The Auction House

Weve hosted our annual holiday staff party here the last two years and its always fantastic. Megan is a pleasure to work with and Adam is the best behind the bar. Highly recommend for any group events or a casual night out.

Don’t let the nice pictures mislead you this place was a dump. Tables and furniture were sticky and unkept. Bar was fifthly. I doubt the bartenders had a rag to clean it. Drinks were expensive, like everywhere in NYC, but the alcohol was cheap, cheap well and the sodas used to mix were flat. Doubtless the worst drinks I had in NYC. This place had the high school goth kid vibe. Very disappointed in the experience.

If you’re looking for the type of place that your upper east side basic bros don’t like this is it. If you want the opportunity to finally escape sorority girls and frat guys this is for you. For a moment, you believe you’re in a cooler neighborhood in this bar. Thank you for bringing an artsy cozy bar to the culture desert of the upper east side. Loved my cocktails, and they were strong too! The ambiance is excellent, they really commit to the theme. Great service too!

Love, love, love! My husband and I have been coming here for years; we enjoy the ambience, the bartenders, and the drinks. A truly lovely hidden space on the Upper East Side. We recently (pre-Omicron) had our first small private event here in the front room - Megan couldnt have been more helpful in the planning. She made the whole process stress-free and was flexible to meet our needs. The bartender working the event was great - all of our guests loved him and the venue! Would highly recommend.

I hosted my birthday party at the Auction House and everyone was wonderful!! Megan, the coordinator, was extremely communicative, organized and friendly. Paul and John, the bartenders, were a joy to work with. They were very attentive, helpful, and brought a fun energy to the event.A lot of my friends hadn’t been here before and really found it to be such a gem. The space was perfect for the masquerade theme, the prices of the drinks are reasonable, and they let me make a specialty cocktail for the night! It was such an iconic night and experience, I couldn’t have done it without this place!I can’t wait to come back and try out their new drink menu and make more memories.

Great ambiance and atmosphere, but drinks really left what to be desired. Flavorless and watery. Worth stopping in if youre in the area and need a cozy, non-sports bar.

Bartender could not stop staring at everyone. There were only 2 rooms but he had eyes on everybody the entire time. I felt uncomfortable with him standing there the entire time. Doesn’t he have side work? Maybe wash the dirty menus on your table. Drinks taste like dog water. Could not make a simple lime margarita. Atmosphere is beautiful and amazing, it’s a shame the bartender is babysitting the entire time.

Absolutely my favorite hidden gem in nyc. Intimate space, amazing ambiance. Sassy bartender.

Such a lovely bar with a beautiful ambiance and vibe. Service was slow but the poor bartender seemed to be the only person working a shift on a busy Saturday.

My favorite salacious hidden gem in the UES. I love that its 25+

This is where my husband and I had our very first date. Its a great date spot. Drinks are ok, but its really the atmosphere that makes this place. Red velvet curtains cover the doors and windows so youre kind of contained within two rooms. Theres no name outside so you wouldnt even know it was a bar if you walk past without knowing its there. Has the feel of a prohibition bar. Can have some nice intimate conversations there, you feel like you have your own space. Never crowded.

Great experience! Awesome music and ambiance. The staff was nothing but fantastic. Great decor and highly recommend to check out for a drink. Definitely an upper east side hidden gem!

I went there for drinks with a colleague. Upon discovery, I was a bit jarred by the name. I told my friend, What in the 1800s is this? But overall, it was a vibe.

I liked the intimate vibe. The decor is very similar to another bar in the LES. I went on a date during a weeknight and there wasn’t a lot of people there. There were mainly couples—probably on a date as well. The ambience is nice and there was a mix of people from late 20s to 40s. I tried their version of Moscow mule. Drinks are about average $14 and it was good. I’d come back again. It’s definitely a good find in this area.

How long do they expect to survive with all the new speak easies opening up in the area? The bartenders here are equipped to pour beers and shots, thats all. I ordered a simple Old Fashioned and it was very literally undrinkable. How do you mess that up?!? All these new places hire trained mixologists who craft a drink menu like a chef creates a dinner menu at a fine restaurant - drinks with 10 ingredients in carefully chosen glasses, hard to find liqueurs, bitters and spices. It would be easy for The Auction House to fix everything thats wrong with the place and take over the UES but they just dont do it. Hire real bartenders and create a legit drink menu, buy all new glassware and alcohol, and for the love of god play music that people want to hear. Read the reviews!

