Came here to check out their weekly whiskey tasting on Monday nights with some friends. Great bar with a nicer ambiance with a hospitable vibe that lessens the intimidation of getting cocktails in TriBeca without being dressed in a suit (which I was not)
The staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely a bar where people know their stuff. What's great about Ward III is they invite people to get to know each other and to engage with the bar and bar patrons. One of the most interesting things on the menu is requesting a custom drink from the bar tender based on your tastes and preferences. If it's good, you can name it for future drinking posterity.
I went for the French 76, which was nice and refreshing. My favorite cocktail for the summer!
Now onto the whiskey tasting. I highly recommend checking out the tasting, which is free with the purchase of another drink from the bar. There were three samplings of Bowmore whiskey. Our tasting host (Dave or David? Dave/David, I'm sorry I didn't catch your actual name) was super knowledgeable and charming! I'm not a whiskey connoisseur, but the host walks you through the whiskey-making process, why whiskey tastes, looks, and smells the way it does--which for a nerd like me is super fun! And of course, the host teaches you how to best enjoy and savor whiskey. You'll be able to notice tastes and learn about whiskey in a fun way. Definitely would recommend the tasting for anyone who loves whiskey or wants to enjoy a good tasting.
I didn't know this place until my date Erin told me.. lol.. yea.. we always head to awesome place like this.. ;)
so on a Monday night.. Since I have nothing to do.. we decided to catch up with drinks after dinner.. I almost miss this place because I didn't see the sign.. every door has the same design (well almost)..
Upon entering.. I already fall in love with the atmosphere.. it's a great date spot where you can have a conversation and have a couple drinks to "loosen" you up..
I love how they have the first page of the menu where if you have absolutely no idea what you want.. Is call Bespoke Cocktail.. you can just name the type of alcohol you want.. and the taste you want.. So i went like.. Vodka, sweet and sour, refreshing and bartender choice.. I totally did not ask what it was and I just started drinking.. :P
Before that I already ordered myself a moroccan martini.. It was really refreshing.. the mint taste gave it a kick to the lime and mint and gave some sweetness to it.. perfect for summer.. isn't it?
My date Erin ordered Baby Eveline.. I love that drink as well.. I just love anything with vodka, rum or gin.. haha..
I will definitely come back again.. Especially it's located in tribecca!! :)
The terrible service takes away from the divine beverages - here's why:
DECOR - I LIKE THE DESIGN. I wish my future apartment looked like this bar.
DRINKS - I LIKE THE DRINKS. Â I like a bar that lets me design my perfect cocktail (picante whiskey!). Â I've tried a few on their menu and enjoyed ALL.
BUT BUT BUT
The SERVICE. Â sigh. Â
The bar did that thing where they visit everyone around you and then you last despite your long wait. Â I worked a busy bar... you should prioritize customers who wait patiently or else lose your tip.
We had an 11pm reservation for a party of ten. Â Despite the calling to reconfirm that reservation, the staff said we missed our table at 7pm (what?). Â So lucky a spot up front opened up and we sat with our cocktails. Â The same waitress we had spoken with regarding the reservation kicked us out of this spot because 'a big party with a reservation is here.' While we explained we were that group, she had us get up... then she got our other friend and was all, "here's your table!" Â Just stupid. Â The cheap vodka shots she tried to recover with were pretty rough and possibly well.
If the service were better, I'd be here often for those tasty, tasty drinks.
One of my favorite places in NYC for cocktails refreshingly laden with whiskey, aromatic herbs and muddled fruit. Â The bartenders are so amazing and always extremely nice, even when it's crowded after work. Â They are helpful if you want to try something new, and always feature drinks/whiskey from small distilleries. Â On Monday nights they have free whiskey tastings offered by different distilling companies--Whiskey Mondays (8PM-10PM). Â They play great music and I've ended up dancing here with friends even though there is no official dance floor, lol and no one has ever been rude. Â Love this place!
