Elite Event: Crimson & Rye

–AMBIENCE–
A large space for a Unilocal event. It was large enough to handle the Unilocalers that showed up. The horse-​shoe shaped bar with large floor to ceiling windows with a glimpse into Midtown. We took some selfies at the bar and got a great pic of ourselves, of course, and the view of Midtown chrome and steel buildings in the background.
I loved the touch with the games placed at the tables towards the entrance. It was a way to hang out and get to know fellow Elites.
–DRINKS–
Super strong and ultra delicious cocktails. I had the following:
* Revenge of the CCC — MY FAVE! I think it was also a hit with the rest of the crowd because I saw a bunch of people ordering this drink. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s something normally on their menu because when I returned after the Unilocal Event I didn’t see it.
* Par for the Course — Delicious, more on the tangier side and stronger than Revenge of the CCC
* Crimson & Rye — their namesake is a definite heavy hitter. This one will take you for a ride just after a few sips. Very strong and potent.
–FOOD–
The truffled popcorn was delicious — I’m sorry but anything with truffles is fantastic in my book — with pure shaved cheese clearly visible on the popcorn. There was fava bean flatbreads — it may sound unappetizing but I would argue that it was one of the best things there. And my fave which was the meat and cheese charcuterie. There was great variety in the cheese from sweet to spunky (blue /​gorgonzola type cheese).

Had to miss the NBA finals for this, but I would say it worth it!
A few drinks in hand, endless bites to nibble on, great fellow Elites new and old. Great to catch up on some random things happening.
There were a lot of new faces, and some new elites who brought their plus ones. It would be good if the next event we could play a game and tell the elites’ plus one to talk to anyone else except for their own elite buddy.
The bartenders were working hard and getting as many drinks out as they can. I have to admit it was kind of hard in the beginning, but with patience and persistence, they finally will get your orders down and quench your thirst.
There were mini sliders, some tuna tartar, mini dogs, flatbread with a vegetarian dip on top, and cookie shots with some baileys cream.
Thanks to Ruggy @ Unilocal and Crimson and Rye for hosting an awesome event!

it’s a big deal when i go north of 14^th street: nosebleeds, dizziness, an unfounded fear of ending up in Alaska, White Walkers, etc. i had ambulances set up nearby… as i didn’t want to bleed out. ha
alas, i ended up at the comfortably swanky joint known as Crimson & Rye with time to spare because this was an evening event on the latter side.
the space itself is modern with classic touches. lots of bar seating. tabled seating. and outdoor seating. it fits the bill for post-​work drinks for well-​heeled ladies and gents in tow – whether it’s work group shenanigans, pregame before dinner, a casual fancy drink date for professionals, or a place where you want to just catch the game on the flatscreens. the space is low-​lit with the bar, backlighting, booze bottles, and glassware solidifying the swaggy playful feel of the bar. the bathroom required an elevator ride and a key. not sure if this is a permanent feature or a temporary solution… unclear. advice: don’t break the seal.
my favorite cocktail was the Crimson & Rye namesake mixed drink. carefully crafted elixir. potent. rye/​gin/​bitters. something cherry-​ish. a fine sipping drank. i had several. you’ll need to be patient on drink creations as the more complex ones are not fired out but mixed with an eagle ege by the bar staff.
there were a variety of wines, whiskey flights, and cocktails that you could order. the bar prides itself on the curation of booze that it’s put under one roof.
there were games to play etc. assume those aren’t just there for the Unilocal event and you can get into off-​color shenanigans with CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY.
the food. there was lots of it. piles upon piles of fine meats and cheeses (and bread). i hear there were hotdogs, tuna tartar, sliders, etc. i didn’t get a chance at them as i was focused on beverage choices and the beers. the tuna tartar seemed to be a huge hit: i got a seafood chemical peel anytime anyone who vacuumed tuna tartar up then exhaled near moi. i’ll take gluttony and fishy breath as solidifying the tartars popularity for the night. the food here is super legit. and the cookie/​white russian shots were a nice touch.
nice seeing new and old faces. me being my charming silver-​tongued self alienated about 90% of said folks, but whatevz. i am a rapscallion full o’ shenanigans.
a big thank you to Ruggy and his minions in putting this together. and a huge amount of kudos to the staff at the Crimson & Rye for their friendliness, hilarious banter, and hustle throughout the night. no mean feat as this was a well-​attended event with lots of hungry – and even thirstier – folks! seewhatididthere
if you like fancy-​ish places without any airs for a date or a group outing, Crimson & Rye will fit the bill.
drops mic, so i can eavesdrop on folk’s conversations and rabblerouse.
i out.
zzzzz

