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B Flat
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Arts & Entertainment Jazz & Blues Nightlife Jazz & Blues Lounges, Jazz & Blues [Edit]
277 Church St(between Avenue Of The Americas & White St)
New York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
(212) 219-2970
- Nearest Transit:
-
Franklin St (1, 2)
Canal St (A, C, E)
Canal St (N, R)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5 pm - 2 am
Thu-Sat 5 pm - 3 am
Sun 5 pm - 1 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
139 reviews for B Flat
Review Highlights
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"The lounge isn't as large as Angel's Share." In 21 reviews -
"Great find for excellent drinks with a low key vibe." In 18 reviews -
"We also tried the green tea souffle which was yummy." In 4 reviews
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139 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy Y.
3/13/2012
B Flat is my favorite go to bar. I've been coming here for years and the drinks, food, atmosphere and service never disappoint. The atmosphere is very relaxed with jazz music playing in the background.
My favorite drinks are: Moments Notice- take no tsuyu "junmai" sake, peach liquer, plum wine garnished w/ yamamomo and Misty- rum, chambord, calpico, lemon juice, float champagne on top garnished w/ blueberry, slice of lemon and mint leaf.
Bar food is good too. Our usuals are: Mac & Cheese w/ gruyere, mozzarella & parmesan; French Fries, and Fried Chicken "Tatsuta" w/ spicy mayonnaise. They used to have a Market Fresh Fish Carpaccio that was amazing, but it was replaced with a Beef Carpaccio dish that isn't as great.
They also have great happy hour specials on weekdays and live jazz.. -
Review from Douglas P.
Manhattan, NY
4/30/2012
Excellent cocktails. The food is surprisingly good and reasonably priced, and the Japanese service is excellent, as expected.
One Drink Ahead -
Review from Niño M.
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pros:
- mixologists were super friendly and made awesome drinks
- Price is decent for a mixologist place
- this berry and vodka drank was super strong, but really GOOD. i dont know how they did it, but it was delicious.
Cons:
- kinda hard to find. the place is mysteriously labeled by a small sign. i guess it's the cool way of doin it. lol
- i wish there was a little more "mood" lighting in the restaurant. it's kinda too bright in there. -
Review from Gamal H.
4/9/2012
This cocktail lounges reminds me of what I used to enjoy about this kind of place. Good drinks, relaxed professional service and a subdued style. If I didn't live so far away, I'd go there a lot more often.
The happy hour drink menu has several good choices and we had several of them. The fries and japanese fried chicken are quite good too, even if they are created specifically to be salty enough for you to demand another drink. Without the happy hour menu, I think the prices were in line with spots like Stanton Social and Death and Co. they might even be a little bit less.
If you are in Tribeca and want a good drink, B Flat is a very good option. I plan to go back there soon.
Have fun.
G -
Review from lore f.
New York, NY
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
While I've visited b-flat on a weekday to take advantage of its great happy hour (fried chicken and fries are delicious)... who knew the happy hour extends into the weekend as well? so glad it does!
Went for a birthday gathering on a saturday ~5pm and it was great. The entire bar was esentially ours :) It was a different feel from its normal dark cellar like feel, as the door was left ajar allowing some natural sunlight donw through the stairwell; but overall the quality of the drinks, food and service are two thumbs up! -
Review from Srini V.
3/10/2012
A review that is long overdue. A harsh critic could certainly argue that the drinks at B Flat are par for the course, notwithstanding the creative addition of some Japanese ingredients. And that the space, while small and intimate, is certainly not that impressive. And the music can be inconsistent.
But find me a place that serves better French fries or mac & cheese at a comparably reasonable price, while happily letting you have conversation and divide your check five ways for a group of six. Find me such a place, and I will promise to be there. And would likely find myself at B Flat. -
Review from Juan F.
Reseda, CA
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
The bar is located underground. This is a great place to come for Happy Hour from 5-8 MF. They have a great selection of specialty drinks and the ambiance has a nice throw back feeling.
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Review from Brian Jin M.
Manhattan, NY
Do you want to go to Tokyo without having to board on a plane to Japan? Well, head over to this Jazz Lounge. I believe this place is Japanese-owned and operated as Bartenders and servers were Japanese and most cocktails had Japanese names and ingredients in them. Nevertheless, I think I finally found a bar/lounge quiet enough to have some hard liquor in an atmosphere where I don't have to feel like I need to keep ordering more drinks to keep my table. The decor/interior is chic and simple. It may seem a bit luxurious but prices were affordable/reasonable!! I also love the fact that they have live Jazz every Monday and Wednesday night from 8pm-11pm (although it started on 8:30pm when I arrived on a Wednesday night) and that they don't have a cover for it.