Review Source:If you're coming to Ward III after work on a Friday evening, I suggest you make it in quick before it fills up because it's just popping like that. We came here to try some of their specialty cocktails. There were so many that looked appealing so I had to ask the waitress for her top 2 faves and go with those. I think the drinks were phenomenal, well made and I recommend the Tortuga!
Review Source:Ward III is a grown-up after work bar, long and narrow with exposed brick walls and downward-facing exposed lightbulbs. It's a perfect place to have a few drinks - be they cocktails, stotch or a half-dozen microbrews, with a sheen of class.
The place is packed, even on weeknights. Despite the general noise level and lack of seating, I've spent several evenings here, ordering yet another round and launching into a kvetch or humblebrag from the previous day at the Salt Mines.
Three or drinks in, it's usually time for a few small plates. I'm quite fond of their duck nachos. The fatty, sweet flavor of duck is a natural for the oversized tortilla chips and double dairy punch of sour cream and cheese. Less successful are the date-and-bacon which come dry and overcooked. Easy with the broiler guys! We need the juice of the fat to melt into the date. An olive plate is acceptable, as are the sliders.
Ward III is a good option for classy but not pretentious evenings, to signify success without debauchery, and celebrate life while still making it to the office by 9 am.
Great venue for drinks located in Tribeca. Â I booked a small gathering of 15-20 ppl back in Feb and the best thing about Ward III is that there was no minimum for reserving the back of the bar (vs. many other bars can easily charge you min. $2k spending). Â We stayed late and had a great time. Â Would def recommend this to others!
Review Source:Came here for my birthday party LAST year in April. I absolutely loved it. As many other people have already mentioned, the bartenders are super flexible and they even offer to take down a drink that you make so you can come back at a later time and reorder it. We had about 20 something people here and they were very, very accommodating. All we had to do was combine 2-3 tables near the front entrance area and they left us to order or own drinks for the better part of the night. The end tab was a bit of a pain, but that's honestly with any place and large groups.
This place was great and I highly recommend it.
The WORST service I've ever encountered in this city.  Yes, it was a crowded saturday night, but there were seemingly plenty of servers and bartenders.  Our server just happened to HATE her job and would blatantly ignore people who desperately wanted to order food  or drinks unless you specifically asked her to take individual people's orders.  The drinks and the appetizers were great but overpriced.  We originally went there because of the clever bespoke cocktail idea, but it was far too crowded for that to even remotely be a possibility.  Also very loud and dark.  Good luck...
Review Source:If you are trying to find this place PAY ATTENTION. It is super easy to pass by - I did twice.
They could probably use one more bartender - things just took a while- ordering and cashing out. But once you get the menu you can see they have a pretty unique drink list and seem to pride themselves on their mixology.
But this place is pretty small and gets packed and  I'm not a fan of a $15 drink when I can barely find room to move. Â
I'd try it again - just when I know it's gonna be somewhat dead inside.
For me this place is just  O...kay
The inside:
So the place was packed, felt like a sauna, and had a bunch of people too busy mingling to understand "Excuse me." After pushing through the crowd, there is a area with a few tables.
Good luck getting one!
For me the drinks (which are pretty pricy by the way) weren't that great. The selection kinda sucked and after my terrible Morracon Margarita (which by the way was more of a mint mojito) I ended up ordering drinks that weren't on the menue.
That aside I still say this place is decent to come to either after work or with a bunch of friends looking for a relaxed scene with good music and good looking people. Save yourself the bad drinks and settle for a coke or better yet some water.