Cheap drinks. Not usually very noisy. The bartender by the name of Taylor is the best one. Very gracious. Very well-mannered. Some of the other bartenders are mean, curt and nasty; one is homophobic. However, there is one great bartender there named Adam. He is the best; makes a superb Cosmopolitan, plus he is a good-looking Italian man.

I loved Paul! Had a great time a few months back with the bartender Paul! He was super chill and so very helpful when I wanted to try a Martini for the first time!He was so cool and ever since then, I know how I like my martinis and its all thanks to Paul and how cool he was when I was there!Special shoutout to Adam who is also super awesome!!Yall should check this place out!

Simply, my favorite bar I have ever been to in my life. The atmosphere was incredibly intriguing and jumped out of the pages of a novel. The bartender was incredibly friendly and welcoming. We went out of our way to go to this bar and would do it again and again.

Friday night review: The decor seems carefully chosen and arranged, vintage velvet couches, dark mahogany, Oriental rugs, chandeliers, exposed brick, etc. So it looks amazing. But the Friday music selection belies the decor and ruins the entire experience: Loud and pop90s rock. Too loud for a conversation. Pedestrian beer selection. Obviously capitulating to the yuppie crowd, I asked the bouncer who told me weeknights were better. We shall see.

This place is getting far too much shade. This is truly a gem of the upper east side, with beautiful decor, and a lovely secret. Fine, do not get a cocktail, but they have UFO on draft and the atmosphere is cozy and amazing. Stop giving one star because you didnt like the daquiri you ordered. Do people get how reviews work? This place cannot in any world be worthy of one star.

Red velvet couches, nude paintings and soft lighting make the dark atmosphere dominant here. It looks like you entered Count Dracula quarters. I loved that! Great Drink offers are great. Premium and imported beers on tap (loved OHaras stout) and bottled, good wine list and house cocktails which all sound yummy! Tried The Nasty Rascal and wasnt disappointed. Spicy heaven. Crowd is diverse. No college kids, which can be great sometimes. Music selection is great and music volume is just right for talking. Music is mixed, which means they probably create their own playlists oppose to streaming services which youll find in many bars nowadays. Staff was OK, but the bartender didnt really try to earn his tip.

The bar staff was not worth your time and the $14 cocktains were no better. The beer was decently priced but the whole time you feel as if youre in a velvet room on the sidewalks of new your city amidst construction. Would not recommend or return.

Atmosphere and decor is nice, but everything else was lacking. I tried three different cocktails and none were good despite being $14 each. I recommend trying another bar if you want quality, balanced drinks.

This place has so much potential! Its not realized because of lackluster staff and average drinks. For some reason they turned up the music so loud that it became impossible to have a conversation - did they think it was a dance club? Its a speakeasy - you need to be able to speak... A number of people asked the bartenders and they said they said theyd handle, but didnt. The good news is that there are plenty of other bars around there! Drinks are average at best.

Service was ok and environment was very cute- drinks were sub par. There were 4 of us all with different drinks, and none of us could finish them. :/

Coolest bar in NYC according to me.

Another unmarked NYC lounge... this one was pretty cool though. It seriously felt more like you were a guest in someones nice, extravagant home than a pretentious NYC lounge. The interior was well-decorated, with a nice faux fireplace adding a nice touch to the atmosphere.There were several groups there celebrating various occasions. We got there a little after 10pm, so Im guessing it would be a good spot for a gathering of sorts if you even got there a little earlier.Bartenders were nice. Drinks were typical NYC prices. Music was good and the seating was comfortable. Not bad. Not bad at all!

Great decor, tasty drinks (I had the Girl Friday), and good location. The decor made it feel like we were having a party while house sitting for a rich, eccentric aunt, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Adam the bartender, was making jokes about me and my friend to other customers before me and my friend even ordered a drink. Then went up to my friend who has been sober for 5 years trying to pressure here to buy a drink and then attempted to tell her she was not allowed to be there, even though half of our party already drinks. Do not even attempt to go there

The drinks are so sweet but the atmosphere is nice. While I wished the drinks were better, they are very cheap for NYC standards.

