Martiny’s

121 E 17th St, New York

Recent Reviews

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Andrew Raczka

Such incredible service. Arguably the best cocktail bar we have ever been to.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Avijeet Sen

Visited in Feb 2025

Martiny’s ranks among the top cocktail bars in NYC and the world based on the World Best Bar list. Hence decided to pay a visit during my recent trip to NYC.

Tried a few cocktails (from the seasonal menu and the signature menu). My favourite drink was the Tea Ceremony, which also happens to be one of their signature cocktails and the most popular. I would definitely recommend folks to try the Tea Ceremony cocktail. Tried one of their other signature drinks called the Grand Martiny’s. Even though I don’t like martinis, this was a very unique drink which was unlike any martini I’ve had and I ended up liking it. Also loved the Sunset Negroni from their seasonal menu.

Service was quite good. I had made a reservation and even though I was 30 mins early, they were able to accommodate me with a bar counter seat. Had a pleasant conversation with one of the mixologists who was kind enough to share some other cocktail bars recommendations.

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Martiny’s and I can see why it ranks among NYC’s top cocktail bars. Would definitely recommend a visit here, esp. if you’re around the Union Square area.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Grand Martiny's, Old Fashioned Tea Ceremony

Corky Luxembourg

An excellent craft cocktail bar. Had to ask for napkins, and the waiter was a bit of a smart ass, but it’s NYC.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 4

Kimberly Soultan

The bartenders and staff were super friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was very romantic. The drinks were good but I wouldn’t say that they are some of the top in the world. Keep in mind there is a $50 minimum purchase per person as well as a strict 90 min time limit.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Zhenia Dementyeva

Pretentious staff

PP Renaud

My expectations were admittedly very high for this establishment given the reputation of the owner and head bartender, Takuma Watanabe. He is, after all, an important figure of the cocktail scene in NYC. However, Martiny's failed to deliver and turned out to be a rather unpleasant experience that I do not recommend, unless they have the insight to fix these very unfortunate flaws:

1) I did not find the signature "grand" Martini to be a well-balanced cocktail. It was overly sweet, and the St-Germain (elderflower liquor) was overpowering.
2) The service was quite bad. Be ready to experience rudeness, or at the very least passive-aggressiveness. This doesn't seem appropriate for an establishment that is capitalizing on Japanese omotenashi and does not do justice to the amazing service that one gets in Tokyo bars.
3) The policy of 50$ minimum spent per person (which they will enforce on you regardless of the reasons that you have to leave earlier than you initially anticipated, including emergencies). This shows that they are unfortunately into this business for the money, but not for the love of crafting cocktails or the service industry. I have never seen any other cocktail bar enforce this kind of policy in such a rude way.

If you are serious about cocktails, I highly suggest you go to another bar- there are many in NYC that will provide a much nicer experience, for much cheaper.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Brian Zimmerman

Incredibly rude staff starting from the hostess to the manager.

Syretta Martin

When I confirmed the reservation, I timely advised that the reservation party would be dropped from 3 to 2 people. When we arrived, the server who checked us in, tried to hold us for a $50 charge and lower our reservation time from an hour and 45 minutes to an hour. I literally had to take my phone out to show proof of the time that I notified of the amendment to the reservation. I've never had to show receipts so that an establishment would not charge me inappropriately.

We were then told there was a $50 pp cap when we were seated and 1 hour and 45 minutes for the reservation. Yes, I knew but it is tacky to do that. You should wait until it is 30 minutes before the end of the reservation to do that if I person only orders one item because it is nearly impossible to stay under $50 there when you can order one drink and one snack at easily reach that mark.

It then took forever to get water, forever to get menus, and especially forever to get the first drinks and our food. The first food items took at least 30 minutes to come out. I finally had to ask where one of the items where because man, we were waiting forever.

