Forty Four

We ordered a few starters at the restaurant in the hotel here. The staff were really brilliant, when we indicated that we wanted to share the soup, it was bought out to us in 2 portion to make it easier which is service that I did not expect! Between the 2 of us we ordered 3 starters and we were stuffed by the end of the meal. The food was great and the portions were massive! The wine was also very nice, however expensive! So be aware of this if you choose to eat here. We definitely enjoyed it and thought that the service was very good too.

Music was too loud. Food was really mediocre. For a veg pasta that costs $24 it really didn't live up to expectations. Had to send the pasta back because it was wayyyyy to salty. Not just a little salty. But like sea water salty. Molto terribile. Nice decor but that's about it.

Nice lounge, drinks very good, expensive but good. Great room for the money. Go elsewhere for breakfast. $32 for eggs potato and toast ridiculous. Avocado sausage and egg just ok.all in all love the hotel and lounge but avoid the food. Go to Norma's. Expensive but fresh and delicious.

Super nice place. Very dim lighting with fireplaces. Not too crowded but all the seating is often taken. Delicious cocktails. Definitely stop in, get a drink here and then go walk around the city.

Prices are what you expect from a midtown Manhattan swanky hotel bar. The reason to come here is the best smoked old fashion I've ever had in my life. They light a real hickory stick and let the smoke infuse on the spot. Must try!

Very corporate-y. Its good for after work drink but doesnt feel relaxing otherwise. Pretty dark setting more like a club lounge which is weird if you are taking late afternoon drink(for me at least). Prices are classical New York City midtown, food too. Convinent location if you are close to midtown.

The music too loud, way too cold and the cocktails just badly mixed - last one depends on the barkeeper, the rest happens every evening. The environment is sweet. They could do much better.

How the mighty have fallen. A menu that looks closer to a bar menu than a fine dining experience. This is not the Forty Four of days gone by, this is just mediocre. There were two other tables when we ate there that had customers on it. When we left at 10:45 we were the only ones. Somehow service took ages. Without any exaggeration, we had to get up and find the waitress four times to get service. It was shockingly slow. They gave us two menus for five people, when we asked for more they made a big joke about finding five menus. Really? You they couldn't print enough menus to have one with every place setting? One waitress followed the other around but really didn't do anything. Food: The burger tasted like the patty had been defrosted. For $20 I expect a burger to taste good. The fries were soggy. Everything on the menu was over fried or over grilled. Seriously, there are better burgers all over the city. The branzino was over cooked. I could go on... But why? You get the point. This isn't fine dining. It used to be. Oh the Forty Four used to be the place once upon a time. Now it's just hackneyed. Take a look at the menu online and then Really, if you eat in midtown find a good place. There are tonnes. To say this was disappointing is an understatement. The cocktails were excellent and the bartender was the only good part of the experience. She was really good at her job and her cocktails were excellent. The place avoids a one star rating because I have memories of days past when they really were a fine place to entertain.

We ordered a few starters at the restaurant in the hotel here. The staff were really brilliant, when we indicated that we wanted to share the soup, it was bought out to us in 2 portion to make it easier which is service that I did not expect! Between the 2 of us we ordered 3 starters and we were stuffed by the end of the meal. The food was great and the portions were massive! The wine was also very nice, however expensive! So be aware of this if you choose to eat here. We definitely enjoyed it and thought that the service was very good too.

Music was too loud. Food was really mediocre. For a veg pasta that costs $24 it really didn't live up to expectations. Had to send the pasta back because it was wayyyyy to salty. Not just a little salty. But like sea water salty. Molto terribile. Nice decor but that's about it.

Nice lounge, drinks very good, expensive but good. Great room for the money. Go elsewhere for breakfast. $32 for eggs potato and toast ridiculous. Avocado sausage and egg just ok.all in all love the hotel and lounge but avoid the food. Go to Norma's. Expensive but fresh and delicious.

Super nice place. Very dim lighting with fireplaces. Not too crowded but all the seating is often taken. Delicious cocktails. Definitely stop in, get a drink here and then go walk around the city.

Prices are what you expect from a midtown Manhattan swanky hotel bar. The reason to come here is the best smoked old fashion I've ever had in my life. They light a real hickory stick and let the smoke infuse on the spot. Must try!

