The Door: You can’t judge a book by its cover and that goes double for Door NYC. The entrance to this Hell’s Kitchen lounge sits on a street of permanent traffic and is quite unassuming, marked only with heavy gilded doors situated under a cement archway. What’s inside, however, is a stark contrast: a Middle Eastern paradise outfitted with dramatic candlelight, leather seating, tabletop hookahs, and weekend belly dancers shimmying through the crowd. Any of the bar’s specialty cocktails, like the Blush Martini—a mix of raspberry vodka and watermelon liquor—can be matched with a flavored hubble-bubble for $20 (try the cherry). Rose petals dust the surface of anything that sits still, and a violet- and velvet-embellished VIP lounge is reserved for parties springing for bottle service. Live stand-up comedy also makes an appearance on the weekend. Momma always said it’s what’s inside that counts, and one night here will make you a believer. |
