Restaurant in New York City, United States
NYC's rising cocktail bar. Book ahead.
Double Chicken Please is the Lower East Side cocktail bar that jumped to #6 on OAD's North American Casual list in 2025, up from #54 just two years prior. Led by Mark Chou, the program applies culinary techniques to cocktails in a split-space venue on Allen St. Book it if creative, kitchen-informed drinking is the point of your evening.
Double Chicken Please is one of the most decorated cocktail bars in New York City right now, and the trajectory of its Opinionated About Dining rankings tells you everything: #54 in 2023, #19 in 2024, #6 in 2025. That is not a bar coasting on a good opening; that is a program improving year over year. If creative cocktails are the point of your evening, book it. The Lower East Side address at 115 Allen St puts it squarely in a neighbourhood dense with drinking options, but few of those options have this kind of critical momentum behind them.
The bar is led by Mark Chou, and the concept is built around a premise that rewards curious drinkers. Double Chicken Please structures its experience around two distinct spaces, each with its own approach to service and atmosphere. Walk in and the front room gives you the visual shorthand of a fast-food counter, deliberately lo-fi in finish. The back room shifts registers entirely: low light, more considered design, a setting that signals you are meant to slow down. It is one of the cleaner executions of a split-venue concept in the city, and it matters practically because the two spaces suit different occasions and group sizes.
The cocktail program is where the critical recognition lands. Double Chicken Please has built its reputation on drinks that treat food ingredients with the same seriousness that the leading kitchens apply to a plate. Stocks, fats, and culinary techniques migrate into the glass, producing cocktails that read less like drinks-list standards and more like a chef's response to a brief. For a guest who follows the New York City bar scene closely, or who tracks programs like Bar Contra or Katana Kitten, Double Chicken Please occupies a different lane: less spirit-focused, more kitchen-informed. That distinction matters when you are deciding where to spend an evening.
Recent jump from #19 to #6 on OAD's North American casual list in a single year is the clearest signal that the program has evolved materially, not just maintained. For the explorer-minded drinker who tracks venues the way a serious eater tracks restaurants, that kind of consistent upward movement is worth paying attention to. It places Double Chicken Please in the same conversation as the most technically ambitious bars operating in any American city right now, alongside programs at places like ABV in San Francisco or Carico Milano in terms of conceptual ambition, even if the format and geography are entirely different.
A Google rating of 4.4 from 2024 is solid for a venue this specific in its intent. Bars that operate at a high level of concept sometimes polarise; the fact that general audience scores hold up alongside elite critical recognition suggests the experience translates beyond insiders.
For context on what is happening across the city's drinking and dining scene, see our full New York City restaurants guide, our full New York City bars guide, and our full New York City hotels guide. If you are building a broader trip, our New York City experiences guide and wineries guide round out the picture.
The cocktail menu is the reason to go, and the kitchen-informed drinks are where the program distinguishes itself. The bar's concept applies culinary techniques to cocktails, so lean into whatever on the menu looks most unexpected rather than defaulting to a spirit-forward classic. The kitchen-inspired section is where the OAD recognition is rooted. Specific menu items are not confirmed in current data, so check the bar's current menu on arrival or ask the bartender what is new.
Given the culinary approach to the cocktail program, some drinks may contain dairy, stock-based ingredients, or animal fats. If you have strict dietary requirements, flag them when booking or on arrival. Specific allergen or dietary accommodation policies are not confirmed in available data , contact the bar directly before your visit to confirm.
Know that this is a concept bar, not a traditional cocktail lounge. The split space (front and back rooms) offers two different experiences under one roof , the front is casual and quick, the back is more considered. The OAD #6 ranking for 2025 signals that you are walking into one of the most critically respected bars in North America right now. Come with curiosity, not a default drinks order. If you have been to Bar Contra or Katana Kitten and want something more food-forward in its cocktail thinking, this is the right next stop.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, but that can change fast when a bar jumps to OAD #6 in North America. For a Tuesday or Wednesday visit, same-week booking should be fine. For Friday or Saturday, especially the back room, book at least a week out. The jump in rankings from 2024 to 2025 means demand is rising, so earlier is safer as the year progresses.
The split-space format helps here. The front room suits smaller, more casual groups; the back room is better suited to a more immersive experience for groups who want to settle in. Specific private hire or large group policies are not confirmed in available data. For groups of six or more, contact the bar directly to discuss options before booking.
Double Chicken Please is primarily a cocktail bar, and the bar counter is part of the experience. Bar seating is generally available on a walk-in basis, though this is not confirmed policy. The front room is the more casual, counter-style space, making it the natural choice for a solo drink or a quick visit. Check availability directly if counter seating is your preference.
Yes, and arguably better solo than with a group. A bar operating at this level of concept rewards focused attention, and solo visitors tend to get more engagement from the bartenders. The front room's counter setup is particularly well-suited to a single guest. For solo drinking in NYC, Double Chicken Please competes with Bar Contra and Martiny's as a leading option , the key difference is the food-technique-driven cocktail program, which gives you more to think about.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Chicken Please | Cocktail Bar | Opinionated About Dining Casual in North America Ranked #6 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Casual in North America Ranked #19 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Casual in North America Ranked #54 (2023) | Easy | — | |
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | $$$$ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Per Se | French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Masa | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | French, Vegan | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
The bar's concept is built around unexpected pairings and a format that rewards drinkers who lean in and let the menu guide them rather than defaulting to classics. Trust the house signatures over anything you'd order elsewhere — that's the point. Specific menu items are not available in our data, so check the current menu directly when you book.
Dietary accommodation details are not confirmed in our data, so check the venue's official channels before your visit. Given the cocktail-forward format led by Mark Chou, alcohol-free options may be limited — worth asking about explicitly if that's a consideration.
This is not a drop-in neighbourhood bar. Double Chicken Please ranked #6 on Opinionated About Dining's Casual North America list for 2025, which means demand is high and the experience is deliberately structured. Go with an open mind about the format — the concept rewards drinkers who engage with it rather than those looking for a straightforward round of drinks.
Book at least 2 to 3 weeks in advance. Its climb from #54 (2023) to #6 (2025) on the OAD Casual North America list reflects a bar that has built serious momentum, and that kind of recognition fills seats fast. Walk-ins may be possible at off-peak times, but don't count on it.
Specific group booking policies are not confirmed in our data. At 115 Allen St, the bar's format and physical footprint suggest it is better suited to small groups of two to four than large parties. Contact the bar ahead of time if you're coming with six or more people.
Double Chicken Please is primarily a cocktail bar, and bar seating is typically central to the experience at venues of this format. Whether food is served alongside drinks is not confirmed in our current data — check directly when making your reservation.
Yes. A cocktail bar format with counter or bar seating is one of the more comfortable solo experiences in NYC — you're there for the drinks and the craft, not a shared meal. As an OAD Top 10 bar in 2025, it's worth a solo visit if you take cocktails seriously.
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