I came here after an event , more of an after party wind down. I am slowly finding out about No.Libs with the sudden surge of great  establishments rising up. This part of town is making a statement , trying to compete and holding their own  with Old City down to South Philly  for places to go to. I will tell you that they are making themselves known with places like this.
This little cocktail lounge located in or on the outskirts of the piazza  is a great place to just go and unwind.  The atmosphere along with the decor is more of a relaxed state of mind with dim settings. Dark and dreary maybe, but it does have that mellow tone to it.  Perfect for a cocktail or two, with a small party, no more than 4  but its not your ordinary cocktail. These are some pretty unique refreshing beverages with a good amount of kick to it.  They also serve beer here, a great selection of crafts, but mainly they are known for their cocktails.
There are place you go to if you want that well crafted beer, then there are places like Emmanuelle that offers you a well crafted cocktail. Â Intense flavors that hits you, more of a rush at every sip. These guys make an unbelievable drink to be enjoyed. Yes it may seem a little expensive, but once you experience one of these concoctions you'll understand why. I myself had 2 different cocktails, one being "All in the reflexes" Â and "Two weeks from everything" . Both along with all these cocktails are made with top shelf liquors, no speed racks here.
Quality libations all made possible by  a bartender name Christian. This guy, the  the DiVinci of the mixed concoctions knows what he is doing. A great bartender that makes these perfectly blended drinks , takes his time, he seemed like a perfectionist in my opinion.  If you don't appreciate that, then you should not even walk in here. Myself I will always go back to places like this with this kind of service. Knowledgeable, offering you insight on how the drink is made , down to the presentation.
Great spot basically to unwind, relax and not giving a shit about what's happening outside those doors. Go inside and enjoy, I know I'll be coming back.
If you're in the neighborhood and you're looking for a great place to drink fantastic cocktails, come to Emmanuelle.
The bartenders are always really friendly, knowledgeable and they truly make this bar perfect. They craft cocktails with expertise while chatting with patrons and adding a personal touch that is missing from many other bars in the city.
If you like Pho you should order yourself a 'Worthy Fucking Adversary'. It's a savory cocktail based on Pho (a delicious Vietnamese peasant soup dish) that will force you to question everything you've ever previously thought of savory boozy drinks. Don't worry you can cure this mental crisis by having a few more drinks.
If you're looking for a fantastic drink spot to bring a date here's your answer. Though mostly I just come in on week nights when I've had a terrible day and need a good pick me up.
I was super excited when I first heard there is a new speakeasy in No Libs. On paper it's the best addition possible. However, the product itself was very disappointing. The drinks were very poorly concocted (especially for a speakeasy), the glasses were shabby, and the place lacked soul. The drinks just had no amplitude. The workers were very nice and I really wanted to like this place but the product is just not there. Sad day for NoLibers.
Review Source:Superb and friendly service in this tiny cocktail lounge. Â To me, Emmanuelle's is what a lounge should be, dark, comfortable seating, attention to detail while making strong drinks, and the quiet occasionally interrupted by an instrumental duo. Â
The drinks are creative and well made. Â I ordered an old fashioned (one of the better ones I've had) and the "worthy fucking adversary," which is a spicy drink designed to taste like cold pho. Â While I can't see myself ordering round after round of these, it was pretty good. Â If you like sriracha, then I would recommend trying it.
There are true bartenders here, evident in the care taken to make your drink.
"They're creepy and they're spooky."
I'd always fancied myself a bit like Wednesday Adams. Though I wasn't blessed with Christina Ricci's haunting eyes, my wardrobe is primarily black. And if I had my way, I would be as slender as a young Angelica Houston, and wear only black lace and dark satin. And if I were a sort of grown-up Wednesday, I would frequent only the fanciest of dark places. On top of this list would be Emmanuelle - with a name ringing of religious intent, but an atmosphere that exudes an intimate sultry contradiction.