By the good graces of my gracious Manhattan elite for that night, I was able to crash this Manhattan event as a +1. Though I have a few theories/​conjectures as to my inability to secure a spot at events such as this (through my own powers/​merits) in this great borough, it is, nevertheless, an unparalleled delight to see how the other half (…err, one-​third…) lives.
The event had a relatively late start at 9 in the PM, and myself and my host for the evening (we’ll call her Ms. N) had an even later start at this event… arriving at the fashionably late hour of 10:00 p.m., give or take a few on either end. A few (delightfully) shocked/​surprised familiar faces welcomed (or said goodbye to) me as I bumped into them throughout the course of the night, as they were of the mind-​set that I hadn’t gotten out of purgatory/​off of the waitlist (technically didn’t… just saying).
Apparently whiskey tastings had occurred, certain bites that were available at the infancy of that night weren’t available during the twilight moments… basically, I missed out on a bunch of good stuff. What I was able to get my hands on was serviceable; a tall glass of wine (on the whiter side), shots of some kind, and a bunch of cookies (I passed on the milky part because it doesn’t agree with my stomach) were some of the tastes I was able to partake in by night’s end.
The venue was pretty cool; a bar/​lounge in a fully functional office building… the trip to the bathroom in and of itself was quite an adventure (a traversal that may have scared a few Unilocalers into «holding it in»… super bad for you beeteedubs).
But… it was the company that made the night… and what a night it was. GoT endings were speculated at; the impending doom of the (spectacularly undermanned) Cleveland Cavaliers was observed; the undue hatred toward Lebron James from the masses was analyzed and dissected (this writer is a staunch supporter of King James… and I welcome you to try to rationalize the irrational disdain perpetually aimed at his direction); Einstein’s law of relativity was disproven; cures for most debilitating epidemics were developed… maybe the latter two didn’t happen, but the point is this: interesting, thought-​provoking, and just downright fun dialogue, discourse, and discussion took place with some delightful contemporaries of this writer. I’m sure the night’s offerings (booze) contributed slightly to this.
A tip of the hat to the Manhattan CM, Ruggy. Always a pleasure to get into one of these things, and as always, a splendid selection on your part. And thank you Ms. N (you know who you are!)! It’s by the good graces of you fine Manhattan elites that I can even make it to these things, so keep on doing what you do (and get me in).

Great event, a gorgeous wooden 210-​degree-​appearing bar, and super fun Unilocalers. What more could you want on a Tuesday evening?
Loved the cutting board filled with prosciutto.
And the service.
I was full from dinner and had generous multiple offerings of the tuna tartare, pork sliders, hot dogs and cookie shots.
The cabernet was rich, slightly dry and slightly sweet. It was great.
The chardonnay was sweet, crisp, and tasted like biting into a ginger gold apple. I loved it!
I loved connecting with old friends and new ones!
Thanks Ruggy, Unilocal,and Crimson and Rye staff for hosting us!

