Chill spot for friends or low key date. Drinks are ok but def far from
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Jonathan Bromberg
Fun place in a semi-hidden location
Jason M.
It had been a minute since I caught up with one of my friends, so we made plans to catch up on a Friday after work. She suggested coming here since we're fans of speakeasies and she had this bookmarked on Yelp. No need to further convince me, so after work I made my way downtown. Paper Planes is located on the LES, and like many speakeasies it has an inconspicuous storefront. Depending on the spot, there may or may not be a sign out front, but this one was relatively easy to find as the name was on the exterior of the building as well as "secret bar". Upon entry we were in sort of a bare room; there were several paper planes hanging from the ceiling and instructions to follow them - so that's what we did. Eventually the space opened up into the actual bar area; the space was very cozy without feeling cramped - the bar was set on the back wall with tables scattered throughout the perimeter and low lighting to set the mood. It almost looked like a former outdoor area that was covered, but it didn't have an outdoors feel at all - they did a great job converting the space. The menu has an air travel theme, with each menu section corresponding to a different type of destination (tropics, overseas, the mountains, etc.) and drinks to match those themes. I decided to start with the English Countryside which had notes of pea, strawberry, and citrus - it was smooth with great flavor. I then went tropical and ordered the Island Thyme which was exactly how you thought it was - sweet, not too strong, and good flavor. We were hungry so we also ordered some food, and decided on the French Fries, Cheese and Charcuterie Board, and Fried Dumplings. All of the food was tasty - the fries had a tasty seasoning and came with a garlic mayo for dipping. The charcuterie was plentiful and had a good variety of meats and cheeses, and the dumplings were paired with a tasty aioli. The dumplings were definitely the most interesting to me - they were almost bite-size and came with a tasty aioli. Food definitely wasn't an afterthought here which was a nice surprise. Service was great, everyone was really friendly and made sure we were taken care of. Overall, I was really impressed with Paper Planes - the clever theming, variety of drinks, and attention to food really exceeded my expectations. I only scratched the surface here and would definitely return to explore more of their menu.
Phil
one of the coolest speakeasies i've been to in awhile. delicious cocktails and food. music is played at the right level so it doesn't disturb the conversation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melinda
Paper Planes is a super cute speakeasy cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. From the moment you walk inside this speakeasy-inspired bar, you're in for a unique experience. Follow the paper planes up on the ceiling and head towards the cute indoor-outdoor setting. Their variety of cocktails are travel-inspired and suitable for any person’s liking! Their vibes are great & service was top-notch which makes Paper Planes a must-visit cocktail bar!Whether you're a local or a visitor, Paper Planes promises an unforgettable night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Wong
This place is a great fun spot for drinks. Although I got a mocktail and was charged $15 still - not great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Josephine L.
I'm ashamed I didn't know this place existed until an acquaintance from out of town (LA, no less!) introduced it to us while we were looking for a watering hole on a Sat night. In my defense, I rarely pay attention to the LES. :DAnywho, the fries were tasty with interesting seasoning, and the cocktails were on the more creative side. - Island Thyme: Tropical and tasty- Tokyo Tour: Needed more shiso and yakult flavor - We'll Always Have Paris: Strong and potent...the kind of drink you have three times if you're looking to get effed up- English Countryside: Pretty, delicate and quaint, just like its name - Paloma: A classic. Wasn't my pick, but tasted on point
Melinda W.
Paper Planes is a super cute speakeasy cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. From the moment you walk inside this speakeasy-inspired bar, you're in for a unique experience. Follow the paper planes up on the ceiling and head towards the cute indoor-outdoor setting. Their variety of cocktails are travel-inspired and suitable for any person's liking! Their vibes are great & service was top-notch which makes Paper Planes a must-visit cocktail bar! Whether you're a local or a visitor, Paper Planes promises an unforgettable night out.
