Bar Gonzo is a cool, a little off-beat looking cocktail bar just west of the Theater District. When you enter, you’d see the large peacock behind the bar and you’d see their mascot, so to speak, in the details around the space like a pillow or the small peacock on the second floor’s bar. It’s a colorful, tropics inspired, laid back place to have well made drinks and the shareable snacks are quite tasty.
The cocktails are balanced in flavors and playful. A few are creative takes on classic drinks like the Root Beer Manhattan that initially you’d taste the root beer-like flavors and it transitions midway simmering down that you’d taste the bitter rye. Their namesake Peacock in Hand is a spicy mezcal and Tabasco drink but it doesn’t torch your taste buds. It made me think of a Bloody Mary without the tomato juice and it’s pretty with the edible flower.
A few of the items we tried from the raw bar menu is solid. The East Coast oysters were fresh and wonderfully briny and I adored the mignonette. The shrimp cocktail was cooked and cooled properly.
The small plates were very good. Beef tartare, berbere with labne was delicious. Silky, gently smoldering from the spices contrasting with the tang of the labne. The food on skewers were great. I highly recommend the chicken livers and charred octopus as both were the best two dishes of the evening. I know chicken livers aren’t everyone’s favorite cut of meat but the spicy mayonnaise and the fried shallots takes over any livery flavors.
The French bread pizza, Is There A Priest in This Tavern was a cheesy pizza and liked the depth of flavor from the black garlic.
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Bar Gonzo
Website
511 9th Ave
New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 967-1985