The NYC Cocktail Bar Designed With Comfort In Mind

When you think of the nightlife in New York City, images of a chaotic, high-energy evening with hour-long wait lines might come to mind — as this is usually the ticket for a night out in the Big Apple. What's not pictured? A cozy night filled with hospitable bartending staff in a comfortable and intimate space.

However, a newly opened lounge in Manhattan is changing our perception of the city's infamous bar scene. Instead of squeezing through a crowd to order a drink, you're greeted at the door with a friendly face, a warm towel, and an immediate request for your drink order.

Seeing the potential of an old sculptor's studio that had previously been a 19th-century carriage house in the Gramercy neighborhood, Takuma Watanabe, the former lead bartender at Angel's Share — a beloved speakeasy that recently closed — decided to branch out and make his own mark on the city (via Eater). In addition to offering a creative cocktail menu and stocking a top-shelf bar with Japanese whiskies (which have a distinct flavor), he wanted his new place to prioritize comfort and intimacy above all else by designing an atmosphere focused on bringing omotenashi to life.

Omotenashi — a Japanese approach to hospitality based on serving guests wholeheartedly, per Michelin Guide – is the backbone of Watanabe's cocktail bar Martiny's, which debuted in April (via Eater). All three floors focus on providing a quality experience for guests — whether it's having the staff dress to the nines in white suit jackets or serving signature cocktails in Kimura glassware, a highly esteemed Japanese brand that retails for around $50 and up per glass.

On top of the care in choosing the uniforms and glassware, equal love and art are put into the mixology. Just as the bar got its name from the French American sculptor Philip Martiny, whose works can be seen throughout the city (per Liquor.com), it's only fitting that true craft is celebrated within Martiny's four walls. You can't help but appreciate the creativity of its cocktails such as the Tea Ceremony — a combination of Nikka Japanese whisky, cacao, matcha, and coconut water — or the Royal Horse's Neck — made with cognac, orange, lemon, egg yolk, and champagne. If the lounge's Instagram page is any indication, you're getting not only a well-crafted drink — but also a work of art. Don't be surprised if you're met with beautiful florals, eye-catching colors, or even a spoonful of caviar during a visit to Martiny's.