There’s a New Cocktail Bar Above Eleven Madison Park

Walking into Clemente Bar, perched discreetly above the iconic (and somewhat infamous) Eleven Madison Park, feels like discovering a secret you can’t wait to divulge. While it shares DNA with its Michelin-starred sibling downstairs, Clemente Bar is definitely its own thing. You’ll see what I mean.

After checking my coat, I headed upstairs and down a dim hallway, the intimate room opening up to reveal wood paneled walls and large-scale murals in mauve and terracotta tones. Plush striped seating and mood lighting creates a cozy atmosphere. We were seated at the bar, where we could witness the mixology action firsthand. Glancing up to my right, I noticed a sconce shaped like a realistic mushroom. Already, the experience is distinctly different from the airy fine dining below — the design of Clemente Bar feels refined but not formal, perfect for small groups or quiet conversations.

“The goal for Clemente Bar was to create a vibe that feels intimate but not secretive,” explains Beverage Director Sebastian Tollius. “It’s less about a speakeasy aesthetic and more about a warm, sophisticated space where guests feel immediately at home.”

This balance between refinement and approachability extends to the cocktail menu, which offers both familiar flavors and more unexpected combinations. “The vision for the beverage program at Clemente Bar is all about creating an experience that feels approachable yet refined, one where every drink tells its own story,” Tollius says. “At Eleven Madison Park, the focus is on innovation and pushing boundaries in both food and drink, and that philosophy carries through here. However, Clemente Bar diverges in its tone — it’s a space that encourages spontaneity and discovery.”

Always in Tune: 7 Great New York City Piano Bars

When your nightlife needs a tune-up, you know where to go

On its surprisingly extensive (and quirkily-designed) cocktail menu, you’ll find everything from reinterpretations of classics to inventive drinks that showcase unexpected ingredients and showy techniques, all separated by beverage type: fresh, carbonated, clarified, bold, whipped and zero proof. I could tell immediately it was designed to be a “surprise and delight” kind of bar, from the uniquely-shaped coasters they placed under our cocktails (I took home all three options for my collection) to the stiff peaks of umeboshi cream that sprayed out of a canister atop their cherry blossom and coconut miso-laced Sakura Heights cocktail.

For those drawn to familiar profiles, Against the Grain presents a fresh take on an Old Fashioned, using single malt Scotch, barley shochu and house-made barley miso to build complex layers of flavor. “The idea of the cocktail is to take our guests on an exploration of barley flavors,” Tollius says. “When we build it fully, the miso is cloudy, so we then freeze clarify it, leaving our guests with a perfectly clear cocktail.”

For the more adventurous, The Three Boxes delves into the intersection of nostalgia and innovation. Incorporating sous vide techniques and house-made miso seasoned with blanc vermouth and cacao, the cocktail balances subtle sweetness with a savory edge. Tollius describes it as part of a broader philosophy at Clemente Bar to explore umami in cocktails. “We are always looking for ways to add savory components and explore different ways to season cocktails through fermentation,” he says.

Clemente's Against the Grain — Clemente’s Against the Grain

Jodi Hinds

Speaking of savory, there’s also a curated food menu available at Clemente Bar. Composed of highly elevated bar bites, this is not where you should be heading for an entire meal. They are also, of course, all vegetarian. Japanese-inspired options include neat inari pouches, sake pickles and an agedashi “dog” made of fried tofu with black truffle shavings. For the granddaddy of black truffle offerings, go for their $65 tarte flambée, which is covered in a generous layering of the earthy delicacy. For dessert, don’t miss their Espresso Martini float (which I actually found to be the least attractive menu item we ordered), a delicious spin on the ’90s icon.

If you’re literally hungry for more, you can also book a spot at The Studio, an intimate, 90-minute omakase-style dining experience in a private room within Clemente Bar. Yes, it is a restaurant within a bar within a restaurant. So New York of them.

Tollius tells me that he wants guests to think of Clemente Bar as “a place where great conversation and beautifully crafted drinks come together seamlessly.” In that same vein, my opinion is that Clemente Bar would make an incredible third or fourth date night spot, especially if you want to vet whether or not they’re excited by the prospect of a cocktail that incorporates miso.

P.S. If you don’t have NYE plans, Clemente Bar is throwing a bash with an open bar and a Grey Goose Martini Room.