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Bar Centrale
Rating Details »
Neighborhoods: Theater District, Hell's Kitchen
324 W 46 Street
New York, NY 10036
(212) 581-3130
324 W 46 Street
New York, NY 10036
(212) 581-3130
- Nearest Transit:
-
8th Ave-42nd St (A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W)
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Best Nights:
- Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
19 reviews for Bar Centrale
If you're ever stuck in Oz (Theater District) and need out immediately, lift the curtain to this unmarked bar which, although a haven to broadway performers/producers in the know, is like a little piece of east village imported to tourist land.
It has a hip, casual feel with fun trompe l'oeil decor but due to its popularity, you might want to make a reso to ensure you get a table quickly. The owner/bartender/staff are incredibly gracious. It's always good to know you don't have to rely on clicking your heels to get to a place that feels like home.
I came here for dinner with a few "industry-insider heavy-weights" and we ordered pretty much everything on the menu -- tuna tartare, kobe beef sliders, beef tartare, raw vegetables with hummus, pulled pork sandwich, pork tonnato sandwich, lobster roll, escargot, fish tacos, flat-bread pizza, chips and guacamole, deviled eggs, beef empanadas -- and, I have to say, the food was sub-par, absolutely anything but inspiring or invigorating.
Our waitress was very very very slow -- multiple times I heard the ding come from the kitchen minutes and minutes and minutes before she stopped gossiping and cackling with her cohorts and colleagues... So many food-items were cold -- but I doubt this is the reason the chips were extremely stale or the hard-boiled eggs were extremely over-cooked (not to mentioned EXTREMELY over-priced), or the tartares were still cold in the middle (they should at least be room temperature!), or that everything else was just bland bland bland...
Our waitress was extremely inaccurate, lacking any attention to detail whatsoever -- I ordered a Sapphire and Soda but was given a Tanqueray and Tonic (which isn't an easy mistake to make, right? or maybe it's just me...) and my friend ordered a Clausthaler but was given a Stella Artois, and after he sent it back he was then (believe it or not) brought-out an Anchor Steam...
Despite all the many errors and confusions and misunderstandings, nothing was ever offered to us "on the house" or complementary... And nothing here is cheap... Yet we had to wait and wait and wait, yet there was confusion after confusion after confusion...
And then there's the ordeal with our waitress constantly auditioning for my table-mates... A spin here, a leap there, some horrible antiquated rendition of some line from whatever thing whenever it was absolutely least appropriate...
And then there were the buffoons who tumbled and stumbled on their way to and from the W.C. -- yes, they call it a Water Closet, and since there's absolutely nothing warm or charming about this place whatsoever, at least to me, it basically makes this place come across as the most affected self-involved least-gracious "poseurs" I've experienced in ages... Thankfully...
Yes it's hidden but that definitely doesn't mean it's a treasure worth seeking-out.
Seriously, I don't care what random celeb may or may not show up here. This exact exchange actually occurred:
"Hi, what would you like to drink"
"I'd like a Pimm's cup."
:::: blank stare :::::
"Umm, a Pimm's Cup?"
"So you want a glass of Pimm's?"
The waiter, instead of asking the bartender, literally brought back a glass of Pimm's!. The bar is nice and cozy but honestly learn to make a drink that doesn't have all the names of the ingredients in it.
A very cool spot to grab a post-show drink. It is an unmarked spot, which prevents all the tourists from finding it, which is very nice.
Bitchy hostess
November 17, 2009
Establishment: Bar Centrale
Location: W. 46th
Hello
I was at Bar Centrale on Friday night and it did not end well. My boyfriend and I have been going there for months. I actually discovered it before him and then got him turned on to it. Up until Friday, it was our favorite spot. We have entertained mutual clients there. I arrived without a reservation and the bitchy hostess told us we could have a table until 9:30. We were fine with that. Cut to 9:30, we vacated the table as promised. We were moving ourselves to the bar when she literally said, "oh no you can't stay." and we asked why and she said she was gearing up for the theater rush. So she would rather have them buy drinks then us? Unbelievable. and she wasn't even nice about. We had just spent about $400. We have given them a lot of money. My boyfriend and I are both heads of production. My boyfriend produces commercials and is very well connected. If we don't get an apology or some form of restitution, we will go out of our way to discourage people from visiting their establishment. If they don't think that will impact their business, they are seriously mistaken. We ended up at Don't Tell Mamma and told our server what happened. She replied, "yes they're a bit hoity toity over there." I also belong to a theater group that will stop going there when I tell them the appalling way we were treated. I hope they deal with this. It's bad business. I would hate to see my former favorite spot suffer due to one person's rude behavior. I want to email the owner but manager only gives out her personal email. Can anyone help?
