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- Nearest Transit:
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Grand Central - 42 St (S)
Grand Central - 42 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
5 Av (7, 7X)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 12 am
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Jen L. said: "The wine blows, but the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a side of bleu-cheese dressing for dipping is outstanding. Seriously though. I don't do beer anymore - it fills me up too quickly - so get a nice bottle of Pinot Noir behind…" read more »
53 reviews for Bookmarks
Review Highlights
"A small, cute, intimiate rooftop bar."
(in 20 reviews)
"Though located near Grand Central, Bookmarks is a quiet and..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Very low-key, casually elegant."
(in 5 reviews)
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Nathan L.
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Celebrated new years eve here and had a great time. Bookmarks did a great job at throwing a party as there was an open bar from 10-2. We had a party of 13 people and we all got a seat in the main area. There was a DJ that was playing your average new hits music. Since this really isn't a club/dance venue I really cant knock them for having a below average DJ for the night. The bathroom is on the next floor up which is a little odd.
Great job Bookmarks at making my New Years Eve Party so much fun. -
Review from Lu H.
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The atmosphere here is great -- even on a rainy day, the inside room with wicker chairs is a really nice way to spend an hour before dinner on a weekday.
But having had drinks from various speakeasies, I can't say that the drinks here are really worth the same price. They sound good on the menu, but the execution falls short. Drinks either taste somewhat watered down, or too sweet. I get that you'll be paying up as you would for any other rooftop bar, and admittedly it's a pretty chill tucked away little spot. I still would not go out of my way to come here again, but I'm glad I know it's an option. -
Review from Daniel M.
New York, NY
10/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bookmarks is on the "14th floor" (lucky 13!) of the Library Hotel and has access to a small rooftop-area decorated with plantings and benches.
If you like to talk over drinks, come here; the settings are all arranged nicely for casual conversation between a group of friends, or a more intimate date atmosphere.
Recommend going during temperate weather so you can take advantage of the outdoor area, but since there's a big atrium, it might be kickass during a bad storm as well.
Drinks are moderately priced, and specialty cocktails are appropriately named with book/author themes. -
Review from Valentina L.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Happy New Year! What a lovely place to start! The service was excellent. I wanted our waitress to stop working and hang out with us, she was that great. We had a relatively big party, 12-13? I'm not sure, really. A few disappeared by the end of the night. We were taken to our table, a very comfortable spot near the dance floor. Champagne flowed like water from 10-2. Music was fine, top 40 stuff. Nice atmosphere. Good friends. One of the best NYE celebrations I've had. If this is any indicator to how 2012 will be, its going to be a very good year.
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Review from Angel C.
1/11/2012
A handful of positive qualities justify a visit to Bookmarks, however mediocre drinks at higher than average prices is a major downside to this nebulously established speakeasy. Upon entry from the 41st street opening (not Madison as advertised), you proceed to the 14th floor. On a Tuesday night, there is little to indicate as much and no one present to question an inquiry. Once you arrive however there are warm greeters from behind the bar and you find yourself with the option of various spaces - narrow bar, slightly tacky wicker furniture in the greenhouse-styled enclave, bad hotel lobby high backed chairs, and deep leather club chairs. All areas were sparsely attended so chatting was possible and the music was a combination of classic jazz and 90s soft rock - v odd but strangely familiar. Our drinks arrived quickly - Tequila Mockingbird and Oscar Wilde. The former had such great promise but was essentially a poor man's margarita in a martini glass. Oscar Wilde was brooding but also fell short. At $15 a pop, I'm glad I only ordered one drink! Proceed with caution.
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Review from Diana S.
10/1/2011
Came to Bookmarks for some after work drinks on my birthday and had a blast! The drinks there are really yummy and I even got a free glass of champagne since it was my birthday.
The waitresses were a little weird about placing my friends and I since we wanted to go outside but I guess we had too big of a group and there wasn't enough room. However after some people left, they moved us outside where it was a lot nicer than the greenhouse like room that we were in before.
The place is really cute if you want to go somewhere that's pretty low key for a couple of drinks to de-stress after work or even for a pre-dinner drink on a date! -
Review from Amir S.
Manhattan, NY
7/5/2011
Bookmarks was a lovely experience for me. I made a night of going to a number of roof-top bars with a friend, and we started here on top of the Library Hotel.