Very corporate-y. Its good for after work drink but doesnt feel relaxing otherwise. Pretty dark setting more like a club lounge which is weird if you are taking late afternoon drink(for me at least). Prices are classical New York City midtown, food too. Convinent location if you are close to midtown.

The music too loud, way too cold and the cocktails just badly mixed - last one depends on the barkeeper, the rest happens every evening. The environment is sweet. They could do much better.

How the mighty have fallen. A menu that looks closer to a bar menu than a fine dining experience. This is not the Forty Four of days gone by, this is just mediocre. There were two other tables when we ate there that had customers on it. When we left at 10:45 we were the only ones. Somehow service took ages. Without any exaggeration, we had to get up and find the waitress four times to get service. It was shockingly slow. They gave us two menus for five people, when we asked for more they made a big joke about finding five menus. Really? You they couldn't print enough menus to have one with every place setting? One waitress followed the other around but really didn't do anything. Food: The burger tasted like the patty had been defrosted. For $20 I expect a burger to taste good. The fries were soggy. Everything on the menu was over fried or over grilled. Seriously, there are better burgers all over the city. The branzino was over cooked. I could go on... But why? You get the point. This isn't fine dining. It used to be. Oh the Forty Four used to be the place once upon a time. Now it's just hackneyed. Take a look at the menu online and then Really, if you eat in midtown find a good place. There are tonnes. To say this was disappointing is an understatement. The cocktails were excellent and the bartender was the only good part of the experience. She was really good at her job and her cocktails were excellent. The place avoids a one star rating because I have memories of days past when they really were a fine place to entertain.

I met a business colleague for a quick post work drink and I loved the vibe of the place. I settled on a comfy couch near a dramatic modern fireplace. With snow in the forecast, this was just what the doctor ordered. I had a hard time choosing between the 3 old Fashioned options. I went with a traditional version but I can admit that I was a bit jealous of the option that I was served in a cloud of mist. Yes it is gimmicky but I still regretted that I didn't have my video recorder at the ready!

I do not recommend this place at all!! Came with my gf after work and extremely unhappy with the service/food and drinks. Through out the night i had to constantly stand up to flag someone down to get our order, no one bother to stop by once to ask if we needed anything. Food was extremely overpriced and mediocre, drinks all tasted average. Worst lounge i have been to, come on guys get your act together!

The execution of the avocado toast is questionable and expensive. Yes, the staff is great, but the food is just so so. Sausages and hash made the whole thing kind of weird. Sausages on top of avocado toast? Also when I asked for chili flakes I ended up with Sriracha

Came here for a post-work client meeting. I had never heard of this venue, but it looked pretty cool from Yelp and Opentable pictures. My team and I didn't know what to expect, but it ended up being a part of the Royalton hotel. There's a nice bar area right as you walk in. It wasn't too dark as is the case sometimes, though the music was excessively loud. While we were there for a more casual meeting, it's clear that this is a space used by some for celebrating. One end of the bar was roped off for a private event, and a group of grown men came in hooting and hollering to a couch/table next to ours. It wasn't too much of a bother however. The drinks were fine, I got the Venkman Spritz and my coworkers went for a bourbon on the rocks and a glass of Pinot Grigio. My cocktail was definitely very strong, but it was still good nonetheless. It's a nice place decked out with trendy decor and clearly a fun place for groups to catch up!

Read on Facebook that they weee having a Motown brunch. Called and left messages for more information. After numerous calls finally spoke to someone who gave me a little bit of information. He promised to text me back and never heard back from him. So I can not honestly review this place.

Ambience is on point. The fireplace can get be a little too much. The drinks are pretty good, but the sliders is what makes this place memorable

Stopped here for a drink after work and was pleasantly surprised. Upon walking in everything is grand but also insanely dark. I could not see.. dark. Its a pretty sexy, sophisticated atmosphere and although it was pretty busy after work there was still enough space to settle without being on top of other parties. The drinks were pretty standard in taste and as pricey as you'd think they'd be in a place like this. I tried out their truffle fries and another app I cant recall right now(blame it on the alcohol) and they were both delicious. The service was nothing to write home about but I would definitely come back here again for an after work drink.