It's really a good place to have a few drinks, start an intelligent conversation with your significant other while enjoying great live Jazz music. It's also a bar/lounge where you don't have to feel weird or pressured to sit alone at the bar and enjoy a couple drinks because I've seen many patrons do that when I was there the other night.
We had the following drinks/food items:
MISTY (COCKTAIL)--would definitely recommend it to women!
Rum, Chambord, Calpico, Lemon Juicefloat Champagne on top
Garnished w/ Blueberry, Slice of Lemon and Mint Leaf
QUIET LIGHT (COCKTAIL)--IIchiko, Yuzu Juice, Calpico, Blue Curacao Splash of Club Soda Garnished w/ Lemon Wheel and Mint Leaf
OLD FASHIONED (Whiskey with Brown Sugar and Cherry)-- Perfectly balanced and the right amount of strength
MAC N CHEESE-- It's small but it was definitely Oh-so-good!!! The combination of Three Cheeses Gruyere, Mozzarella & Parmesan was heaven in my mouth!
FRIED CHICKEN "TATSUTA"--I would describe as a boneless Japanese-style Chicken that was also very good and comes with Spicy Mayonnaise as a dip.
All in all, service was great, prices were affordable, drinks are tasty, atmosphere is something I really like (dark, intimate, good music, not-so-crowded, etc) would definitely return again!! -
Review from Yan T.
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful basement boite where fashionably dressed Japanese staff expertly pour cocktails for you and your companions. On Friday night, this small lounge was pretty much all booked up, so if you want a booth, call ahead and try to reserve one.
They have a happy hour until 7 pm, with several cocktail options. I tried the bishop, which was a mix of rum and red wine. Not bad at all. What I liked best was the very chill vibe and the very normal crowd. No pretension anywhere despite the potentially trendy digs. Good for a date or conversation with a friend. -
Review from ben r.
Brooklyn, NY
3/3/2012
Great records, better drinks, low lights.
Understated and unpretentious, the perfect place to meet an old friend or simply sit and collect your thoughts. -
Review from Laura P.
New York, NY
This is one our our favorite places. The drinks are exceptional and meticulously made to perfection! It's small and intimate which give a secret society feel, yet not pretentious in the least. It's a lovely spawn off it's elder, Pegu. B Flat is never a disappointment. It's fascinating to sit at the bar and watch these mixologists on top of their game. They each have their own preferred tools of the trade. Some spoons are longer than others...
Love it! -
Review from Celia M.
ASTORIA, NY
4/5/2012
Spend your evening in a Haruki Murakami novel! A mysterious basement lounge with jazz and expert bartenders. I love the "Misty", but all of the specialty cocktails are delicious. Try to sit at the bar, so you can see your drink being constructed. Although this place is effortlessly cool, it is not trendy or even stylish. This would be a great bar to start an affair in.
-
Review from Jordan G.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Well, it wasn't a super experience. They didn't give us a table. I guess that's New York for you. Of course, maybe there were one or two open ones but they were "reserved" . And the people came over later. Then we were kind of a minority .. The cocktails are pretty crazy creations of course, maybe it's required to be that fancy in this town.
Of course one of the other tables had a bunch of "ladies" , more like preppy post-college women, who were too loud. Yep, the usual bunch, that think they're in a circus when they go out, with the loudest being the one that was both the most spoiled and both deprived of things to do when she was growing up at home perhaps.
The rest of the people were in pairs.
Obviously the place and the bartenders are japanese.. so.. if you're japanese... -
Review from Ju L.
12/9/2011 2 photos
Mmmm, I'll forever love dark, intimate (and non-crowded - you watch it, Yelpers!) spaces with good music.
B Flat is pretty easy to miss. The entrance on Church is just a stairwell leading underground, with the name lettered on a door jamb. Their "A" NYC Restaurant rating is bigger.
For such a clean, "sexy" (mahogany and red interior) space, it's pretty casual. Great place for a low-key (MUSIC PUN ALERT) date or meetup - there are booths, cocktail tables, and leather benches, and couches for bigger groups. If you're there to chat, no one will glare at you, but be forewarned that the jazz playing overhead is pretty loud.