Anita J
We had such an incredible experience here! Our party of 2 arrived around 6:30pm on a Saturday and was seated right away. They do not take reservations. The place is on the smaller side - maybe seats 10 parties of 2-4 people and probably 4 seats at the bar. When we left around 8pm, the place was about 2/3 full.When we got there, it was still light out so we got to see all the decor - it's very nicely decorated. It's cozy but also you don't feel like you're smooshed up against the next table. The staff were also so friendly. They all seemed like they were having a fun time as well.We were thinking of getting 1-2 drinks each but ended up getting 3 each because we were enjoying them so much. The menu is really creative with some very interesting concoctions. We saw ancho infused campari, duck fat washed rye whiskey, house made syrups, just to name a few.We started off with the Tokyo Tour and the East India Trading Co - both were on the sweeter side and absolutely delicious. The East India Trading Co. drink is fascinating with its combination of sweet from guava and spicy from the curry spices.We then had the Cabin in the Woods and Morning Dew - they were both spirit forward drinks (which we were told when ordering). I'm not as great with very spirit forward drinks but my companion loved his Morning Dew. And look at the cute paper plane carved into the ice!! What an amazing touchWe ended our stay with We'll Always Have Paris and, of course, the Paper Plane. We were curious, and a bit wary, about the duck fat washed rye whiskey and the staff super kindly let us try a sip. It was a smooth, delicious, fragrant and spicy drink all in one. The Paper Plane was so delicious and refreshing - a great way to end the series of drinks.We also got to try their fries - it was fried perfectly, spiced perfectly, and paired with an amazing sauce. Such a good companion to our drinks.I won't gatekeep this place even though I want it to be my secret, haha. I would highly recommend this place! I can't wait to go back and try more of their drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Celine C.
I wanted to check out Paper Planes after dinner and was kind of confused upon entering the establishment, an empty restaurant. Luckily, we saw the paper plane trail and followed it to a backroom where the bar is located. Staff were friendly and checked in on us multiple times.Tokyo Tour (4/5): I saw yakult and was sold. The drink was sweet, refreshing, and light. I liked it.Banana bread (3/5): Concept sounded fun, but the dessert-tasting drink did get a little heavy on the palate.
Incredible drinks, amazing experience all around. Ricky is so fun to chat with as well. I recommend this to anyone looking for a great cocktails and a good time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Victoria Azareonoc
These magicians of alcohol and flavor have blown my mind and I come here over and over again! I wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone looking to have a great and fun evening! Amazing date night spot!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
James Peterson
Wow! This is some place. And the drinks are superlative. I performed my usual test, ordering a whiskey,sour, which is one of the best I’ve ever had. On a later date, I had a Negroni, thinking to myself “how much can one improve and on a Negroni?“ Anyway I was blown away by not only this bar, but also that last Negroni.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aaron Klauber
Incredible drinks! Food was delicious. Staff is extremely warm and friendly, knowledgeable and the vibe is impeccable! Really cool location!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maxis
Absolutely love the place! Great vibe, friendly people, amazing drinks! Got a few craft cocktails that I can easily describe with a word outstanding) We got a round of best Paper Planes I have ever tried! Very cozy atmosphere.
Chill spot for friends or low key date. Drinks are ok but def far from
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Fun place in a semi-hidden location
It had been a minute since I caught up with one of my friends, so we made plans to catch up on a Friday after work. She suggested coming here since we're fans of speakeasies and she had this bookmarked on Yelp. No need to further convince me, so after work I made my way downtown. Paper Planes is located on the LES, and like many speakeasies it has an inconspicuous storefront. Depending on the spot, there may or may not be a sign out front, but this one was relatively easy to find as the name was on the exterior of the building as well as "secret bar". Upon entry we were in sort of a bare room; there were several paper planes hanging from the ceiling and instructions to follow them - so that's what we did. Eventually the space opened up into the actual bar area; the space was very cozy without feeling cramped - the bar was set on the back wall with tables scattered throughout the perimeter and low lighting to set the mood. It almost looked like a former outdoor area that was covered, but it didn't have an outdoors feel at all - they did a great job converting the space. The menu has an air travel theme, with each menu section corresponding to a different type of destination (tropics, overseas, the mountains, etc.) and drinks to match those themes. I decided to start with the English Countryside which had notes of pea, strawberry, and citrus - it was smooth with great flavor. I then went tropical and ordered the Island Thyme which was exactly how you thought it was - sweet, not too strong, and good flavor. We were hungry so we also ordered some food, and decided on the French Fries, Cheese and Charcuterie Board, and Fried Dumplings. All of the food was tasty - the fries had a tasty seasoning and came with a garlic mayo for dipping. The charcuterie was plentiful and had a good variety of meats and cheeses, and the dumplings were paired with a tasty aioli. The dumplings were definitely the most interesting to me - they were almost bite-size and came with a tasty aioli. Food definitely wasn't an afterthought here which was a nice surprise. Service was great, everyone was really friendly and made sure we were taken care of. Overall, I was really impressed with Paper Planes - the clever theming, variety of drinks, and attention to food really exceeded my expectations. I only scratched the surface here and would definitely return to explore more of their menu.