The Auction House is awesome. This prohibition era speak easy bar is the perfect watering hole to catch up with friends, pick up a hot date or show clients you appreciate them . The way its setup you have a Narnia moment because youre immediately transplanted to another world upon entering. Ask for a bartender named Raphael hes the best.

The place was quite beautiful with a feel of old colonial comfort and style.

Not sure if we we went on an off night but the drinks didnt taste good and very overpriced for $14. The service was lacking as well. The look and feel of the bar is very cozy but it failed to deliver on the speakeasy vibe.

Friendly neighborhood bar. Reasonably priced drinks, cool decor, and good crowd. Romantically dimly lit spot offers old-fashioned style decor with a split level inside.

Great place for a date or a girls night out!

The atmosphere is great but I truly hope they take feedback in these reviews seriously. They need to completely redo the drinks, and this bar would be a huge, 5 star hit!

The bartender might be the biggest psycho in Manhattan. He demands a $5 tip for a $8 glass of wine which he overcharged me for lol. If you dont tip he will take your drinks away even after you pay for them lol. No one was serving me nor was I offered any water. I had to go get drinks myself and you expected to be tipped ? You will get robbed from the place. My money was not given back for the drinks i paid for. Drinks were full and he took them away because he didnt get a tip lol. GET A LIFE LOSER . THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL AND EXTREMELY RUDE BAR/LOUNGE IN MANHATTAN !!!!!

Fantastic ambiance. It looks like a scene out of the movie Interview with the vampire :). It is a good date night spot. But be advised, they serve bad wine.

The drinks arent very good as compared to most speakeasy type places, but its got a great atmosphere for a romantic drink or two

Great vive

Dark and quiet, going for an old-school vibe. Disappointing beer selection, but friendly bartenders. Unique seating. Bouncer felt the need to roam the bar constantly and interact with patrons which is uncomfortable.

What a find, a year walking past and finally bit the bullet. Really cool space, covid safe and friendly staff. Excellent cocktails

Great place, perfect drinks, chili atmosphere!

This place is great. The design is absolutely amazing, good prices and good vibe.Its worth coming here at least once a month to enjoy the unique atmosphere.

Unique hidden gem where lots of locals mingle. Open since the 90s, this Victorian-decor laced coctail bar is a must for both locals and visitors alike

UES speakeasy, a great date night spot

Old cigar room atmosphere, but drink menu not well curated or on par with decor. My drink was strangely salty.

I really like the ambience. It was my friends birthday, so we had a table and couches booked. Its a classy speakeasy.

My local place, nice atmosphereI liked very relaxing

Amazing bar for cocktails and conversation! Quiet, chill and refined.

Definitely looks the vibe. Music does not match the vibe, would be very misleading to anyone on a date based off the way it looks. Drinks and Bartender feels like ..ugh meh. Other than that, looks good :-/ the pic represents me waiting on the bartender to only be talked to condescending as if I dont know what I want to drink, yet you never asked? :-/

Amazing place with a great food and serviceJohn is the best bartender in UES!

Great meet-up spot! Love the interior and couches!

Excellent drinks, and also importantly amazing playlist!

Great vibe..cool place..good cocktails..good for a date, quiet enough to talk

Excellent place very romantic very sexy

Crazy and unique ambient. The vibe was as if at any moment a vampire party might start :D. Terrible wine though :(

No food, just drinks. But the place is charming

I dont like the bar ppl behave , very sad 😌

Ambience is great but the bar was understaffed. The drinks were a little bit expensive and it would have been nice if there were beers on tap or even an IPA in their bottle selection. The Boddingtons was a nice different beer which I did enjoy, but it was the only unique beer in the menu.

Decor and prices are great but drink selection is worse than a dive. Decor is also killed by TVs and ads in between songs.

Dark and intimate. Just the kind of bar you want to find at 1 am. But too dark for 7 pm. No food. Just drinks

Lovely quaint Victorian looking bar on the UES. Also have a sentimental reason to love it (I met my husband here 💚)

Really cool hidden gem in UES. Don’t walk to fast or you’ll miss it!

Very intimate ambiance. We absolutely enjoyed our time here, and cannot wait to return.