For my very first Unilocal Elite event I had an amazing time. I was super excited to become Unilocal Elite and about the event at Crimson & Rye.
For years I worked in midtown and cannot tell you how many times I’ve past this place and never knew it existed. And that’s what I love about Unilocal!It turns you on to so many new (or been there for a long time but I never noticed lol) places.
For my first event, I brought my boyfriend along with me. The bar is apart of a hotel and has a semi circle shape going on. Super sleek. We walked and I met Ruggy who is super nice and friendly. Then my boyfriend and I walked around the bar to kind of get a feel for the event. It was dark and mostly lite from the bustlin NYC night life. While full the area didn’t feel overly crowded. The bar was full but there were neighboring tables and booths to keep people scattered. I loved that there were board games scattered out on tables as well. It made me feel like a grown up kid. I was hoping to get on some Connect Four but got so caught up in the evening we ended up leaving without getting to play.
We both were in awe. Along the bar there were boards of meet and cheeses! OMG it made my mouth water on sight. and it was yummy! lol My boyfriend was in slight shock for the first thirty minutes or so. He couldn’t believe that this was a Unilocal event. He just thought that I was always taking pictures of his food (and not letting him eat it until I got a good shot lol) and checking in to be a crazy person. He did get very comfortable once he saw the passed appetizers and learned that he could have some gratis vino lol.
The cocktails were good, he ordered the CC but we stuck to
was too sweet for him. Overall the ambiance was good and the food matched. The passed snacks consisted of pork sliders, veggie flatbread, tuna tartare on a wonton crisp and mini hotdogs. Delish!
All in all it was a great event. Everyone was friendly. No one hogged the bar or over did it with the adult beverages. You could tell everyone was there to have a fun night out and mingle. I got to meet some new Unilocalers as well which was cool. I was very pleased with my first elite event and cannot wait for the next!

Fun times in midtown east, a location best suited for after work drinks being that it adjoins the offices upstairs. The vibe came be best described as a trendy space set within an office.
Tonight’s event was a perfect mix of wine, charcuterie & cheese plate, cocktails that await each of the Elites that arrived that makes this place so endearing.
All of the cocktails featured were up for ordering but mindfully, took awhile to order as they were complex to execute. The bartenders however dutifully make them very well and they came out excellent.
It was also quite a large event as many of the Manhattan elite ventured out in droves. I got to meet some new faces and caught up with more familiar ones.
Thanks to Crimson & Rye and Unilocal NYC for putting this one together!

This was such a fun event! I played Cards Against Humanity for the first time (I know I’m late). Crimson and Rye has such a great vibe and ambiance from the sexy décor and high ceilings to the friendly bartenders. The drinks were flowing the entire night. The Crimson cocktail was my favorite but I could only drink two of those! It was strong and had a burst of different flavors.
The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. Cleaning up the entire night and making sure to bring out enough food throughout the event. We ended up staying way past 11pm. That’s when you know it’s a good night ;)
Thank you Ruggy, Unilocal,Crimson and Rye staff (you were amazing)!! Also, special thanks to Über for getting me home safely after those delicious cocktails: p
Perfect night!

You know is going to be a good event when you see that the line it began as 10 minutes before the event start it.
After Ruggy scan your party pass you were received by right away by the great staff of Crimson & Rye with a glass of wine, some prosciutto, salami, brie, goat, blue cheeses and bread. Chips and deep, popcorn was in all the tables.
They were also a lots of boards game on the different tables. Games like Jenga, Connect Four, Cards Against Humanity and more.
The bar was kind of pack, that was the reason of the bartender were taking a long time to bring your drinks. They also were more than 10 options of drinks, a little hard to try all.
The food: mini hot dogs, veggie flat bread, tuna tartare with wonton crisp, pulled pork sliders and Milk & Cookies. I must say all food was excellent.
The staff did a great job.
Thank you Ruggy, Ruggys Unilocalers Helpers (sorry i forgot the names) and Crimson and Rye staff for this great event.

