Subway Grit vs Sky-Lobby Glitz — Speakeasies Square Off Above and Below Columbus Circle
Dive bar Siberia returns underground at Columbus Circle, while Mandarin Oriental unveils a luxe high-rise speakeasy, representing two different New Yorks in one night.
For those who measure time by last call and train headways, Siberia's return will be appreciated. The infamous Hell's Kitchen dive, once located in the 50th Street subway station, has reopened at Turnstyle Underground Market in the Columbus Circle concourse.
In contrast, 35 floors above, Mandarin Oriental has relaunched The Bar, a 45-seat Silk Road-themed "speakeasy" with a skyline view, serving unique concoctions like jasmine-baijiu and pomegranate-spice drinks.
If the sign for Siberia is easy to miss, the attitude isn’t.
Author's summary: Two speakeasies in Columbus Circle offer different experiences.
- Siberia: a dive bar underground
- The Bar at Mandarin Oriental: a luxe high-rise speakeasy