ONIEALS GRAND ST BAR & RESTAURANT
174 Grand Street
New York, NY 10013
http://www.onieals.com/soho
Onieals Grand St, located in Soho, is a pleasant surprise among its Chinatown neighbors. I’ve been here a few times for after work happy hours and so I was very excited to be invited in to try some dishes from their new winter menu and some of their staple cocktails.
Onieals is actually located in an old speakeasy and they’ve done a fabulous job at maintaining that feel, with low lighting, deep red couches, chocolate browns, white flowly curtains and plenty of festive deep colored decor perfect for the holidays. The highlight of the decor? Surprisingly the ceiling! It is delicately carved with the Four Devil Fairys and is a classy contrast to the otherwise sleek and sexy look of the rest of the restaurant.
Onieals Grand St Fun Facts
- During the prohibition era, a tunnel connected their building with the (old) Police Department across the street, so that officers could grab a drink without being noticed. (sneaksters!) Today, the “tunnel” is now used as their wine cellar.
- You may also recognize them from Sex and the City. Onieals was the backdrop for the bar owned by Aidan and Steve called Scout.
Highlights and Why You Should Go to Onieals Grand St RIGHT NOW!
- Happy Hour is poppin’! The music is exactly what it should be: songs that are going to make me unwind from the long ass work day! Drinks are strong too.
- The staff are upbeat, friendly and, I have to add, gorgeous! They are also very knowledgeable and honest about the menu. I was told what was hot right now and what I wouldn’t be missing out on. Which was appreciated. The bartenders also know how to make a damn good drink.
- They have an excellent selection of wine, whiskey, bourbon and scotch for even the pickiest connoisseur.
- Prohibition Tuesdays with live music and a burlesque show. Perfect date night!
- The menu has plenty of delicious options so you are sure to find something you like.
Here’s the low-down on what we ate:
Crab Cake Amuse-Bouche (complimentary with your meal)
Grilled Oysters
These had a strong cilantro taste, so if you are one of those people who hate cilantro (which i’ll never understand), than these might not be for you.
Green Machine
Kale, romaine hearts, baby arugula, sautéed brussels sprouts, crispy pancetta tossed with a creamy parmigiano reggiano dressing.
I’m not the biggest fan of kale, but packed with all of these flavors, I surprised myself and inhaled it!
Truffle Wild Mushroom Ragu
A recommendation from our waitress: Creamy beef ragu, gnocchi, kale dressed with a touch of truffle.
First, the smell alone made me shiver in excitement. The combination of tastes will create a party in your mouth. It was THAT good! My favorite dish of the night. I took some home and almost didn’t tell my husband about it because I just didn’t want to share. But I did 🙁
Drunken Short Ribs
8 hours braised short rib in red wine, jalapeño napa cold slaw & grilled corn on the cob
I have a serious love for short ribs. Although the sauce was a little too sweet for me, they were cooked to PERFECTION! I also opted for the mexican style corn on the cob, because there is really nothing more magical than cotija cheese and crema on corn.
Corkscrew Mac and Cheese with Bacon
A pretty solid mac and cheese although next time I might skip this and go for the tater tots. However, it was pretty delicious the next day for a hangover brunch!
Bubbles & Berries
Citrus vodka, fresh strawberries, black cracked pepper, fresh lemon topped with prosecco
This drink made me feel like I was actually in Sex and the City. Sweet and refreshing.
Four Devils Fairy
Nolet’s gin, fresh lime, pineapple, fresh spanked mint & absinthe
Lawd! Think of a deep and sultry mojito. It’s also named after the four devils on the ceiling and is one of their popular drinks and now my favorite.
The Boner
This is an off the menu drink, so I’m not 100% sure what is in it but if you are a whiskey lover than you will enjoy this. I do know that it has some grapefruit in it. I don’t drink whiskey because I’m a wimp, but this was delicious and the grapefruit definitely took some of the sting out.
I left Onieals Grand St feeling full as hell and slightly sad that I couldn’t try more. However, I’ll definitely be back to conquer the rest of the menu.
Check them out on Facebook and Instragram. For more info and/or to make a reservation visit their site: Onieals Grand Street. Thank me later!
Have you been to Onieals in Soho? Let me know your thoughts below! If you plan on going let me know, maybe I’ll see you there 🙂
*I received a complimentary meal at Onieals