Crimson and Rye knows a way to my heart. It says it in there name. With Rye.
Their signature cocktail the Crimson and Rye is made with Rittenhouse Rye, my favorite of all Ryes.
Board games, booze, some delicious snacks, and good company make for a great… what day of the week is it? Tuesday night. (It’s the end of the school year, everything is fuzzy)
Started off the evening by having a heavy discussion about the rules and strategy of Jenga. One hand, no feelsies, no touching the top three rows, go for outside pieces, and flick it when you have to.
The lines had a bit of a wait for cocktails, but that’s fine. They should be. A well crafted drink needs some time to make. While waiting I saw people doing shots. Wondering what was happening, I went over and learned there was a whiskey tasting going on. Somehow not many people knew about this. Another one of my favorites, Buffalo Trace Bourbon!
The food was great. I loved the mini hotdog. The pulled pork slider was juicy. The tuna tartare hit the spot, and to cap of the evening there’s nothing like milk and cookies. Actually there’s nothing like seeing people all of a sudden realize that the milk is actually a White Russian shot. The look on their faces is priceless.
The only sad note is that the game wasn’t on. I wore my Golden State Mitch (the only athlete with such a great name) Richmond jersey to root on the Warriors. Even though I’m a huge LeBron fan. I can’t hate on the establishment though, apparently the whole neighborhood lost its cable.
Had an excellent late night event. It was great chatting it up with my fellow Unilocal peeps. Thanks to the staff and all their hard work. And thanks to Ruggy for setting up such an amazing event, Go Warriors!

So happy that I made it into this event (Thanks Ruggy!) for welcoming Brooklyn! Although I ride Brooklyn till I die I do spend more than 50% of my time in Manhattan between work, working out and after work events!
Anyhow I really love this place. It is definitely an upscale spot. The bar is absolutely beautiful and filled with over 100 different types of whiskey. Because it was a Tuesday night I decided to stick with my fav at this point in life which is red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon to be exact but this place did have an extensive Elite drink menu from wine to beer to specialty cocktails. Pretty impressive and very nice of them. The ambiance is really nice, very dim and very mellow. I must say the food was excellent. The pork sliders were very juicy. Pork can always be a hit or miss but this was definitely a hit! Im not so much a fan of tuna but I did try the tuna tar tar and that was very good as well. To add to that I also tried the frankfurters which they jazzed up with avocado and other yummy things making your average dish that much better. Aside from that they had a meat and cheese platter out. The cheeses were very rich and delicious. I was impressed with the wine and the food for sure. The staff was extremely attentive and nice.
Aside from our usual mingling they had board games out on the tables for us which was really cool. Jenga, Connect Four, Cards Against Humanity ect… With popcorn and chips & dip to snack on it was definitely a good time. This place went above and beyond for us and I must say this was my favorite Manhattan event thus far!!!
The last surprise that we received was milk and cookie shots! The cookies were so good and the milk, not your average whole milk! In fact it was Khalua and Vanilla flavored Vodka! Those shots were GOOD!
Thumbs up and 5 stars for this amazing place. They have outdoor seating as well Im really looking forward to coming back this summer!

Nothing like cocktails, charcuterie, and a very top secret basement bathroom.
The namesake Crimson & Rye cocktail was great.
The whiskey tasting (that few people seemed to know about) was fun times.
Board games and the seating to play them were both plentiful.
Hors d’oeuvres were flowing out of the kitchen.
Thanks to Ruggy for organizing and to Crimson & Rye and their lovely staff for hosting us!

This was a fun event. I walked into a packed lounge with a lot of new familiar faces and some new ones as well.
Food and drinks:
I didn’t get to try to cocktails, but the whiskey/​bourbon tasting was good enough for me. My favorite was the buffalo trace bourbon
A few small bites were available, tuna tartare, pulled pork sliders and some mini hot dogs. I would say the hot dogs were my favorite here.
The staff was great, very sociable and knowledgeable, it was a pleasure speaking to a few of them. The space has a ton of seating and a large bar. This would be a great location for a large gathering, I really liked how the place is organized.
Overall another great Manhattan event, thanks to Ruggy and to the Charlie Palmer staff for putting this together!