Happy hour specials go from 5 to 8pm: $4 drafts, $6 wines, $7 cocktails, snacks (see my photo). Around that time, only a couple of tables are filled. After HH is when it starts to fill up. I think on Wednesdays and Fridays they have live jazz starting 8 or 9pm. The musicians set up kind of awkwardly in the middle of the very narrow room and rock out - fun, but trying to hear the person speaking next to you is near to impossible. So just sit back and enjoy.
The service is not the warmest, but very polite, and they didn't sneer when we only spent $8 here once, heh heh. (...Which is how I also learned about the $15 credit minimum.)Listed in: HAPPY HOUR - downtown edition
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Review from Keiko G.
Manhattan, NY
3/17/2012
B Flat is one of THE BEST places in NYC!!!
Jazz nights are amazing!! service, atmosphere, everything!!!
alsooooo wins for the best fried chicken ever!!!
you guys are fabulous!! -
Review from Sammy B.
2/20/2012
I was taken here on a date. I was very, very impressed. I can't remember which night we came here, but we were the only ones in the back so of course, he was able to get cozy with me and I didn't mind because I loved the place. Very intimate. Very jazzy. Very sexy, in a classy way.
-
Review from james c.
Manhattan, NY
11/3/2011
I've been coming here since they first opened a few years back. I will have to say this place reminds me of what Angel share was like before it got super crowded. The drinks are pretty good, its not particularly strong. This is not the place I would go to get drunk or pregame. The service is great, and depending on when you show its usually pretty low key, and not crowded. That's usually how I like these places. The main difference in my opinion compared to Angel Share is that they have actual food and the crowd ratio is much more tolerable.
They have nice happy hour deals during the week and their Japanese fried chicken and sashimi are usually my favorite. They probably share the kitchen with the restaurant upstairs as they have this green tea souffle that has never failed to elicit "yumms". Female dining companions has ordered more than one despite trying to resists with those trailing protestations about those (Imagined) potential effects to their waistlines. Their will power tends to melt away after extracting a promise that I "share" it with them. -
Review from Josh K.
10/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Like everyone says, this is a slightly less intimate version of Angel's Share, and to be honest this place has more potential since they feature live jazz and I don't always enjoy feeling like I have to be super quiet and polite. (Not that this is a place to be rowdy, but still.)
About jazz, the owners here are certainly very big fans of jazz. The first page of the menu is a copy of the lead sheet for Giant Steps. I found myself humming the tune while looking at the menu.
I tried a very subtle vodka-wasabi-sake cocktail, and on the other side of the spectrum had a good Sazerac whose bitterness really hit the spot. I would say that both at this place and Angel's Share, you shouldn't feel bad for getting classic cocktails. Because they are done here with a mathematical precision and consistency that you just can't get elsewhere. Long story short, don't feel pressured to only order from the special cocktails menu.
In non-booze affairs, they have a tasty Tatsuta-age (fried boneless chicken) for $8. For that you get 5 large crunchy juicy pieces. This was just the ticket seeing as we had been hopping around town having drinks and did not really have a dinner. Seeing as they are a bar, they can totally get away with charging more for this dish, but they don't. It is similar to "Nanban Chicken" which I first tried at Kitchen Kura in San Francisco. Mac & Cheese for $5 was a small portion, but imbued with tons of high quality cheese which made it worthwhile.
Apparently the Tatsuta-age (and possibly other appetizers?) is only $4 during happy hours, guess where I'll be at that time! :) -
Review from Monica J.
Manhattan, NY
2/24/2012
A bar in the basement. It has live music on Monday and Wednesday.
Came here on Monday night. It was not packed, but there were decent numbers of crowd. The place is small and there was a band in the middle. It was very loud. I couldn't hear my friend, and we were seated the farthest from the band.
Food is average, many of them are Japanese, but nothing special. They don't have salad. -
Review from Simon W.
Oakland Gardens, NY
11/1/2011
When I first arrived here, I knew that I will be one of the repeating customers to this establishment. The live jazz brought character.
Food: The bar menu was decent. I had ordered the fries, pasta, mac and cheese. Overall taste of the food was good enough to have at night.
Drinks: the selection was large than I had expected
Services: Depending on the bartender, the services varies. The female bartender was very attentive while it took some time for me to get the other bartender attention to order my drinks.
Overall, I do enjoy my times here and will be back again -
Review from Clarissa M.
New York, NY
8/23/2011
Bad service, rude bartenders and the food is not worth the cost. We ordered the mac and cheese and it tasted like the Velveta Mac and Cheese from the store (reminded me of college days...)
Save your money and time. Go somewhere else. -
Review from Rita G.
