Angel’s Share

Highly influential and exhaustingly imitated, the original Angel’s Share ended a nearly three-decade run in the East Village when it closed in 2020 and relocated to the basement of a townhouse on Grove Street. Like the old version, the West Village iteration is walk-in-only, relatively mellow, and dead serious about its cocktails.

Most of the narrow, speakeasy-like space is taken up by a bar, where employees in vests construct convoluted beverages with the help of blow torches and immersion blenders. There are also a few small tables and booths where you can hang out and listen to a jazzy soundtrack while drinking something made with rye whiskey and soy sauce powder. If you’re looking for an impressive first-date spot in the neighborhood, this is it. Just be aware that there isn’t any standing room, and the maximum party size is four.