I had a lunch date here and was very impressed with my experience. The Hostess, Cassandra was a sweetheart. The lobby area was very grand with dim lights and gold undertones. I felt there was a hint of art decor influence throughout the restautant. The leather upholstery booths looked very comfortable. The deep Cherry wood and carving detail throughout the restaurant was very well done. I had the Tomato soup with olive oil which came with a side of two slices of white bread. I loved how wholesome it tasted. There was no need for salt and pepper. Plus the portion was pretty large so the price is good for the amount you get. A very sophisticated location for a business lunch or personal private outing. This has a spot on the hidden gem ' s list :-).

While the prices for the drink was steep, the cocktails are delicious and the ambiance was great for drinks after work. It is near Port Authority so a great place to hang around if you are a commuter like me and looking for classy, sexy lounge to hang with friends. The lounge was really spacious with a lot of plush leather couches and lounges divided up to make it private and secluded. There was even a large fireplace in the center of the room to add to that classy, romantic feel. My friend sat on a couch in the corner so we can have some private space to chill and talk. We both ordered cocktails- martini for her and a specialty cocktail by the name of beetink for me. My drink was strong but it was also sweet and fruity to balance it out. Since we were both a little hungry, we also ordered Fried Chicken Sliders and Calamari appetizers. The 4 sliders were really petite but was delicious. The calamari came in a pretty sizeable bowl, but was pretty standard - nothing special about it. Though the price at this place is steep, I would definitely come back again for another happy hour or girls night out.

Great for clients and out of town guests. Food is great ... decor romantic and classy ---eclectic crowd! Enjoy this place each time I go - service is poor. Everything else stands out and I truly do enjoy coming back except staff is not so great.

Located on main floor of a trendy hotel, you get the feeling of elegance and exclusivity immediately upon walking in through a non-discript door and a dimly lit lobby. The staff was well attentive and we were seated immediately. We had some vegetarians with us and our waiter was more than happy to adapt Ny dish to accommodate our needs. Two highlights highlights for us were the buratta with grilled peach, balsamic, and greens and the broccolini. We capped it off with a round of espresso coffees and concluded our meal within a reasonable business lunch time.

Lounge is perfect, sophisticated spot. Small plates were delicious. Drinks very good. Such a nice, cozy place for a date. The fireplace Sliders and meatballs were very tasty, and the portions were huge.

This is such a secret GIANT bar in a no.mans.land of north Bryant Park. Picture this guys, its decor I will liken to Beauty & Essex the sexy library edition and the space is comparably as huge. Opulent ceilings and wood, fancy modern wall decor abounds as far and deep as the eye can see. This is a little gem if you find yourself looking for someplace swank for after dinner drinks. If its a bigger group, no problem, they greet groups without batting an eye. No cover charges just pricey cocktails, but your $15 dollar drinks will stand their own next to places like Painkiller in the Lower East Side and Death & Company in the East Village. I kid you not, and on a Fri-Sun you dont want to be going to itty bitty Painkiller for your ice pellet fix, come here! No waiting in lines, no problems finding a place to park your tush! Having had back to back Mai-Tai's at Death & Company and Bar 44 I find myself still thinking about the one I had here! Yes, so strange but this one hedges out as the better one, and it comes in a cute bi-polar Tiki Man goblet! happy on one side, mad on the other. Read my mood by which side of my cup I am displaying Perfect for any time of year, best especially wonderful to spread out your heavy coats at in the winter time, this place is fun for a lively group and yet classy enough for having great conversations sans the attitude from staff or clientele. Kudos Bar 44, shall you remain a closely guarded secret respite in the drudges of Midtown.

I loved this spot. Cozy & trendy decor. Strong drinks with a picturesque presentation. My only peeve? They were most accommodating while you were picking out a drink. Unfortunately, they took over 20 minutes to get the check to us. Fail -_- DAMN annoying & super rude in regards to my friend & I's timetable. The place was not busy at all so I dont understand why this was a problem. I'd go back but the servers need to be on POINT.

