Flatiron Lounge

Words by Simon Difford

Address: 37 West 19th Street , (btwn 5th & 6th Aves), New York City, New York, 10011, United States
Tel: +1 212 727 7741
Website: view Flatiron Lounge’s website
Door: Go early
Style: Lounge bar
Established: 2003

Review

Both this lounge and its locale take their name from the landmark Flatiron Building, Manhattan's oldest surviving skyscraper, which dates back to 1902. The building's triangular shape resembles an iron - hence its name.

The Flatiron Lounge is a homage to the glory days of cocktails. An illuminated tunnel leads to an art deco style lounge, with mirrored tiles, red leather and pieces lifted from Manhattan's liquid history. There is a mirror from the Algonquin, where Dorothy Parker and her circle drank, while the 30-foot-long mahogany bar is salvaged from The Ballroom, once frequented by Sinatra and his pack. The whole space is then gently illuminated by Tiffany lamps.

Cocktails are king here and the 'flight of the day' of taster size Martinis enable one to sample four different drinks in a single order - just "ask where we are going today".

When it opened in 2003, Flatiron was one of New York's most fashionable and talked about cocktail havens. It has aged well.