Manhattan, NY
1/16/2012
Dark (hard to read a book), romantic and low key is how I would define this place. Great place for a date, cocktail catch up with a girlfriend, or 4 friends (booths aren't that big). I enjoyed sitting at the bar but would have preferred a booth for more privacy (conversation wise). This bar reminds me of Little Branch, not Angels Share (which is totally over rated at this point). Too bad, because that was a fun spot back in the days. Great service except the waitress asked me to move to create space for her to walk thru (I was sitting at the end of the bar), so I 'm guessing that's not the best seat. There was really no where else to move though.
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Review from Bianca R.
Great Falls, VA
3/28/2012
Talented musicians and cute little hidden spot down the stairwell. Average malbec and good service at the bar. Heard the last set from 11-11:30pm.
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Review from Lily T.
New York, NY
1/15/2012
One of my favorite places in NYC. I live nearby and also work nearby and so it's one of my favorite places to come after work or after dinner in Tribeca. The drinks are always meticulously made and delicious. I've never had a problem with the service as they've always been attentive. You can get one of the best made $7 manhattans during happy hour here. I've been to a lot of mixology/speakeasy type places and this place has drinks that are just as delicious w/out the condescension that you get at many of those other places
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Review from Chris H.
4/26/2011
If you love Angel's Share, you'll love this place. Similar, but less crowded.
To get there, you go down a long flight and enter into a wooden wall and jazz infused speakeasy sort of place. Great look and ambiance.
Fantastic cocktail list. Gin Gimlet was amazing looking and white russian looked out of this world (milk/ice block thing going on) Food is available, but I didn't have any.
Allegedly, there is Jazz on Mon and Wed.
Definitely not a raucous bar. It is a place to enjoy a cocktail and chill.
I'd definitely go back. -
Review from Michelle L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/8/2011
As much as I want to like this place, there's something missing. I have been to Angel's Share, and in my opinion, I like it better there.
Pros:
-Definitely a lot easier to get into. There is no cap on the amount of people in your party. I came with 3 other friends at 7 on a Friday and there was more than enough room.
-Food was good and moderately priced.
-Ambiance was nice; I really enjoyed the jazz music.
Cons:
-I tried 3 of the specialty cocktails (Moment's Notice, Scenes in the City, and... something else I can't remember) and wasn't impressed by any of them. I don't know if my taste was off because I was drinking other types of alcohol beforehand, though. Still, I liked the presentation of Angel's Share a lot better.
-There was a rowdy crowd adjacent to us, so it kind of messed up the vibe. With Angel's Share, I like how you're asked to keep your voice low; I think it makes for a better experience.
-Older crowd. Not that I'm ageist, but I'm a yuppie; I just enjoy hanging out with people in their 20's. I'll grow up... eventually.
They do have a great selection of drinks, gin based, tequila based, etc, but with the abundance of speakeasies in the city, I just don't think I'll come back. Next.... -
Review from Dee Dee X.
New York, NY
3/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great place to grab a drink with a friend/bring a date/chill out. It's got a classy kind of feel with it's wooden walls and jazz playlists. Excellent drinks!! I had Scenes in the CIty, which came with an actual lychee. I thought you were supposed to do something special with the lychee but you just eat it. -_- So don't be stupid and ask the bartender how you're supposed to eat it.
Anyway, came here on a Thursday and it was pretty empty. Usually empty places are not that great but this is clearly still a hidden gem. -
Review from Rachel D.
Manhattan, NY
8/14/2011
Ive been here twice now for happy hour, when a list of about 10 drinks are $6-$7. It has a cool speakeasy feel to it and is a great place for a date or quiet hangout.
Also, Ive had great service both times Ive been there. -
Review from Chinh T.
6/9/2011
Came here w/ 2 other gals on a friday night and it was a great place to chill. It's very mellow w/ good cocktails. I'm into light & girly drinks, so their ingredients pleased my taste - yuzu, pineapple, cucumber, lychee, etc.
Good for a date b/c it has dim lighting & nice, soothing music/jazz in the background, but nothing blaring so you can have a cozy chat! -
Review from Valery C.
6/5/2011
Through a non-descript street-level entryway and down a flight of stars, you're greeted by B Flat's stylish round signage of gold on glossy black. Inside is a dark, warm lounge of mahogany and burgundy booths, with sounds of jazz (live jazz on some nights, apparently). We were there for pre-dinner drinks on a Friday evening, and it was not crowded at all. The wall behind the bar has a long shelf lined with liquor bottles that glow from the lighting underneath. The atmosphere is relaxed and classy.