Walking in, Bookmarks doesn't look like much. The right-off-the-bat decor isn't super fancy. You walk into the bar itself, and to the left is some seemingly-comfortably sitting space (I admittedly didn't try it), and to the right is some indoor table-space, and the outdoor rooftop.
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The Venue
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While it is on the rooftop, and while there is rooftop outdoor space, there isn't much of it. And to say that it was highly in demand is an understatement. There isn't outdoor *standing* space. It's all loungy / couchy / living-roomy; and this isn't bad, but I honestly expected to be able to be sitting or standing outside, and I didn't at all, just because of the limited space. I don't know if you can put in reservations for it - but it was just weird for me to start at a roof-top bar and not actually be outside.
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The Drinks
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The drinks were quite nice. It was a glitzy place, so expect to be paying about ~$15/cocktail, and ~$8/beer. Little pricey for my liking, but to be perfectly fair, the cocktail I got (something with Sunrise in the title) was pretty darned good. Pretty strong, great flavor, and not too hard to put down. My friend got another drink (that I can't remember for the life of me) but it was equally yummy.
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The Staff
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Friendly and nice. I didn't talk with the bar-tender too much, but he was jovial and personable. He made about as much conversation as he needed to (pleasantly, I might add). The waitress did as well.
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Overall
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I'd go again, but only if I was taking a girl out on a 3rd or 4th date. This is a nice place, but not somewhere that I'd come every day after work. It definitely caters to the people that are staying in the hotel as a vacation treat, or something to that effect. -
Review from Victoria G.
New York, NY
3/18/2011
Perhaps one of my favorite places to imbibe...especially when the temps finally crawl north of 50 degrees.
Great outside space and if you're lucky enough to grab a table, it's the perfect place to slow down and sip on cocktails that, truth be told, rival pdt, death and co and like, if albeit on a greatly shortened list.
The Pulitzer is a phenom gin mix and the perfectly balanced sweet and sour tequila sip is divine. They also have champagne cocktails that are so refreshing you almost forget the $15 price tag. These surpass your everyday bellinis and mimosas and include the freshest of ingredients like ginger, cranberries, even figs.
The interior is delightful as well, with an uncramped comfortable feel, a fireplace (um LOVE) and another pseudo outdoor space that is completely covered and kept to the same nice warm forget-its-20 degrees-outside temps.
Gets increasingly busy as more and more of the after work clamor for a drink...but it's worth the elbowing :-) -
Review from Sarah M.
Franklin Park, NJ
5/16/2011
A nice low key place to have a classy cocktail where you can hear the other members of your party speak. It's at the top of the hotel, and looks like it would be amazing in the spring and summer.
Had a Jackie Collins and a Lemon Drop Martini.
The only downside: drinks are very similar to their other sister bars. WIth different names. I really wished for more of a variety with names going with the hotel theme.
We came in the winter so there was a nice fire in the fireplace. -
Review from Megan C.
Brooklyn, NY
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love this place. It feels like a cozy garden in the big, bad city. Nooks an crannies to fill with friends. A good crowd. A sometimes surprising drink selection. The service is to be expected for a place in the area.
I do wonder why they have last call at like 10:30, though... on a Friday. Is this a NYC rooftop regulation? Or maybe it's because we would just spend all night there... :) -
Review from Chris M.
9/7/2011
Celebrated a friends promotion at this gem of a rooftop bar on Madison Avenue. I was thrilled that it was the type of place where one could converse w/o screaming, sit w/o being bumped into (there is no standing room, everyone gets a seat), relax in a rooftop garden and have a $15 libation. Yes, drinks are somewhat pricey, but it's Midtown and it is a swanky little hangout. I'll definitely be back soon.
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Review from joyce k.
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
cover: none
attire: anything goes
ambiance: small, quaint, romantic.
So this is the rooftop attached to the Library Hotel and literally nobody is there except me, my friends, and some people staying at the hotel so there is no fuss getting in or anything. Not even sure if I remember seeing a bouncer.