George is a 12-year-old Tabby Cat and he's responsible for this Yelp Review. Â Everyone in unison, "HI GEORGE". Â
I had Ward III on my ever expanding "bars to try" list. Â We arrived about 10pm on a Saturday night. Â The doorman was gracious, it wasn't too crowded, and the bartender, well, attended to us speedily. Â It was an above-average bar experience until the allergy attack hit. Â
See, we had been catsitting George and my roommate is allergic to him. Â She'd been having allergy attacks off and on all weekend long. Â She was suddenly red-nosed and congested while perched on her barstool. Â She asked the kind bartender if he would "make something to help clear this up" as she exaggeratedly motioned to her swollen eyes and stuffy nose. Â He asked her to give him a few minutes. He came back with a grin and a lovely concoction of lemon juice, ginger, cayenne, vodka, and something sweet. Â That's right, it was essentially The Master Cleanse (plus booze) and it was DELICIOUS. Â That's the moment our bar experience became EXTRAordinary. Â
Ward III? Â You've won our hearts. Â We'll be back, and we'll leave the cat dander out it next time.
Came here last week with Ameesha C. and 4 friends. We had just seen Side Effects, which (without giving away the plot) obviously has a lot to do with hospitals. Only fitting we come to Ward III after.
Love the vibe of this place. On a Sunday night, it was fairly low key, we were one of just a few tables. We got there just before happy hour ended and managed to sneak in a round of drinks. Always a plus.
Most of us ordered from the small plates / slides / appetizer menu. I got the meatball sliders + salad, my wife got the potato and leeks soup, and a couple other people got the lamb shank tacos. Everyone loved what they got, and the two guys who got the lamb shank tacos ordered second plates.
Service was attentive and polite throughout the night. We stayed for a while and nursed drinks, probably got too loud as we became increasingly intoxicated, but we kept it under control. But no one really bothered us.
I'm told they also have whiskey tastings here in the evenings, though by the time we finished dinner, that would have been a pretty bad idea. We may have to return to sample that offering soon though.
Nice place on a reasonably quiet Tribeca street. Highly recommend.
Went here for drinks with friends on a Thursday night.  The bar is dark and not totally spacious.  We were seated in a corner and were pretty crammed.  But the drinks were good- nice specialty cocktails.  We also tried the duck nachos, which were outstanding.  The prices are higher than the average bar, but you're in Tribeca and the cocktails are also more upscale that your average place. Probably wouldn't come back with a large group, but  I would go back again for fun drinks with a few friends.
Review Source:I have very mixed feelings about Ward III, here is why:
Ambiance: The place is narrow, a bit too dark but gives a cool vibe. The music was weird, like music you listen to when you are high on mushroom. Â Crowd was mixed of young professionals and older folks.
Food: My friend and I decided to have appetizers; we shared the guac & chips and the dates wrapped in bacon. Â The guac was good, not the best I've had (I'm a guac whore) but pretty good. Â The dates were delicious, but there so tiny! Not worth $8.
Drinks: We asked the waitress about happy hour specials and she informed us they had $8 glasses of wine. Â To me, $8 for a glass of wine is regular price not a special, nonetheless, the Bordeaux we ordered was pretty good.
We proceeded to go to the bar and the ordered Bacardi and pineapple. Â The drink was $11, a price I expect at a club not a bar, but I must give credit to West (the bartender) for making the drinks quite strong. When we ordered another round, he remember what my friend and I had ordered... Very attentive, we liked.
Service: The waitress did not come to ask us how everything was and we had to ask the busboy to tell her that we wanted the check.
The bartender and coat check girl were very friendly and attentive.
We ended going next door to Sazon for some dancing.
Overall the place was nice, I guess after reading all the reviews on yelp I was expecting more.
Don't be surprised if you walk past this place the first time around. From the outside, it looks dark and even know I was looking for the address I walked right past it and had to back track. I was shocked when I opened the door to find a bustling restaurant and bar. I liked my stout but did not like the food. My friend and I split the steak sandwich and the lamb sliders. The sliders didn't taste like lamb, more like sausage and the steak sandwich was very, very chewy. The side salad that it came with barely had any dressing on it and I had to ask for extra dressing on the side. I have heard good things about their cocktails and if I came back, that's the only thing that I would get.
Review Source:Definitely wish I knew about this place earlier. I came here this past weekend for a good friend's birthday bash. What better way to celebrate turning a quarter century than to hit up a chill bar? Â I think the birthday boy made a great choice by deciding to have his party here.
