Barclay Bar & Grill

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
A drink menu boasting a list of "Our Popular Cocktails" is enough to crack up any young hipster. Especially when an older gent in full restaurant uniform who, yes, is your cocktail server, promises to deliver "the best cosmos in New York." Hard to resist--and hard to resist snickering, just slightly. Clearly an uptown hotel bar versus a downtown one, the lounge feels outdated and sad, pushed in off the lobby, with an odd TV broadcasting news. Hotel guests afraid of the big bad streets of New York trickle in with conference-goers still wearing their nametags.

The Draw
Chances of bumping into co-workers or friends are highly unlikely, making it ideal for a secret affair. The romance factor is low, but the three-tier pu-pu platter towers handsomely high over your table, with thoughtfully prepared sate, tuna and shrimp with dipping sauces. Prices are what you would expect at a hotel bar, and those cosmos, well ... it's polite to agree with your eager server.