It is really just very adorable up there..a nice small romantic, brick exposed with vines, garden-y rooftop patio. Very clean, QUIET, and classy. You can hear crickets chirping, seriously...they are not blasting any sort of music...just light restaurant background music. It is NOT a poppin' scene. This one goes under the "chill rooftop category"--forsure. And can I say for the 100x time that it is really CUTE up there? Not like how realtors say banged up old pieces of crap are "cute and well aged" but it is ROMANTIC up there! Just a nice, quiet, hassle-free night to drink a little and chat up a storm with a potential date/girlfriend, etc. Nice view as well..but not prize winning. I usually like to party party but i appreciate and really like this place...I see it fitting into my life somewhere besides on party nights.Listed in: Rooftops
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Review from Sheri s.
2/21/2011
I went here on a Wednesday Night for a Business School Social Event.
The Hotel is Small and Narrow , but cute. The Library Room was on the 14th floor.
As I got off the elevator the bar was the focal point with a wing off to each side. We went to the left, there were two other social events going on as well. The drinks and hor dourves were unlimited. The waitress's were very attentive and pleasant. The hor dourves ranged from crab cakes, shrimp with marinara sauce, steak on a stick, mushroom cake ( which was amazing!) and Bruschetta. The Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay were great. The ginger Ale on the other hand did not taste like Ginger Ale.
The dimly lit lights were a nice touch. It made the socializing much easier and comfortable. The acoustics in the room were great. Although there were many people talking the sounds did not echo. What was most appealing was the greenhouse type feel with the glass ceiling on the latter half of the room. Seeing the city lights were a nice backdrop. -
Review from Charles C.
New York, NY
5/28/2011
Very quaint little rooftop bar. Its got a nice ambiance, as the crowd is pretty casual and unpretentious. The actual outdoor section is small but comfortable.
Unfortunately, the restrooms are a bit annoying to get to, but thats about the only downside. -
Review from Lisa M.
12/9/2010
Pros:
- right near my office :-)
- good summer or winter as it has few sections - two outdoor, 1 indoor "greenhouse" and 1 front of fireplace with comfy leather seats
- often not very full
Cons:
- cocktails are "just ok"
- food menu underwhelming
- ladies loo down a treacherous flight of stairs
In short, the surrounds are lovely. Lots of little nooks to have cosy conversations with a friend or "potential" loved one. But I come here for the atmosphere and not for the quality of the menu.
And can someone tell my why the hostesses always seem dressed like they are about to paint the town red? It just seems completely out of kilter with the unpretentious atmosphere of the bar itself? -
Review from Ryan D.
2/23/2011
It seems odd given the amount of times I've come to this place that I have never reviewed it on Yelp. I made a point to come here when I was working in the Bronx; I still remember my reference professor from grad school (his name was Sergio) talking about this hotel and how crazy cool it was. Since it's unlikely I'll be a guest here anytime soon... might as well check out the bar, right?
If you know me, you know I don't ALWAYS like to be fancy. I'm often a jeans and t-shirt kinda guy, and those are the places I generally prefer. 'Bookmarks' which - lets just admit its the cutest name EVER - is the rare exception for when I'm feeling fancy and I want to just grab an overpriced cocktail after work. And let's face it, they ARE overpriced. But it's Midtown, it's near Grand Central, and it's a pretty swanky place.
The fireplace isn't ALWAYS roaring, but it's always a nice touch when it is.
Jen S. and I just indulged and went there after my work shift tonight. It's nice when it's not super crowded - if it is, steer clear - but it's a great place to spend an hour and have one drink. We ended up getting an appetizer because Jen was starving; the one mistake we made at this place. Quesadillas cold? Never a good idea, hence the -1 star. I still recommend this place, and smile knowing that one day, I'll be back. -
Review from Cindy C.
New York, NY
7/10/2010
In a city obsessed with rooftop bars, bookmarks has the potential of being one of my favorites - granted, I really haven't been to all that many yet- but thats partly because I have been returning to bookmarks.
Located in midtown, bookmarks is on the top level of the library hotel, small, boutique-y and really unmarked. The atmosphere is relaxed, and *gasp* unpretentious, which, really, is what makes this place a gem. It's great to be able to just enjoy a drink and the view without having to be on some sort of list. The waitresses are friendly, and the drinks are yummy and have clever book related names.
The only downside to this is having to navigate the stairs to use their bathroom. not the most convenient, especially after a few cocktails. -
Review from Miranda R.
