Bar of the Week: LOCL on the Upper West Side of NYC

West Side's own LOCL Bar, located in NYLO Hotel, is completely inviting. It is an ideal choice for our "Bar of the Week."

Their stylish décor, inspired by the Roaring '20s, features sunken and raised dining areas, exposed brick, woodblock tables and taut leather couches. LOCL is a fine reminder that Manhattan restaurants can perfectly mix industrial undertones and luxurious touches. The atmosphere wins you over, but the impeccably attentive service, fine food and drink and great company makes you really want to settle in.

On our last visit, the guests included couples on dates, out-of-towners on business, and friendly gatherings. In the best way, think of LOCL as your neighborhood bar, with exponentially more class.

LOCL offers a distinctive wine collection and a fine selection of craft beers that includes an impressive list of New York brews. Their house cocktails are perfect mixes that work wonders with muddled fruit and spirits. The Strawberry Fields Bramble brings together St. George Gin, with muddled strawberries for a seamlessly smooth taste, while the Upper West Side Old-Fashioned imparts new vibrancy to a standard recipe, thanks to its muddled oranges and blackberries and its base of Breaking an Entry Bourbon.

Yet every good cocktail menu needs its seasonal delights, and LOCL has created a complex and comfortable winter drink with the Warm Rusty Nail. The ingredients in this mulled beverage, Cutty Sark Prohibition, Dramabue 15 Year Old, and hot apple cider work together to create a flavor that is rich in caramel undertones but and sweet in just the right proportions.

The food menu at LOCL places classic bar appetizers alongside tasty Italian fare, an absolutely ideal combination for guests. The Classic Buffalo wings are large, flawlessly tender, and evenly seasoned. The Grilled Chicken Skewers with honey mustard are also a popular choice, and again show LOCL elevating a much-enjoyed snack to new heights of deliciousness. The menu also boasts thin-crust pizzas. And for one with real New York style, try the Pizza Alla Norcina with mushrooms and spicy sausage on four large slices, flavorful with every bite.

We suggest you check out their live music schedule. And look forward to also visiting LOCL in the warm weather, when their roof top bar offers great views of the city.

If we haven't yet given you enough good reasons to visit LOCL on the Upper West Side, stop by and discover some of your own. This spot is a real find. LOCL is located in the NYLO Hotel, 2178 Broadway at 77th Street, New York, NY 10024. Call (212) 362-1100 or visit www.nylohotels.com/nyc.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of LOCL

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