I understand B flat was opened by Angel's Share alums, and being a huge fan of the latter, I was curious how this place plays out. Skipping the small happy hour cocktails list (but worthwhile pricewise), I had and sampled a few of their Japanese and Asian-inflected cocktails. The Giant Steps combined wasabi-infused vodka and junmai daiginjo but I didn't feel these alcohols blended well, and it was difficult to taste the contribution of each. The yuzu and shiso flavored Groovy and sake cocktail Moment's Notice, which blended peach and plum-flavored alcohols, were tastier and better balanced cocktails. Scenes in the City was ok.
The bartenders did not work with the intensity and precise movements of those at Angel's Share, although they were focused on the process. If I'm not going to make any comparisons, I'd say they were fine. Service was courteous and accessible. I think B Flat is a nice speakeasy style lounge without the hype and crowds that somewhat plague other places. -
Review from Morris B.
2/4/2011
Snap....snap....snap....oooooooh...
i feel cooooool when I have drinks at B flat. It feels tucked away, no prominent sign outside to reel you in. The stairwell is steep with black painted walls, a light shines on signage for the B flat that awaits you.
The vibe is comfortable yet sophisticated. Great jazz music playing in the foreground. Why the foreground and not the background. It seeps into the mood, and makes its way right into conversation.
I appreciate sitting at the bar, vest and tie dressed Japanese bartenders take great care in the preparation of their cocktails. You can't beat the $6 dollar happy hour until 8pm on select cocktails. I had a Sazerac, consisting of strong flavor of Rye amalgamated with bitters.
Whether bar side or booth side, I've always had a good time drinking here. The specialty lies in the cocktails. The beauty lies in the details. My Sazerac was served in a glass for whiskey over one large ice cube. The way it should be served often.
I hope to return for live jazz as I've never stayed around long enough for the later hour crowd.
****4 stars for excellent cocktails, great atmosphere and some level of hiddenness, as this place mostly remains shrouded away from the mainstream. Hope it stays this way. -
Review from Jonathan Z.
Queens, NY
6/17/2011
Was really excited to go here after reading the reviews, and knowing how much I love combining jazz and drinking...
Unfortunately my night there was thrown off by the inexperienced bartender... when I had to explain how to make 2 fairly standard cocktails (a manhattan and a penicilin) for our first round, I knew I wasn't going to stick around for another round.
On the plus side, the burger and salad were awesome.
+0.5 stars to 3.5. -
Review from Kel C.
5/20/2011
A great place to grab a delicious drink, some munchies, and have a conversation with a date or friend.
Coming from SF, I wouldn't really call this a jazz bar. More of a lounge playing some jazz music in the background. Came on a Thursday night and it was low-key with several groups of people scattered throughout the tables. I ordered a drink called 'A Moment's Notice' upon recommendation from the company we were with.
Now, I am not a drinker. I don't enjoy alcohol; I mainly order a drink for the social aspect and end up nursing one drink for an entire night. Most alcohol tastes like Windex to me (or what I imagine Windex would taste like, not that I've ever tasted it). But holy cow, that was the best drink EVER. I believe it was plum wine, sake, and some other deliciousness mixed in.
We also tried the green tea souffle which was yummy. All in all, a great, chill place to hang out for cocktails. I loved that we could actually hear each other talk without screaming. -
Review from Elle D.
New York, NY
2/28/2011
Love their extensive cocktail list -- the groovy may be my favorite drink anywhere at the moment. And the jazz playlists are great too, but not too loud that you can't have a conversation.
Really, my only complaint is that it's getting too popular -- I liked it better when I could get a table without waiting. -
Review from Grant C.
12/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
B Flat came highly recommended by a friend o'mine. Now granted, I have learned to take his advice with a grain of salt as he is often wasted by the time he gets to an establishment, but B Flat still left me feeling kind of flat. On paper, a subterranean Japanese speakeasy jazz club is my kinda thing, but you know it's not about the concept -- it's the execution.
Stairs lead down to a small, wood-paneled room with a bar, tables, and a few booths. But with a cheap, particle-board kind of feel. Jazz is playing on the stereo as the indifferent Japanese waiter slowly... slowly... makes his way to your table.
A few minutes later I was served one of the worst Old Fashioneds of my life's experience. Setting aside the bizarre, toothpick-filled presentation of fruit that somewhat resembled an Alexander Calder mobile (why? N.B.: do NOT fuck with a classic cocktail!), it tasted pretty much like rubbing alcohol with a dash of kerosene. On to the safety of beer.