KNICKERBOCKER, NY
6/20/2011
Great little rooftop bar, perfect for an after-work cocktail. The view isn't super amazing, but it's still a rooftop and the building itself is nice - older and sort of classic. Drinks were not bad price-wise, the crowd is a little irritating, but again, nothing too terrible. I'll probably go again.
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Review from Matt G.
6/7/2011
Stopped here for a drink after sushi at Sushi Yasuda; we liked the hip rooftop location. Drinks aren't cheap (the $$$ rating is well deserved) but the ambiance goes a long way towards redemption. 4 stars because it wasn't crowded at all, and all the folks in our party could have a drink, sit back in a comfortable chair, and enjoy some conversation without shouting. Definitely classy and low-key, though the last thing I would call Bookmarks is unpretentious. Restrooms are a steep flight of stairs away, which could become problematic given the relative strength of their drinks. We'll be back next time we're in a "let's overpay for booze somewhere so we don't feel like troglodytes" mood.
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Review from Jihea P.
New York, NY
6/15/2011
It is very intimate and small - if you are looking for a hip place with music and a social scene, not the place to go.
I went for "happy hour" with three pals at 6pm on a Thursday night and we still had to wait around 45 minutes. However, it was well worth it. It is very small so we cuddled around a small table, sharing half the space with another group, but but worked out well. It was the perfect cozy casual relaxed spot where my friends and I can chat to our heart's content. I can't remember if there was any music, but low volume chatter was perfect.
Drinks - on the pricier side. All of my cocktails were 15 per and my friend's wine were 13 per glass. I didnt get a chance to look at the bill I' m sure my 2 cocktails, my friends 2 wines, about 5-6 beers for the other two and 2 app cost more than a hundred. If you have $$ to spend with few close pals, I'd defintely make the trip. -
Review from Lily T.
6/23/2010
This place is cute. You take the elevator inside the hotel to the top floor. Came here on a saturday night. there's a indoor bar which was completely empty. The rooftop bar was small. But cute with nice little chairs, benches to sit on. The view was not as great as the rooftop view on 230 fifth, but it was very nice to just sit outside on a summer night. The cocktails here range from $12 to 14 dollars, and it was yummy. The waitress was nice and friendly
I would come back here again. -
Review from Jess B.
Manhattan, NY
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Perfect for drinks with colleagues or clients. Quiet rooftop with ample indoor and outdoor options. Prices on par with the swankier set $13 and up. Service was slow the night I visited but what they lacked in speed came through in genuine courtesy.
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Review from Sienna K.
Philadelphia, PA
4/9/2008
I suppose we're all guilty of falling in love with an idea over the reality. And of course, the penalty of this is the bitter taste of disillusionment.
The thing is... I just didn't expect disillusionment to taste like tequila.
The idea of Bookends is very alluring--a quiet bar within the Library Hotel (a charming hotel with different literary themes for each suite) that was designed to provide imbibers with an intimate space to discuss writers and books while viewing the gorgeous cityscape of New York. Unfortunately, the reality of Bookends is not quite as romantic.
Bookends is just another posh but characterless hotel bar with expensive drinks. The very few literary allusions found within the bar seem more tacked on as an explicit attempt at a theme, rather than anything actually carefully thought out.
The bar is located on the 14th floor of the hotel. Getting off the elevator, one is immediately met with the bar itself. A sleek black countertop stretches across the room. Two bartenders dressed in spiffy white tuxedos stand attentively behind the counter. Bottles line up against the walls in tiers. There are some elements of 40's charm to it all, but it is lost in the garish blue-ish light shining from under the bottles that give the bar a cheap Sunset Boulevard feel.
On each side of the bar are two rooms, each with a veranda with a view of Midtown. My friend and I were led to the room on the left. A spacious room with large sleek sofas, the room had an upscale men's lounge feel to it; it might have been the masculine 1940s aesthetics or the Californian blonde cocktail waitresses with vacant expressions or a large flat screen television playing ESPN or a combination of those three Oh. And there were very few books around. The room on the right looked a bit more appealing as it has more of a secret garden feeling with wicker furniture and some flowers.
In fact, the only thing really "literary" about Bookends were the name of the drinks. Though some of the titles were clever puns, they seem nothing more than that. Sure, Tequila Mockingbird is a very clever name, but I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels tequila is a little incongruent with Harper Lee's work. Some other names of drinks included the Ernest Hemmingway (a mojito type) and A Bridge Over the River Chai.
