We had the best night at Employees Only! 🍸 A complete and delicious experience from start to finish. All the food we had was amazing, but the table-side steak tartare was one of the best I’ve ever had. We enjoyed everything — our waitress and all the staff were absolutely fantastic, and the midnight burlesque was unforgettable, especially for me 😄. Thank you for an incredible experience! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jared Miller
Employees Only is a solid West Village cocktail bar. The speakeasy-style entrance is more of a nod to tradition than anything dramatic, and once you’re inside it’s just a busy, comfortable space with good lighting and a steady flow of people.The cocktails are well executed. The Elderflower Gimlet is bright and straightforward, and the Manhattan is exactly what it should be — cold, strong, and balanced. Nothing groundbreaking, but no misses either.
The Steak Tartare is a great move if you want food — fresh, properly seasoned, and an easy match for most drinks. The rest of the small plates are decent and do what they’re supposed to. Service is efficient and unfussy. Even when the bar fills up, the staff keeps things moving. It can get loud, but not to the point where you regret walking in.
In short: good drinks, good atmosphere, no nonsense. A dependable spot when you want a proper cocktail without the attitude or theatrics.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barbara
Best cocktails and best service all around. The server made us feel at home. A beautiful experience in the Big Apple.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Wajid Qureshi
I have been going here for years. But recently the service and staff has been very rude, entitled and obnoxious. i’ve stopped going here now, it was a staple that is ruined now.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Nora
I don’t get it! We followed the best 50 list and unfortunately ended up at this bar. It started with an unwelcoming door man, who was unfriendly and blamed us for coming inside even though he had not been at the door. The ambiente is nice but very small! The tables are so close to each other that you shouldn’t have an intimate conversation. The host was rude and inpatient to a foreign couple right next to us and pushed them to choose a seat even though it wasn’t packed at the time. The food was good but unfortunately the cocktails didn’t reach our expectations. Would not come here again since there are many other great options in that area.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Tayler E
I really wish I never came here. I had never even heard of this place and wouldn’t have been interested if someone in our group hadn’t recommended it.
11/16/2025 (around 3 AM)
I was humiliated and chastised by one of the bouncers near the bathroom. I am a 5’3”, petite female, and a tall male security guard decided it was okay to get extremely close to my face and demand that I apologize to him for knocking on the bathroom door — otherwise I wouldn’t be allowed to use it. I told him absolutely not. He then said, “Go back upstairs, you’re not using the bathroom.” I told him I was a paying customer and had every right to use the restroom in this establishment, and that he needed to step back because I did nothing wrong.
He continued yelling and threatening to call the police on me. I told him to go ahead if he wanted to create a scene at his own workplace over an ego trip. Once he realized I wasn’t backing down, he said he wanted me to leave afterward. I told him that was fine — it was 3 AM, closing time, and we had already paid our check.
I am utterly disgusted by this bouncer’s behavior. I know for a fact that if I were a man, he never would have spoken to me or intimidated me that way. I’m grateful I wasn’t hurt or frisked, especially because the patron behind me went back upstairs due to the bouncer’s power trip, leaving me alone with him in a small space. (For reference, he was a tan/brown-skinned Black man with some hair hanging out from under his hat. He refused to give me his name.)
I had been standing there for 7–8 minutes. I knocked once. I even asked someone if there was another bathroom, and they said no. I didn’t hear any sounds from inside. After about 10 minutes, I knocked again and said, “Is everything okay?” It was 3 AM — someone could have passed out or hit their head. It was silent, and I genuinely thought no one was inside or that the door had been locked by mistake.
The kitchen staff nearby did not speak English and couldn’t tell me whether they saw someone go in. (Yes — the staff directed me to a bathroom located inside the kitchen, which I already found extremely odd. But since I had never been there before, I assumed it was correct, especially because another patron was waiting behind me.)
Never again will I visit this establishment, and I will make sure my job, friends, and family know not to go here. It’s already hard enough being a woman trying to enjoy a night out without being harassed — and to be harassed by the security staff of the very place I’m patronizing is beyond disappointing.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Juan CT
Bad service and attention
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
valeri bolkvadze
good vibes always
Atmosphere: 5
Marco Prado Grangeiro
The chicken soup at 2:00 AM. What a treat!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Larissa M
Had amazing drinks and a great time during our pre-dinner stop with my husband. Always a solid spot to kick off the night.
We didn't eat here so I'm going to call the booze, food. And Blimey o' Riley the cocktails were amazing. Glad it's still going in the fickle NYC bar scene
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
yamila piney
the drinks were great, the vibe was fun & retro, the staff was friendly and the guy at the door was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Jodie Wilson
I forgot to take photos of my experience because I was too busy having one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had in my entire life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lya C
It’s a charming bar, with some of the most arrogant patrons we’ve ever encountered.
The staff was nice enough, although it took a while before we got their attention. The drinks were great!
I would suggest going deeper in the bar if possible, that’s where it gets better.
The bouncers are great!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Deanna Chernovetsky
We had a great experience! We came for dinner on a Thursday night. When we first arrived, we were greeted by amazing staff and made sure we were set up at the bar (we had a drink before our dinner reservation). The staff made us comfortable, took our bags and coats so we didn’t have to worry about them, and offered wonderful drink suggestions. The bartenders were super knowledgeable and very friendly and made delicious cocktails. When we sat for dinner, our waitress was attentive and friendly, creating a very personalized experience. All the food we had was delicious. Between the wonderful staff and the amazing and lovely atmosphere, it’s definitely a place I’ll keep coming to when I can and I definitely recommend it to people for a classic NYC night out!