one of the coolest speakeasies i've been to in awhile. delicious cocktails and food. music is played at the right level so it doesn't disturb the conversation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paper Planes is a super cute speakeasy cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. From the moment you walk inside this speakeasy-inspired bar, you're in for a unique experience. Follow the paper planes up on the ceiling and head towards the cute indoor-outdoor setting. Their variety of cocktails are travel-inspired and suitable for any person’s liking! Their vibes are great & service was top-notch which makes Paper Planes a must-visit cocktail bar!Whether you're a local or a visitor, Paper Planes promises an unforgettable night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
This place is a great fun spot for drinks. Although I got a mocktail and was charged $15 still - not great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
I'm ashamed I didn't know this place existed until an acquaintance from out of town (LA, no less!) introduced it to us while we were looking for a watering hole on a Sat night. In my defense, I rarely pay attention to the LES. :DAnywho, the fries were tasty with interesting seasoning, and the cocktails were on the more creative side. - Island Thyme: Tropical and tasty- Tokyo Tour: Needed more shiso and yakult flavor - We'll Always Have Paris: Strong and potent...the kind of drink you have three times if you're looking to get effed up- English Countryside: Pretty, delicate and quaint, just like its name - Paloma: A classic. Wasn't my pick, but tasted on point
Paper Planes is a super cute speakeasy cocktail bar in the Lower East Side. From the moment you walk inside this speakeasy-inspired bar, you're in for a unique experience. Follow the paper planes up on the ceiling and head towards the cute indoor-outdoor setting. Their variety of cocktails are travel-inspired and suitable for any person's liking! Their vibes are great & service was top-notch which makes Paper Planes a must-visit cocktail bar! Whether you're a local or a visitor, Paper Planes promises an unforgettable night out.
We had such an incredible experience here! Our party of 2 arrived around 6:30pm on a Saturday and was seated right away. They do not take reservations. The place is on the smaller side - maybe seats 10 parties of 2-4 people and probably 4 seats at the bar. When we left around 8pm, the place was about 2/3 full.When we got there, it was still light out so we got to see all the decor - it's very nicely decorated. It's cozy but also you don't feel like you're smooshed up against the next table. The staff were also so friendly. They all seemed like they were having a fun time as well.We were thinking of getting 1-2 drinks each but ended up getting 3 each because we were enjoying them so much. The menu is really creative with some very interesting concoctions. We saw ancho infused campari, duck fat washed rye whiskey, house made syrups, just to name a few.We started off with the Tokyo Tour and the East India Trading Co - both were on the sweeter side and absolutely delicious. The East India Trading Co. drink is fascinating with its combination of sweet from guava and spicy from the curry spices.We then had the Cabin in the Woods and Morning Dew - they were both spirit forward drinks (which we were told when ordering). I'm not as great with very spirit forward drinks but my companion loved his Morning Dew. And look at the cute paper plane carved into the ice!! What an amazing touchWe ended our stay with We'll Always Have Paris and, of course, the Paper Plane. We were curious, and a bit wary, about the duck fat washed rye whiskey and the staff super kindly let us try a sip. It was a smooth, delicious, fragrant and spicy drink all in one. The Paper Plane was so delicious and refreshing - a great way to end the series of drinks.We also got to try their fries - it was fried perfectly, spiced perfectly, and paired with an amazing sauce. Such a good companion to our drinks.I won't gatekeep this place even though I want it to be my secret, haha. I would highly recommend this place! I can't wait to go back and try more of their drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I wanted to check out Paper Planes after dinner and was kind of confused upon entering the establishment, an empty restaurant. Luckily, we saw the paper plane trail and followed it to a backroom where the bar is located. Staff were friendly and checked in on us multiple times.Tokyo Tour (4/5): I saw yakult and was sold. The drink was sweet, refreshing, and light. I liked it.Banana bread (3/5): Concept sounded fun, but the dessert-tasting drink did get a little heavy on the palate.
Restaurantji Recommends
Incredible drinks, amazing experience all around. Ricky is so fun to chat with as well. I recommend this to anyone looking for a great cocktails and a good time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
These magicians of alcohol and flavor have blown my mind and I come here over and over again! I wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone looking to have a great and fun evening! Amazing date night spot!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow! This is some place. And the drinks are superlative. I performed my usual test, ordering a whiskey,sour, which is one of the best I’ve ever had. On a later date, I had a Negroni, thinking to myself “how much can one improve and on a Negroni?“ Anyway I was blown away by not only this bar, but also that last Negroni.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredible drinks! Food was delicious. Staff is extremely warm and friendly, knowledgeable and the vibe is impeccable! Really cool location!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely love the place! Great vibe, friendly people, amazing drinks! Got a few craft cocktails that I can easily describe with a word outstanding) We got a round of best Paper Planes I have ever tried! Very cozy atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5