The Wallace Lounge

"My new favorite hotel lobby bar? Definitely on the list and I’m 100% going back. Intimate seating for two throughout and a couple couches for larger groups. Happy hour from 5-7 and live music starting at 7p on that beautiful piano (Th-Sun). Always say yes to the free fries during happy hour and please remember to tip your server well!"

"Perfect. The service was amazing. I did not expect everyone to be so friendly, helpful and polite. The food was exquisite, try their pistachio cheesecake. And it's in the name, but the fact that it's a piano bar is what makes this place special. Great music, not overwhelming to a conversation, is the right combination for a great evening."

"I want to preface this review by stating that the Wallace Lounge has only been open for ~10 days at the time of my writing of this review. With that said, I (as an Upper West Side resident) was very excited to see a new upscale piano lounge opening on the UWS. I'm a huge fan of cocktail bars of all types and I was hoping that this could end up being a fun new local place. Unfortunately, I would categorize their opening as "rocky at best". Ambiance: Arguably one of the areas where Wallace performed best. The ambiance was quite nice (as can be seen in the pictures), dark wood accented with gold as one might generally expect from an upscale piano lounge. The pianoist and singer were talented and set a relaxed tone for the entire experience. Service: While everyone was perfectly kind, it was felt obvious that the place was new. At a few points, servers forgot which liquors were offered by the bar as well as the price of various liquors. If you only offer ~5 signature cocktails on the menu, I expect you to be able to offer any and all classic cocktails. Additionally, I expect a cocktail/libations-focused piano lounge to offer a wider variety of spirits that what is available here. Drinks/Food: We all only got 1 drink each and didn't end up ordering food so I can't speak to the food. I can say that they offered free rice chips which were absolutely drowned in oil (I felt bloated after eating only 1). I got the Martinez signature cocktail and my wife got a dirty martini. The upside here is that both drinks were excellently made and well-balanced. The dirty martini was exactly what my wife wanted and the Martinez was a fun cherry-tinged twist on a classic gin martini. Pricing: The food is certainly a bit on the pricier side. In terms of drinks, ~$20 for what was effectively a modified gin martini is a little bit ridiculous. That's normally what I would expect to pay for a very interesting and unique craft cocktail. However, if you're the only upscale piano lounge in the area, I guess you can get away with charging those prices. Overall, it was an okay experience, as evidenced by my 3-star review. It certainly wasn't bad enough to warrant a 2-star experience (especially considering how new the place is) but is not anywhere near impressive enough to warrant a 4-star experience. As a starting point, I'd recommend building out the spirit selection and craft cocktail selection, espcially if they want to be competitive with the vibrant cocktail scene offered by NYC."

"We had a great time here during one of the soft opening nights! The drinks are fantastic. Caviar wasn’t yet available so can’t comment on that, but I can tell you the portions of the apps are LARGE - so order wisely! We ordered all the cheese and charcuterie and we had way too much (but it was so good — and we ate it all!!!) Love the Wallace Martini!!! Crisp and perfect."

"It is definitely a nice vibe for an area that could use one. It seems perfect to meet someone for a drink before or after dinner. The drinks were OK. I ordered a cocktail on the rocks and they brought it with soda. I told the waitress and she was nice about it and came back with a rocks glass but it was clear the bartender just poured the previous drink into the rocks glass. There was only one bartender and it was busy - so I’ll chalk it up to still working out the kinks. The drink prices are on the higher side. We did not order any food. This said - I will try this place again."