Good food, interesting wine selection. MUST GO TO for their martinis or the raspberry cosmo.
The restaurant is an unmarked door above Joe Allen's...you won't run into any tourists here because its tricky to find. Great spot to get drinks or a quick bite after a show however I would suggest reserving a table beforehand.
What happens when the two reigning Queens of Cocktail (crowned by Peter D. :-) find Themselves in the theatre district after a performance and in need of drinks? Usually, We venture south to Our empire's more familiar territories. But in this case, the Queens in question did Their homework, and booked a cozy table for four at Bar Centrale.
Nestled unmarked and upstairs from a bustling Joe Allen's (in the heart of Restaurant Row), few would suspect this little lair of Broadway talent. After a friendly greeting and prompt seating (We thought We saw a genuflect, but it may have been a napkin-pickup), We began to read through the menu -- a random but mouth-watering assortment of upscale comfort food, from steak tartar, to turkey chili, to a grilled fontina cheese sandwich with bacon. We look up momentarily and see an incredibly suave gentleman being seated nearby. That would be Taye Diggs (We then concur that they have incredibly tasty appetizers).
We won't let a review slip by without mentioning the drinks, of course, which were a bit of a mixed bag. Our server proudly informed us that their specialty cocktails are Cosmopolitans (We were not amused), Manhattans, Martinis, and...wait for it...RASPBERRY Cosmopolitans. We opted for wine, which came in a huge serving but wasn't quite cold enough, while Her Highness from from DUMBO decided to give the Manhattan a try (see pic for the adorable presentation, complete with a sidecar on ice). After a bit of explanation and substitution suggestions (as they were out of orange bitters), a Martinez arrived for one of Our loyal subjects.
The evening's soundtrack consisted mostly of jazz standards and selections from the American songbook, but admittedly, We began tuning things out and imagining Taye crooning favorites from "Rent," "Chicago" and "Wicked." Entrees arrived and were all pretty good, although Our grilled cheese with bacon came in portion more appropriate for a Princess, and Her Highness from DUMBO's meatballs needed a bit of extra seasoning (She likes it hot). Steak tartar was quite good.
At this point, We excused Ourselves to the powder room and encountered another familiar face seated nearby, later identified as Frank Langella ("Frost / Nixon"), which was a bit more accurate than Our initial proclamation ("evil / political character across from the bar"). And on Our way out, a petite Marcia Gay Harden passed by with a group of friends.
Our ascent to the throne didn't come by knighting every bartender in the Big Apple, so We can't wholeheartedly recommend Bar Centrale if you're looking for the best cocktail in the Kingdom (unless you're into Raspberry Cosmos.). But for a swank, semi-undiscovered spot in the theatre district, and an eyeful of Broadway / Hollywood elite, this fits the (Play)bill perfectly.
Tic, tic, tic...BOOM! (That sound was Our review blowing up this spot :-).
Like most people who fancy themselves New Yorkers after living here only five years, I HATE going to Times Square. Not only do the flashing lights make me feel like I might have a seizure, I've long been of the impression that there's nowhere you can go that isn't completely infested with tourists, overpriced, and generally lacking in overall quality.
I've been wrong. Bar Centrale is the oasis you wish you'd known about the last time you had visitors in town who insisted on seeing Wicked. It was a speakeasy before being a speakeasy was compulsory, and it's a speakeasy for a reason--this is where the locals come. Last night we spotted more celebs than I think I've ever seen in one place--but I'm not naming names, because I am no starf%#ker....except when we're talking about George Clooney (cf. Allen & Delancey).
BC reminds me of a modernized Lenox Lounge--art deco-style in design, done up in a purple and zebra-skin palette. They have a full bar, and though our eyebrows raised in worry when our server told us they were known for their cosmopolitans, they actually made a delicious Manhattan that pleased even J, who is no softy when it comes to classic cocktail evaluation.
The menu is an amusingly eclectic mix of simple comfort food--shrimp cocktail, guacamole, grilled cheese with bacon, steak tartare, veggies & hummus, pizza. My lamb meatballs, though under-seasoned, were fresh and tasty, and our sauteed brussel sprouts with pancetta were excellent. It all costs slightly more than you'd like to pay, but can you really put a price on a pleasant and solid dining experience in Times Square? I didn't think so.