I'll start with the positives: the atmosphere. From the second we walked in, we were impressed with the dark walls and floor, dimly lit room, and large central fireplace. The plush couches, leather seating and high vaulted ceilings gave the romantic feeling of being in a mountain snow cabin. The lounge offers lots of seating with plenty of room in between parties for privacy. We snuggled up on a couch closest to the fireplace which was wonderful after walking in a frosty winter night. The cocktail menu is very standard and the drinks are very pricy ($17-$20). However, they do try to enhance the drinks with special garnishes and effects (for example, adding a smoky touch to a typical Old Fashioned). The servers, while friendly, are not that knowledgeable about the menu and couldn't answer most of our questions. Most importantly, we had an issue with one of the glasses which was cracked and was seconds away from shattering in hand. The servers quickly changed it out but it could have been a very dangerous situation had it shattered. I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and say this is a rare oversight. I dinged two stars for this incident and after visiting again (which I intend to do) I will provide an updated review. Overall, the Royalton is an ideal spot in the wintertime especially around the holidays as it is close to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It is expensive and the service seems a little disorganized but overall I would recommend it for a date, small group gatherings, or even to spend some quiet time reading or doing work.

My friends and I met up for drinks at the bar at the Royalton - it's the perfect location between the upper west side and the upper east side. This is the epitome of a New York bar - it's dark, sleek with lots of dark wood and leather. The drinks are spendy (which is to be expected) but I appreciated the relatively chill environment and the ease with which we were able to find seats, though we arrived just after 5 p.m. At that time, it was a quiet place to have a drink and catch up with friends. As we were leaving around 7, the noise level had picked up, and it was pretty crowded.

Love the door facade and as you enter, you're hit with this warmth - a huge fireplace surrounding the lounge section. Really lovely wooden interior and aesthetically pleasing chairs - well designed space. As for the scene, I could have passed on the crowd here - pretty lame. But I am reviewing the food here - The Risotto Poppers are DELISH and I would come back here for their version of Fish and Chips. Their thinly sliced waffled chips are amazing and not to mention the "fish" is LOBSTER and Shrimp - done fantastically well. I had fried lobster before, but this place gently fries them without masking the sweet meat of a good lobster. Really good! Dessert - slim pickings, but I would come back here for a nice quiet evening, not for some wild night out on the town.

Came here on a Saturday night and it wasn't crowded. We sat on one of the couches in the lobby lounge. I love the fireplace nearby, makes it look real cozy. The crowd here is slightly older, around 30s-40s. Drinks are about $15 here, I had a glass of Finger Lakes Riesling. Since the noise level was low, it was easy to have a conversation. There was one drunk girl sitting there alone though, she kept whistling loudly and yelling out random stuff to herself After about 10 min of hearing her yell, my friend told her to stop being so rude. She yelled back and told us that we were rude. Other people in the lounge told her to shut up as well. Finally, management came and told her to leave. I'm so glad they did. I was able to enjoy the rest of my night.

44 Lounge (or Bar 44, as its parent hotel Royalton calls it) is a solid cocktail lounge for a post-work drink if you're into the ultra premium scene. The water we were given upon sitting down was "holy water" according to our waiter. Mmhm. I didn't burst into flames, so not sure how legit that claim was. Tasted like generic NYC tap, but who knows? The cocktails were expensive, but very tasty. The bourboned cherries? I want to eat them and only them forever and ever, amen. Drinks on the rocks had an upcharge, though, because the ice cubes were specially made and imported from Brooklyn, probably with the holy water. The appetizers we ate were good, but they did take an exceptionally long time to come out--and we couldn't find the waiter when we needed him. Maybe it was an attempt to leave us alone so we could speak in peace without feeling pressured to order more, but when we needed a check to catch a train, it was a little frustrating to have to play detective. As an aside, a few phone calls to the establishment beforehand went unanswered to a seemingly ignored voicemail box, and when we arrived, there was nobody at the hostess's stand--we had to go hunting for someone to direct us as we'd never been there before. They also raised the music around 6PM and it became relatively difficult to hear one another across a table. The ambience was relaxing, and we enjoyed our visit--but go in prepared for okay-but-not-fantastic service and a high price tag for your drinks.

