This week we review Bowery Wine Company, the latest in a string of new spots seemingly designed to remind us that the CBGB-era Bowery is dead and gone. But while we mourn the loss of the punk age, it seems that Bowery Wine Company--which is part-owned by Bruce Willis--isn't half bad, at least as wine bars go.

Hits: Despite the fancy digs, inexpensive wine and sangrias are served along with a tasty roster of finger foods and desserts worthy of a multi-starred restaurant.

Misses: If you're allergic to yuppies and foreign tourists, try another wine bar; the surrounding luxury condos feed this high-end haunt with a high-rolling clientèle.

Read our full editorial review of Bowery Wine Company, then peruse other New & Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you hammered).

Just because John Varvatos is the new CBGB doesn't mean the Bowery is dead. Last week we dropped into the new rock bar Bowery Electric, the latest venture from the owners of East Village mainstays Niagara, Hi-Fi and Black & White.

Hits: It's low-key but not low-class, and with two large, sweeping rooms and ample seating, there's space to rock out or max out as you please.

Misses: The crowd may be a little thin, even on the weekends, but with the other bars intent on measuring success in terms of who they turn away, Bowery Electric is poised to scoop them up and keep them coming back for more.

Read our full editorial review of Bowery Electric, then peruse other New and Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you tanked).

And be sure to bookmark Imbible, and check back regularly--next week we'll be live-blogging from the Tribeca Film Festival, bringing you the latest on the celebs, the films and, of course, the parties ... stay tuned.

Back in late January, I noticed construction underway on my block at Avenue B between 11th and 12th--directly across the street from Panificio, which opened last week--and learned that a cafe was to open, "in early February." Well, a few months later, it looks like a cafe called De Nova is finally getting ready to open its doors fairly soon. The above sign (left) appeared several weeks ago, but after a graffiti writer quickly put the kibosh on that plan, the sign disappeared, then reappeared covered in some kind of plastic sheath that's presumably resistant to Posca markers and such.

The space, formerly home to the Furniture Place (which moved to Great Jones Street after my landlord raised the rent, also forcing out vintage shop Suzette Sundae), is larger than it looks, but it's unclear whether De Nova will be a coffee shop-style cafe posing as a restaurant that serves three squares a day, or whether it'll be more like a real restaurant with a coffee bar. I suspect they don't have a liquor license and won't be able to get one, so I'd say it's looking like the former. I walk by at least twice a day, so unless my rent is next on the hit list, I expect to know as soon as De Nova opens.

Given the apparent popularity of our first and second posts this week on the forthcoming Franklin Park bar and beer garden, we thought we'd end the week on this high note: Owner Matthew Roff just emailed us to say, "Liquor license is in the house. We are planning on opening next weekend."

And there you have it.

In the meantime, if you can't wait a week to start boozing (and who can?), check out our top 10 reviews of New & Notable bars, or peruse our list of spots that are too new too review (but not too new to get you wasted).

As promised yesterday, behold the soon-to-open Franklin Park bar and beer garden in Prospect Heights.

Official word is that the Employees Only gang have found a new home for Zeppelin, the bar/restaurant originally slated for West 9th Street, in Tribeca. Construction starts next week on a former bar around Church and Worth Streets with an opening slated for September ...

Continue reading "Employees Only Offshoot "Zeppelin" Alights on Church Street" on our restaurant blog, Bottomless Dish.

Move over, Radegast--you're not the only shiny new beer garden in Brooklyn anymore. Introducing Franklin Park (on St. John's Pl. between Franklin and Classon), the latest in a slew of new and notable bars to set up shop in BK. This one is the brainchild of Matthew Roff, co-owner of Southpaw. In an email that was forwarded to us, Roff described his latest venture (we've bolded the salient points):

Franklin Park bar & beer garden is located in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, three blocks from the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden ... Franklin Park was a 600 sq. ft. 3-car garage with 1400 sq. ft. of outdoor space. We converted the garage to an 800 sq ft. bar boasting 12 taps and a 1200 sq. ft. outdoor patio with multiple picnic tables and other outdoor tables and accessories. A kitchen will soon follow but for now the bar is where it's at.

We're told Franklin Park is awaiting its liquor license, but barring any unforeseen problems with that the bar will supposedly open its doors "within the next two weeks." We're also promised a photo by Friday, which we'll share as soon as it arrives.

After a near-week-long hiatus, I'm back from spring break--sorry for the lack of blogging, but rest assured I won't be getting any more time off for a long, long time, which means new posts every day.

First up, New Review Fridays. This week, we review Suzie Wong, the new West Chel hot spot where flavored sake is the new Grey Goose of bottle service.

Hits: Fruit-infused sake choices include mandarin orange, pear, peach, cranberry, raspberry and blueberry.

Misses: With a maximum occupancy of just 350, only varsity A-listers make the final cut at the door, and about a third of those head straight to the VIP room, cut off from the main space by a curtain of dangling beads.

Read our full review of Suzie Wong, and then peruse other New and Notable bar reviews, or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you wasted).

This week we review The Hideout, Fort Greene's latest speakeasy-style cocktail den. Would local celebrity Ol' Dirty Bastard roll over in his grave? Probably. But that doesn't mean it isn't a nice addition to the 'hood--if you don't mind dropping a few extra bucks on creative concoctions like the Snow Mosquito and Whiskey Fig Fizz.

Read our full review of The Hideout, and then peruse other New and Notable bar reviews, or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you wasted).

This week we review Mansion, the New York outpost of the Miami mega-club that recently opened in the Chelsea space formerly known as Crobar.

Amongst the mammoth club's main attractions is the so-called Cougar Room--a private area with its own bar reserved exclusively for women, which features on-site makeup artists, hair stylists and a variety of sex toys. Seriously. Tables run anywhere from $200 to $2,000, and there's even a $5,000 bottle of bubbly (though personally, if I were going to drop five grand on a bottle of booze, it had better be gold-plated and make me hallucinate). 

Read our full editorial review of the 'Manse, then peruse other New and Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you hammered).