I had narrowed it down to three potential locations to have a drink before taking our friend for her birthday dinner a few blocks away at Dirt Candy. We decided on Tigre, a semi-hidden speakeasy replete with a huge bouncer protecting the graffiti-covered door, as my friend said she had been, and it was a fun place. 

The large bouncer asked me where I was looking for Tigre when I seemed confused looking at the numbers on the building and hadn’t noticed him yet. He checked my res, mentioned that one of my party had been seated and asked me and others who arrived to wait for the hostess.

First stop their coat closet where I was to deposit all coats and bags, although she allowed me the one of birthday accoutrements for adorning us, before I stepped back in time to enter  the speakeasy. The room provided glimpses of the gilded speakeasy era blended with contemporary Manhattan. A real classy and pricey spot.

We ordered a half-dozen East Coast oysters on the half shell with yuzu-koshu mignonette ($28) and drinks. Prices ranged in price from $16 non alcoholic cocktail to $21 for their agave raicilla pasilla and $24 for their rolls royce with gin, Moscato, chinato (with added cinchona bark) and benedictine flavored with saffron.

Wished we had a little more time to enjoy the ambiance. We had planned correctly — allowing an hour — yet our waitress was quite slow, leaving us little time to linger over our drinks and enjoy the sophisticated club before heading to Dirt Candy for our reservation a few blocks away.

I recommend a visit. Be sure to make a reservation.

Tigre
Lower East Side
105 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
917.960.6583
tigrenyc.com