Holiday Cocktail Lounge

An adorably quirky (but easy to miss) bar in the East Village. It's super unassuming from the outside, but the inside has a bit of a retro flair, and the menu is quite charming. Definitely on the pricier side compared to what you would expect looking at it from the outside, but the drinks are fun and usually have some kind of gimmicky toy in them. My friends and I came early enough to grab a table, and our server was great.

So I've been to the holiday cocktail lounge before for drinks but they've recently extended their service to breakfast with WiFi and someplace cozy to work and I support that! As a bar that can be seen as divey, I argue that it's more vintage and 1960's living room and the food really reflects that. Everything I tried was delicious and don't sleep on the chicken noodle soup, it takes 2 days to prepare. Not pictured also was a chocolate focaccia which you don't know you need in your life. The red velvet latte is off menu but order it, complete with beet root and cocoa. The BEC is solid and the deviled eggs are tasty. Eloise and Drew are super welcoming and Barbara runs a beautiful ship. Can't wait to visit when I'm in the area again.

Maybe my new favorite bar? This place is so cute. They had a Broadway program-style book for their menu that was so impeccably designed. They have both food and drinks. Every single thing on the food menu sounded great. We tried four cocktails from the menu and they were all so good. It has a good range of seating, from bar to couch to table. And their drinks are so fun and decorative! Took home two dinosaurs as souvenirs. I will be back!!

Life long New Yorker that has never been here before until today. What an iconic and cool establishment. Bartender was from Montana. Super cool guy. Pointed me in the direction of the "Unsavory Character" off the menu. Delicious drink. Amazing ambience. Right across street from William Barnacle Tavern where I spent many a time drinking absinthe before the attached theatre was recently foreclosed. Bartender informed me that there is a Prohibition tunnel that connects the establishments. Super interesting. Great vibes.

What a fun hidden gem! From the outside, Holiday Cocktail Lounge is super easy to miss. We almost missed going in because we thought it was closed, but upon stepping inside the atmosphere is relaxed and quaint. The cocktails are SO FUN, with ingredients like Baja Blast and cute toy garnishes. The bartenders are also super chill and we're chatting with us whenever we ordered drinks. Also love that there is a phone booth and some history about the bar in the menu.

Best bar I went to while I visited.. Joe and company were super welcoming and amazing bartenders. Super divey... Viva Las Vegas! This bar is a hidden gem.

Great dive meets cocktail lounge. The outside is unassuming but the interior is cozy and welcoming. The menu is funky and extensive and service is wonderful.

Three stars for the overall experience. This does not apply to the bartenders.This is one of the oldest bars in the east village. I came here on the recommendation of a older acquaintance who came of age in the area and experiences the real punk/new wave era. I was expecting the Holiday Cocktail lounge to have that vibe, however it was super loud, super crowded. Even though I was seated at the last barstool, tucked into a corner, people were still all up in my space and inadvertently touching me.They have some bar food items, which all seemed underwhelming (pretzels, wings, corn dogs, grilled cheese). I opted for cocktails only. I had the night bloom, made with pineapple, hibiscus, mezcal, and aloe. I also had the village idiot, also mezcal and pineapple, with spicy pepper flavors, basil, and rum. I expected these drinks to be tasty and refreshing. But they were just ok. I can't explain it, but they just didn't tickle my fancy and seemed poorly executed.The bartenders are hardworking people who don't have time to tolerate people who are slow at deciding their order. They are the typical no nonsense New Yorkers. They are fast moving multitaskers who do the best they can being just a couple guys serving a crowded room full of people. That's why I don't hold it against them that I sat with an empty glass, waiting for someone to take my second drink order and to bring the check for over half an hour. It was a miserable experience, but it wasn't their fault.I'll stick with Death & Co and Goodnight Sonny.

What a fun bar!8 of us popped in here on a Saturday for a few cocktails and fell in love with this quirky bar. I love the seating and open feeling space, they had a large variety of cocktails to choose and they each came decorated- I love the attention to detail! This is another one of those places that's totally unassuming from the outside but is so fun once you enter.We had table service and our server was awesome; even with juggling a bunch of tables at once! A rockstar!This bar has PERSONALITY and I absolutely love it. It's also a great blend of local flavor. I cannot wait to come back and have some more holiday cocktail fun! 5/5

Alex the bartender was awesome! Alex shared so much insider knowledge bar info with us--Alex is a skilled drink slinger, a fantastic conversationalist, and an excellent historian! Did you know this is one of the last remaining punk bars in the east village? It's also one of the oldest having been around since the 1950s. They have their original phone booth in the corner and kept the layout of the bar intact, only slightly shifting the dimensions of the main room. The name comes from the electrical situation back then where holiday lights were used to light the place because the bar was having trouble with more traditional lighting technology back then. I forget the exact details... I was half listening because my attention was hyper focused on the amazing drinks! The bar is a real delight with a cult-like fan following. The drinks are a work of art in both flavor profiles, ingredients, craft, and decoration! Many drinks come with a kitchy compliment like a dinosaur, barrel o' monkey, glow stick, or finger skateboard!The food menu is creative and diverse but tough for people with multiple food allergies. I had trouble finding vegetarian and gluten free and dairy free. Definitely ate my food allergies last night and do not (yet) regret that poor life choice!