Winnie’s Lobby Bar

I’m not a huge fan of midtown nor do I really frequent snazzy hotel bars, but after receiving good news, I stopped by after work for a celebratory drink. drawn primarily by its rave reviews and close proximity to my office. I didn’t regret it.
When I arrived, the bar area was a bit crowded and after hovering around there for a few minutes, a server must’ve caught a glimpse of me and my boyfriend’s look of distress because we were offered a table not too long after.
In the mood for a cocktail, I got the Doctor’s Orders, which looked like a popular one after a quick scan of the bar/​lounge. The drink went down easy, wasn’t particularly sweet, was slightly tart, and had a nice touch of bitters. Not only was my drink on point, but our server was very friendly, the space lends itself well to both social and intimate gatherings, and though I didn’t stay for it, patrons can enjoy live jazz with their sexy drinks. Highly recommend Winnie’s.

This bar is in the lobby of THE REFINERY HOTEL. Awesome… no skimp drinks! Great pours if you’re a scotch /​whiskey person and did I say AWESOME SERVICE! Ask for «MADEA»!!!
LIVE JAZZZZZZ, smooth and every night…

Including the word «lobby» in Winnie’s «lobby» bar doesn’t do it justice. More than a lobby bar-​this had great live music on a recent Friday night visit. Very comfortable seating arrangement and assuming the bands are just as good as the one we heard, great live music. Definitely not your average «lobby» bar:)

Cool space I came here while waiting for to meet up with someone, my only complaint is way too pricey for the drinks, if your going to do craft cocktails get some real ice.

I absolutely love this place. The cocktails, wine, and food are delicious. The ambiance is perfect with the live music and beautiful décor. The bar staff were very attentive, but almost a bit overzealous, like they were stringent with keeping the bar orderly and clean, but not asking the patrons if they were finished with their drink or plates before whisking them away. I suppose I prefer over-​attentive to neglectful service. That’s why I give them 5 stars.
The food comes from Parker & Quinn next door within the same hotel (Refinery) and is superb! The Caesar salad w/​hanger steak was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I am still craving it today and I don’t even like to eat red meat frequently. We also got the crispy picholine olives (yum) and pepperoni flatbread (spicy but fantastic). A girlfriend and I shared all three and were full, although I could have eaten that salad all by myself. I will definitely return to try the restaurant out.
This was a great «pre-​game» before heading upstairs to the Refinery Rooftop. We placed our names on the waiting list to be seating up there and ate and drank downstairs at Winnie’s. No complaints here for the yummy wait!

I’ve officially visited every dining/​drink space in the Refinery Hotel. Winnie’s is no different from its counterparts (Parker & Quinn and Refinery Rooftop) in that it offers quality drinks and good service. This follows the speakeasy theme of Parker & Quinn also, which I really like since I’m a fan of the 1920’s. This dark and cozy bar/​lounge is situated to the right as you enter the lobby. We sat in the lounge area in the comfy and grandiose chairs which kind of reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. We had a few glasses of prosecco before heading up to our event upstairs at the rooftop. The server was professional and timely. This is a cute date spot and also a good low-​key spot to hang out with a friend.

Stopped here after checking out the rooftop at Refinery where we were staying. Winnie’s is a great more chill alternative to the crowded bustling rooftop. Our waitress and the host were so so genuinely cordial and accommodating. No kind of pretentious attitudes here. Breath of fresh air. Solid well crafted cocktails. Typical price of any other NYC cocktails.

Great service from our waitress. Very attentive and considerate. Our appetizer was very good as were the cocktails. Nice ambience without the pretentiousness that the rooftop bar aims for and achieves.

Well-​made but small and expensive cocktails in a dark and moody spot. As a party of two, we ended up seated in two of five chairs around a couple of tiny end tables as a coffee table. Soon after we arrived two people were seated across from us. Awkward! And the server couldn’t be troubled to offer side plates for our hummus plate. At least it was tasty. Not worth it, though. Won’t be back.

It’s a neat trick to open a hotel bar just two years ago that has the look and feel of Old New York – very dark, very clubby, very Manhattan, like the Algonquin in its heyday. That pretty much describes Winnie’s, located off the entrance of the Refinery Hotel in midtown. A long bar with comfortable seats and a cocktail menu that goes on for pages. I ordered the Luster, which is a martini with vodka (in my case), a variety of other ingredients, and a cucumber garnish, served straight up in a coupe. Great tasting, well balanced and not sweet. Service could not have been nicer. Kerry, the bartender, and I chatted to the point where I felt like a regular, and I’m sure I would be, if this place was around when I lived in the city. Instead, I’ll simply have to visit whenever I return – and work through the cocktail menu. Highly recommended.

Stumbled into this little joint after Parker and Quinn had a packed happy hour crowd and 45+ min wait to be seated. Great little spot. Not cheap but well worth it. Our bartender/​server made the experience. Recommended apps and drinks which were spot on. They had some great creative cocktail mixes. They also had a fun doo wop band playing. Strongly recommended.