I almost walked past Ward 111 because it is so discreet, which is what I like. No hassle bouncer, also a plus! It's not a dive bar with an obnoxious college scene, nor is it a super swank mpd type bar with unnecessary attitude. Neither too casual nor pretentious. There is a good mix in the crowd. Look at this place as a sanctuary to meet other mid 20's to early 30's kind of bar over drinks with a nice little punch to them. You definitely won't break the bank on drinks here, but they are within the typical price range for this area.
Although the bar is kind of narrow, there are numerous tables and space around the bar to order your drinks. The bartenders are efficient and friendly. I also didn't have to wait too long to get my drink even though the bar was packed. Get here early as the bar does fill up quickly. There is music playing in the background but this isn't really a club/lounge where you can dance. So leave those happy feet at home!
What particularly stands out about this bar is not just the chill ambiance but that there is a bar etiquette that is enforced here. It's such a breath of fresh air for an establishment to really look out for creepers and protect the patrons from feeling uncomfortable among other things to make your bar-going experience nothing less than pleasant.
Our party had a great time at Ward 111. On my way to Ward 111 I wasn't sure what to expect but I was ecstatic to find a perfect combination of laid back/ no drama, and good drinks! Looking forward to adding this to my list of frequent spots! Word on the street is that the food is also worth checking out!
Get to the Chase:
Pros:
1) Great snacks (soups, sandwiches, chips)
2) HUGE-mongous list of drinks (liquors and beers) Love their draft Belgian beers
3) Really cozy atmosphere, and friendly staff
Cons:
1) Small, and crowded place (but popular as hell)
2) French Onion soup was like a bowl of grease
3) Impossible to get a seat at 5:30 PM on a Thursday or Friday....get a reservation
Cocktails. Â We were entertained just watching the bartender artistically pour spirits, mixers, muddled fruit, spices making two drinks at the same time.
Going to Ward III is vicarious living for me. Â The crowd is younger than my peer group but, I can relate to the scene.
The atmosphere is all about fun, good drinks, good music, friends. Â The menu has a "behavioral" guideline: engage others, be nice, don't be creepy. Â It's quirky and cool.
For the record, when I give 5 stars, it does not mean it is the Rolls Royce, red carpet treatment type of experience. Â Just that it is a true quality place within it's range of competition (e.g. I could give a dive bar 5 stars). Â Ward III is hip - nowhere near a dive.
A few weeks ago I first experienced Ward III and wow this is an easy place to fall in love with. Â The drinks are made with care and by people who are obviously experts in the art of libations. Â Almost any request you have can be accommodated. Â If you're not one for a mixed drink, they have an ample selection of scotch & bourbons to suit your mood.
We were seated at a table off the bar area and the service was top notch. Â If this is a stop after work and you haven't had dinner, do yourself a favor and order the food. Â They plates are nothing fancy and allow the drinks to be the star of the show.
I loved the drinks at Ward III - pricey, but worth it. Â Next time I come, I'm gonna have to try their food. Â Everything that was coming out to the tables beside us looked delicious.
One gripe: the music is too, TOO loud. Â I'm surprised I didn't have a sore throat the next day after having a couple drinks and literally having a shouting match of a conversation. Â Maybe it was just where our table was located though?
Either way, Yay! I'm a fan.
Forgive me Father, for I have Yelped.
If this isn't a neighborhood gem, I don't know what is. After would could have been the worst day ever, I walked into Ward III where a host grabbed a chair and made space for me at the bar. Â I knew we were off to a good start. Â
I was handed a menu that came in one of those brown 6 tab folders you find at work. Â On the left side was a list of maybe 15 rules. Â One of my favs was for guys to not bother girls if they aren't interested. (Clearly what is common sense to one, isn't to another.)
I decided on a bourbon Manhattan. Â I asked my new found friend T what he was enjoying and he said that Kenny had made him something creative. Â So I opted for the Manhattan and then some. Â The end result did not disappoint. Â He used Makers, Aperol, bitters and all spice... and if memory serves, bourbon soaked cherries.