The food was a mixed bag. The mac and cheese was some of the best I've had, and the fish carpaccio (hamachi, I think) was not far behind. The fried chicken, however, was tough and managed to be both dry and greasy.
Maybe it was an off night, but I'm not sure I'd come back to find out. -
Review from Lisa W.
New York, NY
3/3/2012
Good cocktails in Tribeca.
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Review from Velina L.
2/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Go down the lit steps to this underground bar serving Japanese-inspired cocktails and some small plates. I particularly enjoyed the shiso and yuzu cocktail - not too overpowering but good combination of flavors, and was quite intrigued by the one with wasabi-infused vodka but didn't get a chance to try it.
They play jazz music in the background and on some nights, they apparently have a large jazz band. The place seemed kind of small so I'm not sure where the band would play from.
Overall pretty low-key and kind of quiet on a weeknight so it was good for conversation. -
Review from Nancy Y.
1/24/2011
I came here on a Wednesday night to a pretty low key venue with a few scattered couples along the bar and a few small groups in leather booths. What struck me first was that B Flat didn't really feel like a jazz bar at all...there wasn't even a central stage or elevated corner where a band could feasibly perform. In fact, the the positioning of the band was extremely awkward--not only did the musicians crowd up the entrance to the bar, I couldn't even catch a glimpse of them while seated because my view was obstructed by a giant pillar. On top of that, the band played only intermittently and called it a night half an hour before the scheduled performance end time.
I did end up enjoying myself though. I was very impressed by their selection of drinks (really amazing menu reminiscent of the menu at Angel's Share, which lends support to the rumor that B Flat was founded by ex-Angel's Share bartenders). My favorite drink was definitely the Moment's Notice - "take no tsuyu "junmai" sake, peach liquer, plum wine garnished w/ yamamomo". Frankly, no idea what most of those items were, but it was very strong with interesting infused flavors. And of course, you see the Japanese-inspired theme with all of the drinks here, just like at Angel's Share. I hear the food here is excellent as well but I can only really base that statement on a couple of fries I stole from my friend who ordered a Kobe beef burger. He wouldn't share, so I'm assuming it was that good.
I've been to a couple of jazz bars in Philadelphia and San Francisco but B Flat was my first jazz bar in New York. It was kind of disappointing because it seemed like the "jazz" part of jazz bar wasn't really well-thought out. You really didn't come for the jazz aspect and it didn't seem like people were even paying proper attention to the performers. Maybe it was an off night, or maybe that's just how certain jazz bars are, where the music plays more of a background role to the drinks and the ambiance. Personally, I'd prefer the actual music to be the centerpiece of any music venue I visit. -
Review from John H.
San Francisco, CA
11/9/2010
A little bit out of the way from my normal drinking spots, but worth the trip. I'm not sure if this story is true, but I heard it was opened by some renegade bartenders from Angel's Share. When they first opened, they had a lot of the same signature drinks from Angel's Share on their menu, though now they've expanded and have a lot more.
Like Angel's Share, the bartenders are highly skilled. I love sitting at the bar and watching them mix drinks - how often do you get to see your bartender meticulously shave a large chunk of ice into the shape of a diamond to put into your glass with a great jazz album playing in the background? Awesome.
There are two other perks I think are noteworthy.
1. Food. Lots of these fancy cocktail lounges don't have a kitchen, but B Flat does and makes some really tasty snacks. Definitely get the pork belly and duck breast.
2. Space. Unlike its cousins in the West or East Villages, B Flat has a decent amount of space, and a little section in the back where you could even have a small gathering (e.g., up to 20) for a party.
Definitely worth checking out!Listed in: The Ultimate NYC Cocktails…
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Review from Yvonne W.
New York, NY
12/5/2010
I like how understated this place is. It's tucked into a street in TriBeCa where if you weren't looking for it, you'd probably miss it.
It's a pretty nice place and is reminiscent of Angel's Share. A lot of the drinks are similar, though if I remember correctly, I actually thought that Angel's Share drink menu seemed more varied, and that the descriptions of the drinks were a lot more detailed so that you knew what inspired the creation of that drink.
The seating area is pretty large and seems bigger than Angel's Share. It's definitely larger than PDT.
The drinks are expensive here, but they are very well made. Some friends I came with also had the fried chicken, and they seemed to like it a lot. The food that the table next to us had smelled really good, but I can't personally vouch for the food.
