Asuka N.
Yelp
A friend and I were waiting for space to free up at Berners Tavern, so we ducked into Punch Room to relax and burn off the hour until there would be space available. A positive note - all of the dining areas seem to be connected, as our tab here was simply transferred over to Berners once the seat was open. Although it definitely felt like you needed to have some sort of 'in' to get in, we were still let in (despite being sans company or particularly nice clothing) to have a drink. It's not all that big, but the room has an interesting feel that I would describe as a contemporary speakeasy. You don't really get any outside noise, but the design very much feels like a nicely done-up living room - lots of wood on the walls - and with hip-hop and rap jams playing in the background, you could be forgiven for forgetting that you were not in England anymore.
As for the drinks themselves, I wouldn't quite put this in the same class as the American Bar, which has the best cocktails (and cocktail menu) I have seen anywhere. Nonetheless, the menu is laid out in a similar fashion, with 'punches' to go along with different themes. I didn't examine the offerings closely enough on the menu to see if there was something thematic about why 'punch' was the operative word in every cocktail - perhaps everything has some sort of fruit or sugar in it? - but nonetheless, I can say that the execution here is very solid. I ended up going for one of the tea-infused cocktails, which I really enjoyed - the tea was lightly present, but there was a bit more citrus, giving it a bit of an iced-tea flavor - but classier. With the floral undertones, it was a very enjoyable cocktail to sip on (it did last me the entire time we were in the Punch Room itself).
I would definitely come back again, although given that it is usually harder to drop in, I am not sure I would plan on being able to visit as frequently, even if I was staying in the Edition itself. As a fan of the Savoy, I love that I have never had any issues dropping in at the American and grabbing a cocktail or two. But this is a nice spot in and of itself, and I would definitely come back to try more of their drinks.