Address

35 East 76th Street, Carlyle Hotel, NY 10021
Carlyle Hotel, Upper East Side, New York

Best For

Heritage Manhattan cocktail bar, live piano, special occasions

Opening Hours

Mon–Wed12:00–01:00 Thu–Sat12:00–01:30 Sun12:00–24:00

Reservations

No, walk-in. Cover charge after 21:30.

Dress Code

Smart elegant. Jacket required for gentlemen.

Price Range

$$$$ · Cocktails from $24, cover after 21:30

Heritage Carlyle Madeline Murals Piano Special Occasion

Plan Your Visit

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Walk-in only. The cover charge after 21:30 is around $35 per person.

Our Take

Manhattan's Most Beautiful Cocktail Room

Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel has the most beautiful interior of any cocktail bar in New York. The walls are covered in original 1947 murals by Ludwig Bemelmans, the author of the Madeline books — Central Park scenes painted in his characteristic style. Bemelmans painted them in exchange for 18 months of room and board at the hotel.

The cocktails are classical and immaculate. The bar uses fresh juices, top-shelf spirits, and the technique you would expect from a $24-minimum cocktail menu at a heritage Carlyle Hotel. The live piano starts at 17:30 and runs through the evening.

The crowd is a mix of older Carlyle regulars, special-occasion couples, and tourists who came for the murals. Pair with the Manhattan piano bar scene for an Upper East Side evening.

What to Order

Old Fashioned

Premium bourbon from the back bar, demerara, Angostura, orange peel. Built classically. Reliable.

Vesper

Gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc. Shaken until cold. The Bond drink, well executed.

Manhattan

Rye, sweet vermouth, Angostura. Stirred 60 seconds.

Champagne Cocktail

Champagne, sugar cube, Angostura, lemon twist. The hotel classic.