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Ahhhh.... The Sapphire Hotel. I love their happy hour it's a great deal. The decor is very romantic and hip and the cocktails are truly yummy. It's one of the only places in town with a selection of Champagne cocktails. We oredered 2 salads for $3, a caesar and a goat cheese number with pecans and such. We also had some blackened chicken tenders with this amazing creamy mustard dip! and yes salmon cakes YUM!!! The service was good I'm sold-
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My wife and I have gone here with family, friends and our secret "girlfriend" and each time, the Sapphire turned out to be the perfect destination.
Immediately you are drawn in by the deep red tones, comfortable seating, and intimate ambiance. They manage to walk that fine line between Portland cool and Portland pretentious. Each visit, the food was perfect, the drinks were superb and the company was fantastic. If you have friends or family visiting from out of town, and are looking to show them a slice of Portland, you really can not go wrong with the Sapphire Hotel.
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Freakin great. Maybe the best bar in Portland. As someone else said, you can take anyone here. Good drinks, specials, decent food. Non-smoking! Warm, romantic. Total success for what they are aiming for.
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You'll definitely want to get it on if you come here.
Candles, deep red tones, an intimate, "I need you right now," ambiance.(1) The soundtrack included jazz flute at least once.
I'm not guaranteeing that you'll get those electric butterflies, but I will suggest that the room is full of their crackling, popping wingbeats: if you sit still long enough with the right person here, some will probably land in you. And once those suckers are crawling in your belly, you may get your world rocked.
A diverse crowd of folks, many looking deeply into each other's eyes.
It's exactly what you need, when you know what you need, and words have reached their boundary. Recommended for an Nth Date, where N is greater or equal to three.
You can't manufacture romance, or desire, or real heat between two people: However, The Sapphire seems to get that you can certainly set the scene, and trust human beings to do what they do best.
(1) And I'm not talking about needing a chaste peck at the door of the office-style-thing. I'm talking about the sudden, open-mouthed, pressed-body-heat deal- you know, a *kiss*.
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Just got back from a meal at Sapphire. The food was great. Smaller portions, however, very tasty. The decor has a very Asian style to it, however, it doesn't reflect the menu options. My wife had the hanger steak and I tried some and it was delicious. I ordered the Ahi Tuna. My plate came a little late because the chef over cooked it. The waitress took it upon herself to have them redo the meal. It only took about 5 minutes to get my meal, but she compted me a free beer while I waited. Salad and apps options were exceptional and I like that I can come by after 10pm on some nights and get a $1 tall boy of PBR. The staff was very friendly, timely and offered good service. Meal prices were from $8 to $14. We had two drinks, a salad, appetizer and two main courses for $50 + tip. I would go back for sure. There was some live music as well. Loud enough to notice, but didn't interrupt conversations at the other end of the restaurant. I would have given it 5 stars, if not for my meal being a little late.
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no.1- it's dark and red with dark wood tables and candle light.
no.2- the cheese plate is beautiful. it also came with roasted garlic, figs, grapes, walnuts and bread. butternut squash enchiladas are quite good.
so are the salmon crab cakes.
no.3- i had a good spanish wine.
no.4- nice servers and they let you enjoys things and don't rush you.
no.5- music is always lovely
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Am I in Asia?
Am I in Amsterdam?
Am I in Love?
Am I in Fatuated?
I am definitely checking yes to all of the above - and had a special someone asked me if we should "get a room," I probably would have been saying yes to that too after merely walking into this alluring abode of amore!
The romance is contagious, what, with deep, warm red walls, the glow of candles against Asian themed art, intimate seating arrangements, desserts that are as beautiful as they taste and, oh right, the stiff drinks.
This is a perfect date spot...especially after taking in a movie or show at the Bagdad. Small and sexy, it is easy to feel like you are the only two people in there - but luckily the servers are used to in, it seems like they have made an art of stepping in at just the right moments and managing to avoid moments of baby-talk, dirty-talk, or any other various forms of flimflam.
