Sometimes you just need a ‘New York happy meal.’ No, not the kind with a burger and toy from the Golden Arches, we’re referring to the adult version: a perfectly chilled, proper martini – gin or vodka, your choice – paired with crispy, salty fries. In the Big Apple, you’re never far from a bar with stiff drinks and stunning design or one of the many classic New York restaurants with a bar scene that makes you want to hang out for hours. But not every well-dressed boozer gets the martini-and-fries combo just right. At Wallpaper*, we’ve done the heavy lifting – drinking and dining – for you by curating the ultimate list of spots for ’tinis and fries, with a side of impeccable vibes and visually appealing interiors.
Whether it’s a midweek pick-me-up or a Friday night celebration, these stylish and atmospheric establishments run the gamut from enduring downtown haunts like Balthazar, Raoul’s and The Odeon to new-ish darlings such as Chez Fifi, Raf’s and The Eighty Six.
(Image credit: Courtesy Hannah Wyatt / Chez Fifi.)
Josh and David Foulquier (of Sushi Noz fame) created Chez Fifi, designed by Stockholm-based Joyn Studio, as an intimate French bistro for the chic, Uptown crowd. Occupying the second floor of the bi-level townhouse, above the dining room, Salon de Fifi pours a salty, savoury take on a classic martini, made with Truman vodka, Laurent Cazottes Green Tomato liqueur and Dolin Blanc vermouth (of course, if you prefer gin, there are plenty to choose from, including Procera, distilled in Kenya using locally sourced juniper berries). The perfect pairing? Frites maison with house aioli and an Osetra caviar add-on, for a decadent upgrade.
Chez Fifi is located at 140 E 74th St, New York, NY 10021
(Image credit: Gemma Colón)
Keith McNally’s bustling brasserie in the heart of SoHo, Balthazar, an old-school anchor of Spring Street since 1997, is about as classic as it gets. With just the right amount of downtown energy, especially when the drinks start flowing, it’s an iconic spot for post-shopping buzz and bites. On any given night, loyal regulars, celebrities and clued-in out-of-towners rub elbows at the perennially packed counter, under the warm glow of globe lighting. There are a lot of ways to do Balthazar right – and one of them is a New York happy meal. Grab a bar stool or a red leather banquette, order a chilled vodka or gin martini with a trace of vermouth and a side of fries – cut fresh daily and double-fried in peanut oil – with all the sauces.
Balthazar is located at 80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(Image credit: Courtesy the Eighty Six)
A historic Jazz Age pub and Prohibition-era speakeasy reborn as a jewel box dining destination, with rich, vintage-inspired interiors from Rockwell Group, The Eighty Six is prime for a decadent night out. The haute West Village hangout takes martinis seriously, with renditions like the Smoked Dirty Martini – a mix of vodka, applewood-smoked olive brine, a trio of stuffed olives (bleu cheese, anchovy and cultured butter and crème fraîche topped with Osetra caviar) and Marcona almonds, finished tableside, poured over a sculpted ice column. A sign of a true scratch kitchen with a flair for the opulent, the French fries are made with house-cut potatoes, served alongside HV57 ketchup and house-made malt aioli. And the snug, low-lit space encourages lingering – at least until the next reservation needs the bar seats.
The Eighty Six is located at 86 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
(Image credit: Courtesy Raf’s)
Raf’s, a French-meets-Italian bakery and café on Elizabeth Street, is where the downtown set goes for a New York happy meal. A modern NoHo eatery with an old-world soul, this new-ish kid on the block feels current without being try-hard, channeling a European-style dining experience that’s in lockstep with the pace and panache of the Big Apple, whether you’re in the mood for a leisurely lunch that melts into the afternoon or dinner. Grab a seat at the curved marble bar or tuck into a snug table in the mirror-lined dining room for a ‘tini (or two) and golden crisp shoestring fries (with ketchup and mayonnaise for dipping, of course).
Raf’s is located at 290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
(Image credit: Courtesy Le Rock)
Le Rock, the French brasserie in the heart of Rockefeller Center, designed by Workstead, dazzles the working lunch and after-work crowd, plus destination diners and drinkers, with its elegant, Art Deco-influenced flair: veined marble, brass details, warm wood and leather banquettes. Run by the James Beard Award-winning chefs behind Frenchette and Le Veau d’Or, it has a serious culinary pedigree – credentials that extend to the bar. Straight from the freezer and presented in a tall V martini glass the Maison Martinis – including the Super Sec with overproof gin, extra dry and white vermouth and Au Poivre with vodka, manzanilla olive, vin jaune and green peppercorn – and hot, crispy frites are worth contending with Midtown traffic.
Le Rock is located at 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
(Image credit: Courtesy Raoul’s)
Raoul’s, a SoHo institution dating back to 1975, does no-fuss, retro glamour (think: dark wood, pressed tin ceilings and provocative art) better than anyone. It’s where bartenders go after their shifts end, alongside neighbourhood regulars and low-key celebs without a stitch of makeup. And all stop by for the same reason: an old-school, properly chilled martini and classic French bistro fries – crispy, salty and made for steak but more than capable of standing on their own. If you’ve managed to nab one of the coveted bar seats, don’t even think about giving it up. Get another round of drinks (be sure to ask if there are any of the famous Burger Au Poivre left) and let the night unfold.