If for some reason you are in Times Square and need a place to go in the evening this is a decent place to end up. Be warned, however, they kick you out of your table around 9:30 for the "regulars/theater people." They offer you a place at the bar "if there is a seat" as no standing is allowed. The drinks are good and on the strong side. The food is not bad either.
i was there twice last night - pre- and post- HAIR. i know that sounds weird, but the first time i was there with my friend and then we talked it up so much when we met our other friends at the thee-ah-tah that they wanted to go after.
the first time we sat at the bar, had champagne and a sidecar and then the cheese plate. yummy. the bartender was courteous and friendly.
the second time there were no openings at the bar, and the hostess told us that all the tables were taken. sad face. but, when we were leaving, she came out and told us that there was a cancellation. woopeee!
so in we went, around the corner and to the back, and the four of us sat cozy-like at a mini couch and mini wheely chairs. we got more champagne and more sidecars, lobster quesadillas and potato skins were ordered by my table mates, i tried to eat the tabbouleh but for me it was too salty, even with the feta on the side. oh well, it was nice they had a few vegetarian options on the menu! and i think there were hooks in the bathroom, but since there is a coat check as soon as you walk in, and i left my purse with my friends, i admit that i was less than my normal eagle-eye-mcgee on checking out the hook sitch. there are hooks under the bar, sweet.
so we admired the decor and the upscale crowd and yes even the A list celebrity that i chatted to on our way out was super handsome and funny and charming and had a *fantastic* man purse.
thanks bubba for the reco. keep 'em coming, yo!
There are too many stories and I have been here too many times to have anything but love for Centrale and its staff. If you dare to brave midtown crowds for the best bar in Manhattan, then, well...you'll find me at the bar pretty much every Friday.
Otherwise go to one of the half-assed "speakeasies" somewhere else where everyone has already been.
I really liked this place! Totally deserving of the hype, I think. It's cozy and cute and the bartender really knows what he's doing. I didn't try the food but the drinks were great.
Hard to find so it keeps out the average pre and post theatre riff-raff; the bartender makes a MEAN vodka soda; they have funky tiger striped bar stools that I would own if I were rich.
Avoid this place.
My friends and I went there once and had a nice time. SO, we decided to go again on Friday January 23rd. We arrive at 11pm and the place was empty except for3 people at the little bar.
Well, the host (brownish/blonde middle aged man) asked if we had reservations. We said no, we were just here for a drink. He said in a snotty attitude "We're fully booked". I looked in the room and said "wow, you look really busy"
So, we just left. While on the steps outside figuring out where to go, the nasty host came out and said "Oh, we got a cancellation if you guys want to come in"
I wanted to say something nasty back but instead, I said, "No, no thank you"
This place is overrated, overpriced. In addition, it's employs rude people who apparently enjoy keeping an empty bar in these great economic times...plus courtesy and respect is just plain nice.
Avoid this place.
You can sneak in here on a Saturday night if your show ends early and you look hot and cozy up to the bar. But don't get too drunk, or you'll end up unable to look away from Broadway's A-list. Or perhaps you will have a great chat with Megan Mullally and get checked out by Bob Saget. Oh wait, you're not me. Ha. I totally puked that night.
As stated by the last reviewer, this place is impossible to find which is my kind of place. It has a very intimate and salon type feel. A decent selection of wines as well as a full bar and a small menu of apps to nosh on. It appears that those who know about it frequent often because it got crowded and quickly after work. I was there for drinks with business associates. The place opens at 5, we go there at 5:30 and there was only one other table in the joint, but by the time we left at 7:30, it was full up. A nice place for a drink before the theater if you don't want a full meal or have reservations elsewhere after the show.
Walking into this place is scary enough. The hostess was obviously sky high after watching her do shot after shot while we sat at the bar waiting for our friends to arrive. The bartender was great but the food was gross. All in all not worth the time or the money for a place on Restaurant Row.
This bar is impossible to find unless someone provides you with the exact street address, or is waiting for you outside. This bar is intentionally hidden since it specifically caters to its loyal theater-going crowd of New York yuppies and old fogies. There is no street sign with its name, just the number. Except Monday nights, they accept customers with reservations only... Why Monday? Because there are no theater shows on Mondays. They have an excellent beer and wine menu, delicious finger-food and appetizers, and the most fun bartenders and waitstaff. It is probably a great place for a date since it's got somber, mood-lighting and is rather chic inside. It is expensive, so be ready to hand the credit card over without even looking at the check, trust me it's better that way. It is a tad pretentious though but that's something that comes with its primary clientele, i.e. musicians, actors and theater aficionados.
