Two friends and I went to the Blue Bar because we'd wanted to check out the famous Algonquin and area.
Waiters were rude - we sat down and continued our conversation. Perhaps we'd been talking for 5 minutes when we were pointed out to the menu on out table "that's the menu" (ie-order a drink now)....fair enough - we are not lingerers, but the place was hardly busy and we'd just sat down.
Average Pinot Grigio - why is it the "special wine of the month" when it is acutely unremarkable?
Waiter also gave us the bill before we asked for it and just after we drained our drinks.
History is cool and all, but there's better places in the city to buy 3 drinks for $50.
We are staying at the Algonquin.
I thought that the Blue Bar was just fine. We just stopped in for a glass of champagne on our way out to dinner. Despite the lack of Moët & Chandon, we had a romantic drink under the blue lights. Our waiter had enough patience/sense of humor to pose for a picture with the glasses under the light for a cool, blue photo op.
The bar snacks were junky, but besides that, everything was just dandy.
This was the 1st stop on an adventure with my coworkers. It is a classy place with servers dressed in black tie suits. Drinks are expensive although if you are looking for a very beautiful, fancy place to start off your night, Blue Bar is what you are looking for. Also when you check into four square you get 50% off one drink. The servers are friendly and upbeat.
Review Source:This once a classy, nicely down-at-the-heels watering hole in the formerly wonderfully stodgy Algonquin has been transformed by--just a guess here--decorators and bartenders from Brighton Beach. Â
Who thought it was a good idea to install blue neon "chandeliers"--shedding an unflattering glow from above on everyone--while tasteless rainbow-colored disco lights glare up through small holes in the bar, attractively highlighting the underside of your chin and nostrils in lovely reds, yellows, greens, blues?
Christian means well as head bartender, but where you hope for James Bond cool you instead get a too-chatty unctuous guy who asks if I'd like my Negroni on the sweet side--after I'd requested that it be made with equal parts. Â Does he know how to make that $22 elixir? Â (Turns out he does.)
Plus the waiters slammed into my bar stool every time they walked by...which is inconvenient when you're drinking your Negroni up. Â Last, junky bar snacks do nothing to allay the feeling that you're getting your clocked cleaned here.
Plus they professed ignorance of our Blackboard Eats deal, requiring 15 minutes of dilly-dallying while the manager, Jeffrey Villa, rummaged around in the back office before verifying our coupon.
Though still parched, we left after one cocktail and found a much more serene--and reasonable--bar scene closer to Fifth Avenue.
I think "Meh, I've experienced better" is the best way to put Blue Bar. Call me cheap if you want to but anywhere that doesn't have ONE cocktail for under $22 is a little ridiculous. I get it- it's NYC, midtown, whatever. I can normally look past a $15 or so drink as a little splurge for the sake of location but this is just over the top.
Ambiance is nice, if not a little snobby. I got a cute booth in the corner which was good, but overall when I could go somewhere else that's less pretentious and have 3 cocktails there for the price of 1 here- you know what I'd choose.
I would like to start by saying I think Otto is the sweetest man - professional, kind and attentive. Â Thank you Otto for being the one star I am giving to this review.
I'm sad to know that so many people have had really positive experiences with Christian (bartender) and I was the unlucky patron who left in tears.
I was at Blue Bar on Wednesday night with co-workers and while Christian seemed a slightly over-friendly bartender at first, it crossed the line when he offered to show me to the restroom and then escorted me to the second floor of the hotel (cleaner bathrooms apparently - yes, I agree they were clean) and kissed me. Â
Completely inappropriate and despite a filed complaint, the bar HR department has dismissed the claim without so much as a phone call to me.
I don't write many reviews and I am not a confrontational person. Â But I am sad that an otherwise nice evening with friends had to end with such a sour taste.
Ladies - please be smart and use the restroom downstairs.
This place is crazy expensive. But, you know, the multiple dollar signs at the top of this page already told you that. You won't find anything on the menu for less than $10, I believe.
You aren't really coming to midtown Manhattan for cheap booze, though, are you friend? Ok, cool. That's what I thought. Hopefully, you're coming for the history this place is steeped in, the ambiance, and a fantastic server named Anwar. Seriously, give him my best when you see him. People simply do not get nicer.
We loved this place. Â Cool ambience and the wait staff is pro! Â Christian said after our first drink to put the menu down (it's just "corporate") and just tell him what we're in the mood for--spicy, sweet, sour/Gin, Rum, Vodka... and he'd make us drinks. All good.
