Hard to Explain

Thoughtfully curated, quaint, and all vibes. Hard to Explain is an intimate space that serves Japanese inspired drinks. The space itself is small, so you'll have to be a bit lucky to grab good seating (they only have bar seating). The drinks are not super strong, although you can ask for the classics if you'd like. I'm not a huge fan of matcha, but their matcha cocktail blew me out of the water! Their servers were super friendly as well. I'd love to come back another time and try their other drinks.

What a hidden little spot! I've been here twice and both times were great.1st time - we found this place after dinner, and did not have a resy. There were 4 spots reserved at the bar for a resy coming in later, but the bartender was kind enough to let our party of 4 sit there for a drink before they came. She was attentive and provided some great recs based on our usual cocktail/liquor preferences. She was the only bartender for a Saturday night, but she was killing it!2nd time - also walked in without a resy. We sat by the entrance (there are a few seats away from the bar), and made it in time for happy hour which is 5-7pm!Drinks: cafe purr-isa, b*tchy mangoes,Bojo Do Luar "Doralice" (orange wine).Ambiance sort of resembles a speakeasy with the dim lighting, cozy feels. Not a full bar- they serve sake, wine (and natural wines!), craft beers, seltzers, and mock-tails. They also have bar bites/snacks.Highly recommend for a date night or catching up with a smaller group of friends!

Unlike its name, it's really easy for me to explain why I will be coming back to this bar!They have a happy hour special that runs from 5-7PM, and lets you have 10% off any drink!Hard to explain is an intimate speakeasy type bar that seats about 10 people, and allows for people to stand as well. It offers a wide array of unique asian cocktails, a lot of them sake base, and served in a variety of cute glasses!I got the fall special, falling for u-bae, and it came in the cutest teacup. It tasted dangerously good, like an actual milk tea, and was a favorite among me and my friends. The cafe purr-isa was also really tasty, which was their take on an espresso martini with sake. We also got some kurobata sausages to share, and they were super tasty! The bartender recommended we order it with the mustard because it was a special kind, and it definitely did not disappoint!All in all, definitely check this place out if you're in the area! The happy hour deal is worth it, and their cocktails are unique and tasty!

My favorite way to discover new bars and restaurants in NYC is to utilize the Seated app. This time, it really did not disappoint! After choosing the walk-in option, we made our way to Hard to Explain bar in the east Village. This place is so non-descriptive that we accidentally walked by first, giving it a subtle speakeasy vibe. It's a very tiny bar with limited space but we were able to snag two folding chairs just sit in the back of the room. Their cocktail and liquor options are super unique and all delicious. They use a guest bartender system, with each of the drinks being developed by somebody new. Many of the drinks, many items, and decor are Japanese themed and I particularly love trying the Nisshin-Shurui Sudachi. This is definitely a bar that I want to return to and I've already noted their sister bar/speakeasy to try as well!

Really cozy, intimate bar with great vibes and a Japanese influence. There aren't too many seats but the space is so cute. The drinks were all really well crafted. I especially loved the matcha cocktail (I forget the name). It's like a matcha latte in cocktail form, what more could you ask for?

A hidden gem! This bar has happy hour from 5-7 PM. Cocktails are $2 off (there's also discounts on other drinks but I don't remember what they were). It's a very small place with one person bartending (the bathroom is also very small). How were, the dark ambiance paired with the industrial lighting and blues/jazz music makes it nice and cozy. Despite being the only person working, the bartender was very friendly and accommodating to everyone who was there. This place specializes in drinks using Japanese spirits. I ordered the Empress X, which was a lychee and floral drink (really good and light). I also ordered the Ma-Chet Baker Latte, which looks like a matcha latte. It is creamy and delicious. If you told me these drinks had alcohol, I wouldn't believe you! I really recommend both of these. I felt like this place was special because of the drink and cocktail selection. These aren't your typical classic cocktails and each one is unique.

HTE is an intimate bar with a great atmosphere! I got lucky and snagged the last two seats at the bar. The bar tender was really friendly and attentive. I got two drinks - both were very tasty. They didn't taste like alcohol and it felt like I was just drinking coffee/matcha. I also tried sips of the Cameron Obscura and the Empress X. Both of those were also very fruity and did not taste like it had alcohol in it. I enjoyed my time there and I look forward to visiting again.

I hate cocktails. They are usually too sweet, tart, or spirit forward. The drinks here are unique and creative without being too strong in any direction. I would come early though because it is small with limited seating!

We came here before omakase and wanted to get a quick drink or two. As soon as we got to the door we almost didn't go in because of how crowded it was. We decided to wait and it was SO WORTH IT. We stood on the side for sometime but finally got a seat. The interior imported me right back to a Tokyo record bar. I loved the records they played and the bartender was attentive as soon as we grabbed a seat. If you come, be patient because she was the only one working when we visited. The drinks we got were Cafe Purr-risa which was similar to an espresso martini. Delicious, the cold brew was so well done. Empress X was an elevated lychee cocktail. I am a sucker for umeshu and this was a great cocktail. Will definitely come back when I'm in the area next.

Super cute little sake bar with really friendly bar tender. 5oz sake pours that will run you a little more than $20 each so it is a little on pricier end if you're looking to try a few different sakes. Very limited seating (~12 seats for the whole place) so not good for groups but an amazing spot for a date or 3 or 4 people to meet up.