One of the coolest bars in UES, perfect for a cocktail after dinner and hanging out with friends.

Great place with lots of space 2 separate bars. Really nice.

Great location with a good selection of drinks at good prices served in an intimate setting.

Incredible decor and ambiance. Unfortunately, the cocktails were remarkably flavorless and watery but switching to beer solved the problem.

Very cool aesthetic!! Was really disappointed in the drink situation though.

The location is perfect, as most either dont know about it or skip it entirely. So you get the local frat-mentality types out. No loud morons or what have you. The atmosphere is perfect...very moody vampire diaries feel..with that said.Some nights youll get Marilyn Manson themed music (slowly, creepy, Queen of the Damned vibes, which I love) and some nights youll get something more poppy, which kills the mood entirely.The bartenders are nice, and always check up on you, with $14 cocktails and youd imagine theyd match the music with everything else. The whole place is like being a pretentious vampire, which Im all down for, they just need to focus on a playlist that involves some Arctic Monkeys and or Evanescence....and play it regularly.

Awesome atmosphere. Wish the drinks matched!

Beer choice is a little lacking, but the interior is very eclectic

Whilst the ambiance is perfectly lovely (minus the glaring television) It would be nice to see a more delicate and refined cocktail menu, with more high quality flavor profiles. I enjoy this space. The biggest drawback however is allowing people to watch sports in such a historic venue. If you are going to have a television, at least keep it to turner classics or something along those lines. Play the twilight zone or something along those lines! Just my hot take. Will be back though! Again. The television just kind of killed it. It’s poisonous if you’re looking for a specific vibe.

Nice old-school joint. Bar tender was an a**hole. Wont be going back.

Phenomenal place. Phenomenal Bartenders. Adam and Raph are the best!

Really terrible cocktails. Good atmosphere though.

It is a cool spot to visit as the decors were pretty interesting…but the taste in cocktails was lacking. We had two drinks there, and honestly can’t say I enjoyed any of it. The price was reasonable, so it is a decent spot if you want to just chill.

Cool vibes with decent cocktails at reasonable prices.

Amazing setting and design. Must-go spot whenever Im in town.

Place has a great vibe - I imagine it is better in the summer when it’s nice and warm outside in the tents. I had a jalapeño margarita and it was really good! Only con I’d say is that there was only one bartender so it was really slow for them to take our order. Other than that it was really really good 😄

Very laid back and dark

Great date vibe, The bartender is very nice but their drinks collection is below average. They dont have top shelf liquor. Which kills the vibe big time.

My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday for a nightcap and immediately upon entering loved the romantic, cozy atmosphere. We found a table pretty quickly, and I went up to the bar to order drinks. I waited a little while, but it was understandable because the bar was a little busy. What was really off putting was the attitude of the bartenders. The one who served me was very curt and I would even call it rude. Acting as if me being there was an inconvenience. The drinks were great and it was a cool place- it’s a shame about the service because I don’t think we will be going back.

Unique interior scene with superb mixed drinks.

I’ve been coming to this spot for years. It has a spooky, goth vibe and basic drinks. Ask for a lemon drop martini.

Love the ambience and art. Alas, no real history behind the place or the art though.Perfect for a date night but not for its cocktails, which were meh.Note : its cash-only.

Liam is the freakin BESTHE PAYS ATTENTION AND TAKES CARE Of EVERYONE … we love Liam .. this is a historically beautiful bar… give Liam props

We went to The Auction House after hosting a friends elopement party. We brought 10-15 people there and we could not have asked for a more perfect post party ambiance and set up. The Auction House had reserved space for us ahead of time, and was incredibly accommodating and helpful. The cocktails are delicious and we were all able to continue the fun, while also being able to hear one another and feel comfortable in the beautiful luxe couches. We highly recommend The Auction House - whether for a date, a special occasion, or a casual cocktail.

One if the best spots on the UES!Vampire bar vibes

Auction House is an absolute gem in the Upper East Side. Its impeccably decorated and beautifully lit with extremely high ceilings and chairs that you would find in an old Victorian mansion. The cocktails are delicious, and the bartenders are pretty friendly. Most of the time, its not too crowded, so you can find seating pretty easily. Sometimes, the second room gets booked for private parties which restricts the available seating. I highly recommend checking it out!

