Undercote

"Undercote is a cocktail bar located beneath Cote, and it feels kind of like the reptile house of an upscale zoo. The space consists of a few small interconnected rooms, the furniture is all black, and there are several walls covered entirely in plants. Cocktails start around $20, and they’re made with everything from chinola and eucalyptus to Thai chili and butterfly pea. There’s also one made with catnip—and it’s surprisingly good. Is it worth $21? It depends on how badly you want to try catnip." - Hillary Reinsberg, Neha Talreja, Bryan Kim, Kenny Yang

"The idea behind Undercote, according to Kim, proprietor of Gracious Hospitality Management, was to create a place where people can escape from the “concrete jungle” of Manhattan. “The living plants on the walls create this relaxing, habitable environment where I can thrive and feel comfortable communicating with friends,” says Kim." - Kevin Chau

"Chances are, you’ve played with a cat before. And while you were playing with this cat, you might have encountered some catnip, sniffed it, and thought, “I wonder what that tastes like.” If you’d like to finally find out, go to Undercote. In order to get here, you enter the restaurant Cote, head down a flight of stairs, then walk into an extremely dark room filled with glass-enclosed displays of various plants. It feels like a cross between a nightclub and the nocturnal animal exhibit at your local zoo. The cocktail list is constructed like a field manual filled with illustrations of exotic-looking plants. Drinks are incredibly expensive ($20 and up, mostly), but there are also some one-of-a-kind beverages, such as one that incorporates catnip - which, it turns out, is weirdly delicious." - bryan kim

"Rapper Nas visited Flatiron Korean steakhouse Cote’s basement bar Undercote." - Carla Vianna

"Undercote is a cocktail bar located beneath a sleek Korean barbecue spot in Flatiron (called Cote), and it feels kind of like the reptile house of an upscale zoo. The space consists of a few small interconnected rooms, the furniture is all black, and there are several walls covered entirely in plants. Cocktails start around $20, and they’re made with everything from soju and raspberry eau de vie to sesame leaves and orange blossom honey. There’s also one made with catnip—and it’s surprisingly good. Is it worth $21? It depends on A) whether or not you believe any cocktail is worth $21 and B) how badly you want to try catnip." - Bryan Kim