least 50 times before you get through and can make a reservation.
Without a reservation, we saw a couple who was told by the hostess that it would be an hour wait on Tuesday at 8pm for a table for 2.
Reservation information from their website:
Send your request before 3pm to reservations@raineslawroom.com for Sun-Tues. Include the exact time, number of people in your party, and phone number where you can be reached. Please limit parties to 6 guests as we try to keep our atmosphere intimate. We will confirm your reservation either by phone or email.
Wed – Sat, we operate on a first-come first-serve basis. If there’s a wait upon your arrival, our host will take your name and cell number and call you when seating is available.
Drinks
The average price for a cocktail is $13. Each seating area came with a book of cocktails, listed out page by page with different attributes. Some were Stirred & Potent. Others were Tall & Fizzy. Looking for a spicy drink? With over 20 drinks on the menu, there is definitely a cocktail for you too!
Once you are ready to order, you can pull the cord on the wall that tells your server know that you are ready to order. The hostess told us about that but we forgot all about it. We sat around for 10 minutes just waiting before we called the hostess over to order drinks. “Can you pull the cord to let someone now that you are ready?” Oh right. Won’t forget the next time!
Each of the cocktails were good, but nothing particularly stood out to me. I would definitely come back again for the ambiance before I come back for the drinks. Great place to come to kick back with a few friends and take a break from the city.
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Raines Law Room | Yelp
48 W 17th St
(between 5th & 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
Neighborhood: Flatiron