The food menu is limited, but well done. Since I hadn't eaten since breakfast, I ordered the pulled duck sliders. Â Three sliders doused in the right amount of a sweet BBQ sauce arrived on a small cutting board with a side of greens in a tasty vinaigrette. Â The sliders were money. Â Â
I went back another night and found myself telling people about the tasty menu. Â Turns out a lot of locals didn't even know that Ward served food. Â Hopefully they a) try it b) spread the word.
Where Ward excels is definitely in cocktails. Â They're reminiscent of a speakeasy/prohibition era; Drinks are handcrafted. Â They also have the "usual" bar fare as well. Â For instance, I easily ordered Jameson on the rocks and another guy ordered a beer on tap, while another chose a bottled beer.
For my Bay Area friends -- think Single Barrel or Bourbon & Branch. Â Only less pretentious.
Also, Monday nights are whiskey tastings. Â I was lucky enough to experience one of these free tastings with Larceny boubon. YUMMY! It'd only been released a few days prior in the US, and on a limited release.
I guess what I'm saying is go to Ward III. Â The drinks are fantastic. Â The food is good. Â The people who frequent the venue are super friendly. Â The vibe is chill but upbeat. Â I visited twice while in New York and will definitely go back again for my next visit.
We stumbled upon Ward III courtesy of Yelp reviews, and were not disappointed. Following dinner at Tamarind, we wanted a cozy boozer where we could sit and talk, but maybe something with the added zing TriBeCa supposedly carries.
When we arrived, the hostess warned us that they only had a table for us for the next hour, after which our table was needed for a pre-standing reservation. I've never been to a bar that takes reservations, but okay; we chanced it. We ordered two rounds, and as promised, an hour later we were asked to leave, despite an open tab already approaching $100. Hence, four stars.
The drinks: Terrific, but expect to pay TriBeCa prices. $12 for most bespoke cocktails, for example. Is any Old Fashioned worth $12? Probably not, assuming the same whiskeys and bourbons. The house specialty drink was quite good, and the amount poured was generous, all things considered. All of that to say: Ward III will mix you a fine drink, but you're paying at least $2 extra to drink it in TriBeCa.
Assuming that you're prepared for NYC prices, this seems like a great little joint to curl up at a table with friends and drink and laugh the evening away.
Hands-down, my favorite bar in new york city. Local bar in TriBeCa. Low-key. Great cocktails. Great service.
The owners and bartenders are awesome. Very friendly and phenomenal mixologists. Tell them anything you like (or don't like) and they'll make something fantastic for you. I have never ordered a drink off the menu (I usually have the bartender make something up), and have never been disappointed once. I also don't think I've ever had the same drink more than once.
I have never been into spicy drinks - but Vince showed me otherwise. Now, my favorite drink is a sort of  Pimms and Lemonade concoction, splashed with a tad of jalapeno. A friend of mine, on the other hand, can't really do spicy. Vince gladly made her another drink to suit something that was more her taste.
Ward 3 is a very smooth bar with an assorted variety of alcohol to sooth your taste buds.
A buddy of mine stumbled across this gem while we were in the area. Â He asked for three of their best drinks, one of which was already gone by the time I got there. The other was super heavy on the alcohol, which at 3:45, was pretty difficult for me to baby sit at that point. Â First time I ever had to ask a bartender to water down a drink!! Â I do not remember which one that was however. Â The bartenders were great as well. Â great service.
The drink we fell in love with however was Ward 3 (I rarely find a bad drink with Makers Mark in it). Â Best drink I had in a while.
A list. Â I can not wait to come back here soon.
Cheers
I've been to a few bars which offer bespoke cocktails, and none of them offers a more masterfully-crafted concoction than the cocktails I had at Ward III. Ward III is owned and operated by three bartenders who clearly are experts in their field. When you enter the bar, you might be greeted by corporate-looking finance guys that might not be your idea of a good time, but why do you care? You're here for the drinks made by the dashing bartenders.