Bar is beautiful. Dark, yet lively. Drinka are great because bartenders are great! Special place in my heart for Ian. A true professional and magnificent individual. Matt is great too...wonderful womderful bartenders. Pedro works at hotel and cares about making customers happy. He strives and delivers. Tjis is a beautiful, classy place with mood setters everywhere. This is a place i woll keep coming to!!

Whattttt, another Dukedom by me... How dare I... yes NYC.. How dare I! We stayed at the Royalton, ate at 44 (not sure about that pic of the dude outside as representative of the lobby, bar, and restaurant), the food was great, the bar was great (expensive drinks, but worth it as they use a good amount of alcohol in them). I took pics of the menu and our food, peruse at leisure, if you stay here, you will have to try the restaurant at least once...

After schlepping about all afternoon on the Saturday before Christmas in snowstorm, we were looking for a place to grab a drink and warm up. Walking by the Royalton, the fireplace in the lobby caught my eye, so we had to go inside. The lobby is very swanky, but very warm and cozy, with lots of dark wood and cool lighting. Perfect for a cold winter afternoon! We sat directly next to the fireplace in comfy leather chairs, of course. But don't think this is some kind of ski lodge. This is a very modern hotel. The service was very good, prompt and efficient. The drinks were great. I definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for someplace to grab a drink on a cold weekend afternoon, after work with colleagues, or even pre-theater as it is not far from Times Square.

This swanky / comfortable hotel lounge gets crowded on weeknights so definitely show up early if you're looking for seats or a couch for your group. There are lots of great little areas to sit and I really like the way things are laid out. Also, the superstar list of bartenders has created an excellent list of innovative cocktails to choose from. I enjoyed their signature Manhattan, made with fig infused cognac, rye whiskey, and Ramazzotti amaro. I wouldn't come back here dinner again because the food was nothing to write home about, except the home made Ricotta cheese is AMAZING. Literally I couldn't stop eating it while ignoring all the other dishes.

At the moment, this has to be one of my favorite hotel bar/lounge in the city. To be a little self-serving, I wish I could write a review that people can read and forget just because I want to gush about it yet still keeping it a secret for myself! That being said, what good is an experience that cannot be shared? Bar 44 in the Royalton Hotel is very classy and casual at the same time. The patrons who visit Bar 44 are often well-dressed and are willing to spend some money on good cocktails and old-fashions. Between cosmopolitan New Yorkers, hotel guests, and tourists, there is a good balance of individuals that actually makes Bar 44 fun for people watching. Just make sure you don't get yourself on the wrong side of those conversations. The photos for this listing says a thousand words by accurately depicting the ambiance and space of this venue. While the photos are obviously a bit touched up, there is no doubt the very essence of Bar 44 is captured. A big fireplace encased in glass is a beautiful touch and really adds to the intimate and relaxing atmosphere. The couches are extremely plush and comfortable, so even the wait in the seating area is well worth it. And on a good night, you might get to lounge out and get a chance to enjoy a live band performance in the middle of the bar. If you are in midtown and want to spend a night out for drinks with friends or your significant other, there is no reason not to give Bar 44 a try. As a matter of fact, even if you are not in midtown, make it a destination anyway.

Came here after work with some friends. It is a cute cozy dimly lit spot. The decor was very nice. We came on a Thursday night. It was quiet, not many people were out tonight. We started with appetizers. Everything tasted great. Out of everything I strongly recommend the macaroni balls and cheese burger sliders. All food was flavorful and seasoned well. Only thing I would say is they didn't have enough options for main course dishes, which made it difficult to choose. We ended up deciding to keep ordering more appetizers and small bites. Alcoholic drinks are strong and worth the price. I would definitely come back again.

Enjoyed breakfast at 44 and had wonderful food and service. Pedro (restaurant mgr) and staff were inexplicably kind! Would definitely return. The ambiance was great as well as the decor. If you're looking for a sophisticated, quiet breakfast spot look no further.

Good food for a business breakfast, but stupidly expensive. Suggest you reserve for a nicer seat.

In the NYC winter, any place with a fireplace wins. In a trendy hotel, near Bryant Park, the place was packed at 8 pm. I met a friend for drinks, and just about snagged the last seat by one of the many fireplaces. Truffle fries, meatballs, drinks were all excellent.

