Welcome to Bar of the Week, a running series from TV and City that highlights New York’s best spots for drinks, vibes, and just the right amount of chaos.
Each week, we spotlight one bar. Sometimes it’s a cozy cocktail lounge. Sometimes it’s a sprawling beer hall. Sometimes it’s a barely-marked door behind a fake hardware store. We don’t try to cover every bar in the city. Just the ones we actually go to. The ones we’d take a friend, a first date, or someone visiting who asks, “So where do you usually hang out?”
These aren’t curated for algorithms or chasing clout. They’re the bars that make up New York. One week at a time.
🍸 Bar of the Week: Scarlet Lounge
📍 Location: 468 Amsterdam Avenue (at W 83rd St), Upper West Side
🚇 Nearest Subway: 86th St (1, B, C)
Vibe: A moody cocktail nook that oozes elegance and mystery, like the kind of place where you drink slowly, speak softly, and maybe whisper a secret or two.
🕰️ Why We Love It
Scarlet Lounge is one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bars. But once you’re inside, you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled into the set of a film that doesn’t exist yet but probably stars Michael Imperioli. Which makes sense, because he’s the co-owner. Best known for The Sopranos and The White Lotus, Imperioli and his wife Victoria, who handled the interior design, have created something special on the Upper West Side.
The space is dark, richly colored, and impossibly intimate. Velvet cushions, glowing sconces, golden accents, and low ceilings create a room that looks like it was made for candlelit confessions. Officially, the capacity is listed at around 40, but in practice, even half that number makes the space feel full. This isn’t the kind of bar where you sprawl out and let loose. This is the kind of bar where you sit close, sip slowly, and lean in.
The atmosphere leans upscale, but not in a pretentious way. In fact, it’s almost theatrical in its swankiness. I’ve heard someone describe it as “the kind of place you take an escort.” That’s probably not in the marketing plan, but it’s not wrong. It’s a bar that feels sexy, secretive, and intentionally exclusive.
🍹 What to Order
You don’t go to Scarlet for a vodka soda. You go for something crafted and served with care. The bartenders here are not only talented but collaborative. If there’s a drink on the menu that isn’t quite your thing, they’ll tweak it for you. If you don’t know where to start, they’ll guide you through it. That hospitality is a big part of what makes the place work.
The standout order is the White Lotus, a bright, clarified cocktail with Don Q Cristal rum, pineapple, yuzu, coconut sugar, and Champagne. It’s a cheeky nod to Imperioli’s HBO work and also a genuinely tasty drink. The Pisco Pink Panther, with raspberry amaretto, rosewater, and lemon, is another option that balances sweetness and sophistication. The whole menu feels curated with intent, designed for sipping rather than slamming.
🗽 Why It’s a TV and City Pick
Scarlet Lounge is a true mood. It’s for date nights, anniversary toasts, or simply proving to yourself that you still know where the cool spots are. It doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. It’s small, specific, and self-assured. You don’t bring your rowdy crew here after trivia night. You bring one person. Maybe two. You show up in nice shoes. You order something with a citrus peel. And you leave feeling like New York still has a few hidden gems left.
TV and City 