Blue Owl   

196 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
212-505-2583

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Know what New York needs right now? Another faux speakeasy (pleased to meet you, Milk and Honey, Little Branch, Back Room and East Side Company Bar) with an open-secret entrance and painstakingly constructed retro cocktails. At least that's what the owners of Blue Owl -- a subterranean bar slyly identifying itself only with a big, blue neon owl sign -- are wagering. The interior is small, dimly lit and decorated in standard-issue lounge fashion: Copper bar, exposed brick and gaudy banquettes. Blue Owl's cocktails, however, are exceptional. The Bobby Burns, for example, mixes Scotch, vermouth, Benedictine and a dash of bitters, for a combination that has none of scotch's usually overbearing taste. At $12 a pop, the drinks are more prohibitive than Prohibition, but are worthwhile for those with deep pockets and/or expense accounts. The bar also has a private room that can be booked for parties; when you rent it, a doorman posted outside requires your attendees to proffer a secret password for entrance.