Creative cocktails and delicious desserts are nice, but it is really the romance that you will be indulging in at the Sapphire.
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The deep colors, the swanky couches and chairs, and the lighting make you feel for a moment that you're playing rich for the night. It seems like it'd almost be over the top with how rich it all is, but it works - it definitely works. The food plays right along with the ambiance, fancy, rich, and delicious. Did I mention that the ambiance was delicious? Well, it is. It is so intimate that it'd be great for a sexy date, but it's also great for hanging out with friends - you can feel connected in a non-sexual way, but specially connected.
The seared tuna, the dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon, the house salad, and the champagne were all wonderful. We also had the antipasta platter containing all the things that an antipasta platter should contain. The best of the best is that it's a non-smoking joint, and reading the history of the place makes you like it even more. It's right there on the menu - go read it for yourself.
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After a party, we walked over to the Sapphire Hotel for drinks at their bar. Vibe was good. Good crowd, excellent seating area and extremely reasonable prices on the drinks. I had an Apricot Blonde - pepper infused vodka - WOW. Each sip was like swallowing small flames of goodness. It took me a while to finish my drink which meant I was nice and toasty by the time we left. The bartender/waitress was friendly which is good. You know? Good service is much appreciated. The interior was looking sexy which I enjoy at a good bar. Their happy hour prices looked cheap which is A+ in my book.
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Went here on Friday for happy hour with friends and really liked the place. The service was on point and very friendly. We sat outside at first, due to the fact that we were starved for sunshine and it happened to appear that afternoon. The limited outdoor seating is nice and comfy enough, but we moved inside when the sun went down and, man, was it ever inviting! Very warm decor. Love the throw pillows! I can imagine this would be a truly lovely date spot.
The food was very good and even somewhat unique. I really liked that the hamburger came with gouda cheese as an option and was served with red potatoes, rather than fries. Tasty! The artichoke dip was TO DIE FOR. Spicy, cheesy, thick...mmmm! We all wanted to take a bath in it.
Drinks were reasonably priced, too: I bought a round of German Chocolate Cake shots, expecting them to cost the usual $7 or $8 each, but they were only $6 each (and that was after happy hour ended). Cocktails were mixed well and only $5 on the happy hour menu...PBR Tall Boys were only $1. Very cool.
I'm definitely coming back here, but maybe for date night next time!
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Walking into this place having been tipped off to a $1 PBR happy hour, I was damned near sure I had the wrong address. The comfortably lavish interior suggested it would have nothing to do with highlighting a taste for cheap beer.
To the relief of my miserly self, the whispers of such a deal were true and to such a degree to beat the happy hours of most dives in the southeast. They provided cold tallboys and cold glasses all along with a setting that is sophisticated without making you feel like a complete douchebag.
The place is really nice, lit to satisfy the medium between corner store and opium den. I didn't snack but friends said the food was good and well priced between 10 and 12.
No smoking keeps me from giving five stars.
Your Place is a wonderful addition to upper Hawthorne's arsenal of fine dining establishments!
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Shanghai brothel meets San Francisco's Nob Hill.
That's exactly what the Sapphire Hotel's atmosphere reminds me of. Not to say that it's overrun with pretentious yuppie types, it's not. You might even spot a hipster or two!
This is a great place to go if you want to impress a date or maybe some out of town visitors or relatives. I'm impressed by the very fact that they have a cocktail named after Nina Simone. Awesome.
I tried the Jasmine Honey cocktail, green tea-infused vodka with honey and something else, I forget what. Maybe lemon? It was delicious - and I've never thought of anything containing vodka as delicious...usually I'm too busy trying to figure out what to mix it with to cover up the rubbing alcohol taste But everything on the menu looked good, I was wishing I'd have tried one of the appetizers, too.
