What Saint Tuesday has going for it is what many speakeasies about town try to recreate—and it all starts with the fact that this bar is legitimately hard to find. Yes, the address is technically located at 77 Walker Street and it is connected to the Walker Hotel Tribeca. But instead of going inside the hotel and rooting around for it, walk past the lobby doors and turn right onto Cortlandt Alley toward White Street. Find the metal staircase and ring the doorbell, which is sneakily marked with their logo (but less sneakily, a Ring camera). Soon, a hostess will usher you in, guide you past the hum of the hotel's kitchen and briskly down a few flights of stairs. As you climb, the more you will hear soft jazz slowly meet your ears. As my friend and I went through the rigmarole of it all—the door bells, the descents, and a 45-minute wait—upon passing the threshold, she turned to me and said, "See, this is a real speakeasy." And after an evening of proper boozing and rhythms of jazz, I can wholeheartedly say that she was right.
The vibe: The concrete-heavy subterranean basement somehow retains a certain softness with flickering candles, hugged by round marble tables and squat chairs on one side and black leather banquettes on the other. The nightly jazz sets are the bow on top, immediately making you feel like you've truly discovered something special. The interior seems to call for intimacy, so don't be surprised if the twosomes around you start canoodling.
The food: There are small bites for the snacking—think spiced almonds, olives that swim in citrus and garlic and shrimp cocktails. The cookie is a nice touch as it is always served toasty and warm.
The drinks: It is cocktail bar veteran Christopher Covey who runs the show here, pleasing patrons with expertly-crafted classics next to renditions of their own making. A recent visit yielded the Choco-Cherry Boom cocktail ($22), which drinks like how Christmas should feel with warming baking spices and a zing of black cherry. The Lost & Found ($23), however, marries a roasted pineapple brandy with a banana-y Grand Marnier. And as smoky and tropical as it may taste, in appearance, it mimics a Baked Alaska, with the curl of whipped cream on top being torched a deep brown (in fact, several drinks are lit up here) before being handed over. Seemingly nodding to his past—he once tended bar at the critically-acclaimed Milk & Honey—guests can also leave their drink up to the bartender. All you have to do is rattle off tastes and liquors of choice, and the staff will happily whip up the tipple of your dreams for $23.
Time Out tip: On a cool summer night, I was able to snag a table after a tight 45-minute wait. However, walk-ins are relegated to the back of the space. If you get a seat at the bar, great! If you get a seat at the small lip of a copper counter that can only hold your drink and nothing more, it's a little less great. Grab a reservation to ensure you have a table.