Three blocks south of Central Park, before you find yourself lost in the hectic environment of Times Square, is a cigar lounge tucked back away from the hustle and bustle. It almost feels like a secret. A place only those in the know are privy to. Of course, if that is the intention, then lovers of this establishment will be coming for me in no time with their pitchforks. I am talking about The Carnegie Club—a cigar lounge sitting on 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue. From the moment you walk in, it doesn’t feel like a normal, run-of-the-mill bar. No, this has a New York feel, but a specific kind of New York feel. One that harkens back to the days of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. This feels like the Rat Pack days.
The space
Look, I make no attempt to hide it: I am a dark academia fan. Give me moody lighting, rich colors, dark wood, deep brown leathers, and just enough pretention to believe you know all the books on the shelves. When you first get a look at the seating spaces in the club, you feel like you’re sitting in a library. But not a public library, the kind that is owned and operated by men who have read the books and see them as a conquered aesthetic more than something to loan out and use. The spaces are set up intentionally, creating intimate conversational angles more than putting everyone in as part of a crowd.
My experience there was my first with new co-workers. And maybe it was the booze and the smoke. Maybe it was the company. But we walked away friends.
The sticks
Ok, for the main reason you are showing up to The Carnegie Club, let’s talk cigars. When I sat down, I was given two menus. It was overwhelming because I am brand new to cigars, so I had no idea what I was doing. There were twelve mild, eight medium, and eight full. Priced anywhere from $20 to $60, there is no shortage of variety for the parties bringing people of all experiences. Oh, and if you want to really go all out, they have a box of ten Nicaragua Corona 5×42 for $275 (or $30/per) and a box of ten Nicaragua Torpedo 6.5×52 for $350 (or $38/per).
For the second menu: drinks. I stuck with the barrel-aged Old Fashioned. A few, if I am being honest. But the list of spirits is long and varied. And, if you are feeling particularly squirly, they offer flights to accompany your sticks. They have a Macallan flight, a Tequila flight, a 25-year single malt flight, and a Japanese whiskey flight.
The event
Finally, I am not the only one who feels the Rat Pack vibes. The Carnegie Club has bought into the idea as they do Sinatra Saturdays. You heard that right. Combine your box of cigars with your whiskey flight and listen to a crooner take you back to the days of Frank and Dean. These are typically at least two months booked out, even with the addition of Friday shows, so grab your fedora and get yourself to Midtown to see what it is like to live in the lap of luxury of the mid-Century.