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The perfect place for tasty, late night cocktails. Lovely ambiance befitting a night out with the girls or a romantic evening with your man. I love the elevated bedroom decor, the long pink floral tapestry on the wall, and the cutouts of birds lacquered to the tables. The details make this place and the cocktails and desserts are fabu!
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I went to Sapphire the other night. I had a couple drinks with a friend. I stood up. I was a little woozy (the drinks are strong, OK?) and I walked down the street home.
Another night I went to Sapphire with my husband. We had a lovely dinner at the little table by the window. With the thick draperies and chinese lanterns nearby.
Yet another night I went to Sapphire with my cousin and his friend and we sat by the stove and caught up on life.
The point I'm trying to make is you can take ANYONE to Sapphire. Every time I'm there I'm amazed by all the different types of people. Older couples, younger couples, groups of girlfriends, first dates, double dates, blind dates and anyone from the neighborhood that decides to stop in.
Besides the fact that it's ridiculously close to my house, the food is great, the service is pleasant and it's just a fun place to go. The menu is small but changes often. And the drinks are FANTASTIC
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"EAT, DRINK, AND KISS"
The Sapphire Hotel is really a great place to relax and have a drink or six. I have yet to have a bad experience here. The food is top-notch, they have fantastic drinks, and how often do you get to drink in an ex-brothel?
The happy hour rocks too. PBRs for a buck soup for two bucks, Caesar salads for three, and more. This place may have some of the highest quality "happy hour" food money can buy.
Though it does get really busy and sometimes there can be a wait for a table, but it is well worth the wait. I think this is a place I could go everyday. It is romantic, comfortable and they have live music from time to time.
The burgers:
This is not your everyday old fashioned "stain-your-shirt" burger. These burger are made with love. AND if you are wanting it done rare or med. rare, they will do it for you, which I have found to be pretty uncommon at most restaurants. I had a blue cheese burger and it was loaded with huge chunks of cheese (looked like marshmallows, and not the little hot chocolate kind). The meat is of great quality and they will cook it to perfection for you. It is all about the quality of the meat.
The servers are very attentive; they would frequently check in with me wondering if I was needing another drink (I love this, it is a pet-peeve of mine when my drink goes dry for an extended period of time), though they are never obnoxious or invasive.
The employees have always been really nice here. The first time I went here was to listen to some music, and a friend of mine accidentally kicked over and broke the bands tip jar (it was giant!), everyone was so nice about it and just laughed it off, even when she kicked over their "back-up" tip jar, which didn't break, it only fell over.
There is not anything about this place which I see as bad. It is an ideal bar for a relaxing evening:
-cute servers
-great beer
-great happy hour
-they will PAY FOR A CAB if you have had a few to many drinks
-yummy food (made with love. No it isn't just the burgers made with this special ingredient)
-dim lighting
-non-smoking
-outdoor seating
-clean bathrooms
-live music
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Went here for the first time last night with friends. Some cool girls who are taking me to great places in this neighborhood. Earlier that night we stopped by the MAC counter at Nordstroms so we were all glammed up with our smoky eyes. They said it was the perfect time to have drinks at the Sapphire.
I am a bit of a history freak and love the Asian vibe, so this place spoke to me. The deep red walls, Chinese lanterns, candles, and artifacts from the Sapphire's sordid past. One of the other Yeeps said everyone looks good at the Sapphire, and I would agree. This would be a great place for a date.
My friends had the Jasmine Honey cocktail (jasmine green tea infused with vodka and honey) and I had the Room Service (their house special Marionberry Margarita). The drinks were excellent and the service was just fine except for a delay when we were ready to pay. My friends raved about the Pool Boy, a special mojito served in the summer. I'll be back to try it.
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Reasonably priced champagne cocktails? For me?
Oh, I'll knock mine over in a (totally tooootally unlike me) fit of clumsiness?
You'll bring me another?
I love you.
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It doesn't matter who they are, your date will look sexy here.
It's like having dinner in someone's boudoir - lots of red. And God I love Stilton cheese....especially over a salad at The Sapphire with a glass of red wine. They have other wonderful things on the menu too - I've never been disappointed.