Much like the speakeasy's out-of-place locale in the hipster section of Philly, Emmanuelle features a cocktail menu as old as it is new - the drinks seem caught between Prohibition era Manhattans and Sidecars and modern hipster concoctions showcasing elderflower liquors and blackberries.
Emmanuelle embodies the battle between Lucifer and Michael.
My boyfriend and I wandered in on Sunday night looking for a nice craft cocktail place to celebrate his birthday eve, we are glad we did! The drinks were boozy, tasty, and fairly priced. Drinks are between $10-12, which is good for a craft cocktail. The owner was really nice and was happy we were celebrating our b-day there. We left pretty tipsy. Will definitely be coming back!
Review Source:I came in for cocktails on Wednesday night with a friend. Â The place has a similar vibe to Hop Sing, but without all of the games, and walks around the block. Â I appreciate the Hop Sing novelty, but Emmanuelles was great for no BS cocktails! Â We sat down and ordered our drinks- I started out with the 'Worthy Fucking Adversary" which was vodka fresh lime, pho" spice syrup, viet herb blend and a sriracha float. Â It was glorious and tasty and spicy and amazing. Â I was really excited to be in a position of opportunity- I get to drink the whole thing!
We got a little snacky and split a cheese plate, which was pretty delicious too. Â 3 types of cheese, 3 types of cracker, preserves, each had a flavor, and they all worked well together. Â Pairing them, and sipping my cocktail was fantastic!
I probably should have stopped after this drink, but I went for the "White Light White Heat" which seemed like a natural progression from my previous beverage. Â It contained vodka, lemongrass syrup, almond milk, fresh lime, habanero-serrano tincture. Â It was also amazing, but the almost milk seemed a bit understated. Â I would have liked to have seen a bit more of that... but not at the expense of the vodka. Â It was a mighty strong, mighty tasty beverage.
All in all, this place is great! Â It was quiet when we got there, but it was pretty perfect. Â I don't know why it wasn't more busy. Â The owners seem really invested in making sure that people are happy, and I like that kind of interaction from time to time.
Also running into a College fling of sorts made our visit a bit more interesting... lets just say everything worked out for the best.
I am a NoLibs gal who often ditches the neighborhood when I find myself craving a well mixed cocktail in a fine but darkly lit establishment. Â As much as I love Franklin and Ranstead, Emmanuelle gives them both a run for their money. Â And I am not talking about the drinks. Â The bartender made his first POM Manhattan when I ordered at the bar. Â He was confused by my request and thought I meant "Palm" Manhattan. Â Regardless, the service was superb. Â The mixologists are down to earth and attentive, and cutely awkward at points. Â I was there on a Wednesday night, so we had the place mostly to ourselves. Â The other patrons were mainly Nolibs hipsters.
Even on a weekend night, I highly recommend this spot. Â My roommate ended up going back for a bachelorette party and was given a spacious table for a large guest party. Â They ordered two punch bowls to keep things simple (great idea).
This is a fantastic find! We stumbled on it one night when we were looking for something to do in NoLibs. It seems so exclusive to walk up to an unassuming bar with a carpet out front and then be ushered into a tiny, dark, secretive sort of place.
There is an extensive drinks menu and no drink minimum. All of the cocktails are $10, but they definitely pack a punch and take one back to a simpler age, when everyone wore bobbed hair and flapper dresses...
Basically a fantastic speakeasy and I had a blast there.
Don't be intimidated by the velvet rope and bouncer inside. If walking by and one does not know of the awesomeness of Emmanuelle, it can easily be seen as a super swanky, upscale, exclusive club, but it's not. It's a humble, dimly lit, and fuzzy bar with tables and incredibly knowledgeable staff when it comes to drinks. Step on in for a speakeasy experience where you're not required to buy a minimum of two drinks and stick around Friday nights when they bring in a live jazz band to really bring you back to the prohibition days.
Review Source:Emmanuelle is NoLibs' answer to the Ranstead Mortgage & Laundromat trend that seems to have caught on a little ways south of here. It is the slick, well dressed hipster girl with glasses and tussled hair that's just a little cheaper than her center city counterparts but doesn't fail in the personality department. Yeah, its in the Piazza but the piazza is kinda awesome so if you write it off for that reason alone, just stop doing things.
