Culture
New York’s Best Bars For Taurus Season
Your guide to celebrating Taurus’ refined spirit in New York.
Taurus season is a time of embodiment. The Venus-ruled earth sign is driven by beauty and pleasure — after all, the goddess wasn’t born fully grown in a scallop shell to rough it. And in a town like New York, there’s plenty of bars that embrace the luxurious, Taurean spirit.
As a Taurus moon, I consider myself an expert on enjoying myself. (The highest compliment I can give someone is that they know how to live.) When the sun moves through the bull’s domain, it’s time to put on your best silks, pop the champagne, and order a drink (or two) at one of the city’s many delightful bars. Grab a sharp Vesper from classic New York haunts like Bemelmans and peruse Cellar 36’s extensive wine list — just be sure to toast to Venus. Read on for NYLON’s favorite New York bars to celebrate the Taurus in your life.
Angel’s Share
Not every Taurus wants to admit to it, but the sign loves a good dose of exclusivity. While they can’t physically ban people they don’t like from their favorite spaces, the next best thing is choosing an inconspicuous location. Tucked away in its new permanent home in the West Village, this speakeasy-style bar is the furthest thing from cringey; expect stellar service and elegant, one-of-a-kind cocktails — like the Flirtibird, made with shiso, shochu, yuzu juice, agave nectar, and a plum salt rim.
45 Grove St.
The Bar Room at the Beekman
There’s something perennially glamorous about grabbing a hotel bar cocktail. Taurus can indulge in Venusian fantasies of private jets and marble soaking tubs at the Beekman Hotel’s eclectic yet grand Bar Room, where stiff, sophisticated drinks flow day and night.
123 Nassau St.
Bemelmans
There are few bars that cater to Taureans’ penchant for luxury more than Bemelmans, the famed bar of the Upper East Side’s Carlyle Hotel. Here, the earth sign can sip on the city’s finest Vesper while surrounded by famed murals by Ludwig Bemelmans — who himself was a Taurus.
35 E 76th St.
Casetta
Casetta is a welcome addition to the Lower East Side and especially perfect for the Taurus who enjoys being a civilized wine lush. Plus, the bar’s light bites like castelvetrano olives and various tinned-fish options are filling enough to satisfy the earth sign — until dinnertime.
61 Hester St.
Cellar 36
Even the pickiest Taurus will find something to enjoy from this natural wine bar’s expansive selection and knowledgeable staff. And then there’s the deals: $1 oysters and $20 carafes every day for happy hour.
36 Market St.
The Commerce Inn
At its core, Taurus is a sign of the senses — which is why Taureans need to experience the beauty of The Commerce Inn. The West Village restaurant and its Shaker-style tavern decor will make you feel like you stepped into a time machine (or a quaint trip to Pennsylvania). Come for its herbaceous, seasonal cocktails, stay for its mouthwatering farm-to-table meals.
50 Commerce St.
Maison Close
Taurus’ inner diva will feel perfectly at home at Maison Close, the swanky Soho restaurant-meets-club that gets its name from the French phrase for brothel. Start the night with a La Turlutte, its twist on the French 75 with fresh rhubarb, or a Mademoiselle Seguin, a savory mezcal concoction blended with goat cheese. The French fare is decadent in all the right ways, like tender filet mignon that falls off your fork and an unforgettable carrot puree made with a generous amount of butter. But most importantly: Maison Close provides ample people-watching. The impeccable wait staff rocks Rolexes, the clientele is ready to party, and you’re left wondering the collective net worth of each table.
15 Watts St.
Hall
Think of Flatiron bar Hall like the first layer of an onion — and the way to any Taurus’ heart. Past the wood-paneled walls, Japanese-inspired cocktails, and wagyu burgers is Odo, the Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant from Chef Hiroki Odo. The acclaimed restaurant flies its ingredients straight from Kyoto to Hokkaido and is one of the best meals money can buy in the city. But then there’s another layer: Behind the restaurant is an intimate, speakeasy lounge with only 20 seats. Taurean heaven!
17 W 20th St.