The after work crowd was buzzing and well-heeled.
On our last night in New York, the boyfriend and I decided to really live it up and throw away some serious cash in mega tourist style. Translation: we went looking for an expensive, fancy pants Manhattan bar where we could play rich and special in the big city. And boy did we ever find what we were looking for in the Blue Bar, a small spot just begging to the be snarked at. Over priced? Bad service? Designed to drag in tourists and English majors? Check on all those.
First off, I've read a few other reviews here, and some people think it's a tourist trap while others say it's a great local spot. It's both, although I think its tourist trap credentials slightly outweigh its local hotspot cred. As far as I can tell, people with important jobs work nearby and they come in after work to unwind with a $20 martini, because if you can afford to live in New York you might as well celebrate by regularly spending $20 on a couple of ounces of liquor. And tourists love it because it's attached to the Algonquin Hotel and they're hoping some of the supernatural wit next door will rub off on them, or as I wrote in the intro, they want to be able to say, "Hey, look at me spending my life savings on alcohol! Cray cray."
The interior is lit by low blue lighting, hence the name, and the waitstaff is outfitted in damn-near tuxedos like you might imagine they did way back in the way back. I felt drained of money just by looking at it. And the menu holds up that promise. Remember I mentioned the $20 martini? That's real. And it gets worse. Our bill for two drinks came to more than $50 before the tip, which is a price that in my mind means good service, as in I pay a lot so I expect it.
The service was terrible. The boyfriend ordered a dirty Bombay martini with blue cheese-stuffed olives, and the waiter brought a regular Bombay martini with regular olives. That's the first problem. The second arose upon the first sip of his martini. It almost tasted watered down. I took a sip and suggested it might be that the alcohol is so high quality that it almost feels like water going down, but at the same time I've had Bombay before and it's never tasted that smooth. Third issue was that after our initial order, we were largely ignored. Finally, a waiter returned to ask if we wanted another round. We said no. Then another waiter came over and asked the same thing. Again, we said no. No one asked if we were ready for our check, and we had to do a bit of maneuvering to finally get one. The waiters were very interested, however, is tending to the tables of people whose conversation indicated they were locals. (Yeah, I eavesdrop. Sue me.) My theory on the bad service is that the waiters recognized we weren't local, thus they didn't care about cultivating our business. It seems counterintuitive considering waiters like big tips, I know, but I need theories for things in order to make the world work for me.
The reason this is a two-star rating rather than one star is that the drinks were fine. Yes, one tasted possibly watered down, but it wasn't wretched. And my drink, a strawberry daiquiri, was tasty. I'd never had one that didn't come out of a can or an Icee machine, so that was an experience. Also, It smelled like strawberry jam, which was pleasant.
Overall, it wasn't a horrible place, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money I expect a certain level of ... something. Next time we're in the city, I think we'll take our fanciest pants to a bar that will appreciate them.
Christian is the man!! Bob and I have been coming here for years!! 14 outta 15 that we have been together. It was an amazing trip this last time. I took Bob for the U.S. Open. He went to more matches than me. We made extra trips to Blue Bar just to see Christian after the first night. We were on the train after a horrific taxi ride to the games. When we got off at 55th and decided to see if he was working. I just looked in the window and Christian started waving at me. Talk about customer service and friendship. I really connect and love this bar because of him. Customer service is not dead. It's alive and well and just off times square.
Review Source:The drinks may set you back a paycheck or two, but the ambience and the drinks themselves are at a level just above. The Algonquin is a legendary watering hole for writers, the famous and the infamous. These days it lives more on theater patrons and tourists, but you can see the allure.
Review Source:I hate to be redundant but the wonderful, warm greeting that my two friends and I received from the charming bartender and then by Ali, our attentive and accommodating waiter yesterday was all we needed to remain there and enjoy. Â
I had made reservations at another restaurant up the road, but as I miscalculated the running time of our play, they weren't meant to open for another half hour. Â Disappointed, we were lured into the calm, upscale setting of the Blue Bar (I understand that it was recently renovated...money well spent, I say) and our disappointment was transformed into one of the best experiences ever.
For those of you that find $200 too much, then please do walk on by because you do not deserve the fine quality that Blue Bar is more than willing to bestow on its patrons.
I applaud any bar that serves Hendricks gin and also carries fresh jalapeño slices.....if you are into spice, this will be your new tipple.  Just make sure it's served up and properly iced.  Cheers!