The mood is dark and a little vampiric(hello big bearskin on the wall). They have tasty small bites. They have a fantastic Manhattan.
It is also worth mentioning that the space isn't cramped and I've never had to wait in any line(real or imaginary) to get in here.
Hard to find but absolutely worth the effort.
At this point, I can't even describe what was put into my drinks. All I can say is that they were amazing. Regular drinks are all in the $10 range but creative combinations concocted correctly can cultivate crazy cocktails. Â The bartenders are nice to chat with and I have no complaints about their cheese board, however other food must be acquired elsewhere. Â Decor is a mix of swanky, badass, and slightly hallucinogenic.
Pick this premier posh pub! Â Cheers.
Emmanuelle is for sure not  a bar you're going to walk in regularly.  It's a spot you end up at once in a while, and when that happens, you're glad it did.  The atmosphere is really different from basically everything in the neighborhood.  It just has a good vibe.  The cocktail list is great as well.  It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for and that is a good, high quality, stiff drink.  The bartenders are incredibly professional and know everything about what they're serving.  This is very rare in northern liberties.  Every time I've been here we've had excellent service, and a good time which is about everything you can ask for in a bar.
Review Source:It's so great that Philly has yet another fantastic craft cocktail spot in Emmanuelle. Came here with 2 friends and we had a great time. Between the 3 of us we tried a number of their cocktails and were pleasantly surprised by the creativity of all of them. Based on our sampling, it seems like there's something for every palate out there and you can't really go wrong. We also ordered a cheese plate, which had a mix of Camembert, manchego, a sheep's milk cheese accompanied by homemade pickled apples, which were awesome, relish, and almond butter. A great mix of flavors to snack on while we enjoyed our drinks. At 10 pm the jazz combo came on and really elevated the ambiance, although we were sitting right next to them, which was a bit loud. My one critique was the bathroom. It was small and not very nice and you could here the music blasting from the adjacent establishment (PYT I think), which was weird. At least now I can say I've heard a DMX-jazz combo mash up...
Overall, we had a great time and can't wait to return!
Emmanuelle has something for everyone. If you're struck by the mood to "make it rain," as the kids these days say, they have a lavish $275 punch bowl that boasts a tasty concoction of several luxurious liqueurs. Should you prefer a more staid evening of making it drizzle, their cocktail list includes a multitude of hot/cold/shaken/stirred libations that taste like a million bucks but will not part you from your coin sack.
If you'd like to whet your appetite while wetting your whistle, try the cheese board. The cheeses are so good, at first bite you will turn into a pretentious francophile and insist on calling them "fromage."
And so please accept my hearty endorsement of Emmanuelle.
Enjoying cocktails in a darkly lit room with walls carpeted with black velvet wallpaper, while sitting at a wooden table, with a piano nearby and looking up at a deer head with glowing read eyes is a way I like to spend my evening. Â I have to say that I am in love with the black velvet wallpaper. Â I want this in a room in my future dream house. Â This really is a nice looking bar. Â
I'm glad I heard about this place on Yelp. Â Otherwise I'd never have found it because it's on the side of the building where I never venture. Â Once you go to the side though you can't miss the large doors. Â
The service here was excellent. Â The server was knowledgeable about the drinks. Â Our water glasses, that we were given immediately when we were seated, never got anywhere near low. Â Also, you can pay by credit card as they've got one of those card readers hooked up to an ipad which is handy.
The drinks were good, but what is keeping me from giving that fifth star is that while they were good, none of them were good enough to make me want to come back for that particular cocktail or to order the same thing again. I usually remember what I ordered when I go to write about places, but I couldn't remember one of the cocktails and had to go check my photos to jog my memory. Â I did enjoy the Madame de Pompadour. Â It was fizzy and served in a champagne flute and was made with a berry and violet petal based liquor called creme Yvette. The other that I wasn't crazy about was the Lord Mandrake. Â The texture was nice due to the egg white, but I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor of it. It was a bourbon based cocktail. Since this place is new and I went last month, I'm sure it will only get better. Â The cocktails range from between $10 and $12. Â
I'm happy that Emmanuelle has come to Northern Liberties. Â Now I can get some good cocktails without having to go to Center City and deal with parking. Â This place is right next to a huge gravel lot which is very convenient.