The drinks are pricey but the ambiance is deliciously spooky. If you missed being in a bar during the pandemic this one will not disappoint. I felt safe drinking here as guests were well spaced and hand sanitizer was available.

The dark, quiet, laid back ambiance of the place is what people come here for. The prices are also surprising not high at all, more like normal bar prices and not speakeasy prices.The drinks themselves were hit-and-miss though. I ordered 3 cocktails and one of them was universally reviled by everyone I went with.

Cool divey spot. Decent cocktails.

Great place, but it may have gone out of business? Google maps said it opens at 5pm and at 7pm the front door was chained up. I hope it is not closed permanently.

Good service at good price. The place is really nice and cozy.

One of the most classic spots in the UES. Auction House has been open since 93, and never strayed from its intimate feel or romantic interior.If you come here during the week, expect a quiet and intimate atmosphere for yourself and your date. The walls are decorated in a 1500s feel with red valor and historic paintings.This is the best intimate date night spot in Upper Manhattan.

If youd like to find an upper east local place with a unique bar experience, this can be one of the prominent choices for you.

Good atmosphere but the bartender will serve you well drinks while you order a premium drink. Watched him do it multiple times. Also, got our drink order wrong three times.

The auction house is a gem in the upper east side. It is a speakeasy style bar with couches and provocative paintings on the walls. It is definitely a place to go on a date. Its dimly lit and quiet which lets you have conversations with the person you are with.

The atmosphere is great and the place super attractive from the outside.Cocktail list is super short and cocktails taste like those you made yourself with soda and cheap liquors.The place was empty and super boring

The decore and ambience inside reminds me of the movie, Interview with a Vampire. Its definitely a unique spot with decently priced and tasty cocktails. The seating is comfy, plush chairs and sofas. Very cool little lounge!

Bald bartender bad

Though I havent been to many bars in the Upper East Side, I can already tell this will be one of my favorites. First you have this really slick, dim lighting and cool ambiance with aged but classic chairs and nice seating with some great music (none of that head-bobbing electronic or mind-numbing rap in this place). Then you have all the drinks you can choose from including some solid brews and some nice Hefeweizers, and youre grabbing it at ridiculously cheap prices ($6?!) Finally, its great service, easy to talk to friends, and you dont feel jostled or crammed into a tiny area. Its a great place to bring a date and though there was no formal dress code, it seemed like the patrons were a classier bunch. Definitely a cool place to go with close friends or a date.

Cozy bar with a good selection of drinks

Very cool place. Awesome charm. Taking off a star as there was only 1 bartender between the 2 bars

Horrible and rude service. I loved this place a few years ago, don’t know what’s happened. Don’t they care about their customers?

Worth a 20 minute subway ride.When I used to be an UES dweller this was easily my favorite bar. The decor is very unique, reminds me a bit of Interview with a Vampire, and I personally liked it a lot. The music is on at just the right level so you dont need to yell when having a conversation. There arent many places to sit so this is ideal for a small group or date. The drinks are better than average even though the service can be a little slow if they dont have enough people behind the bar. They limit entry to 23 and up some days so that helps keep the kiddos out.

Dark and cozy cocktail bar. Large armchairs and rustic feel. Great place for a date.

One of my favorite spots when I am in town.

Went on a date here! And then came back the following week...nice ambience! Good drinks!!

Looks like a Victorian bordello, but the velvet couches make this place unique. Good spot to come and have a conversation, take a date, talk shop, have a relaxed evening with friends, etc. 24 and over I believe, theyre very anti-frat bar.

Great atmosphere: cozy, low key, quiet enough to have a conversation but still with good music. Good drinks.

The worst service you can get in UES, won’t recommend to anyone, go somewhere else

Cool place. I would totally go back.

The decor at Auction House harks back to a bygone era, but its execution is more tacky than classic. Drinks are strong. Seems to be a dark, quiet refuge for regulars.

Nice vibe. Poorly made cocktails.

Fun intimate setting. Not a rowdy crowd which is nice

Great hidden bar in the upper east side

Drinks are good the place is chill nd unique, bartenders are cool. Worth checking it out you wont regret it.

Nice and cozy, good place for conversation. Prices reasonable.