There is somethng very special about Forty Four at around 8pm and onward, after the after work crowd left. A hotel bar with great ambience, talented and fun bartender, great selection of drinks, and just the right noise level to make the place feel lively yet at the same time intimate. I have a habit of rarely ever order drinks from the menu when I go to fancy bars, I want to be surprised and inspired by the bartender who is making my drink. And the bartenders at fourty four never fail to amaze. Always new and creative recipe but just right for my taste buds.

I've been to Forty Four a couple times, and I will say that the layout is interesting - it spans virtually the entire course of the block between 44th and 43rd Streets, albeit narrowly - there is a walkway that is more utilized by folks staying at the hotel, and the seating areas are off to the eastern side (with a small area on the western side by the 44th Street entrance). The seating is comfortable and casual, and even when it is reasonably packed on a weekday night, finding a spot at the bar - or even couch/sofa seating - isn't too difficult, unless some of the space is reserved for private events. With a decent number of servers and waiters milling throughout, I haven't had any real issues with service. The bar menu itself has a pretty solid collection of cocktails (I am a fan of La Diabla myself, although not when it gets a little on the drier side), and an okay selection of beers (they could do better here). The finger foods are reasonably as well, although of varying quality - I really enjoyed the tacos and the burger-like slider, but the fries (or was it calimari? It was hard to tell from the texture) was soggy and difficult to distinguish by flavor. There's a decent enough selection that depending on your palate, you can probably find something that will satisfy it. Given the spread-out nature of Forty Four, I feel like I would enjoy it if it was more like how the bar was - a little old-fashioned but very New York-esque. The seating is comfortable, and the spacing decent, but it does feel a little bit impersonal and generic the further away you get. There are most definitely worse spots to grab a drink in the Midtown East area, but at the same time, I wouldn't say that Forty Four is my go-to unless I really need the spread-out floorplan.

No hot breakfast on a Saturday morning? And on top of that, charging $26/person for a cold continental is just crazy. If you stay here on a weekend, leave the hotel for breakfast no matter how cold it is outside. Really unbelievable. This is classic "we're a NYC hotel so we can charge whatever we want", not a good look when you have locals in the building.

Sexy ambience with first-rate cocktail crafting. I believe one of their current bartenders is ranked top ten in the city. We had him craft a scotch based smokey drink on the fly which was out of this world. Wonderful spot for a date or intimate conversation.

Great place to have a quite meeting. The Veal And Pork Meatballs are delicious. Highly recommended for a glass of wine and a relaxed environment.

Worst service ever Took forever for food and drinks 3 hours later no dessert Horrible

I came here about a million years ago when I was still a million years underage, but a few things still stick out in my hazy hazy memory. I still remember stumbling in off of Avenue of the Americas in complete wonderment. I still remember the wonderful sunken tables and super-dark sultry atmosphere. I still remember the random conversations with the requisite swanky hotel bar mix of people. And I still remember the pseudo-psychedelic bathrooms, both men's and women's... Whether you're peeing on the wall in the men's room, or stumbling through a room of mirrors in the women's, the Royalton Lobby Bar is definitely worth a visit.

Review update! Bumping up my rating because I've been here a number of times now and have had only good experiences. This may be more a comment on the people I've come with than the place itself, but there's something to be said for the Royalton being a simple, chill lounge that generally does things right and then stays out of the way. It's quiet, it's dark, the drinks are good ($16 mixology-ish cocktails, plus a big wine list and a small beer list), the olive bowl is a generous mix of varieties and overall really tasty, and the service is friendly and unobtrusive. It's not a destination spot--I don't think I would go out of my way to come here--but if you're already in the neighborhood, it should be on your list. It can even compete with the tiny, fancier Lantern's Keep across the street, if for no other reason than that Fourty Four is big enough that you can usually come here without reservations.

I came here for my last night in NYC. I was looking for a cool laid back atmosphere and that is exactly what i got. Beautiful decor, really dark and sultry, loves it!! The crowd seems to be pretty mixed, i saw some college type guys taking shots and then a group of business men talking about traveling, so you get a little of everything. Our server was unfortunately very forgetful and you could tell which customers she preferred, obviously not me and the bf. The prices are what you would expect from any NYC lounge. Overall, this place is was sexy, fireplace, dark wood tones, dim lighting. great place to hang with friends or maybe meet some new ones!