Late dinner service is the best, 7 or 8-ish or later. I popped in once with a friend at around 5:30 pm for an early dinner, and we were completely ignored except for two glasses of water. We waited awhile and then left. One star off for this mis-fire.
Overall a tasty, healthy, affordable choice for semi fancy-pants food.
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I accidentally went here on a date once. No, the Sapphire was on purpose but the date was an accident. I didn't realize, you see. I just thought I was meeting someone at some bar down the street that I'd never been to. But then I got there and it was kinda nice and fancy! The only thing that saved me from feeling obligated to put out was that we sat outside and I could pretend I was just at any outdoor cafe. The drinks were good, as were the appetizers. I stuck with those, again, to avoid acknowledging the fact that this was indeed a date. I had a fabulous Tom Collins, in an attempt to look uncool, but apparently that drink is back in style. So if a girl you barely know invites you for drinks here, you are going on a date, just FYI.
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Sapphire is one of my favourite places to go. Any night is fairly chill, even if it is super-busy. It gets a ding for the service. Over the last two or three years I've been coming, the service has been offencive to some of my guests with snootiness issues and miscalculations.
Good beer on tap, good specials, and great food. I keep coming back whenever I'm in the area.
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I've only been here once but it gets 5 stars from me for an excellent happy hour both drink-wise and food-wise. The caesar salad is great.
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Two words: Cheese Plate.
We dropped by after work tonight to get a drink and some dessert. While none of the desserts caught our eye, we opted for the cheese plate. Warm brie, french bread, walnuts, goat cheese, blue cheese, grapes, apples, figs, and roasted garlic. YUM. Definitely large enough for two to share. I'm glad it's right around the corner from my house, it's the perfect late night spot for a cocktail and a snack.
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The Sapphire Hotel. It's an intimate restaurant with a small bar in the back. In the late 19th century legend has it a wise and lovely Indochinese women migrated to Portland from Canada. On this present location she established a warm and exotic environment where only invited guests were allowed for an evening of dining and entertainment. Knowing the right person, or being the right person, and with of course ample cash on hand, an evening at The Sapphire was an experience unlike any other brothels of its time. Providing fine dining, good wine, spirits, and of course beautiful women, many men came away from an evening at The Sapphire with memories that never faded.
As homage to it historical past, The Sapphire is decorated in oriental paper lamps, dim sconces, candlelight, and amongst the upper rafters antique bed stands and bureaus that purvey the atmosphere of the brothel now past.
It was in the modern Sapphire Hotel where I had taken a woman I happened to have been dating for several months. We had met one night downtown at another famous Portland bar, the Shanghai Tunnel. We exchanged numbers. This led to late-night phone calls and eventually a couple of dinner dates. An attractive girl, a few years my junior, we shared much in common. I enjoyed her laugh, and her quick wit and dry humor. Relationships however can be a mystical thing. Sitting across from her and sharing an appetizer, I felt the duality of a head that told me she was something special, but my heart did not seem to equally share in the enthusiasm. To this day I cannot explain why people do, or do not, fall in love. Call it pheromones, chemistry, kismet, or what ever label you wish to apply. You know love when you feel it, not when you think it.
It was before the dessert that I excused myself to wonder up to the bar to order myself a cognac, and for her espresso. It was at the back corner bar, standing there waiting for my drinks, that my eyes were trapped by a striking woman of green eyes and cropped, dark hair, sitting with two of her friends on the opposite side of the bar. Chemistry, or maybe pheromones, I cannot explain it. At that moment my heart came with fire, and while we stared at each other for only a few moments, and as cliche as it will sound, time hesitated. The bartender placed my drinks in front of me but I was not paying attention. She mouthed the word 'hello', and I likewise fumbled to say the same back.
