The Bennett
“The Bennett was created by the same people who created Raines Law Room and Dear Irving and each has a signature style.”
“There's also a button you press whenever you want a server to come to you (similar to Dear Irving).”
“Drinks: I had the Wildest Redhead (which originated at Raines Law Room) and The Phoenix Down, but drinks were very good.”
The Bennett
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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I liked Raines Law Room and Dear Irving, so I had to come check this place out! It's cute and small, with turquoise seats and pretty lights! There's also a button you press whenever you want a server to come to you (similar to Dear Irving).
The Bergdorf Lunch cocktail was pretty strong and tasty, whereas the St. Germain was sweet and light. They poured the St. Germain from another bottle and left extra for us (love it when that happens!).
We also had the cocktail cookies, which included the dark n stormy, lemon elderflower, heather & peat and some milk. The dark n stormy wasn't so great, but the other two were! Alcohol-infused cookies…yum.
Service was fantastic as well!
Oh, and I should definitely come here for brunch next time-the menu looked great for that!
My colleague and I came to this bar with much enthusiasm because we are big fans of Raines Law Room and Dear Irving. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. The drinks were superb. Frank of America and one of the better Old Fashioneds I have had. We sat at the bar while waiting for our other colleague and this was made known to the staff. Also, there were a lot of empty tables. The bar area started filling up and a party of two walked in. While we began sipping on our second drinks and my other colleague was around the corner, the manager asked us to move to make way for the new party. Our unfinished drinks and my colleague were tossed aside to a table by the manager running this place. If there were empty tables around, wouldn't it have been appropriate for the manager to make the decision to seat the newly walked in party of two to the tables? Instead of us having to carry our drinks to the table and moving from seats we have already settled in from? Bizarre. As soon as my third colleague joined, although the drinks were great it had already left a certain bitterness on our palates. As we were leaving the manager walked up and asked that customer centric question "how was everything?". I gave him my honest opinion only to be met with stubborn hostility that his decision making was right. He kept reiterating why we were kicked out of our seats with reasons I could not understand. Pissing me off as of this point. I don't understand why he had asked me that question. I imagine him to have the attitude of a slimey used car salesman that turns nasty like a light switch. He couldn't quite wash off that slime for The Bennett. Service trumps the whole experience no matter how great the food or drinks are. I'll be paying fifteen dollars plus tax and tip elsewhere in this great city with so many similar bars. What an utter disappointment he brought to the spectacular drinks.
I'm a fan of The Bennett. Brought to you by the group that runs Raines Law Room and Dear Irving, The Bennett ain't quite the same as those bars, but that's okay, because it's still a heck of a cocktail bar in its own right. The décor has a very classic Manhattan bar feel, which we really enjoyed. We arrived just as it was getting dark, so it really set a nice scene. It wasn't particularly crowded, yet we opted for the bar instead of getting a table.
I got the Frank of America (rye, byrrh, amaro abano, spiced maple, angostura bitters), which was sort of a take on a Manhattan. I also tried the bartender's choice, made mostly with tequila, a bit of mezcal, and egg whites, served in a highball glass. I wasn't sure to expect, but it was pretty refreshing, while also smoky at the same time. Generally, a pretty good blend of flavors. Didn't try any of the food, but it looked pretty great, after peeking at other tables around us. Seemed like elevated bar fare, although also a bit on the pricier side too.
Service was excellent, and the bartender's choice was very well done. He made some very good recommendations, and seemed like he really knew his stuff, and that's all you really want at a cocktail bar. At $15 a cocktail, it's a bit more expensive than most bespoke cocktail bars, and given that there's only a handful in the area, they can get away with those prices. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about heading all the way down here.
As I work nearby, I feel like this is a great place to meet up if I was running late at work. Will definitely be back to try the other cocktails, and perhaps the food.
Since I knew that this place was created by the same people who own Raines Law Room, I had pretty high expectations walking in. Mistake.
I ordered the Bergdorf Lunch and it was the weirdest cocktail that I've ever had in a speakeasy-esque, and not in a good way. The underlying liquor was too heavy and had a very plastic-y/medicinal after taste. I got used to it over time but was very disappointed because most other $15 cocktails I've had in the city are complex and delicious.
They also have the bells here that you can press to light up when you need something. However, service is really slow even though they only had about 20 people in the entire place.
It's still a really beautiful, elegant place to grab a drink, but in my opinion not worth the speakeasy prices.
The Bennett is filling a vibrant need in this corridor but needs to grow to be a "go to" place to beverage up. It is still early days and I think it shows promise. It occupies the space that was Petite Abeille, a favored Belgian spot that was great but fizzled. I hope The Bennett does well.
DRINKS: 4
FOOD: 3
SERVICE: 5
DECOR: 3
OVERALL: 3.5
Wednesday night the place was full but not bulging at 8pm. An hour later, it trended to half full. TriBeCa craves cocktail bar but needs to do more here. The nearby competition is somewhat similar and at this point lack real character / identity.
Our SERVER was lovely and a button at the table signals the need to place an order. Among the host, table service and bartender the policy seems to be service with a smile.
I liked the Frank America COCKTAIL; expect the menu to change with the season. The cocktails here are high end, creative and quality.
FOOD was good but, in all respects, this is a drinking space. Food is a "nice to have". We had Cauliflower Croquettes and Beef Skewers. Good small plates.
DECOR is glitzy but smacks of Home Depot. Shiny but cheap. The tables are too high, the seats are awkward because they are too tall and don't move well. The space has always lacked an inviting restroom. It's bigger and shinier than it was in its Belgian days.
CROWD is a combo of after work in a suit and quasi-hipster.
super cute spot in tribeca! came here for rose with my gf after dining at bouley for lunch (LEGIT). really cute space, swank but simple decor – good service. i'd come back again 🙂
The Bennett is a very fancy looking bar with plush seating, expensive cocktails, and some pretty tasty light bites. Right after work, the crowd is a bit sparse, and you almost feel a little bit like it's too over the top. I imagine, when it gets later, more crowded, then perhaps the ambiance becomes a bit more attractive.
At each table there are bells, so that when you're ready to order, you can turn it on and the waiter will come and take your order. While great in theory and when it's very crowded, when it's not you just feel kind of silly because the waiter can obviously see that you are ready and you can obviously look over and give him/her a nod that you're ready and the bell is just superfluous.
I had a cocktail here with a friend and we shared the cauliflower croquettes. I remember the cocktails were well made and that the cauliflower croquettes tasted like liquid gold, so smooth and silky they were.
So to sum it up – I think it's a great place for after dinner drinks, maybe with a date, or if you are looking to find a date, but otherwise than that, I don't really think it's anything to write home about.
Similar to it's other cocktail bars, the Bennett is a nice addition to the craft cocktail scene.
Drinks: I had the Wildest Redhead (which originated at Raines Law Room) and The Phoenix Down, but drinks were very good. My husband had the McKittrick Old Fashioned (off menu from Dear Irving or Raines).
Atmosphere/Decor: Very nice! We made a reservation for a Saturday night. We got a comfortable seat at one of the high top seats along the wall opposite the bar. The space is very small, not good for groups but great for the two of us. It's more chill than the other locations (Raines and Dear Irving), perhaps because it's in TriBeCa. Good music played in the background. The music could've been a little louder, especially when they are playing R&B from 90s and 2000s.
I loved it and will be back when we have dinner in the area.