What a sick (yes I said sick) lobby bar. Swanky. Classy. Sophisticated. Three words to describe this amazing lobby bar located in the newly refurbished Royalton Hotel. Martinis were made to perfection. Wine was delish and the waitress we had was super friendly. Perfect for business drinks and if you want to grab a bite to eat. Also perfect for a first date as you'll surely impress your guest. (Hint hint)

Warning!! 20% gratuity is automatically applied on food AND alcohol. That was a big shock since we bought 4 bottles of wine and 12 cocktails which cost more than our food... and the bill came with a whopping tip! Since when do you pay 20% gratuity on alcohol?? Big disappointment. Otherwise, the food was delish and the ambiance was warm and inviting.

Dark. Loud. Dark. Roaring fireplaces (WTF, it was 72 degrees outside). Dark. Loud. Kelly and I showed up for a quick drinkie on Thursday night. The place was dark, loud and dark (I think I mentioned that). There were three seperate private parties going on, so space was minimal and at a premium for these two gorgeous girls. Eh, whatever. Kelly wrangled her skinny ass into a prime spot at the bar and we had a few glasses of Cab. She also got majorly hit on by a 27 year-old Middle Eastern dude who talked too much and may possibly be a little "slow". I was happy, I made him buy us a round of drinks.

In the words of Borat, sexayyyyyyy timeeeeeeeeeee! A very sheek, dark, sexy lounge to bring a date for happy hour drinks in midtown. This is where Don Draper of the 2010's brings a lady to get the night started. The bar is ultra spacious, with a lot of individual tables/couches and feels super secluded and private. Just a tad bit pricey.

Great food and drinks.. the smoked Manhattan is spot on. Arben is awesome, one of my all time favorites. This place has been consistent throughout the years and is highly recommended.

Google defines hubris as overbearing pride or presumption, extreme haughtiness or arrogance. When you look at the stunning lobby of the Royalton Hotel (www.royaltonhotel.com) which was stunning and inviting before the makeover, you might understand why they were trying to set expectations high. The lobby does look sexy and inviting. And what with all the other hotels in town drawing the cool kids, we want in on the action! From the website "Royalton celebrates its original iconic hotel lobby with the launch of its new concept , Forty Four, headlined by a world-class group of bartenders known as "the cocktail collective". Ok folks, lemme tell you about the cocktail collective! I am standing among friends for a bit, while we engage in light banter. I separate and step up to the bar to ask when they have in the way of beers. The bartender seems a bit preoccupied, though not by making drinks but more like busy movements. He grabs a menu and hands it to me. Do you have any dark ales, I ask? He points to the menu. Ummm... Ok I flip through the menu which has page after page of cocktails. I can't find the beer page. Is there one, I wonder? Single malts, red & white wines, cocktails. Ummm... Finally I give up and return to my friends. Maybe I don't really want a drink. After going back to my friends we're chatting another ten minutes I decide again that maybe I do want a beer, and I'll go in for a second attempt. I ask the bartender again what kind of beers that have. He has no idea, but offers me the menu. I tell him I can't find the beers in there, but by that time he's gone. I flip through and find the beer page, but the bartender is now gone, and I wonder why I'm suffering to get a $10 beer? Moments later I relay my story to Barb who is on her third single malt, so she's speaking in tongues at this point. Sean, what do you want? Well I was going to grab a beer. We step back to the bar again, and try to find the beer page in the menu for a third time. She can't find it either. Do you recall what it was called, Sean? Some sort of brown ale it was. She asks the bartender for this, to which he looks quizically at us. Do you know what it's called, he asks? Ummm... Finally we locate the illusive beer page, and order my brown ale by pointing. Barb agrees with me that the service was odd and complicated when she tried to order as well. I roll my eyes... so much for world class I mutter. I tell her these guys just dropped to two stars in my book. Do you yelp? Of course I nod...

