Beekman Bar and Books

I love this lounge in Midtown East. We need more places like this in the neighborhood. The cocktails are expertly mixed and worth the price tag. They change the drink menu seasonally which is a nice thing. I am a fan of a good Pimms cocktail and theirs was great. The only thing I should warn new patrons about is that every night is different here– I have been here some nights and it’s been really quiet, another night there was club music playing and everybody was dancing. Last night when I went, there was a handsome guy playing the piano and doing some very unique covers, which was a wonderful surprise. Good rule of thumb in general is that this is great place for a date or an intimate conversation with a friend.

Very nice atmosphere
Nice selection of drinks
The food selection is not too big but it’s ok because it’s more of a bar/​lounge than a restaurant.

My Wife had gone there many times for «work» martinis and loved it. I was looking forward to going with her for a date night. She had heard that there had been some changes in staff or something and boy did it show! The martinis where bad bad bad, I was not even sure they used the Belvedere vodka we over paid for. We will not be going back.

Just stopped by tonight (3÷25÷16) and they no longer allow cigar smoking due to a temporary loss of smoking license. They said maybe in a month or so.
However, the drinks and atmosphere are still good!

I’m not sure what they are trying to achieve but it is a very pretty bar/​lounge with great cocktails. Fire was burning and it was very low key. Music was interesting (mama Mia to slow jazz to rock) but worth a try.

There’s an old world charm to the place but the lounge doesn’t live up to the atmosphere set by the dim lighting, leather seats, deep red wallpaper, and overpriced cocktails.
I tried a few sips of my friend’s Vesper (inspired by Casino Royale) while waiting for the Raj Martini that was accidentally (?) served to someone else. I didn’t drink enough of the Vesper to have much of an opinion but the Raj was lacking in any discernible flavor or alcohol. For $ 15, which was as low as any drink got on the menu, I was disappointed, especially seeing as how cocktail competition has significantly stiffened in the past few years. When shelling out $ 15+ for a drink, I’d like a better crafted cocktail because it’ll most likely be my only one unless I’m buzzed enough to not care that I’m broke.
In contrast with the lounge’s air of sophistication, we were given what looked like ridged ruffles chips for snacks. We welcomed the chips, but the choice of snacks didn’t jive with the atmosphere. Overall, I’ve had much better and bolder for the same value and less. If you’re comfortable paying $ 17 for more classic cocktails like a Negroni or Old Fashioned, then you’ve come to the right place.

Zero stars– overpriced, obnoxious bar in a depressing location. All that, plus the owner proudly endorses Donald for president. There are so many better, classier whiskey joints around to get a great drink and impress a date or colleague than this dump.

There must be something more to this place than small cups of popcorn and pricey cocktails. or maybe this establishment is just a product of mid-​town east. The cocktails were good, but not $ 20 good.

A contrast to the rowdy second Ave bars, this mellow hideaway features proper scotch & cocktails near the UN.

This place is cool and super low key.
I love these little underground spots in Manhattan with a mature crowd. Came here for an event whiskey & cigars! We arrived early and the waitress was so sweet and welcoming to us. Didn’t make us feel awkward at all. This place is really dim and relaxing. It has an older library feel to it, hence bar and books! The drinks were good and strong! I typically don’t drink whiskey but you may want to try with the vibe they have going here.
The cigar room is really a plus. I don’t know of too many places like this in NYC. As noted drinks are pricey but you are pretty much paying for the environment and the experience. This is a very elegant spot for a mature crowd with really nice drinks so expect to pay a bit more than you would at the typical bar. There wasn’t much of a crowd when we arrived so its a cool place to catch up with a friend or cozy up.

There are cooler places in Manhattan to get a drink, and the drinks aren’t anything to write home about here, but there are very few places in this neighborhood to have a cocktail in a loungy, dimly lit and elegant environment – most of the bars in the hood are Irish pubs. This place has a distinguished international clientele due to its proximity to the UN. Never too loud, especially on weekdays. Great place to meet on a 1^st date, to catch up with a friend, or to bring a business associate. I think the «Jackets Required» sign is still up, but don’t worry if ur not wearing one, they’ll let you in. One caveat: the owners are huge Trump supporters and feel the need to tout it with a giant sign out front. I’ve stopped coming here since.