Raoul’s is located at 180 Prince St, New York, NY 10012
The Kit Kemp-designed Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca is a cheerful departure from the sleek skyscrapers around the city. Joyful and full of colour, its exuberant, maximalist interiors are alive in the salon-like Warren Street Bar & Restaurant, where bold hues, playful patterns, and punchy art create a whimsical backdrop for a New York happy meal. The martini happy hour, ‘created to make an ordinary afternoon feel a little indulgent,’ means $15 ‘tinis and $10 parmesan-dusted truffle fries with house-made Bloody Mary ketchup daily from 3PM to 6PM. But, of course, you can post up at the pewter-topped bar, crowned by a large-scale sculpture by Gareth Devonald Smith, for a frosty olive martini – pre-batched and served in a frozen coupe – and fries any time.
Warren Street Bar & Restaurant is located at 86 Warren St, New York, NY 10007
(Image credit: Eric Medsker)
The Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea is a Gilded Age refuge from gritty 23rd Street, a place for ‘tinis, a touch of opulence and, of course, people watching in a series of rooms adorned with original marble mosaic floors, inlaid ceilings and plush velvet seating. Go for the vibes, libations – the booze program is led by Sunday Hospitality’s Beverage Director Brian Evans – and the beautiful setting. Signature drinks include the 1884 Martini, with gin, cedro lemon, vetiver and Spanish olive oil, as well as the Dukes Martini, an homage to the London staple poured tableside with freezer-cold vodka or gin and a vermouth rinse and finished with Meyer lemon peel. What could be a better companion than the salty, crispy fries?
The Lobby Bar is located at 226 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
(Image credit: Evan Sung)
Château Royal offers a cinematic interpretation of vintage French luxury – deep reds and gold, layered with checkered floors, velvet upholstery and ornamental mouldings. The swank scene is complemented by standout sips. The martini, the first recipe owner Cody Pruitt created for the restaurant, follows an 8:1 ratio of spirit to vermouth, using a house blend of three dry and blanc vermouths and a white apéritif, lifted with a touch of Italian lemon liqueur. The pre-batched ‘tinis are poured tableside by a server in a dapper white tux. In equally luxe fashion, the wonderfully crispy, fluffy pomme frites show up piled high on a silver platter with a side of Pommery mayonnaise.
Chateau Royale is located at 205 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012
(Image credit: Courtesy the Odeon)
Old-school is the name of the game at The Odeon, a beloved Tribeca benchmark for the past four decades. But this classic New York restaurant doesn’t trade exclusively in nostalgia. It’s as happening as when Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat were regulars. Still, it’s a temple to tradition – as evidenced by the dark wood bar and hanging globe lamps. The martini follows a classic 00.5 oz vermouth to 2.5 oz vodka or gin ratio, and gets a good stir or shake before being served in a well-chilled martini glass – the same style since 1989 – and is garnished with either three olives on a pick or a lemon twist. The fries are hand-cut in-house, double-fried and very crispy.
The Odeon is located at 145 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013
(Image credit: Courtesy Deux Chats)
Deux Chats, from the team behind Le Dive and The Nines, feels as if a Parisian Art Nouveau-inspired cocktail lounge landed in New York’s Jazz Age and then flashed forward to the present. Its curved green bars, antique mirrors, vaulted ceilings and hand-painted tiles created a sense of Belle Époque nostalgia and modern romance. Both cozy and social, it’s established itself as a good-time Brooklyn go-to for martini-and-fries obsessives, with a walk-in-heavy scene. Patrons can choose from a selection of expertly crafted martinis (classic, dirty, vesper, kinky, etc.) and a side of golden fries with garlic aioli. Going with a group? Opt for the martini fountain.
Deux Chats is located at 27 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(Image credit: Nick Johnson)
Tucked away on the second floor of SoHo’s chicest hotel, The Manner, Sloane’s is a jewel box draped in rich red, emerald and gold. The intimate atmosphere, with just enough scene-iness and dimly lit corners for canoodling, makes it a date destination – especially for pairs who prefer the classic combination of a martini and fries to a heavy sit-down meal. With the launch of Martini Mondays, the lounge is leaning further into its status as a New York happy meal spot. On the menu? An indulgent pairing of an ice-cold martini, seasoned fries and a caviar bump, or a trio of signature mini martinis like the Cold Plunge (gin, Cocchi Americano, lemon, mint oil and Creole bitters).
Sloane’s is located at 58 Thompson St, Second Floor, New York, NY 10012
(Image credit: Courtesy Corner Bar)
Corner Bar at Nine Orchard, the fashionable Dimes Square hotel favored by editors, stylists, designers and off-duty models, is a favorite for its relaxed feel and gastronomic chops. The setting leans toward a casual tavern with tin ceilings, white subway tile walls, plaid café curtains and dark wood. Yet the chef-driven approach, which extends to the beverage program, means you’re guaranteed a gloriously glacial martini with either Reyka vodka or Ford’s Gin and crispy fries with rosemary and Dijon aioli, whether for pre-dinner drinks or a nightcap with a nibble. If you have a hankering for something a bit heartier, the menu includes classics like steak tartare and the 9O burger.
Corner Bar is located at 60 Canal St, New York, NY 10002
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