Ward III is one of the few places in New York City that lists a New York Sour on its menu - and it was delicious indeed. I also tried a few of their house cocktails: the Ward 3 (sippable and drinkable), the Baby Eveline (a girly but tasty drink), The Great King (a rich and luscious drink), and the Angel Zakir (refreshing and light).
However, the real stars of the night were the bespoke cocktails, each at $14. The bartender that made our drinks knew exactly what to do when he was directed with "smoky peach" and "St Germain and gin". The "smoky peach" cocktail came back tasting like summer grillin' in a backyard, and the St Germain and gin had so many layers of complexity, every sip blew me away.
Definitely think up something complicated and ask the bartenders for a bespoke cocktail. They'll appreciate the challenge.
Extremely interesting. I was a regular back when it was named...something else, I can not now remember. But the makeover is not cause for dismay. For some reason 'WardIII' has caught on and is more successful than whatever was previously in this spot.
The menu is quite good; and I would enjoy attending this place on a quiet weeknight to get personalized service. On weekends and during happy hours its a bit mobbed and you have to fight for the servers' attention.
The food is that slightly upscale stuff which is everywhere in Manhattan; its good for what it is but (for me personally) I usually want simple, reliable food rather than all this exotically-tinged; latest-trendy-flavor-combo-everyone-is-into. Like, you'll go to order some dish here like Buffalo Wings only to find they're, 'Buffalo Pomegranate Wings' (with roasted pistachio crust). Sigh! Just sayin!
There's also a problem of acoustics--for some reason everything reverberates in this place. Echo-ey. Must be all the exposed brick. Really starts to wear on one's nerves. Put up some baffles!
Unfortunately (to my mind) the crowds here  are usually godawful. Dull, nattily-dressed, financial and legal types; stuffy and boring even as they are 'cutting edge' and stylin'. Yawn. Oh and they're all addicted to their vain cellphone lives instead of being real people.
Anyway now to talk about the best element: the bar itself. 'Ward III' is one of the most creative bars in the city. The mixmasters here are top-notch, slick, deft, cunning. They really know their stuff and they actually think carefully about what mix of alcohol to give you. The reason this creativity comes into play is because the martini menu is arranged by 'flavors', 'moods', 'combinations', and 'themes'. Its not specific as to what exact result will be in the glass. They have to make a new drink recipe on the spot depending on your whim. And it has to work; it has to be drinkable and pleasing. Now this is definitely a twist. Its fun to put them to the test!
Certainly a place to go with a hot date.
I can't believe I haven't written a review of Ward III yet.
Ward III is practically hidden from the outside by construction in the Reade-W Broadway-Chambers block, but it has a dark, cozy interior with lots of exposed brick and candles. I've been here on quiet nights and on busier ones, and it's worth coming back to again and again.
The bartenders and staff are incredibly nice, and they make solid drinks. My new favorite? The French 75. Ward III definitely makes the best one, too, that is well-balanced and boozy. If you're looking to try a house cocktail, the Ward 3 is delicious. Don't be scared of the egg white. Can't figure out what you want, but know what flavors and tastes you want? They also offer bespoke cocktails. As one other reviewer said, "Their drinks do not play around (taste or price-wise) - this is not watered down cheap stuff."
As for food, I recommend the pulled duck sliders. I'm not usually a duck enthusiast, but these things were great. They've been on the menu since I first came to Ward III--back in December 2010--and there's a reason they're still on there.
I've been multiple times after work for a drink and Ward III has never let us down. Â I can always count on great service, a super chill vibe, and reasonable noise level. Â
On the much Yelped about bespoke cocktails - - if you are doing spicy, be sure to specify how spicy. Â No two bespoke drinks ever come out the same way, and my spicy bespokes have run the gamut from nicely spiced to throat-scorching, sorry-I-must-interrupt-conversation-to-send-this-Âback spicy.
Regardless, they are delicious and reasonably stiff, which is perfect since custom cocktails will run you about $15 each.
Tip - the place can get crowded at night, so make a res if you anticipate a large group.
