Cocktails on 6th St

"In 1919, the Volstead Act brought a swift end to nightlife and the refined craft of the American bartender was outlawed. It was thought that to drink alcohol was to live a life shadowed by death. It was thought by some that these were death and company." This was the idea behind the speakeasy-styled bar Death and Co on East 6th St in the East Village. This is where you go if you want a good cocktail. Its also a place with a strict door policy, so you might have to wait as there is only room at the bar or at a table. No standing room! Its a place where bartenders are mixologist and they taste test drinks before sending them out.

The menu not only features cool quotation about alcohol, but classic and inventive cocktails. Death and Co also offers some good eats. The truffle mac and cheese ($10) was made with aged cheddar and truffle breadcrumbs. The mac and cheese was delicious, but the best part was the presentation--the truffle macaroni was served on little silver spoons for perfect bite-size portions. We also got the Crispy Fries which were made with blue cheese, black truffle, and scallions ($8). I'm not a HUGE blue cheese fan, but these were good! The kitchen sent out two complimentary dishes--the lobster brioche rolls and the crispy pork belly. The lobster roll (16) were served with crunchy jicama, apple, and fennel slaw while the pork belly sat atop a bed of goat cheese polenta next to a fig and port glaze. I was definitely impressed with the food! Definitely not your average bar grub--but then again this isn't your average bar.


After enjoying 3 rounds of drinks, I got to taste a variety of cocktails; but we decided to keep moving. We didn't go very far though as we landed at Death and Co's tequila outpost: Mayahuel. Mayahuel is right down the block and pays homage to tequila and mezcal. Here we sat at the small bar downstairs and chatted up the bartender. We stayed for a round of delicious cocktails, fish tacos, and a shot of tequila to celebrate one of the bartenders last night. The decor of Mayahuel reminds me of a Mexican monastery and the vibe is cool. If you like tequila or mezcal than Mayahuel could be you're go-to spot!