Life is peculiar. There are rules that we follow. We follow some of them out of survival and necessity, and others we simply follow without every questioning why we are supposed to behave in such odd manners. Life is what you make of it, each moment you have a choice. As I reached for my drinks, I glanced up one last time at this women with green eyes, soft, rounded shoulders in a black dress and thought about what choices I could make right now, right in that moment. I could have walked over, asked her name, gotten her phone number. I could do this. I could make this choice.
Back at our table I handed my date her espresso. I slunked down in my chair, roiled the cognac around the glass in my hand.
Later I rose from the table that night at The Sapphire with my date. I walked to the door, catching a fleeting glimpse in the large wall-mirrors of this women looking back at me.
Many men once entered this building under different circumstances back in the day, but I couldn't help think about how always history repeats itself. I never saw the green-eyed women in the black dress again, and weeks later I stopped dating the girl I was with that night.
What could have been, and the choice I made, still linger with me. The Sapphire Hotel has made memories for many men that last them their lifetime, but those memories are bittersweet. Perhaps it is not the head that cements regret into us, but rather the ache of a burning heart, intentionally extinguished by unwritten rules we choose to follow.
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Ambiance is the key word here....sexy, exuberant, ruby-red, fiery, opium-den-mystical Ambiance....this is The Sapphire Hotel. With Chinese Lanterns, jumping candle-light shadows, old-world Asian pagoda-esque interior, decadent throw pillows, dragons, silk hanging curtains, and RED....coats and shadows of crimson everywhere....one might get the impression entering The Sapphire Hotel that some strange absinthian adventure into Indiana Jones-land is about to unfold....
The SH is an ideal get-away from the typical pub or bar experience. Go for the decor alone, but note the excellent drink specials. Don't be discouraged by the menu- which is limited, at the very least it's unique. I'd recommend this joint for late night after-dinner drinks only.
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I will wear my bias on my sleeve - I am personal friends with the owners of this joint. Therefore, I will keep it simple (for me, simple is about 2500 characters):
This place was ranked by Portland Monthly Magazine as (something like) the best date spot in all of Portland. I can see why. Low but warm lighting (from tons of candles strategically placed all around the cozy space), welcoming cozy colors, high ceilings (so you don't feel hemmed in), sultry sexy music on the sound system, friendly service, delicious drinks, and delectable food all contribute to the apt designation bestowed on the Sapphire by Portland Monthly. Every time I go in the place is packed to the gills with couples happily wooing one another and groups engrossed in upbeat conversation. The space welcomes you in, and once you find a cozy nook, you're hooked.
Their "Concierge" cocktail, a combination of Pimm's, house-infused cucumber gin, and some other stuff, goes down like an iced tea cooler. They get me drunk often. The rest of their signature cocktails are as inventive and delicious (the Marionberry Margaritas are simply divine). The food is quite good, and the portions generous. The bacon wrapped dates are a sinful salty-sweet treat, and the cheese and meat plates make a great pair of appetizers that will satiate at least a couple of hungry people. I never eat the entrees because I always get full from the apps. I'll have to skip the apps some time and give the real food a try.
So as to eschew claims that my laudatory description here is a mere product of my bias, I will add this: Every person I have introduced this bar to LOVES IT. Even locals who were unimpressed with the prior ownership were stoked to see how it has changed - so much for the better. The new ownership has been in place for about 1.5 to 2 years, and the place has been getting steadily more popular ever since. They are doing something right down there, they have to be, because I seriously have a hard time finding a table when I stop in for a drink, be it early or late - the place is steady hoppin'! Usually bars like this go through a sweet honeymoon phase, then the patronage drops off to a steady flow. Not Sapphire. As more people learn (or re-learn) about it, they keep coming back, and bringing more. I have introduced quite a few friends to the place, and they keep telling me that they are more impressed with the drinks, food, service, etc, every time they go back.
