March 2, 2015
Old-Fashioned Bar John Doe’s Channels NoMad’s Gilded Age
A new whiskey bar is coming to NoMad, New York, but it will feel distinctly familiar. John Doe’s, which is promoting itself as an “old-fashioned style bar,” follows the surging trend of neighborhood bars modeled after speakeasies and Gilded Age venues.
John Doe’s will be located at 253 Fifth Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Lulu & Me. It is owned by John Maloney, the man behind The Junction in Midtown and Austin Public in Forest Hills. John Doe’s will specialize in top-shelf rye whiskies and will serve classic American food for lunch, dinner and brunch, including rabbit pot pie and braised short ribs. In addition to high quality liquor, John Doe’s will boast a wide beer selection, including more than a dozen craft brews.
In seeking authentic old-fashioned ambiance, John Doe’s could not have chosen a better neighborhood in which to set up shop. At the turn of the century, NoMad was New York’s hub for theater, dining and nightlife, so standards for libations were high. Renowned hotel bars filled the neighborhood east of Broadway. Bars that were west of Broadway were more like wild west saloons. Our “NoMad’s Wilder Days: Booze” article contains a full history of these notorious bars, including The Star and Garter, The Haymarket and Joe Sullivan’s.
John Doe’s is a welcome addition to NoMad’s already thriving food scene. We are excited, not just for the promise of delicious food and expertly crafted drinks, but to see a bar that combines NoMad’s illustrious past with its booming present.