Awful, stay away. This used to be one of our favorite places to go on the upper east side until last night. We had a small group of people at the bar to celebrate a going away party and one member of the group was denied entrance by the bouncer because he was wearing sandals although he earlier let in THREE girls in our party who were all wearing sandals. We decided to go to another bar as we all wanted to celebrate together and as we were leaving, the girlfriend of the guy with the sandals calmly told the bouncer our group was leaving because our friend wasnt allowed in. Instead of calmly dealing with the situation, he began to loudly yell and swear and threaten to hurt the 110 lb girl; when her boyfriend stood up for her, calmly, he began to swear at and threaten him too. Luckily we were able to just walk away with nothing happening.This bouncer needs to be fired immediately, Im pissed because he threatened my friends for no good reason, but Im also worried about what he would do to guests in the future if he is willing to go off on and threaten a 110 lb girl over a slightly snarky comment.Stay away from here, needless to say we wont go here anymore after this experience.

Amazing vibe, great prices! Try to get there before 8pm for sitting room!

The auction house is a weird place, gives off bad vibes too. My drinks were made wrong and to top it all off the staff was very rude. Despite the type of place it is, it was very dirty.Bouncer was the rudest, blew smoke straight on our face upon entering.

Kind of a speak easy place, merge with my grand mothers house, the place a is very elegant and relax to grab a beer or a gin and tonic with friends or a date

This is a hidden gem. Very cozy and relaxing environment, service was great!

I am in love with dimly-lit bars with red walls and a Victorian vibe. If I could live here, I would✨

Perfect spot for a relaxed drink . Decent prices and friendly staff . Will head back there next time Im in the area

Great atmosphere, on point service, and cozy environment. Could add a little snack menu to accompany booze!

They were having a private party and as I unknowingly tried to enter, caucasian security guard abruptly blocked me. He snidely asked if I was with such-and-such. Confused, I replied “no”. Dude tells me to get lost. No manners.:(

A very nice hidden gem of the upper east side. A bit on the expensive side, but the atmosphere is worth it.

Hipster haven. This is far from a speakeasy as described as there is an obvious door guy and no hidden entrance. Crowd was midwest runaway amateur hour, drinks were bland. Wont be back.

Upper east side lounge good for intimate conversations

Love this place very different and service is great!

The atmosphere was exceptional. The cocktails were terrible.

Just a cool place to relax and the drinks are great

Discriminates against the young by only allowimg people 25 and over on weekends.

Ambiance is perfect, great bar tenders!

Enjoying our evening. Merry Christmas

Such a fantastic place to go!

Great atmosphere for a date here.

Beautiful ambiance, cool bartender

Great vibes and good service

Nice speak easy type bar

Relaxed vibe to sit, chat and drink.

Gorgeous and elegant bar

Fantastic place to go dine...

Really romantic and quaint place

Dark. Fun. I just plain dig it

Good cocktails 👍

Psychotic rip-off

Great bar food

Great gem

Laid back with a hip vibe.

Miss you!

Great Service and Staff

Decadence at its finest!

Staff was rude and inappropriate.

Cool!

Great cozy place

Great ambiance.

Great atmosphere

Truly unique!

Poor drink selection

Nice ambiance

Pretty deec.

Cute place.

Rapey vibe.

Hidden gem

Unexpected

If youre looking for a sophisticated, cozy, dark library vibe, auction house is for you. Perfect for a girls night out or a date. The drinks are good and strong. Its unmarked entrance makes for a discreet yet edgy cocktail bar experience.

Nice, cozy atmosphere, music is muted so you can finally have a good conversation. The cocktail list is small, but other requests are also fulfilled, but no offers for snacks - otherwise the service does not exaggerate its accommodating nature.

Very cute bar. Very good atmosphere, a bit hidden in the street.

I was just at the bar where the Rangers went to celebrate their 1994 Stanley Cup win, and guess what? I was asked to take the Rangers cap off my head!! because according to the Manager, I didnt belong with the cap on!Thats how those values ​​change, if even the Rangers Stanley cup party in the bar is no longer allowed to celebrate with a Rangers cap on!! Apparently you should have gone with the Arabs Rätti head?

A restaurant with an atmosphere known only to localsI love it :)!