I literally live upstairs, and haven been coming here for a couple years. The old bartender which was pretty cool (Rob,) stopped working there and place has greatly diminished in costumer service.
Tons of petty rules that didn’t exist.
The crowd consists of 50+ and retired people.
The cigar room now charges a mandatory 10 dollars to smoke a single cig which they sell at 20 a pack for regular light smokes…
I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone look for a relaxed time with chill people.
Also, everything is extremely marked up in price which I was willing to deal w/​— but not under these new circumstances.
B&B 50^th and 1^st is dead. I’m here now — this is my last visit.
Try bars on Second Ave for a fair and peaceful experience.

4 stars. Lots of Bond memorabilia. Cigars and rum tasting. Negative note, u could not drink the flights of rum in the same room as the cigars. Service was good.

This is a nice spot to get cozy or have some low-​key, deep conversation with some well-​made drinks.
Old fashioneds & sazeracs are perfectly prepared with care. Whiskey Tuesdays are a revelation with certain brands being priced at $ 10/​$ 20/​$ 30 a glass, a nice discount and an opportunity to try new scotches & whiskeys.
Service was warm & friendly, very attentive. Overall, this is a great place to wind down after a tough day at work.

This place is like drinking and smoking cigars in a gentleman’s den/​library. It’s great for a low-​key night in a cozy and dim lounge with friends. There is a separate room for the smokers.
+ old James Bond movies silently playing on the tv screen
+ interesting cocktail selections
+ nice venue
— slow service

This is my secret unwinding bar in the hood. Its in the basement level of a building. I love hanging out here in the anonymity of the dim light and unrushed service. My martini here is the apple martini although they have several others on the menu. It’s a relaxing atmosphere (never crowded) comfortable couches, fireplace… where you can meet people before/​after dinner or take your ipad and jot down new ideas, feeling far away from home yet a short walk down the block.

Very unique place worth checking out — probably suited for an older, more established crowd. They have jazz playing in the main room which gives the environment a feeling of elegance which is complimented by the décor.
My girlfriend and I came here to share cocktails pre dinner. The bartender was friendly and made us nice drinks. I had the Dark and Stormy while she enjoyed the Monkey Business. It was not the most extensive cocktail menu (very classic/​traditional) but definitely something on there for ever gentleman.
I suggest coming with a buddy or two, going down the hall to the cigar room and having a cigar on one of the plush leather sofas where James Bond movies play on repeat.

Beekman Bar and Books is the kind of bar that would be mobbed in a downtown neighborhood, or at least require an advance reservation, password, and a secret handshake. In the depths of Turtle Bay, all you need to do is walk in.
My friends have been patronizing this place due to its proximity to their homes, but it’s worth seeking out for any whiskey/​scotch/​bourbon/​cigar aficionados. I’ll say it upfront: cheap BB&B is NOT – it targets a moneyed clientele. But the slightly weathered law school library décor definitely works, an you get plenty of privacy (at least based on last night’s visit around 11 pm, when there were no more than 3 people in the place.
The bartender, Alfonse[sp?] was a sweetheart, pouring us generous tastes and chatting us up. BB&B has bourbons I didn’t even know existed and Alfonse introduced me to a couple, including the amazing Booker’s (have a glass of water by your side) and a dessert-​grade delicious maple bourbon (name omitted due to memory gap).
Not bad for a classy date or a night out with your cigar-​chomping bros.

I like drinking in dark cozy libraries. I like watching James Bond on mute. That’s about where my enjoyment of Beekman started and ended.
Sure, Manhattan prices are to be expected, but a pour of Jameson for $ 14? Take a moment and consider that mark-​up. Cocktails at $ 16 are ludicrously priced as well, but the classics are competently made, so stick with the sazerac over their signature creations. Service was aloof and unbearably slow.
All of this would be fairly unremarkable if not for the waitress taking us for a ride over water. We accepted the server’s offer for still water as we perused the menu but were shocked to find out a carafe of warm tap water is $ 8 at Beekman Bar and Books upon receiving our bill. Appalling in it’s own right to charge for tap, but concealing the up charge when offering the table water to start? I won’t be back.

Great cigar bar on the east side. Front bar area is comfortable, and they have an extensive drink/​scotch/​wine list. The actual smoking area though is in the back room, where they only serve beer rather than the full bar — this apparently is due to some license snag they could not avoid. This is a bit of an inconvenience compared to the other Bar and Books (Hudson and Lexington) which don’t have a separated cigar room… still a great spot though; I’d have to rank Lexington Bar and Books a bit higher.