Gongo

Gongo had all the makings of the sort of upscale speakeasy that would see multi-hour long waits, but the lack of buzzy press behind it left it relatively unknown even among my group of friends with encyclopedic knowledge of lower Manhattan bars. It was relatively empty the summer night I visited and now I see they are temporarily closed. I thought the drinks were quite good though but there wasn't much going on with the menu or ambience that would make it stand out.There is still a little bit of novelty going from a restaurant down a secret set of stairs to what feels like a secret bar. In this case, because it was not well known, it really was a clandestine space. Many of their drinks featured sake, and aromatic herbs like shiso and dill, which made all the drinks taste earthy and fresh. The extensive selection of Japanese whiskey and sake is one reason I'd go back, if they ever reopen again.

Came here for date night with my husband as we knew their restaurant was closing for good :( we tried as many of their menu items as possible by starting off with few cocktails such as the Gongo Spritz, Dirty Gongroni (amazing presentation of smokiness btw) and Shiso Julep. Drinks all tasted amazing! We also ordered a bunch of food such as their marinated oysters and sea scallops (marinated and infused in soybean oil, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaf and red pepper), Duck Kobu Shime and Goma Hama Chazuke. All tasted so good and packed with flavor!Overall, staff and service was very pleasing and I'm definitely going to miss coming here. Hope to find another restaurant exactly like Gongo in the near future!

Interesting new addition to the village. But I think they are too new and could use some improvement.The best dish I had was the fries - wish may sound a bit sad.The okay tasty (liked but some odd moment) -Duck - quite delicious but it's really appetizer portion. Photo can be deciding.Angus raw beef - it was good but it was also served frozen. Not sure if it was the intent or just didnt have enough time to defrost.Smoked Bronzushi - overall acceptable tasty but the pressed sushi is premade and they torched it and served. The dislike -Squid - so so so so so salty !Cocktails :Blue Cheese - interesting but they use the cheapest salt for the rim and it was so salty for no reason (trying to be margarita salt but cheap out)Daikon - light and sugary for no reason.Stick with liquor or sake for drinks I guess, cocktail menu could be improved.Ambiance is nice.

Good atmosphere, less mainstream and more eclectic. Love the modern Japanese presentation of the dishes. Although the value here is questionable for people who might want mainstream Japanese cuisiine. But they are offering modern Japanese fusion cuisine. Very nice Japanese cocktails especially love anything with Yuzu. Duck breast dish was cooked beautifully and not greasy. Although I do enjoy a good greasy peking duck at a Chinese place.

I would come back for the food but not the drinks!FoodOur table were not fans of the drinks we ordered, except for the mango one. The berry drink was extremely extremely strong, and tasted like straight liquor. The same goes for the coffee one. They both do the job if that's what you're looking for. The food, however, was great!! Our table got the quail eggs, asparagus, fries, and chicken wings. The quail egg dish was the most popular among our table. The asparagus was also grilled very well. ServiceService was great! Food and drinks came out in a timely manner.Ambiance The ambiance was really nice. This place is a little hard to find but it adds to the dark, ~mysterious~ vibe. This place feels very clean, which I really appreciate.

wowowowow amazing speakeasy!!! i found out about gongo through a worker at sakebar decible, and truly it did not disappoint. i think the main thing to know about gongo is how UNIQUE and personalized everything is. the drinks: i asked for something clean, refreshing, and with gin. the bartender is super friendly and will curate a drink to the vibe and taste palette you're looking for, which is perfect when you can't make up your mind about a cocktail on the menu. i also tried the bleu cheese one, made with actual bleu cheese, and it's supppperrrrr strong and flavorful! the food: got the edemamme potato salad and yellowtail dish. the potato salad was so one-of-a-kind, super dense and great in texture and covered in this soup? base. the yellowtail also came with a green-tea based soup that you pour on top and it soaks through the rice and it was SOOOO good. i kid you not it healed my soul.the space: great space, pretty lights, and simple interior!

Enter through MINE craft sushi, and the host will lead you downstairs to Gongo.The cocktails are very interesting! The Bleu Cheese and Daikuiri are definitely acquired tastes. I really enjoyed the former, which actually resembled bleu cheese somehow, but neither of us liked the latter as it tasted too much like pickled daikons. The Gingersnap is slightly less "out there" and tasted like Christmas! Think gingerbread cookies lol. If you aren't very adventurous, the Shiso Julep is your best bet - a quintessential Japanese cocktail and very refreshing.Service was very attentive and friendly!

I've been to Mine Craft Sushi before and it's my favorite restaurant because of it's fantastic food and service, so naturally I had to give Gongo, the speakeasy below Mine, a try too. You enter through Mine's entrance and let the host know you'd like to go to Gongo and they will direct you to the staircase that leads downstairs. As I suspected, the dining experience at Gongo is just as good as Mine. They have a huge selection of Sakes and Shochus, but also offer cocktails, mocktails, and a delicious tea, the Uji Gyokuro, which is considered one of Japan's highest grade green teas. My friend ordered the tea and loved it. I tried the Celeripple cocktail and the Spiced Collins mocktail. Both were refreshing, but I preferred the mocktail for it's blend of spices.Their menu items could be considered otsumami, but is far more elevated than your typical bar food. I tried their cured oysters and smoked quail eggs to start with and both were delicious. They come in their own little jars as they are cured and smoked in house! Next, I tried the following:1. Shiokara- Cured squid2. Dashi Maki Tamago Kani An- Japanese style omelette in dashi with crab3. Mussels Saka Mushi- Mussels steamed in sake, garlic, and butter4. Duck Kobu Shime- Roasted duck cured in konbu5. Smoked Saba Bo Sushi- Cured and smoked mackerel sushi roll6. Goma Hama Chazuke- Yellowtail sashimi chazuke with sesame sauce7. Large Sashimi PlatterAbsolutely everything I tried was amazing, but I would highly recommend the duck, saba sushi, and chazuke. The duck was roasted perfectly, and you can't find the saba sushi or the chazuke anywhere else. Also, their sashimi platter had the best sashimi I've ever had (and I'm from Hawaii). If you're feeling adventurous the Shiokara is for you. It has a strong taste that goes very well with the sakes that are offered (I can't remember specifically which ones I had but ask the staff for their recommendations-- they're extremely helpful!) The mussels and Japanese omelette are safe, delicious options for anyone to try.Thank you Gongo for the fantastic experience! I can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu.

Interesting spot for cocktails. They had a selection of plum wines available, which I don't usually see. Not too many vegetarian options for food.

I absolutely love Gongo. The service is attentive and fantastic, the food is so delicious and unique (don't miss the mackerel sushi, their beautiful sashimi platters, or their special bar snacks), and the drinks (from sake and shochu, to whiskeys and craft cocktails) are all top-notch. Go go go to Gongo before it really blows up in popularity!