I heard a new bar was opening up in the East Village called Limo Bar NYC and immediately had to check it out.
The concept is exactly what it sounds like. Inside feels like a limo. But honestly my brain went somewhere completely different the second I walked in. I expected Gordon Gekko whispering “greed is good” in a leather booth. Instead I got full Eddie Murphy “My Girl Likes to Party All the Time” energy on repeat. That is a compliment. A big one.
The inside is genuinely sick. Went with friends, had a blast, and left already planning the return trip.
The Only Issue: No Reservations
Walk-in only, which is my one real complaint. Show up early and you will get seated fairly quickly. Staff was great, gave solid recommendations, and made the whole experience feel easy despite the no-reservation situation.
Pro tip: go right when they open. Happy hour runs until 6:00 PM and the pricing drop is real. One of my favorite drinks on the menu came in at a solid discount during happy hour. Cheaper is better. That is not a controversial opinion.
The Clean Dirty Martini
This is basically an extra dirty martini elevated into something else entirely. The olive juice itself is frozen into a solid orb sitting right in the center of the drink. (Making the martini as cold as my ex’s heart.) As it melts it slowly releases more dirty martini flavor into the glass.
It is literally as cold as my ex’s heart. I have not used that line in a while. Felt right here.
The Pickle Martini
A little pepper, a little brine, genuinely refreshing. This one has a real shot at being one of my favorite martinis in New York City. If you make me pick between everything I had that night, I am going with the pickle martini. Insert your own joke. I like pickles more than most grown men should.
The Cucumber Highball
Tequila, cucumber, elderflower, lime, sparkling water. This is the standout cocktail of the night. Think of a highball that got sent to finishing school. Clean, elevated, and dangerously easy to drink more than one of.
The Food
Chicken tenders. Look, they are chicken tenders. It is genuinely hard to mess these up but it is also genuinely easy to make them forgettable. These were not forgettable. Solid execution across the board.
Mini hot dogs. New York City style, loaded with mustard and onions. Simple, correct, exactly what a bar snack should be.
The Tuna Crispy Rice. This is where my friends and I lost our minds a little.
Super fresh tuna, nice chunky pieces, not overly chopped into oblivion like some places do. But the real move is at the bottom of the plate. There is a sweet green chili sauce pooled underneath and if you are not dipping every single bite into it you are doing this dish wrong. It has a real kick to it, enough heat to wake you up without torching your whole palate, and it completely changes the flavor profile of everything on top of it. Most people skip the sauce at the bottom of a dish like this. Do not be most people. This one dish alone might be worth the trip.
Final Verdict
Martinis run $20, the Cucumber Highball and other signature cocktails around $19, food around $20 a plate. Fair pricing for the quality, especially if you time it to happy hour.
I am definitely coming back. And this might genuinely end up on my Best Martini Bars in NYC list. If I had to pick one drink to send you in for right now, it is the pickle martini. But the clean dirty martini with the frozen olive orb is the one everyone is going to be talking about.
Check it out.
As always, what do I know? I am just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time.
Looking for more NYC restaurant reviews? Check out my Best Steakhouses in NYC, Best Burgers in NYC, and Best Restaurants in NYC lists.