Just perfect for the neighborhood. Â Think upscale, classy, lounge-y feel retaining that NoLibs hipster edge, but in a non-annoying way. Â To wit what I assume to be a founder of the place was decked in edgy suit, yet had sneakers on his feets and an odd beard upon his face. Â Again, not in an annoying showy way but in a...this is who I am...way.
Was there last Friday and they had a small jazz group (quartet I believe) playing, drinks were interesting, large if not a bit repetitive with certain ingredients (NBD), and we sat under a giant deer head with beading red eyes.
Service was excellent. Â We wanted nuts, and they were out of nuts but a staff member was eating trail mix in the back so offered us some on the house. Â Twas a good trail mix.
This is a "cheaper" version of other Philly cocktails bars and not in a good way. What with the lady bartender? My friend and I were sitting at the bar and it took her forever to even acknowledged us! Once we got the menu it took her another 15 minutes to take our order. The drinks aren't that good and the place looked like a rundown hipster Disneyland! We are not coming back as there is much better bars in the area.
Review Source:This place is seriously the tits. Â I was starting to think that Philly was over saturated with cocktail places, however Emmanuelle clearly stands as a cut above the rest. One of the owners "Christian" (no relation) served us during my first visit here. Â The service was absolutely impeccable. Â Seriously-devour their Old Fashioned's, Hot Toddy's, and ask about the bartender's choice.
The ambiance is darkness with no windows. Â Great way to hide one's imperfections or pregame your freak on. Â In both of my visits, all of the new comers fell instantly in love. Â You know that feeling...the PF kind.
I'm glad this place is near at hand. Emmanuelle is a subtle top tier cocktail spot not suited for high volume. This lends to a more intimate experience with one to four people in mind. This isn't a spot where you roll deep. This is where you have a great discussion with a close friend.
That said, the music was a tad too loud. Let's keep it intimate guys, can we?
Tucked away on the outside of the southern side of the Piazza. Â Upon approach there is a mural of a gentleman with a top hat, big old-timey 'stache and monacle stating, "Fine drinks. Â Fine people." Â A "fine" invitation indeed.
Small space with high ceilings, walls covered in a fabric wallpaper, dimly lit by small chandeliers. Â A nice atmosphere, despite the demonic looking deer head thing on the wall. Â Loved the live jazz going on (Friday nights) which sets it apart from the Franklin and Hop Sing, and gives it an extra star in my book. Â Our server was friendly and helpful. Â He informed us we were just in time to catch the new drink menu.
The menu was divided into 7 cocktails based on classic recipes under "From The Canon" and 7 novel cocktails affectionately entitled "New Shit Has Come To Light." Â The menu is not as wide as the Franklin's, probably similar in size to Hop Sing. Â It was fairly varied in base spirits for cocktails: 2 drinks each for bourbon, rye, gin, rum and cognac and 1 drink each for scotch, absinthe, tequila, vodka and even Creme Yvette, a violet liqueur. Â Though five of the fourteen cocktails included "bubbly."
I'm a bourbon man so I tried the Lord Mandrake which has bourbon, Cynar (an Italian herbal/artichoke bitter), Benedictine (French herbal liqueur), egg white and Angostura Bitters (Trinidadian gentian root bitter). Â (I'm no expert; research on the Cynar and Benedictine was post-drink.) Â It was quaffable, but as my friend pointed out it definitely had a harsh lingering flavor of the bitters if you left it on your tongue for more than a moment.
Lovely ending to our drink... we were gracefully informed that someone at the bar had bought the entire room a round. Â How classy! Â This had never happened to me before.