And the drinks weren't worth the money--pretentious name or not. All the drinks were in the $12 to $15 range, but weren't very good. Maybe it was the fact that the waitress poured the drink so limply and carelessly from the shaker, but the drink itself was also limp and careless. But, it was strong. Tequila Mockingbird? Nah, it's more like Tequila Liver.
The view was nice but nothing absolutely spectacular. And though the empty skyscrapers are hauntingly gorgeous on a calm cool night, the beauty of it all is offset by the tourists and businessmen crowd.
In short, don't bother to bookmark Bookends. And if you want a literary-themed drink, go make yourself a Virginia Woolf--gin... drowned... on the rocks! [goes and dies in the corner for making such an awful joke] -
Review from Jeremy S.
5/11/2008 3 photos
The fresh air and views from the top of the Library Hotel made this a remarkable spot for work drinks. I had the Hemingway, a well mixed drink of rum, champagne, lime juice, and mint.
Amusingly next to us was a stereotypical group of "ladies who lunch". A gaggle of well maintained Mrs. Robinsons gossiping away about their men, children, and wonderful (or not so wonderful) lives. It fit the scene quite well as the atmosphere felt somewhat society NY (read: stuffy).
But before you attention deficit disordered young-ens out there write off Bookmarks as too staid, know the decked out cocktail waitresses with both their youth and attire can and will keep even the most soporific male patron from dosing. -
Review from Javier M.
New York, NY
3/31/2008
Bookmarks are meant for us to put away and try out when the time is right. Well I had saved this most appealing of places for months, and thus came here expecting this writers eagle's nest in the middle of midtown, but alas, it was not what I had envisioned it to be.
Granted that it is tucked away on the 14th floor, the layout is too narrow and feels constricted; I thought that we were going to be seated in a sparse area with awesome vistas, but the people at the Library Hotel had incorrectly allocated bushy plants at the edges which curtailed the view; furthermore, the glass sections were built in a way that you felt more inside a botanical garden, than in an outside seating area. So yeah, even ME Bar felt more sparse.
The cocktails promised to be interesting; named after writers right? Well my Hemingway was actually a Mojito screaming for originality, with only a slight taste of ginger to answer for it. Sienna's drink was better, but we clearly decided that perhaps, Bookmarks should have stayed on the Bookmarks section, or at least until the summer.
As we were leaving, we noticed, however, that there was a totally different section at the right of the bar. This opened a whole different view and perception of the place, which promised to be much better than the crammed section were we had been allocated. So yes, I'll come to bookmarks once more to finish the tale, until then, 3 stars it is. -
Review from Aria v.
New York, NY
5/27/2009
"Whoops," she says. "This is not where I meant for us to go."
"Leather chairs and greenhouse glass ceilings? Did you mean Bookmarks at the Library Hotel?"
"Ohmygod, yes!!"
After Meredith led us astray, I pulled out my Blackberry and went to my savior: Yelp, you never let me down.
Venue:
Now this is what I'm talking about. Bookmarks is charming, accommodating and relatively unknown (so why the hell are you reviewing it, Aria??). We were there on Memorial Day night, and when we arrived at 8, it was dead quiet. Not joking, we were the loudest things at the bar. We snagged a seat outside and I promptly ordered a Remy Martin VSOP ($15, that was a steal, I'm telling you) because it we all know how I like my cognac at libraries.
Specialty drinks were half off, and a recently divorced man was buying us rounds of vanilla cognac shots. A Raspberry later and we're outside again smoking with Sybil and her gay boyfriend Johnathan. Andy at the bar kept us going all night, and we didn't even get ourselves kicked out.
If I could live at Bookmarks I would. With it's open patios and glass-encased seating, I could fall asleep in those leather chairs and settees. Books and literary references are abound and the sophisticated atmosphere is lost on no one. Candle-light outside and dim lighting inside keep Bookmarks on that list of places where I'll be heading when I when I need to boost my ego by having a man buy me a drink--classily--or when I feel the desire to indulge in my 60-year-old-man-like drinking habit.
Food:
They have a few desserts and cheese platters here. We got two of the cheese selections throughout the night, and with it's 6 different choices and little bread toasties, I was well on my way to drunkenness with some carb and dairy cushioning my fall.