After dropping off the kids at the Majestic to watch Phantom, my wife and I ventured down W 44th for a drink at the famous Blue Bar at the Algonquin. Â The website mentioned it had just opened last month after refurbishment. Â What a wonderful place. Â We were greeted by Christian the bartender who offered to make us whatever we wanted to drink. Â My wife had a pina colada and I opted for a Manhattan. Â Fantastic drinks! Â Of course, they had better be for what we paid for them, but really you're paying for the ambience as well.
If you're willing to pay a pretty penny for a smashing cocktail then the Blue Bar is for you.
"Heeeey. Welcome! Welcome." Sings the cheery bartender as my husband and I walk in the bar. He walks to us and greets us and says we can sit wherever we like, but wherever that might be we should sit close. Lovers should always sit close.
He brought us water and menus straight away and said you name it, he can make it. If we don't like something, then he would take it back and whip up something new.
Well, I told him that he should surprise me and make me something that I might like! That turned out to be a banana lemon daiquiri. My husband ordered a Manhattan. We enjoyed both and had a delicious time too.
Our favorite bartender in the city.
Our foursome stopped in after a Broadway play, and stayed for more than two hours, thoroughly enjoying the classic, upscale but easy environment. Our tab for eight drinks, a cheese plate and generous tip was $200.
We all agreed the drinks were pricey but that the portions were well above average. And the service was excellent. But hey, it's the Algonquin and to us, that in itself warranted a more expensive night than is normal for us.
The bathrooms and quick tour around the lobby were hits with our group, who enjoy history, architecture, and literary arts.
Not terrible for what it is...a unabashedly overpriced bar attached to a restaurant where the "professional" waitstaff run around you like little penguins in tuxes (anyone seen "Mary Poppins"?). Here's why this place gets  3 stars, rather than 4 or 5.
If the average drink on the menu rounds up to a Jackson and not a Hamilton, you BETTER know what you're talking about. So I asked the waiter about the house merlot, which at $55 for a bottle best not be Franzia! He gave me a very glib run on it, but was really trying to get me to go for the "Super Tuscany"! Excuse me?! Did you just misspeak the name of your wine at a professional establishment?! Not that I am at all an expert on wines, but I am quite sure the wine is a Super Tuscan. Normally, I wouldn't think this is that big a deal, but when the waitstaff is probably rolling 6 figures, they freakin' better be epicures of this stuff!!
Then the bartender approaches us, letting us know that they actually crush real blueberries in their blueberry lemonade cocktail. My internal response, "Um, who doesn't?!" Sorry guys, for $19 you better be giving me a couple packs of blueberries to take home. And no, you're not special for putting "real" blueberries in your cocktail; the Whisper Lounge in LA has been doing that for 10 years and $7 less.
So, like I said, this place wasn't horrible, but they were trying to justify their absurdly high prices for qualities that ain't that special. Oh, and don't make the mistake that I did when I went there: Dress up!
When I headed over to NYC last year, I wanted a taste of the old school on our first night. Yelp led me to the Algonquin, and the Blue Bar that sits beside it.
Boring? Never. This is the place that Dorothy Parker used to frequent. It's historic, steeped in a bit of theatrical drama, and is definitely an appropriate place for tourists to sip a few martinis.
We were served quickly and with huge drinks (that you'll certainly pay for the size of mind). The waiter was attentive but not overpowering, and I relished sinking into the leather booths while letting the dark atmosphere sooth my jetlagged head. Great fun all round.
On first blush, it looked great. Despite being attached to the Algonquin, which would imply some degree of austerity, the place seemed pretty down to earth and homey.
The bartender was boisterous and welcomed me and my friend in a very demonstrative fashion. He came over to the table and told us about the "specials," one of which was hot mulled cider. It was cold out, and it seemed like the perfect warmer-upper, so we decided to go for it.
It was delivered by a strange looking man with shaky hands. It tasted very unlike any other mulled cider I'd ever had. I passed this off as being some unique recipe. Overall it was acceptable, but I wouldn't rave about it by any means and I definitely wouldn't order it again. As it turns out, it's a good thing we didn't get another round because we were in for a surprise (and not the fun kind like, you know, fifty of your closest friends shouting "happy birthday!").
No, the surprise in the form of a bill: Two mulled ciders=$40. Let me repeat that: $40. Let me write it out: FORTY DOLLARS FOR TWO MULLED CIDERS.