Really wanted nachos and was on my way to a wine tasting. Stopped in this place per Suri and had the duck nachos and the quesadilla. Upscale bar food done well with a speakeasy atmosphere. I've never had pulled duck on nachos and the chips were homemade. The quesadilla was topped with a spicy sauce that I enjoyed.
They had a bespoke cocktail list that seemed really cool. Would visit again to try that.
Hey, guys. Looking for a Tribeca spot to bring a special date without insinuating certain presumptions? Look no further than Ward III. The (very) dark lighting, small tables, and exposed brick gives the place an intimate vibe, but the (very) loud music blaring from the speakers keeps things fun and light.
The bespoke mixologist take on cocktails will help her to let down her guard as she enjoys what could be the most delicious alcoholic concoctions ever sipped. I arrived with every intention of sticking to my guns and ordering club soda throughout the night, but with a menu that encourages patrons to pick a liquor and pick a spice and let the bartenders do the rest, I just couldn't help myself.
While the dinner menu - mostly bar food like quesadillas and sandwiches - won't wow anyone, the very cool take on drinks and the overall vibe would overshadow even the most amazing of food.
A great bar to hang out after work in financial district/tribeca. Its not a dive bar but casual and relaxing. Good cocktails selections - I would never go to a bar to drink a vodka tonic, so would always like to try different mixtures. Ward III here is top pick, then Moroccan martini and Tortuga are very nice too.
Can definitely go for after work drinks, or a quick bite . Not snob, Very comfortable.
A friend just moved down to Tribeca so we wanted to check out something local, and cocktails sounded right up our alley. Â I liked the space- exposed brick, mirrors, and big festive wreaths. Â I arrived a few minutes before 7 on a Wednesday and all seats were full. They told me about a half hour wait for 2 but luckily it was only 10 minutes. I also beat the crowd by about 5 minutes so it seems that was the perfect time to show up.
On to the cocktails. Â I went the bespoke route for the first one and asked for something similar to a pisco sour (didn't have to be exact). Â What I received was ok, definitely strong. Â The glasses are small but the strength of the drink made up for it! Â For my 2nd two I had the Moroccan Martini. Â It is very similar to a drink I've enjoyed at Employees Only. Â It tasted more lemon than orange, but it was good. Â
We ordered sandwiches off the food menu and they were good. Â The food took a long time to come out. Â We didn't complain, as we were enjoying our cocktails, but the manager (I think?) was nice enough to come over and apologize for the delay and offer our next drinks on the house. Â Very proactive and appreciated! Â My friend and I agreed we will definitely be returning soon. Â I'd like to sit at the bar to chat with the bartenders to really take advantage of the bespoke cocktail option- I feel that is harder to do at a table.
I've had a lot to say about the various mixology and winery establishments in this city, and most of it isn't good. I'll admit, it's tough to manage a balance of snobbery without pretension; a love of the craft without obsession; innovation without belaboring. To me, Ward III strikes the rare perfect balance.
Unlike their competition, Ward III's vibe is very low-key: they do not try to do too much with the atmosphere, preferring a wine-bar aesthetic rather than the overdone speakeasy theme. While the muted ambiance might make for a less memorable experience to some, I welcomed the change of pace. It's much more inviting as it's much more casual than such mixology venues as Campbell's Apartment or Raines Law Room.
While the menu cocktails, are fantastic, the star of the show is the Bespoke cocktails -- and their respective bartenders. When they suggest that they can craft the perfect cocktail to one's taste, they truly mean it. They treat the customer as an artistic challenge, never deterred by a failed experiment. You may not be able to go into a restaurant and order, "something with a lamb shank, possibly broiled, involving oregano," but you can do the equivalent with a cocktail at Ward III.
All of this praise does come at a price, however, and I do mean that in the financial sense. Some of their top-tier cocktails approach the $20 range -- for a drink that is served in a highball glass. That being said, while I am not a wealthy man, I consider Ward III to be worth my money... and yours as well.
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