Sometimes, a jam-packed bar can be cool — if you’re in the mood to chat up strangers, you’re with a big party or, more likely, you’ve already had a few cocktails. But you know what’s never cool? When a place is so crowded you can’t catch the bartender’s attention long enough to order a drink.
Perhaps new lounge Antik has solved that problem. The 74-capacity spot is waitress-only service; in fact, there isn’t even a bar. And reservations are requested.
The vibe is intimate and laid-back, the decor is vintagey, with black chandeliers, low marble tables, patterned wallpaper and a red and gold color scheme.
The drinks, $10-$13 each, are creative and certainly potent. And we didn’t even have to push our way to the bar to get one.
Antik opens Friday. 356 Bowery, between Great Jones and Fourth Street, 212-388-1655
— Julie Gordon