Like, you have GOT to be kidding me, rIght? No, they were not kidding.
We had just come from the Royalton across the street, which, as anyone knows who's been there, is no bargain, but this place made it look like one.
There's no excuse for this sort of egregious price gouging. If they wanted to make it so I'd never come back, they did a great job.
This place was a complete ripoff. I feel used.
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools." Â
-Ernest Hemingway, "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
I'm not easily impressed by bars anymore. Consider my liver jaded.
My anatomy has taken too far a tour of duty too be easily swayed by the fancy cocktail at the expensive hotel bar. Just make my drink strong and make it well.
I ordered a Manhattan at the Algonquin Hotel.
Mistake #1: You tried to upsell me to a rye whiskey at $25. For a Manhattan at $19, it better be made with rye whiskey.
Mistake #2: You tried to upsell me to another terrible drink. Certainly I appreciate the effort and courtesy, Â but a bourbon and blood orange juice is not going to cut it as an "off-the-menu" drink.
Mistake #3: Under gin drinks, you don't list a martini. Um, uh, that's how you make a martini.
The thing that I hate most about NYC are bars and restaurants that clearly make money off their vaunted and storied reputation. I'm sure the Blue Bar was quite the place back in the Don Draper days, but unfortunately, it's sort of a tourist trap now. Besides the friendly raconteurs behind the bar, there is no other reason to go here besides parting money from wallet.
Hopefully, this is my final public service announcement.
Sitting in the dark on an evening in a bar in Manhattan, with an old friend who talks softly in French-accented English while we discuss how the world is going to hell, you need a real drink sitting in front of you. Â In my case, this drink was an Old Fashioned, well mixed by a tuxedoed bartender in the Blue Bar using Maker's Mark and served in a heavy, stylish tumbler over a big pile of ice.
Perfection.
You might be a part of the Algonquin Round Table, and you might not know who Dorothy Parker is, and you might not give a damn, but that is one well-made cocktail.
(Pricey, too, at $20 per cocktail--but at the time I didn't care. Â Seems crazy in retrospect but what the heck, this is NY and it is the Algonquin. Â I'm not in NYC every day but don't be shocked and don't say I didn't warn you. Â I still go but not everyday.)
(My only nit is...the waiters could be a little more friendly. Â Tuxedoed does not mean you need to seem to be evaluating the patrons as to their status and acceptability to be drinking there. Â See, the world is going to hell!)
I work about half a block away from here and this is our go-to place for post-work shenanigans. Â It can get crowded early, so run over and snag some seats at the bar because the bartender (i forget his name but he is pictured on here somewhere) is super awesome. Â Even though I'm not sure if he actually remembers me every time, he always at least pretends to, and sometimes that comes with a glass of Prosecco on the house. Â
Cocktails aren't cheap but this is a super awkward area of midtown so I guess they get away with it. Â Tell the bartender what you like and he'll make you something good.
Third of the 44th Street hotel bar trifecta, with the Lobby Bar and M Bar.
When I sit down in the blue booths and order a martini, I can hear Sinatra singing. This truly is NY, NY. Screw the expense, the history and ambience are worth every penny.
Just like the M Bar, the wine list is a hidden gem, with the Australian selection particularly good. But really, Antipodean wine in here? Get back to that second martini! It's up to you....
More classy than sassy - it's actually the authentic type of sophisticated cocktail lounge after which so many downtown places have tried to model themselves!
Christian, Rocky and the rest of the team here are professional barmen and waiters. They treat you right and for the price of a drink you get the entertainment of their swank and style.
It's dark and sophisticated and whether you decide it's your cup of tea or not it's a NYC experience not to be missed. Especially if your with your rich uncle!
I make it a point to stop of here for a drink whenever I can. The drinks are the best in NYC. The barman cares about his work and isn't the typical "I want to be an actor..." type of kid that works in the typical NYC dive.
I haven't had a meal here (yet) but I like what I've seen delivered to the people who were there around me.
This is one of the better bars in the city. It is always quiet, elegant, and relaxed.
The Blue Bar is what New York City is all about for me. Â I try and make it there every time I'm in town. Â It's like an old friend with good yet slightly outdated taste. Â The scene is dark, blue and subdued. Â The wait staff is friendly, yet discreet.