Ya'll stay away now, ya'hear! -
Review from Katie Z.
New York, NY
2/2/2009
This rooftop bar is a nice place to get an after work drink in the midtown area. It is generally secluded, but gets more crowded as the night goes on, and it's attractive. In summer has an outdoor rooftop area and in the winter has a nice enclosed solarium.
The cocktails aren't particularly exciting (my colleague ordered the pear and ginger cocktail and was disappointed that it tasted like a white wine spritzer) and the wine is on the pricey side, but it's worth the price for one or two drinks. It's probably not where you'd want to go for more than that and definitely not a late night destination.Listed in: Diamonds in the Midtown Rough
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Review from Heather H.
Brooklyn, NY
2/8/2010
I was going to give Bookmarks 3*, but Yelp's 2* description-- "Meh. I've experienced better"-- is actually an accurate description of this place. So two stars it is. It's by no means bad-- I had quite an enjoyable time-- but there are many, many better places, especially at their price. (And, quite honestly, I was meeting an old friend, so I think we would have had a lovely time pretty much anywhere).
Anyway, the space is lovely. I'm sure it's wonderful during the summer, but it was also nice on a cold January evening. There are lots of big comfy leather sofas and chairs and other comfortable seating, ample tables, and space. It wasn't loud, and it was a nice place to have a conversation.
But, unfortunately the drinks didn't live up to the environment. The specialty cocktail list was underwhelming. My friend looked at the list and ended up ordering wine instead. I ordered a standard martini. I've had better martinis. And it was $14. For $14, it had better be good. This was an $8 martini, tops. I would have been far, far happier getting the Cynartown (for $13) at Death & Co. or a gin fizz at Clover Club or ... Hell, 7 cans of PBR at happy hour probably would have made me happier, overall, drinkwise, than this martini. Again, it wasn't bad, really, it was just profoundly and utterly mediocre. Like the kind of martini I'd get at an airport bar (and even at the airport I'd probably only spend $12, and I'd have the pleasure of flying off someplace more exciting afterwards). -
Review from Maria M.
West Hollywood, CA
5/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
A small, cute, intimiate rooftop bar. It has a bit of a romantic feel to it so definitely a place to bring a date for a quick drink first then head off to dinner. The service was not good, though and it wasn't even busy. Still worthwhile to check out.
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Review from S M.
New York, NY
5/2/2011
Not a big drinker, but I love their champagne cocktails (particularly the ginger one). It comes with a candied ginger garnish (and how can you not like that?) and tastes amazing. I feel so indulgent sitting on their beautifully green rooftop deck, sipping that intoxicating drink.
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Review from Irene F.
11/1/2009
We've come here twice with my company for a networking/mingling outing, and we've been happy both times. Our group was small, but they gave us a nice area that let us have our own conversation without annoying anyone else (or them annoying us, cos come on, how could I ever be annoying??).
The drinks are good, although I usually stick to the wine (lovely Shiraz), and the snacks have gotten better with time! The first time we went, it was a limited offering of chips and salsa and some cheese. Now, they've added a great slider and an even better calamari. I know these seem like simple bar foods, and they are, but Bookmarks has put something in their light and fluffy calamari batter that most places just don't have. Plus, hey, tentacles! Yum!
The main reason for withholding my fifth star? The service can be spotty, and it is awfully annoying to go up and down the back stairs to wait for the one and only one bathroom they have. I know it can't be changed now (barring a major reconstruction, which the place definitely doesn't need), but it's definitely a nuisance. -
Review from Brian M.
Beaverton, OR
10/18/2008
We had drinks here as we were walking home in the evening. It is a very nice place and the atrium was beautiful if a bit crowded.
The drinks were nothing special and the service was OK. Although for a guy the dresses they wore were....distracting.
Go for a nice view other than that I'm sure there are cooler places around. -
Review from Ryan E.
Brooklyn, NY
2/9/2009
I was unfamiliar with Bookmarks at the Library Hotel until I was invited to attend a friend's birthday party there; apparently a friend of a friend of his is the manager, and so we had a small area in the glassed-in greenhouse area where all of us were able to gather.
I tried two of the signature cocktails (the "Blood Orange" sparkling wine and the "Johnny Appleseed"), neither of which was really phenomenal, so I just asked for a Manhattan, which was quite good. The bartender was very personable as well--I actually found him more interesting to talk to than most of the other partygoers.
