Rating: Outstanding!
To say we spent far too much time at The Maker Lounge in New York State’s Hudson would be the overstatement of the century. We spent far too little.
It is rare these days that I am impressed by a cocktail bar, but I must say that at this establishment they really know how to pull a drink.
I was seated immediately upon arrival on a Friday evening, by the marble bar of course, and instantly handed a cocktail menu.
I skimmed over the ‘fragrance’ cocktails, which described themselves as ‘gender-neutral’ – suggesting they would not be worth my time, but halted at the signatures where, I must admit, we struck GOLD!
Priced at around $17 a drink, excluding tax and tip, many of the concoctions at The Maker Lounge were named after works of classical literature – allowing a drinker to indulge in their favorite tipple while feeling intellectual.
First up, I opted for The Old Man & The Sea – inspired by Ernst Hemmingway’s 1952 novella – which was fantastic. The gin was excellent, and it even delivered on appearance – with sprigs of, what I assume was cabbage, inserted that looked just like real seaweed!
In Search of Lost Time, bearing the same moniker as Marcel Proust’s 1913 novel, was a classic drink with an austere appearance. And The Samurai’s Garden, linked to the 1994 book by Gail Tsukiyama, was also delicious and decorated with a number of delicate flowers.
In all, this was an excellent cocktail bar and a MUST for anyone who spends the night in Hudson, New York state.
The atmosphere was delightful too, with the location bearing a sort of Soho House-style look (perhaps they got the same designers).
The clientele was highly varied, with a mixture of couples on dates (hello, that was us!), vacation groups and grown-up families. I noted a few grey hairs at this establishment, a sure sign of quality!
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