Sometimes you go to a place, and you immediately want to become a regular. The bar scene is fun enough to grab an impromptu and casual bite. Food is easy, unassuming, and always does the trick, and of course the people watching is good. In fact, it’s a place you can make a few new friends. This is Holiday Bar, your neighborhood spot.
Overview
Holiday Bar is the newest restaurant to join the Grand Tour Hospitality portfolio of restaurants. That name doesn’t quite yet roll off the tip of the tongue, but they include the iconic Lambs Club, Saint Theo’s, and American Bar. So even before you step foot into Holiday Bar, you know that there’s going to be vibe. But how is everything else? This is the review.
The Atmosphere
The scene at Holiday Bar is lively and fun, with a quintessentially downtown Village crowd. It’s a casual neighborhood spot, but with elevated, chic decor. The location has always brought in crowds, from the time it was Cafe Clover and 10 Downing. In this incarnation though, there’s a strong bar scene – maybe the best of all its predecessors. Holiday Bar is the kind of place that you can hang out, well, in the bar. You can do a full dinner there, or just have drinks. Everyone nowadays is on a dating app, but this is one of the few places you can organically meet new people. It’s also easy and comfortable, that you would happily repeat Holiday Bar again and again on your restaurant rotation.
The Food
I was pretty pumped when I saw the Chef was Marc Howard, formerly of two favorite restaurants; Tertulia and Betony. I was also excited about the menu, which is an international melange of influence. There’s Italy, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia and Africa, just to name a few. So that means you’re getting everything from sushi to ceviche, pasta and even a burger. Unlike Chef Howard’s previous restaurants which were high on the food experience, Holiday Bar’s food is good, but not remarkable. I think that’s the point though; Holiday Bar is meant to be an easy, no-brainer neighborhood spot. There’s something for everyone on the menu, and whatever you choose will be solid.
The Service
In a word, the service is good. The hosts are friendly, bartenders hospitable and everything generally runs like clockwork. That’s easier said than done given how busy and scene-y it is at Holiday Bar. For a place that could have attitude, there’s pretty much none.
Overall: 7.3/10
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FAQs
Q: Where is Holiday Bar located?
A: Address: 10 Downing St, New York, NY 10014
Q: What are the hours of operation of the restaurant?
A: Holiday Bar is open:
Tuesday-Sunday
Dinner Service 5PM-10:30PM
Bar Service Until Late
Q: Are reservations required?
A: Reservations aren’t required, but if you want to get seated promptly, you will want to call ahead or use Holiday Bar’s Resy page here. Otherwise, you can try to walk in on non-prime hours as well as get a seat at the bar. They serve the full dinner menu at the bar, and it’s a fun scene.
