Sip & Guzzle, a Big Deal Bar From Tokyo, Opens in Greenwich Village This Week | Eater NY
"Opened on January 19 by alums of Angel’s Share, Employees Only, and Alinea, this two-level cocktail-and-izakaya concept splits into Sip downstairs and Guzzle upstairs: Sip is steered by Shingo Gokan (who ran bars across Japan and China and was bar director at Manhattan’s Angel’s Share) with a creative cocktail program ($21–$30) that includes drinks like the Wax On (shochu, coconut yogurt, fig leaf, Japanese wax) and a whisky nigiri (Japanese whisky, sushi vinegar, sake, wasabi), while Guzzle, led by Steve Schneider (formerly of Employees Only Singapore), feels like a New York saloon offering comfort drinks and classics such as an Apple Manhattan (bacon-infused rye blend) and a Sherry Colada Highball ($17). Mike Bagale (former executive chef at three-Michelin-starred Alinea) runs the kitchen, calling the food a celebration of traditional izakaya-style cuisine with two menus—downstairs focused on higher-end ingredients and upstairs an izakaya lineup—with dinner items ranging roughly $14 to $165 (the Royale With Cheese is A5 wagyu with bread from Ginza Nishikawa in LA, listed at $150) and caviar add-ons at $5/gram (minimum 10g). The space, in the former Cornelia Street Cafe, references Edo-era naval history (the Kanrin Maru) and is defined by distressed oak, concrete, and Japanese artworks; Ben Yabrow (formerly of Double Chicken Please) is behind the bar, Tokyo-based Atsuhiko Sugiyama with Hiromi Akai handled design, and practical details include hours Tuesday–Sunday (Guzzle opens at 4 p.m., Sip at 6 p.m.), a limited number of reservations, and walk-ins encouraged." - Melissa McCart
