“Come for the party, leave a little smarter,” reads the script on Accidental Bar’s menu.
Its owner, Austin Power, who recently assumed ownership of the former Lois wine bar, shifted the popular spot’s focus to sake when he reopened the space as his own venture on June 10. Power, who went from new owner to operator in a little more than a month (and after a dozen years of ideating) got his start nearby at Sake Bar Satsko before a turn at Tokyo Record Bar.
By day, the familiar East Village venue is filled with natural light that washes over a dozen seats at its geometric bar. By night, big glass globe lights bounce off the tin ceiling overhead and onto a long banquette backed by a white brick wall and big circular mirrors. Shades of navy and grainy wood fill in the blanks.
Seasonal sake selections ($12-$16 for four-ounce pours) pair with small plates like crab with miso cream over crispy potatoes ($17), BBQ jackfruit over polenta cakes ($14) and chili crisp corn ribs ($12). Otsumami plates ($21) include five separate sake-calibrated snacks. Wine and beer are also available, including the “Austin special,” which takes a can of Orion and adds “a little Asahiyama.”
Accidental bar is located at 98 Avenue C and is open from Wednesday–Monday from 5pm–11pm.
