When we were roommates, Ana was my tapioca mama, feeding me delicious Brazilian food all the time. Though after I went back to Dubai and Ana moved in with L, we tend to meet for drinks instead of home-cooked food, and last time I was in the city, Ana suggested that we went to Dear Irving in Gramercy.
There is no signage outside revealing that there is a bar here, and Dear Irving definitely feels very speakeasy-ish. They go all in on crystal drapes and vintage furniture, and the opulent decor gives the place a very Great Gatsby vibe with a promise of decadent fun that makes you want to drink champagne on a weeknight.
Apparently, the semi-private booths and the stunningly decorated rooms are where you want to be, but we had our cocktails in the bar, and it was not a bad choice either. The bartender was really cool and after telling him what we were after, he suggested a couple of drinks that he thought we would like. I am not good with names (not even cocktail ones) so I cannot tell you the name of our drinks, but it was probably something fruity but not too sweet with a base of bourbon or gin, as this is what we would typically go for. A really nice bar with really good cocktails.
Dear Irving, 55 Irving Place, Gramercy, New York