The martini's are sublime! Â I know this review is rather run of the mill, but the Algonquinn is my favorite place in Manhattan. Â I pretend I'm Edie Sedgewick and my crazy father has brought me here to complain about all the money I'm spending hanging out with that crazy artist, while I'm living with my rich granny in her Park Avenue mansion. Â My father insists on the Algonquinn cause it's old school, but it's edgy for someone like him.
Anyway, back to the present, it's a perfect New York haunt.
The most perfect place for pre-theatre drinks is by far Blue Bar. There is such a dearth of places to go in the Times Square area, but this place seems to be void of tourists...thank god.
This is my go to place for a classy stop in--and they make the most luscious Hendrick's Martini. I haven't tried any of their signature cocktails, but everyone I have spoken to has raved about them.
It's small and cozy but they have a decent amount of booths and a couple seats by the window. But I much prefer sitting at the bar--their staff is very friendly.
Does the world need a $15 Cocktail? My guess is yes, if you believe in the long and rich tradition of the Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel. Sure, it's a bit of a tourist trap, but wouldn't you take advantage of the mythos of Dorothy Parker and her literary cohorts?
I was in NYC this weekend, staying at the City Club, which right next door, so stopped in with some friends for a post dinner drink. The bar was busy, but not overly so, and we managed to find a table at the front. Our server was gracious, not obtrusive, with a seeming respect for our desire for quiet conversation and potent beverages. Me, I went with a perfect Negroni that made me realize why I liked the concoction so much in the first place. My comrades went with vodka-based cocktails, all made with a nod to excellence.
The Blue Bar is not where you're going to get raucous. It's not where you're doing body shots. It's not even where I'd recommend going for a beer. But it is for that sophisticated time when you're out with good friends, or someone special, and want to soak up the ghosts of Gotham's past while you're at it.
How dark is it inside the Blue Bar? So dark that even in the afternoon they hand you a mini flashlight when they give you the menu and the bill.
Blue Bar is old New York City; where people would dress up for cocktails and a handshake would suffice until the third date, then you got a kiss on the check.
The Blue Bar has a clubby feel, with deep blue walls, dark wood accents and extremely comfortable chairs.
It's a quiet place to unwind and relax after hectic day.
Small little hotel bar where they make fancy-pants drinks. Â I wasn't in love with the 10 thyme smash, but it was pretty decent. Â I went during the day on a weekday, so I've got no idea what this place is like at night, but I can say that it was a nice place to stop by after lunch at the 44 in the Royalton during a special day I'd set up for my girlfriend turning 30.
Pros: good drinks, nice atmosphere, good service, interesting menu.
Cons: $15 for a drink (tax NOT included) does seem a bit high
so yeah, 4 stars, pretty good, but not a WOW, YOU MUST GO NOWNOWNOW place. Â If you're in the neighborhood and need a pricy drink, though, certainly stop in!
Definitely a good place for a quiet drink with an older relative, or a romantic drink (this review is for the bar only.) Â I've never been in a place with that was quiet enough for an easy conversation but had just enough music (bass and piano playing some mellow jazz) and conversational din to make nearby conversations inaudible. Â Really, it was like a magic trick.
Even though the nearly perfect ambiance made paying $14 for a cocktail (relatively) acceptable, we were nearly forgotten by our waiter. Â Waiting with empty glasses for 15 minutes for our second round, and then another 30 for the check (which had an extra drink on it the first time 'round) sucked some of the fun out of what was on the way to being an unequivocally wonderful experience.
"Let's get out of these wet clothes, and into a dry Martini" - Robert Benchley
(copied from my cocktail napkin at Blue Bar)
Even though Blue Bar opened in the 90's, it feels like it has been there forever.
Connected to the historically famous Algonquin Hotel, this dark-wood bar with its blue booths feels like a literary haven. Â You almost expect to turn around and see Dorothy Parker and her cronies deep in an alcohol-enhanced debate at the table behind you.
Drinks are strong and named after the famous writers who inspired them (I indulged in the "Parker", natch. Â Strong, but not nearly as much bite as its namesake). Â They are not cheap ($15 for all cocktails), so sip slowly.
The servers look about as old as the place feels. Â It really feels like you've stepped back in time, as they wait on you in their blue uniforms and their slick-backed hair. Â
Blue Bar is a funky and quirky little place, and I really enjoyed my recent visit there. Â It is the polar opposite of the bar at the Royalton across the street - so much of a non-scene that I have always overlooked it in the many years that I have stayed on 44th Street. Â Well, that will not be the case from now on. Â Blue Bar, you and I will be old friends before long.
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