This was a really fantastic event and totally worth the wait outside on line to get in. Upon entering we were immediately greeted with generous goblets of red and white wine, a beautiful set-​up of prosciutto, blue cheese, brie cheese chunks and crostini bread pieces that were seasoned with black pepper. Cheese and meat platters are one of my favorite things… paired very well with my Cabernet, mmmmm.
The cocktails being crafted included Cherry Herring, Rye, Pisco and a variety of other inventive and unique ingredients. My personal favorite cocktail of the night was the Crimson & Rye which strangely reminded me of Cherry Chaptick… not complaining, lol.
I got to sample the «Revenge of the CCC» and the «Set forth…» — yeahhh, I don’t exactly remember the name of that cocktail, but it was tasty. They were all «sippers» though, especially the Crimson & Rye (Rittenhouse Rye, Gin, Gran Classico, Bitters, and Orange Blossom Water) which as delicious as it was, packed QUITE the punch.
Food offerings were also delicious and had something for everyone. I was glad I got to sample their beed hot hot dogs, their buffalo chicken hot dogs (good, but not very buffalo-​ey), their pulled pork sliders, chips & french onion dip and their tuna tartar served on tiny wontons with sea salt and an avocado mousse — THESE WERE MY FAVORITE EDIBLE ITEMS OF THE NIGHT. But seriously, I could eat my weight in tuna tartar, I just love raw fish SO DAMN MUCH. They were fantastic. I skipped on most of the food throughout the course of the night because it was so filling and I just wanted to save myself for that tuna, lol.
As they were preparing the Milk & Cookie shots, I predicted they would be shots after I saw shot glasses being laid out in the bar prep area and I wasn’t wrong. These shots were really amazing and reminded me of miniature White Russians. I later found out they were actually a combination of Kahlua, Vanilla Vodka and Half & Half cream. The chocolate chip cookie garnishes were the perfect touch.
This was a really awesome Tuesday night and a super successful Unilocal Elite event. Many thanks to Ruffy and the gang at Crimson & Rye, I can’t wait to return soon with friends!

Midtown! I recently started working in the area and it’s truly like living in a NY movie. There are gorgeous designer shops, historical architecture, impressive art galleries and let’s not forget Central Park. And Crimson and Rye is an absolute reflection of the neighborhood. Nothing beat schmoozing in this chic, upscale cocktail spot «On a Tuesday»!
The cocktail spot is located in the famous lipstick building. The bar is very modern, dark wood accents and red leather seating. I especially loved the horseshoe bar. I was able to find a little spot at the bar and order «Revenge of the CCC». It was the perfect balance of sweet and strong. There was beautiful platters on the bar with some of the most delectable cheeses. It was wonderful to make a little nosh plate while the bartender crafted my drink. I could hear he was even requesting the right glassware for my cocktail. He was very detail oriented and took the necessary time to make the best drink.
My favorite hors d’oeuvres were easily the tuna and the flatbread. This was a great introduction to the menu of Crimson & Rye. I also had a glass of wine and it was incredible. Crimson & Rye was bringing out their best stuff and I left very impressed. I will definitely be returning!
A little heads up: The guard will have to scan you to go downstairs and head to the restroom.
Thank you Unilocal!Thanks Ruggy for Organizing! Thanks Crimson & Rye! And a shout out to Manhattan Unilocal Elite! It was also great seeing so many Brooklyn Unilocalers at the event too! It felt good to check in and know your friends were there. Thanks for the lovely evening! And a special thanks to my lovely plus one, Amabile for joining me!
PS you might feel the «revenge» the next day. And the cookies and milk is a must!!! Perfect way to end the evening.

I was lucky enough to be an Elite’s plus-​one to this event and I must say every Unilocaler I met was extremely friendly and welcoming.
Ambience: Place has a low key trendy vibe. Couches are super comfortable and good place for intimate event. Love the way the bar is set up. There were board games and snacks (chips and dip, popcorn) on each table which was cool. We played Cards Against Humanity and it was quite fun.
Service: As soon as we walked in we were greeted with glasses of wine… I am a wino, so not even a minute in and I was already a happy camper. All the staff members were super friendly and attentive, not to mention very accommodating.
Food: As soon as you walked in there were several platters on the bar consisting of cheese, salami and prosciutto. I am trying to consume less pork and dairy, but that rule went out the window last night. They had various appetizers like sliders, tuna tartar and mini hot dogs; all quite yummy. They also provided cookies and (alcoholic) milk at the end.
Drinks: Although I started with a glass of Cabernet sauvignon, I ended up trying the Crimson and Rye which was quite strong yet quite yummy. Drinking it made me feel like I was in a James Bond movie (although I know he drinks Martinis lol).
Going to the bathroom was an interesting experience; I wonder if the bathrooms were under construction or if this is the way it usually is.
Overall I am very grateful I was able to attend. You know the week is going well when you end up feeling nice… on a Tuesssssday!

