Banzarbar

Reaching Banzarbar means walking to the end of Freemans Alley off Rivington Street, through the blue door into Freemans Restaurant, where the Maître D' leads guests up a back staircase to the second floor. The room seats about ten at the bar plus a handful of two-person tables lit by candles, dark enough that the space reads more like a ship's cabin than a cocktail bar. A five-course tasting menu pairs low-ABV cocktails with small seafood bites, including the Kraken, a whole tempura-fried octopus. Reservations open fourteen days out for parties up to five, and walk-ins fill in whatever's left.