The Volstead
New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 583-0411
- Cross Street:
- Between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue
- Directions:
- E, V at Lexington Ave; 6 at 51st St; 4,5,6; N, R, W at 59th St
- Best of Citysearch:
- After-Work Bar 2007
- Hours:
- Mon-Wed 11am-2am, Thu-Fri 11am-4am, Sat 5pm-4am
Editorial Review for The Volstead – by Aaron Barker
In Short
Serious cocktails, slider trays and flatscreens are a winning combo for post-office fraternizing, and by adding a whiff of speakeasy intrigue to their latest midtown venture, the owners of PS 450 and Vig 27 hope to seal the deal. Secretive the Volstead is not--you can't miss the Versailles-worthy chandelier at the entrance--but it is underground; two flights of stairs lead to a double-wide bar and an adjacent lounge area that has plenty of group-friendly nooks with waitresses and silver ice buckets on hand.
Hits: Chef Dominic Giuliano's menu of comfort foods like mac and cheese pops and lobster roll sliders is delicious, and the kitchen stays open until 2am Thursday through Sunday.
Misses: Domestic bottles of beer run a whopping $7, with no happy hour.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasA DJ pumps up the volume with collegiate nostalgia (think Cream and the Beatles) and late '80s retro (Young MC) from Tuesday to Saturday.
Fun FactTipping its hat to the legislation that led to the original American speakeasies, this modern-day version is named for Andrew Volstead, founder of the Prohibition Act.
What To DrinkTry a specialty cocktail like the Capone--a lethal combo of Ciroc vodka, Mathilde Peche, and Peychaud's Bitters.
When to GoLunch is served during the week.
User Reviews for The Volstead
04/09/2008 Posted by Kastchei
I've been to Volstead a couple times recently. I really like the place. It's very nicely designed and decorated. Having two bars really helps. The place is classy without being snooty or trendy. The patrons - at least at night - are quite diverse. Some are in suits, some just walked in wearing whatever; and no one seems to care. To me, there was very little pretension. The bar tenders are very personable, and I've always gotten a good pour. I haven't sat at a table, so I can't attest to the wait service. Nor have I ordered food. The music was fun, but not too loud. It's not a dance club, and I was able to carry on a conversation with my friend and the bartender just fine, even at the height of the crowds. They serve some really good cocktails as well. The Eastsider is excellent - you can barely recognize that it's gin based. I wouldn't call it a singles bar, but since I'm not straight, I'm obviously not going to Volstead for that. Overall a great experience.
Pros: Great atmosphere, attitude, and service
Cons: A tad pricey, but it's midtown east, so not bad. I don't think there is happy hour.
02/15/2008 Posted by musix
Visited the Volstead last Saturday and I was blown away. I am a single guy and I came through with a buddy and we were quite pleased with the potential both at the bar and at the tables. Both bars were totally packed and we had a tough time getting a drink, but once we did we were very pleased with the quality (strength) of our drinks. We decided to sit at a table and order one of the bottle coctails from our waitress. It was only 50 bucks or so and ended up being 5 drinks. By far the best deal in midtown... The music was exceptional too, with the DJ seemlessly going from 80s pop, Southern Hip Hop, Classic Rock, Electronic, Reggaetone and anything else he could think of. It seems dancing is mandatory after midnight which we found quite amusing as we sat there and chatted up the girls next to us. Overall, our waitress was great along with the music and atmosphere and I will definitely be back.
Pros: Bottle Coctails, Seating, Music, Girls, Staff
Cons: Location, Crowded Bar Area
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