We had the best night at Employees Only! 🍸
A complete and delicious experience from start to finish. All the food we had was amazing, but the table-side steak tartare was one of the best I’ve ever had. We enjoyed everything — our waitress and all the staff were absolutely fantastic, and the midnight burlesque was unforgettable, especially for me 😄.
Thank you for an incredible experience! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Employees Only is a solid West Village cocktail bar. The speakeasy-style entrance is more of a nod to tradition than anything dramatic, and once you’re inside it’s just a busy, comfortable space with good lighting and a steady flow of people.The cocktails are well executed. The Elderflower Gimlet is bright and straightforward, and the Manhattan is exactly what it should be — cold, strong, and balanced. Nothing groundbreaking, but no misses either.
The Steak Tartare is a great move if you want food — fresh, properly seasoned, and an easy match for most drinks. The rest of the small plates are decent and do what they’re supposed to.
Service is efficient and unfussy. Even when the bar fills up, the staff keeps things moving. It can get loud, but not to the point where you regret walking in.
In short: good drinks, good atmosphere, no nonsense. A dependable spot when you want a proper cocktail without the attitude or theatrics.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best cocktails and best service all around. The server made us feel at home. A beautiful experience in the Big Apple.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
I have been going here for years. But recently the service and staff has been very rude, entitled and obnoxious. i’ve stopped going here now, it was a staple that is ruined now.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
I don’t get it!
We followed the best 50 list and unfortunately ended up at this bar.
It started with an unwelcoming door man, who was unfriendly and blamed us for coming inside even though he had not been at the door.
The ambiente is nice but very small! The tables are so close to each other that you shouldn’t have an intimate conversation.
The host was rude and inpatient to a foreign couple right next to us and pushed them to choose a seat even though it wasn’t packed at the time.
The food was good but unfortunately the cocktails didn’t reach our expectations.
Would not come here again since there are many other great options in that area.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
I really wish I never came here. I had never even heard of this place and wouldn’t have been interested if someone in our group hadn’t recommended it.
11/16/2025 (around 3 AM)
I was humiliated and chastised by one of the bouncers near the bathroom. I am a 5’3”, petite female, and a tall male security guard decided it was okay to get extremely close to my face and demand that I apologize to him for knocking on the bathroom door — otherwise I wouldn’t be allowed to use it. I told him absolutely not. He then said, “Go back upstairs, you’re not using the bathroom.” I told him I was a paying customer and had every right to use the restroom in this establishment, and that he needed to step back because I did nothing wrong.
He continued yelling and threatening to call the police on me. I told him to go ahead if he wanted to create a scene at his own workplace over an ego trip. Once he realized I wasn’t backing down, he said he wanted me to leave afterward. I told him that was fine — it was 3 AM, closing time, and we had already paid our check.
I am utterly disgusted by this bouncer’s behavior. I know for a fact that if I were a man, he never would have spoken to me or intimidated me that way. I’m grateful I wasn’t hurt or frisked, especially because the patron behind me went back upstairs due to the bouncer’s power trip, leaving me alone with him in a small space. (For reference, he was a tan/brown-skinned Black man with some hair hanging out from under his hat. He refused to give me his name.)
I had been standing there for 7–8 minutes. I knocked once. I even asked someone if there was another bathroom, and they said no. I didn’t hear any sounds from inside. After about 10 minutes, I knocked again and said, “Is everything okay?” It was 3 AM — someone could have passed out or hit their head. It was silent, and I genuinely thought no one was inside or that the door had been locked by mistake.
The kitchen staff nearby did not speak English and couldn’t tell me whether they saw someone go in. (Yes — the staff directed me to a bathroom located inside the kitchen, which I already found extremely odd. But since I had never been there before, I assumed it was correct, especially because another patron was waiting behind me.)
Never again will I visit this establishment, and I will make sure my job, friends, and family know not to go here. It’s already hard enough being a woman trying to enjoy a night out without being harassed — and to be harassed by the security staff of the very place I’m patronizing is beyond disappointing.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Bad service and attention
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
good vibes always
Atmosphere: 5
The chicken soup at 2:00 AM. What a treat!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had amazing drinks and a great time during our pre-dinner stop with my husband. Always a solid spot to kick off the night.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We didn't eat here so I'm going to call the booze, food. And Blimey o' Riley the cocktails were amazing. Glad it's still going in the fickle NYC bar scene
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
the drinks were great, the vibe was fun & retro, the staff was friendly and the guy at the door was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
I forgot to take photos of my experience because I was too busy having one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had in my entire life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s a charming bar, with some of the most arrogant patrons we’ve ever encountered.
The staff was nice enough, although it took a while before we got their attention. The drinks were great!
I would suggest going deeper in the bar if possible, that’s where it gets better.
The bouncers are great!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
We had a great experience! We came for dinner on a Thursday night. When we first arrived, we were greeted by amazing staff and made sure we were set up at the bar (we had a drink before our dinner reservation). The staff made us comfortable, took our bags and coats so we didn’t have to worry about them, and offered wonderful drink suggestions. The bartenders were super knowledgeable and very friendly and made delicious cocktails. When we sat for dinner, our waitress was attentive and friendly, creating a very personalized experience. All the food we had was delicious. Between the wonderful staff and the amazing and lovely atmosphere, it’s definitely a place I’ll keep coming to when I can and I definitely recommend it to people for a classic NYC night out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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