I love this place. They were closing when I walked in yet the bartender (forgot his name unfortunately!) said we had time for one. Unfortunately I can’t comment on the drinks as I had a glass of champagne but the bartender was super friendly, the bar had a classy, old school feel vibe to it and I can’t wait to come back and check out the live music and cocktails!

Great Pianist, and extensive cocktail menu. I recommend The Struggle Buggy. I came here with my boyfriend and he fed me the cheesecake. It was so rich and creamy.

The drinks looked really great. Respectable whiskey collection. But the bartender was so needlessly rude about a simple question that we just left. Shrugs.

Bar staff that know their trade (ask for Mario, hopefully he’s working!), and some of the best flamenco jazz I’ve heard in my life. Considering I’m a trained pianist that’s a strong recommendation. Highly recommended. I also ordered the pork belly flat bread which was fantastic, and I suggest ordering Mario’s special Old Fashioned with flame scorched orange.

Winnie’s is a winner. Walk into the beautiful Refinery Hotel off busy 6^th Ave in Bryant Park, hook right, and be instantly transported to another (quieter, darker, more peaceful) place and time. This classy bar with a speakeasy feel, inventive cocktail list, and live jazz is one of the most memorable spots in the city. Sit atop one of the big plush leather stools and make friends at the bar (like the new BFF I made from Cali!) over the Smoke and Mirror, one of the most uniquely potent martinis I’ve tried (purity vodka, laphraoig 10 year islay single malt, blue cheese stuffed olives, and loss of inhibitions).
And if that isn’t enough to convince you to check it out, behind the bar is Mario Lopez himself… Forget A.C. Slater: Mario at Winnie’s has the same dark hair, tan skin, dimples, swag — and yes, the name — but will also entertain you with tales of working in Miami, L.A., and NYC while he whips you up an amazing cocktail in a shnazzy 1920’s derby-​hat-​button-​up-​vest get-​up, complete with sleeves rolled up to showcase the tats. (Ask him for the cinnamon orange shot — made me forget all about my beloved pickleback.)
Winnie’s wins in my (cocktail) book!

I love this spot. I’ve been a couple of times now, once seeking refuge after leaving the rooftop as it was feeling a bit hectic for us.
The cocktails here are really fantastic. Even more fantastic are the bartenders. They are so knowledgeable and just genuinely great. We loved Mario. And we seemed to love him more and more as we drank our way through the entire cocktail menu. Ha!
Thanks guys for the excellent service! It was a pleasure.
I will be back. :)

Selected Winnie’s Bar for meeting with out-​of-​town colleagues.
Fine choice for conversation without competing with loud music and TVs.
You can sit at the bar, on sofas, or stand-​up stools.
Dark…but not too dark for professional meeting place.
Drinks were well made with many inventive concoctions if you wish to experiment.
Oddly, Martinis are served in a champagne glass (called a coupe) like used at 1960’s weddings. When asked about this, was told this is how the drink was served after prohibition. Cool.
Did not stay for live music that comes in later.
Alert: Drinks are pricey, but appropriate for high-​end hotel bar.

Order any of the cocktails at Winnie’s — they’re all outstanding. The ambiance is really good, too: I really don’t like overly loud bars on weeknights, but even when one of the (really good) live music acts is playing, it’s easy to have a conversation without shouting at each other.
A tip: getting there, you might accidentally walk right past it (I did the first time I went). Coming from 38^th Street, go in the Refinery Hotel, and it’s to the left before you get to the reception desk. Coming from 39^th, you have to cut all the way through Parker & Quinn, the hotel restaurant, to get there.
If you’re really lucky, their bartender Katherine will be behind the bar. She’s ridiculously knowledgeable, friendly, and makes a fantastic cocktail. She can tell you anything you want to know about anything they pour — she informed me, for instance, what the technical difference is between rye and bourbon, and then made me the best Old-​Fashioned I’ve ever had.
The drinks aren’t cheap — this is, after all, a pretty high-​end cocktail bar. But if you’re looking for some of the best cocktails you can get in Manhattan, especially with good company, you ought to come to Winnie’s.

Gorgeous bar, rustic-​esque and very quaint. Came here last night for a farewell party for some co-​workers and enjoyed some delicious libations. I tried a few specialty cocktails, can’t remember their interesting names (one was tea-​based, the other was tequila — ginger, tamarind, pineapple). It was a little strange that for the cost of the cocktails ($ 12 — $ 17) the menu was a flimsy printed paper. Our group ordered a big round of tequila shots and the bartender (Mario) hooked them up with a slice of orange w/​cinnamon chaser — great touch!
We also had some grub: hummus plate, babaganoush, flatbread pizzas — YUM and an assortment of meatballs — just ok.
Some time during the night, a live band came on and provided a nice touch to the already charming ambiance.