Hidden within the storage room of an actual ice cream shop on the Upper East Side you will find a top notch bar exploding with candy and color. The line we saw outside of UES. looked like people hungrily awaiting ice cream in the 40 degree weather…but we knew better.
On a Friday night this little gem was packed, losing some of its secretive nature with a line out the door, but on other nights you would never guess that there’s a full speakeasy hiding within this tiny ice cream store. While waiting, there actually was a family that came just for ice cream and it was amusing watching them skip the line and be waited on by the bouncer, they paid for their scoops eyeing the line suspiciously and left.
Through a hidden door that looks like a wall decorated with empty pints you enter a dark passageway to the festive interior. Bright colors line the walls with pop art strewn around the room. Unlike many other dark cozy speakeasies, UES. gives more of a party scene that’s loud and fun. On the Friday night we had no sitting room and wiggled our way to the bar to get a look at the menu. If this hideaway didn’t already stand out from the rest, its menu of unusual concoctions was sure to grab our attention. Each drink over the top desserty, some boozy milkshakes, some flambéed, and every drink served with some special candy, it is the place where a sweet tooth can go to die happy.
Compared to our usual (and admittedly preferred) dark and quiet hidden oases, this outing was a refreshing change of pace, showing that there truly is a speakeasy for every taste. We couldn’t stay long because we had an older gentleman trying to cling to us giving us creepy vibes, but that’s a story for another night! We hope to return on a less crowded evening for the full experience.
Get the scoop on UES. and travel uptown for a delectably sweet night cap. Look for the LED ice cream scoop sign and ask to see the storage room!
Signed,
Your aching sweet tooth PLIs (visited Oct. 2018)