I think it's the fact that the bar does not cater to a specific demographic. It's not a hipster bar, not a yuppie bar, not a crunchy hippy bar, not a dive bar, definitely not a meat market, and fully not pretentious - the crowd is always diverse. For being so close to tabor, that's a major bonus. I can't even imagine how insane this place would be were it downtown, but I am ever thankful that it is not - the location tends to filter out the type of crowd that other similarly appointed downtown places (read Saucebox meets comfortable) tend to attract (read Striped Shirt crowd).
I guess that's enough gushing. Check this place out with your honey, you'll love it.
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French charm in a neighborhood hangout
This place is gorgeous all over. It's got a sexy, candlelit vibe for starters, which makes you feel like you've entered a pretty fancy place, yet the atmosphere oozes a cozy neighborhood ambiance. You can order some pretty decent wines here for less than you'd pay at a grocery store. Pair the wine with some scrumptious small plates or tasty appetizers, which are all priced moderately. I love their french onion soup and three cheese ravioli, which comes with an awesome pumpkin sauce. You can get both for less than $10. I'm eager to go back and try their butternut squash enchiladas. Do those sound yummy or what?
Tip: Every Sunday night is local music night. If you buy a CD from the artist, the owners will give you a free drink coupon.
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Service from Caitlin (sp?) was a little dodgy and snippy at times. I was in a large group, but all of us had our own personal tabs going, so it was just as if we had met up at the bar, yet when I got my bill there was a mandatory gratuity of 25% added on. I can understand adding the gratuity if you were serving a large group on one bill, but we were all separate entities. Most of us started ordering only at the bar after the first round anyway, because it was much faster and easier than waiting for the waitress.
And really.. 25% gratuity for a large party? Give me a break.
On top of that, a friend ordered the $10 hamburger, and we probably spent 10 minutes laughing about how ridiculously tiny it was. Ten bucks, for a burger that was literally 3 inches in diameter.. not kidding.
I would go back here only if I was in the neighborhood and ne-- No, I actually wouldn't go back here. If I was in the neighborhood, I'd go to Bar of the Gods.
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Located in an ex brothel, the red walled and dimly lit Sapphire Hotel is a downright swanky bar. The candlelight and small tables encourage leaning in and even canoodling. The drinks are excellent, the staff is always friendly, and the food and dessert are unique and yummy.
Happy hour from 4-6 is fun, but the best hour for the sapphire is after dinner or at the tail end of a date. Everyone looks gorgeous in the low light, and with a few specialty drinks and desserts it may be the perfect date spot.
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As this is only about four blocks from our house, we walk to the Sapphire for a drink every so often. My fiance likes the lemon drops and I like the ambiance and outdoor seating in the summer. The one problem: on weekend nights when the place gets full, the noise level is really high.
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Decadent and beautiful. This is a gem in the nightlife of Portland.
After a full night of great food, drinks and pool, we headed over here for some late night goodies and conversation. Dimly lit, draped in lavish colors and depth. I was really impressed with how easy it was to fall into the backdrop and enjoy the scenery. There were a few open tables to choose from. And a variety of patrons. From intimate couples to rowdy groups of friends.
We ordered a delicious port and the black and white cake and raspberry torte. The port was rich with chocolate undertones and complimented both desserts. The black and white cake was light and delicious, while the torte was very rich and impossible to finish.
A nice end to a great evening.
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This is a really beautiful and exotic bar with red Chinese lanterns and dark wood tables. We didn't try the appetizers, but the desserts were good (we tried the bread pudding and the peach cobbler).
As for drinks, I tried my first Appletini and I love it. My boyfriend, who never gets drunk, got a little buzz from the Long Island. Some of our friends had the sake and really enjoyed it too.
We didn't stay there, but stopped by for some cocktails and appetizers. Awesome hotel bar! Perfect cocktails. Tasty snacks. The darks layers of beautiful materiel draped on the walls made it feel cozy and made me not want to leave. Ever.
UPDATE: Jokes on me. No hotel. Can't stay there no matter how much you drink.
My friends call this the pie bar...if thats what your looking for then well, enough said.
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