Lady Blue

Up in Lady Blue

On Valentine’s Day, we randomly walked into a bar in Hell’s Kitchen—and ended up completely falling in love with the place. It’s called Lady Blue, and while it’s technically a bar, they also serve full meals, and the whole vibe was just chef’s kiss.

The Space

The bar is located half a floor below street level, so you walk down a short set of stairs to enter. As you step inside, there’s a cozy bar area to the left and dining tables to the right and further inside.

We had already eaten dinner, so we skipped the food and sat at the bar instead. But being Valentine’s Day, most of the other guests were couples enjoying dinner with a glass of wine or two. The atmosphere had this perfect mix of rustic and chic, and watching the bartender carefully craft each cocktail made the whole experience feel extra special.

What We Ordered

• Bordeaux Red Blend
• Pink Dragon
• Up in Smoke
• Old Fashioned

Bordeaux Red Blend

This was a French red wine with a deep, full-bodied flavor—definitely not sweet, which we love. I believe they didn’t have much options for red wines, so we give it a try on this one and we both loved it. It was a great deal definitely.

Pink Dragon

This one was, sadly, the only miss of the night for us. It’s a sweet cocktail, and while I’m sure folks who enjoy fruity or dessert-like drinks would love it, it just wasn’t our thing. We shared one glass quickly and moved on to something else.

Up in Smoke

Now this was the star of the night. One of Lady Blue’s signature cocktails, and it’s as dramatic as it is delicious. They actually roll and light a tobacco leaf and place it over the drink—it’s quite a show.

We were both blown away by how good it was. The flavor was complex, slightly smoky but not overpowering, and definitely not too sweet (just how we like it). I was curious if the leaf was weeds or something, but the bartender told us it was just regular tobacco. Surprisingly, even though I normally hate the smell of cigarettes, the aroma here reminded me more of incense—like lavender or something herbal. It added a beautiful touch without being off-putting at all.

Old Fashioned

A solid, classic Old Fashioned. Nothing super unique about it, but it was well-balanced and smooth.

Should you go?

We both left a little tipsy on the atmosphere and the Up in Smoke. The vibe of the place was just so good—we couldn’t stop talking about how much we wanted to come back.

We also saw this super chic couple having a full dinner with wine at one of the tables, and next time, we definitely want to try the food and do the whole Lady Blue experience. Stay tuned for a part two with food reviews next time we visit! 😉