So, soooo not cool. I stayed in the hotel over a Saturday - Tuesday recently. So I saw the Saturday night crowd...NOT a scene...and I saw the crowds on other nights, which were even less a scene because they seemed to be the hotel patrons. Any night I was there, the people in the bar seemed to be 30- or 40-somethings, dressed okay but nothing to die for. On Monday night, after working, I decided to head downstairs & have a drink & read, since obviously there'd be nothing going on in the bar at on a Monday night. True. However, my employer doesn't pay for alcohol on my tab, so the drinks were on me...when I saw the menu, I fled for my old haunts in the East Village. What kind of stupid tourist swallows the idea that regular drinks during happy hour cost $15 in Manhattan? I mean, yes, $15 and more at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night at a bar where there's a scene, but not at Monday night happy hour at a bar that only wishes it had a scene any night of the week. This place was a total wannabe, existing to take advantage of stupid tourists. $15/drink to chill out doesn't work, nor does $15/drink for a wannabe scene that's not. Haven't stayed at the Hudson for a number of years but back then that was a decent scene for an ex-Schrager hotel bar...better than this place, at any rate.

I recently came to forty four for a colleague's birthday gathering. we work a block away and midtown is sorely lacking in good spots for a nice get together (it's either crappy / touristy irish pubs with terrible cocktails and overpriced beer or really expensive hotel bars with often terrible cocktails and always overpriced beer). Forty four sadly fell into the latter group but i held out hope for a while. the entrance way is very swanky and makes a good first impression! our group was located about halfway into the lobby. the group really enjoyed the comped olives and nuts though i declined to try any. i would have given the place much better ratings based on the general group until i got my cocktail. after taking my first sip, i remembered that i had actually been here about 2 years ago with some colleagues to have a martini while finishing a big presentation very late at the office. just that one sip of my drink was enough to remind me (though the decor apparently was not). you would think they would have good cocktails, but i personally do not think they do. in total i have tried 3 different drinks off of their specialty cocktail list and i did not care for any of them! i almost asked our server for a new drink but decided it wasnt worth it as i probably would not like the new one anyway. the favored drink of the night seemed to be dirty vodka martinis so maybe stick with that if you go here for a beverage.

I love the 44 hotel lobby bar. Very stylish, sexy. NYC best kept secret!! Great bar for after work drinks or meeting with clients or s date. Atmosphere is dark, relaxed with low lighting. Upscale customers, mostly business people.

The pros: -Plenty of space. Seating more or less stretches from the front of the hotel to the back, transitioning from couches and chairs, to the bar area with plenty of standing room and stools, to tables for food consumption purposes. Great if you are in a larger group and don't want to cram into a a generic midtown bar. -Sexy environment. From the dark lighting to fireplace, it's a great vibe. Add in some beautiful people and your eyes will be busy all night. The (big) con: -The drinks. Tragically, as beautiful as this place is, the drinks were horrid. Super unbalanced and weird flavor combinations. Add in some questionable ingredients (some of the fruit juice tasted... what's the nice way to say this... off), and some of the drinks just become gross. As much effort as what put into the environment and the drinks menu (the drinks are by no means simple), I was hoping the drinks would be at least passable. If you're looking to hang out and drink simple things that can't be botched up (read: beer, vodka soda, water), it's definitely worth trying. But don't get too excited over the drink menu as it definitely disappoints relative to the other high end cocktail joints I have tried in Manhattan.

This bar was a great location to meet up for drinks after working a night event. The martini menu was of course priced at $16 a pop which is standard NYC. The drinks were however great quality and after 2 "recessions" (which is such an ironic name since they set me back $40) I was quite buzzed. The decor sets the mood perfectly in the dark woods and suede couches. There is also a great fireplace roaring with a healthy fire. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking to impress as you can walk right by the entrance if you do not know to look for it, which is what is so cool. Their drink selection is pretty impressive and they mix like pros. I would come back here next time I am in NYC.

Two problems - space can be noisy and prices are on the high side - say $19 for a cocktail. On the plus side the space is really big, the bar takes up most of the ground floor space - which runs all the way from the front entrance on W 44th Street to the back entrance on W 43rd Street. The bar area is divided up into a series of connected alcoves which make it comfortable. It is pretty much all table service; not a place which makes it easy to meet new people. Bartenders are professional and engaging.