Upscale Bars Have a Hospitality Problem
With fixed time limits, designer interiors and $30 cocktails, upscale bars are destinations, but often lose the spirit of hospitality. [...] Read More... The post Upscale Bars Have a Hospitality Problem appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
When I visited New York from Los Angeles in January, I dropped by a buzzy new bar in Midtown Manhattan with great anticipation. The place looks stunning in photos and is featured on all the best new bars list.
However, its sizzle devolved to fizzle the moment I sat down. Some of the details that make or break a good experience were missing.
The barstool’s floor-length metal side panels made it impossible to move the chairs forward without hopping up. Bouncing acoustics made it difficult to engage in conversation with the other three members of my party. The space, designed by an architecture firm specializing in museums and elite offices, felt serious despite being filled to near capacity. I never felt comfortable.
Still, I can’t say it was a crummy place. The delicious $24 (and up) drinks featured complex, unorthodox ingredients like pretzel miso and fermented carrot—fitting for a space co-owned by a celebrity chef.
And it was easy on the eyes. The space’s dark woods and vintage furniture made the space feel opulent and the earth-toned fresco behind the bar was more beautiful to look at than a sea of bottles.
Despite these pluses, the place left me cold because it felt less like a bar and more like a destination serving drinks—a critical distinction, in my mind. The former is a place with good drinks and warm hospitality; the latter is a spectacle and as the cocktail scene moves forward, I know these types of venues will likely launch with greater frequency. Their visually distinct atmospheres and elaborate drinks will cajole the Instagram and TikTok crowds to eagerly book 90-minute reservation weeks in advance.
But where exactly do these upscale places mean for the future of the bar landscape?
Is an Upscale Bar Even a Bar?
The line separating a classic bar and a high-end destination bar points to the cocktail scene’s evolution. Classic cocktails on the menu were a mark of distinction years ago. Not anymore. To stand out, and stay competitive in a crowded landscape, an establishment may feel the need to lean into elements that make space a destination, where near $30 drinks can be justified.
This mindset is not unlike restaurants. The three-Michelin star spot and the mom-and-pop greasy spoon technically fit under the same restaurant umbrella, but they’re viewed through different filters. It feels like the time is right to apply those filters to the bar industry.