What an appropriate pre-​birthday celebration. (Yes folks, I’m old.)
But first, a confession: I was so close to backing out last minute. An aggregation of events, including the closing of a condo (in less than two weeks!), starting a new job, and miscellaneous other situations that had popped up had led into one of the roughest weeks that I’d yet to encounter. Thankfully, I pulled myself together at the last minute and found myself entering the Lipstick Building with my +1 just after 9PM. A friendly greeting and check in by Ruggy, and we promptly walked into a dimly lit, opulent lounge — the latest work under famed chef Charlie Palmer.
I wasn’t able to try one of the cocktails offered [1], but my friends appreciated the signature Crimson & Rye (Rittenhouse Rye, Gin, Gran Classico, Bitters, and Orange Blossom Water) and the Revenge of the CCC (Pisco, Campari, Royal Combier, Grapefruit, and Calamansi) was just as well received. I did, however, try a shot of whiskey from the Whiskey Tasting offered and there were a few light bites available as well. The tuna tartare was well seasoned and perfectly acidic, probably my favorite bite of the evening, and the pulled pork slider was smartly contrasted with a few pickle slices, which reminded me instantly of a cubano.
But of course, the highlight of the evening was the excellent company. I had the opportunity to catch up with a few friends and meet several newly minted Unilocalers as well — including several not-​so-​anonymous followers. ;) It made the two hours fly by, and I had to force myself to slide off my chair once 11PM hit… An unfortunate byproduct of old age.
Many, many thanks to Ruggy and Unilocal for hosting yet another successful event, and for introducing a venue to me that’s a short walk from my new office. It’s certainly a great option for a work happy hour, yet intimate enough for those looking for a great date spot. The staff were welcoming and efficient, making sure we were all well fed and watered trough the night. And although I wasn’t able to stay until the stroke of midnight… Well, it was nonetheless a memorable evening. :)
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[1] Yes, yes I know. But it’s probably not the best impression to roll into work late and hungover in your second week…

*** Most sociable/​accommodating staff ever, Delicious small bites, Strong cocktails ***
Crimson & Rye definitely deserves five stars for this amazing night. Due to the location and the atmosphere, I would like to think this place is more for an «after work“type of bar. Their cocktails are very well crafted and quite strong. But, the winner for me was the tuna tartare; I would come back for that. One of the servers mentioned they make a tuna tartare type taco, so I’ll be back for that. Overall, I was so impressed by the service, the food, and the drinks.

Crimson and Rye is a sexy space that I hope a future date takes me to soon ;-) Not to mention, the craft cocktails are meticulously concocted, and mixed to perfection. The Crimson and Rye cocktail takes the cake — a drink that deserves to be sipped slowly and savored.
Loved the light bites that were passed around as well — the mini hot dogs are inventive in ingredients, and the pulled pork sliders were extra tender.
I will most definitely be back. This is a great space to impress clients at, and since my office is right down the street I plan to do just that!

Such a great experience! Loved it! I got here a little before 9 and there was already a LONG line. WHAT?
Once I stepped inside, the staff offered wine for each guest. Cheese samples were beautifully displayed on the counter and needless to say, all of the Unilocalers got comfortable elbowing each other within minutes.
They offered so many alcoholic beverage choices and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the signature cocktail «crimson rye» was okay. I really liked the Parr for the Course. It was delicious!
Thanks Ruggy and the staff here for such a fantastic event!