Reception Bar

Stunning creative and delicious cocktails keep me coming back to Reception Bar on a night out! There has not been a miss on their menu for us! Their menu of soju cocktails have creative fun ingredients that really resonate with my palate, there is sure to be something that speaks to you too!5/5 Cereal Milk5/5 Matcha Meadow5/5 Lotus Breeze4.5/5 Yuja 88There may be a bit of a wait on a weekend, but I personally do not mind the standing tables while waiting for seating inside. Love the lively ambiance here, great for a night out with friends or a date!

The bar was very laid-back, similar to a cafe, as my friend and I went earlier in the evening.The service was quick, and I really liked the Matcha Meadow. It had a subtle matcha flavor as it did a fruity or floral flavor. The drink was similar to a matcha latte in the way it was frothy on top, and the taste was smooth. I didn't really taste the soju at all, but the alcohol kicks in for sure if you don't eat before drinking.

Love their ginger goblin cocktail - it's really gingery so only get it if you really like ginger! They have a pretty big menu of all soju based drinks. The inside can get crowded sometimes but it's not too hard to get a seat. And they're open late.

I've finally gotten to the point where I know what type of drinks I prefer, and can pick one out on the menu based on the ingredients listed. I chose the Lotus Breeze and it was nice, light (not too strong), floral notes, and a touch of sweet. A friend ordered the "Smokes" - not my style, but the flavors were quite interesting!The staff was okay, not super friendly. We got there early evening, so maybe the mood lighting and ambiance hadn't set in yet so I can't quite judge the ambiance.. but it was pretty warm indoors, not great AC or at least ventilation there.

Cute little spot with great ambiance and great drinks - definitely come here if you want specialty soju cocktails. I will be coming back for the infused soju flights. Must get: Yuja 88

Reception Bar is doing a thing and doing it well. Service is consistently friendly and welcoming. If things are slow-ish, the staff is always more than happy to talk you through the various Korean spirits and ingredients that meld happily into their phenomenal and thoughtful cocktails. As for drinks: The Salty Bracken is a perennial savory and delicious favorite. The Smokes is a very cool choice for those who are starting to wonder why some peated scotch sometimes feels boring and are in need of a little smokey tea and excitement. The Ginger Goblin lives up to its name and will definitely spice things up. The very approachable Martini 100 is a nice shallow end of the pool option. We recently tried the seasonal Martini offering that was also shallow end but with a little something extra, like just about everything on the menu. I've never had beer or wine here and I recommend you avoid them too. You can have those things somewhere else -- they're doing something special at Reception Bar. The space is cool too and the music always sets a nice atmosphere without overdoing it. But ultimately, come for a cocktail. You won't be disappointed.

Drinks here are really good and unique! Came at a recommendation from a friend and didn't realize it was a soju bar, which was a nice surprise. Service was really nice. We were seated outside initially, but we asked to be let known if any tables opened inside. The wait staff was kind to let us come back around twice to offer us room inside (first was standing room at the bar which we declined, second was for bar seating). It was a lot more noisier than expected inside though. I ordered the matcha meadow and a melon dew. Both were really good, but I preferred the matcha better. It was a good combo and the soju didn't overpower the matcha. The melon dew was a bit stronger and bitter for my taste. All of the cocktails combinations are so unique, and I definitely want to try more of the menu!

The drinks here are amazing! A bit on the pricey side but worth it. I especially love the lotus drink and the cereal milk. Some of them taste pretty strong (like the melon one). It's great for a small group of people.

Friendly hosts/hostesses right at the door even though we were not able to be seated inside on a chilly Friday evening. They do have an outdoor area with heat lamps so that helped a little because my friend really wanted to try this soju bar after dinner for her 30th. It was super busy but exceptional service and we never felt rushed even though we were there for almost 3 hours. All the drinks were pretty yummy and not too strong and they even offer some mocktails if you don't want alcohol. Love the fusion flavors of the cocktails and would love to come back again to try more.

This is the best bar I've been to in NYC for their unique cocktail selection hands down. I came here on a Friday night with some friends who were bar hopping in lower east side. When I arrived they had a table outside in the patio area which was pretty nice with the heaters on. The waitresses came by often enough to refill waters and take our order. This has got to have the most unique cocktail choices that I've seen so far in NYC. It almost reminds me of the bars they have in Asia - they use a lot more unique flavors and pairings that are just not common in the US. Our party of 4 each ordered 1 drink at a time and would pass it around so we each tried most of the drinks on the menu. Some of my favorite drinks was the melon dew and orchard st. The cereal milk option was also really delicious but was a bit too strong for my preference. The matcha meadow was my 2nd drink but I regret ordering it since it was just too sour for my liking. Overall this bar has a great selection of cocktails with reasonable pricing for Manhattan - I would recommend for anyone who is out for a good time.