We were then notified after some time that we had 30 minutes left for the table. Say what? When that happened, I had to say to the server all of the issues, I got "we only have two people staffing the kitchen" and an apology with an acknowledgement that are working on their staffing issues. Then why are you guys trying to hold the customer accountable without taking accountability for the fact that your delays contribute to their reservation timing our reservation? And why not at least take the food item (35-40 minute wait for chicken) that took the longest off of our bill as a courtesy? When we were speaking to the server, my husband told him that our experience left a really bad taste. Unless they improve greatly on service attentiveness and turning over orders faster, I don't think that I recommend this place and of all of the 50 best bars entries tried, this one was the worst in terms of service.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

Noah

Fantastic cocktails in a Japanese cocktail bar style. Love the atmosphere with exposed brick and corduroy glass windows. Consistently rated one of the top cocktail bars in North America.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Tomohiro Morikawa

This bar offers an exceptional experience for cocktail enthusiasts. Their original martini is a standout, perfectly balanced with a unique twist, while the classic martini is executed to perfection, capturing the timeless elegance of the drink. The atmosphere is refined and sophisticated, with an interior that exudes class and attention to detail. Whether you’re a martini lover or simply looking for a high-quality bar experience, this place is definitely worth a visit.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Sonya M. Sumner

During both of our visits to Martiny’s, we chose to sit at the bar, which provided a cozy and delightful experience. The bartenders are not only highly skilled but also personable, offering their favorite cocktail recommendations when asked. Observing their artful cocktail crafting up close was a captivating experience. They work efficiently and exude kindness, enhancing the overall ambiance.

The food is as exquisite as the cocktails, with small bites artfully executed and bursting with delectable flavors. Each drink is undeniably a work of art, both in presentation and taste. My personal favorite is the Caprese cocktail—a clarified blend of whiskey, tomato water, grapefruit juice, basil, lime, and milk—that everyone should try at least once in their lives. 

We eagerly anticipate our next visit to this exceptional cocktail bar!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Wagyu Tartare, Wagyu, Caprese Cocktail, Mole Granada, Scallop, Oysters Caviar, Scotch Egg

Jennifer Mara

Exquisite beyond words. Thanks Ethan. Everything looks Epic.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kawone Williams

I was told by the wonderful people at Clemente to check out Martiny's if I was a fan of the cocktail experience.
My concern was that it's a popular place and I might not be able to get a spot. Took a chance, and sure enough, I was seated. I was only able to spend 30 or so minutes there, but in that time, they made me feel like they knew me. Now I know I gotta go back and spend more time with their menu. Here's what I had:

Persimmon Tart: A deliciously smooth milk punch with hoji tea, persimmon, and tequila standing at the forefront. This was a fantastic seasonal offering and a combination I wouldn't think would work but does.

Three Little Words: Gin, Grapes, Yellow Chartreuse, Lime meet up and dance 🕺 all over your taste buds. I really believe grapes are an underutilized ingredient in cocktails. This cocktail🍸 fills the mouth with this bright freshness but not with an overly vegetal way some gin cocktails do. I believe they said the design is similar to a Last Word.

Indian Mule: Curry infused Mijenta tequila. Once I say that some might recoil thinking, it's going to overwhelm the senses and your intestinal tract. It's so subtle and works perfectly with the Japanese apple,lemon, and ginger ale. The olive garnish adds this brine essence to the cocktail without making it a dirty Martini.

I'm happy that I got to visit these guys, but it just makes me hungry to go back.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 5

Jinnelle Rae Pecson

Bartenders and drinks were great! Walked in to celebrate anniversary and the service/atmosphere was a great way to celebrate

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

hongming shang

It is the worst bar I have ever been. The first drink I ordered was awful, so they helped to change to another, which is not good either. They asked me to spend 50/person in minimum, which I understand and respect. Since I just got dinner before I went there and feel disappointed about their drinks, I asked to order some food to go. The bartender immediately agreed, but a waitress came back and told me I cannot order any food to go very rudely.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

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