Overall, the drinks weren't as superb as The Franklin. Â But it's more accessible than the Franklin (always a line) and Hop Sing (iron gate), and it had live jazz, so I would go back.
Emmanuelle is the more approachable, but still sophisticated cousin (not related) to Franklin Mortgage, et al.
Came here with a group of 5 on Saturday night to no crowds and great live music. The drink menu was nothing special for a place such as these. They had the cocktails that you would expect from a speakeasy/Prohibition bar.
I'm definitely a fan, and it's a happy addition to the NoLibs area.
I'm starting to think that the stock market crashed in 1929 because everyone was always hungover the next morning from the drinking scene in the 20's.
That said, Emmanuelle is the newest edition of Philly's blossoming speakeasy cocktail scene. Â Tucked away in the far outer edge of the Piazza, Emmanuelle is a small space, comparable to the size of the other speakeasy establishments in the city.
With black velour wallpaper and candles, Emmanuelle is about as sexy as it gets. I was with a group of six, and we were able to walk right in and get a table big enough to fit the group - only because we were the only ones in there. Â I don't expect that to ever happen again, as the place is very limited on the seating. Â There is seating on the left and right sides of the room, and some stools at the bar, but the majority is open space. Â I'm curious to see how the place is going to be when its full.
They have a pretty impressive cocktail list, and the boys were pretty happy with their old fashioneds. I love that they also have the option of "bartenders choice"-which is what I got. I have no idea what was in it, but it was seductive, delicious, (strong!) and made with care.
Might have to start making more trips up to NoLibs to enjoy the sexiness of Emmanuelle!
The sexy has been brought back to NoLibs.
Emmanuelle is the place you take a date when you want to impress them. Impress them up and down all night long, with an innovative cocktail menu and friendly knowledgeable staff. The darkness and candles (along with the extra potent cocktails) make for an extra sexy setting, so snuggle up close to that guy/girl.
Our posse came here post bowling since we were already in the hood. The six of us chatted around a pretty decent sized table and ordered various drinks. Three ladies when with the bartenders choice and the gents did old fashions with rye and bourbon. It wasn't crowded so we had the place all to ourselves (thankful since we always have inappropriate conversations with each other). The space isn't huge so Im almost positive on a Friday/Saturday Night this place is hardcore crowded so get there early.
I really enjoyed my  two bartenders choice drinks. The first was served up and the base was tequila some other awesome stuff and then topped with champs( duh i liked it). My second was served on the rocks and i couldn't even tell you what was in it but it was damn good.
I will probably have to make it to  NoLibs more often so  I can try out the new cocktail menu.
There will def be some PF /BD action once you get a cab out of here. Enjoy
I was beyond thrilled when I heard about Emmanuelle coming to the piazza. I have always thought that Nolibs was in desperate need of a place to go and grab cocktails. When it comes to beer, you're covered but a cocktail place was lacking...until now.
Upon walking in, this bar manages to be a perfect mix of comfortable and sexy. The atmosphere makes me want to sit down and have some drinks. Perfect. My only wish is that the bar was bigger. It gets crammed and I think they should take one stool out.
The cocktails are delicious though I've been stuck on the Framboise. It's some bubbly with fresh lemon juice and a raspberry liquor. Its refreshing but not too sweet. It's subtle. I love it. Other than that, they have something for everyone from what I can tell. The bartenders are inviting and know how to mix a cocktail paying attention to every little detail. They have also been helpful for suggestions which is great.
I will absolutely continue to come back to this place. I only worry that once the word is out, it will get jammed packed as it's pretty small.
This place looks pretty cool, I really dig the vibe. Â But even the cool place didn't make me want to stay for a second drink. Â The cocktail list is small; and I personally don't love cocktails made with gin or champagne, and that's about 75% of the list.
Drinks are 10-12, and they're well made and conceived. Â I really did enjoy my visit to Emmanuelle, but I just don't see myself ever visiting again, hence 3 stars. Â
Good service. Â Look for the tub!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
