The Fifth List: Midtown Manhattan

The Fifth List: Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan is steeped in mysticism. Most visitors orient around the obvious—the midtown New York hotels, the theater tickets, the landmark sweep from Grand Central Terminal to Rockefeller Center. Of course, there’s MoMA, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship on the Fifth Avenue corridor. All worth your time. But the people who live here know that the neighborhood rewards those who look past the marquee. What follows is a short list from our concierge team: five reservations in Midtown NYC they can get you coveted access to right now, should you dare.

Backstage 105 W 55th Street

Hidden inside Stage Star Deli, Backstage is a theater-focused cocktail lounge that looks nothing like what you walked past to get there. The crowd skews toward performers who just came offstage and in-the-know New Yorkers. Our concierge will make sure you find the right door.

Nothing Really Matters 50th Street Station, 1 Train

A subterranean, neon-lit speakeasy inside an active subway station. The entrance is exactly where you’d expect not to look for a bar. It draws a late crowd from the Theater District and Hell’s Kitchen, and it stays open well past the point when most of Midtown West has gone quiet.

Madame George 45 W 45th Street

Dimly lit, ornately furnished, and located in the corridor that connects Bryant Park to the Diamond District. Vintage accouterments, a considered cocktail list, and the kind of atmosphere that makes Midtown East feel like a different city. Best approached with no particular plans for the rest of the evening.

Bar Centrale 324 W 46th Street

Unmarked, set inside a converted brownstone in the Theater District, Bar Centrale has been the after-show room of choice for Broadway’s working actors for years. There is no sign. There is no walk-in policy. Our concierge knows who to call.

The Woo Woo 266 W 47th Street

A 1980s-inspired speakeasy with whimsical drinks and a sense of humor about itself. It sits just off the Broadway corridor, draws a crowd that tends to stay late, and it feels like a secret that Midtown Manhattan has been keeping from the city for years.

Each of these reservations is available to guests of The Fifth Avenue Hotel. Speak with our concierge team to arrange access.