A relaxed East Village haunt serving expertly crafted, unique cocktails like the 'tomato water thing' and praised martinis, all in a comfortable, house-party vibe.
Will Hartman reviews Schmuck, an East Village bar offering a relaxed, house-party vibe with expertly crafted cocktails like the Larb Gai and personalized service.
This East Village spot offers a relaxed, living room-like atmosphere, perfect for date nights or a casual get-together. It's celebrated for its expertly crafted and unique cocktails, with patrons specifically recommending the 'tomato water thing' and their martinis. While the drinks are a major draw, some find the atmosphere a bit too busy, but the friendly staff and interesting drink menus make it a noteworthy destination.
The restaurant is primarily known for its creative and unique cocktails, with specific mentions of the 'tomato water thing' and a highly-rated martini with olive oil. While some reviews highlight the quality and inventiveness of the drinks, others suggest they might be lower in ABV or not entirely live up to the hype. Some small bites like cacio e pepe beans and chocolate mousse are also available.
"The 'tomato water thing' and their martinis, especially those with olive oil, are frequently recommended. The frozen margarita with salted cream is also a standout for some."
Customers generally have a positive view of the restaurant, praising its unique cocktails and friendly staff, though some find the atmosphere too crowded or the drinks not as exceptional as hyped.
Important Note
Some patrons find the cocktails to be lower in alcohol content or not as exceptional as anticipated. One review mentioned a very negative experience with the atmosphere and drinks, and another noted potential wait times.
"The user finds the frozen margarita with salted cream at Schmucks so enjoyable they could drink it daily."
Positive"Schmucks was suggested as a fun place with amazing cocktails, though it does not specialize in martinis."
Positive"Schmucks is recommended for its fun atmosphere and amazing cocktails, although it does not primarily serve martinis."
Positive"The user describes Schmuck as a new and pretty good place for a bar experience offering drinks and small bites."
Positive"A user noted that Schmuck 'seemed decent but nothing special,' implying a neutral impression where it did not particularly stand out."
Neutral"A user had a very negative experience at Schmuck, reporting that the place literally smelled like "shit" during their visit and stated that there are many better options available in the East Village."
Negative"An industry insider suggests that Schmuck's significant buzz and attention are primarily driven by the owners' strong connections in the bar world. They believe the establishment isn't doing anything notably different from other cocktail bars in NYC."
Neutral"A user disagrees with the positive assessment of Schmuck, criticizing both the mediocre quality of its cocktails, despite interesting descriptions, and the unpleasant atmosphere, which they found overcrowded, brightly lit, and noisy, making conversation difficult."
Negative"A user preferred the outside restaurant area of Schmuck over its cramped interior bar, noting that the savory-intended cocktails served outside were more interesting than the drinks offered in the backroom."
Neutral"Schmuck lives up to the hype, recommends the tomato water thing."
Positive"Recommends Schmuck as a good alternative if not feeling DCP. It recently opened in the East Village."
Positive"Schmuck is one of the newest and most hyped spots, with great drinks (maybe a bit lower ABV) and awesome staff. Open at 4 PM, walk-ins only, two rooms with different drink menus."
Positive"Schmuck is an amazing, fun bar with unique cocktails."
Positive"Schmuck is experimental and relatively new."
Neutral"The original poster listed Schmuck in the LES as a potential spot on their radar for cool cocktails during a planned bar crawl."
Neutral"Mentions Schmuck as one of the new cocktail bars that have opened recently, noting there might be a wait."
Positive
