Drink Up: Gothamist Visits La Esquina

Last week, Gothamist watched everyone and their brother clamor to get into the bar/restaurant and-maybe-speakeasy under The Corner on the corner of Kenmare and Lafayettes Streets. We read how happy they were to bash the antiquated system of getting in. But no one was actually going in and getting drunk. Clearly, it was time for us to step in. We drank and present the first interior photos.

We played by the rules, as outlined originally by Daily Candy below,

1. Enter through the newly renovated corner deli. Ignore the tacos and look for the door marked "employees only."

2. Head downstairs and walk through the kitchen. Stop when you see the lovely hostess.

3. Said hostess gives you a phone number. Head back upstairs and call to see when you can get a reservation to eat, drink, moonlight, scheme, and make merry deep into the night. If you’re lucky, they'll invite you back down right away.

We were able to be sat pretty quickly after having a glass of white sangria ($7) at the bar with the candelabras on top. Our friend was awestruck at the tequila list- over forty varieties- and the men who would rather drink Coronas when given these choices.

The white sangria was good with cut grapes and citrus but contemplating a move to red, our waitress jumped to get us a sample and that sample was the size of a meager pour at many other bars. The red was more luscious, with alcohol-soaked berries and more of a kick so we switched.

The menu is equal to the list of liquors, both one side of an oversized page and telling just enough. We shared two small plates, crabmeat, avocado and chipotle tostados ($9 for three) and cerviche served in a large parfait glass (also $9) and a salad ($6.50) and mussels in spicy tomato broth and onions ($13). Though stuffed, we also shared a desert- a molten dark chocolate cake with Mexican coffee and ice cream, served in a soup bowl (desert menu not yet printed). Happily satiated, we looked around from the exposed pipes to the crucifixes and the spikes lattice gates to the sliding doors of the bathrooms and back to the comfortable booths.

Even with all the hoops we had to jump through, the place lacked a feeling of real exclusivity. All the seating is good and the only area that could be construed as set aside is a small anteroom to the left of the main bar area and the that room is filled will the least comfortable seating akin to picnic tables. Enjoy La Esquina and order a fine tequila for the presentation (beautifully done on a tiny tray) because no matter how much press they get speakeasies, real or not, are about the drinking.

La Esquina
106 Kenmare Street at Lafayette Street
telephone number available from the hostess

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Martha Burzynski in Food on July 29, 2005 1:21 PM

Comments [rss]

Steve Pitre

Haiiii. I read all the comments on "La Esquina" and don't quite get them. I went there 2 times, probably because I know a server, but Its a cool place to go. ANyways, sometimes bars have to refrain to reservation (its a restaurant by the way), so that the whole city don;t show up at once, its a small space. No need to get upset, just go somewhere else.

Peace

Jack Rugburn

Geez, lighten up. It's a bar! If you need to analyze it (or over analyze it) why do we need to do anything beyond food and shelter? We go out to have experiences. I like the adventure of finding a fun and interesting space (which La Esquina is)Stay home with a bottle of Old Grand Dad if you can't hack a little bit of a treasure hunt. Lightweights.

John Doe

Speak easy. Prohibition. Tin ceilings.

What can I say?

I'll tell you what I can say, the 4 partners can go an eat a live cock.

slang

the thing about nyc is that you can do so many different things and can choose to go to a place or not. this place sounds a bit theatrical but maybe that's fun. what sucks are the people making all the harsh comments and getting all upset about it. don't like it, don't go....prefer a Houston's then head over there.

I agree

I agree with the last comment, new york is no fun anymore.

dave

Man New York is stupid. THis is such a phony way to market eating or drinking that only idiots would fall for.

Lady X

secret bars are fun and so important in the life of the alchoholic/addict!!!!!

martha burzynski

Emily,

To clarify, I did not say that Daily Candy found the bar- only that they were the first to outline the rules. I checked the Corner Deli post in the Thrillist archives and while it was a good post did not see anything to that effect.

Thanks for reading,

martha

Emily

Daily Candy DID NOT FIND La Esquina first.....Thrillist did....

get your facts straight.....

www.thrillist.com (it's called corner deli in the archive)

anon

This concept makes me ill. Sounds like its going to fail though, judging from the article in the Times. When the Times writes about/discovers something, you know its over.

James

jeez, you guys make it sound like this is where all the aristocrats hang out. check out la esquina before you make up your mind. you can get some really good, authentic tacos and the place isn't at all pretentious (i'm referring to the street level part of it specifically, not the speakeasy). and the "secret" bar itself doesn't seem to be all that hard to get into and therefore not all that exclusive to the "elite".

Dave H.

Live and let live people. To each their own. I, personally, will be swilling drinks at the local dive with the rest of the proles. But I like to know the option of frivolity is out there.

rev pays

remember the good old days when one would throw M80's down any basement entrance we would see?

why? because it makes a nicer BOOM.

Teddy

"But then you wouldn't feel elite in our increasingly class conscious city!!"

The "elite" or fake New Yorkers better watch out for the "lower classes", remember what happened in the 60s & 70s.

John

What the heck happened to

1. Walk in, walk up to bar, order drink ...?

But then you wouldn't feel elite in our increasingly class conscious city!!

Kevin Walsh

>>>1. Enter through the newly renovated corner deli. Ignore the tacos and look for the door marked "employees only."

2. Head downstairs and walk through the kitchen. Stop when you see the lovely hostess.

3. Said hostess gives you a phone number. Head back upstairs etc etc.

What the heck happened to

1. Walk in, walk up to bar, order drink ...?

www.forgotten-ny.com

dirt

Going back to your Little Branch review a few weeks ago - thanks for the recommendation. Been back several times. Had one of the best drinks EVER last weekend - I highly recommend the "Bartender's Choice". Overall the place has a great mellow vibe, quirky jazz music, and very talented bartenders (especially the Aussie kid with the spiked up hair). Just don't spread the word.

joe

It's also quite irritating if you're trying to eat a quick taco upstairs.

kowgurl

that's the saddest thing I ever heard.

I'm opening a bar and you can only come in if you magic marker an "L" on your forehead and wear a "kick me" sign on you back.