I could see this place being fairly crowded on a warm night, but it was chilly on Friday when I was there, and relatively empty save for our group. It's a fairly attractive and comfortable space, and would be a nice spot for a quiet drink with a friend during the week, especially. -
Review from Hugo O.
New York, NY
4/5/2007
Okay, by reviewing this place I am for sure I'm going to draw fire from some big names in New York City. i was quite surprised I had never heard of it and upon finding it understood why one would want to keep it a secret. But my allegiance to my fellow Yelpers (yes...you) goes beyond any regard for my own life. Only about 100 people in the whole city know about this hideaway.
It is hidden on the roof level of the exquisite Library Hotel. This place looks like the roof where Superman came to visit Louis Lane to then fly off from. It's amazing! There is an inside part to it when you walk out the elevator. It's like a beautiful reading room where you can have the most exquisite of drinks. Their drinks, by the way, are named after literary figures and/or references such as the "Ernest Hemingway" (my personal favorite). The view of downtown is beautiful. You honestly feel as if you've flown atop an eagle and you're looking down at the chaos from a peaceful space in the heavenlies. You'll find a handful of exec types with their laptops and blackberries making multi-million dollar deals just as easily as you'll find young, laid-back regular professionals who just want to breath in some smog-free air along with a smooth, lemony, minty, cold mojito! It's a haven amidst city madness. And for the fellas, the ladies who serve the drinks seem to go through the same selection process for the Rockettes. 'Nuf said. Be sure to check it out. Personally, I am going to propose to my future wife on that damn roof! -
Review from Lou C.
New York, NY
12/29/2010
Great location, very knowledgable bartender, excellent amount of seating low key so that you can have a nice conversation with date. I didnt have one last time but still was quite happy with surroundings. When I find a date I may bring her here for a drink or two. Yes the bathroom is up a flight of stairs ....or you could take the elevator, outside seating is limited and sometimes the music especially outside can be a a little loud...but I'll take it. Its a little pricey but nothing wild for NYC standards....and just blocks from Grand Central. Do not order mojito...definately better at countless other places
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Review from Kristin M.
New York, NY
8/3/2008
How many glasses of chardonnay can we drink during one sitting? We found out Friday night at Bookmarks when a group of colleagues decided to march over to the sunny rooftop only 1 block from our office. outside was completely crowded so we sat to the left of the bar under the greenhouse type room. Perfect for our group of 6 loud and proud PR folks looking to relax after a long week. 2 hours and 5 rounds later being served by our great waitress, we were well on our way (to a hot dog restaurant of course). Probably one of the best happy hours I've been too in a while as it's not as packed as a normal rooftop full of the snotty midtown crowd. That said, pricey pricey! Don't come expecting 5$ beers or pitchers. Opt for wine or martinis, sit back, and enjoy!
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Review from James C.
Alexandria, VA
4/12/2010
3.5 really. I can only speak for the short time we were there. Had we stayed a bit I may have gone higher. We were there a few minutes before they opened up over the weekend so we sat outside and waited. The place seemed pretty cool for the most part. It was very relaxing to just sit outside or in the "sunroom" area with no one else in there. I expect that later on with a ton more people it may be a little annoying. The barkeep didn't show up, guess he was late or something... we still got our overpriced glass of wine and left. Pretty neat place overall.
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Review from Jeffrey R.
West Palm Beach, FL
6/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Interesting little rooftop lounge. Very unique garden style outdoor patio for cocktails. Didn't try any food but my wife said the mojitos were great. Brie plate next to us looked tasty too.
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Review from Geraldine K.
New York, NY
9/21/2009
Low-key, elegant, and intimate lounge, which is great for all seasons and occasions. Chic cocktail waitresses, trendy Euro patrons, and great drinks menu. Ideal place for drinks for a date or group of friends. Definitely tops the other busy rooftop bars in the city which can be crowded. I simply love the literary theme and touches - I would definitely stay at the Library Hotel if I were visiting NYC!
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Review from Daniel D.
8/8/2008
The view is very decent. It can get crowded which means it can take a while to get seated (assuming you get seated). The music was way too loud, so my group had a lot of trouble talking. The service wasn't very professional.
