Angel’s Share
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 02:50PM 
After a visit to Crif Dogs & Please Don’t Tell, I continued my East Village speakeasy crawl at Angel’s Share. The name comes from the splash of wine in each wine bottle that sommeliers sometimes keep for themselves — the angel’s share, as it is called.
Like other speakeasies, this one is hard to find. The tiny number 6 above the door is the only hint of an address. It’s not even immediately apparent that you can eat here.
Go up the stairs, and you’re plunged into a Japanese restaurant called Village Yokocho. The entrance to Angel’s Share is behind an unmarked wooden door. A hostess escorts you to the bar or a table, and as at other speakeasies, they will not accommodate you unless there is a vacant seat.
In 2002, New York called Angel’s Share the city’s best date bar, but I found the space charmless, the lighting too bright and unkind, the servers unfriendly. Even the menu seemed a bit shopworn.
I later spoke to a beverage director who has no interest in any East Village bars. He said, “I have no idea why Angel’s Share is mentioned in the same breath as PDT or Death & Co.”
I ordered a Cousin Mary, a cousin to the Bloody Mary, with cucumber, black pepper & garlic infused vodka, olive juice, onion vinegar, celery salt, and a garnish of olive & pearl onions.
In less time than it took me to write all that in my iPhone, the drink appeared. Actually, I had no more than glanced away for a few second. Clearly, it was pre-made, and poured from a pitcher. Not bad, but you can get a Bloody Mary anywhere.
Angel’s Share (6 Stuyvesant Street, east of Third Avenue, East Village)
Reader Comments (2)
Hmm, I've been meaning to try this place forever but never gotten around to it, guess I'll stick with my usuals PDT or Pegu Club.
btw, I think Angel's Share usually refers to the bit of spirit lost to evaporation during barrel aging.
I had the chance to have a drink at Angel's Share two years ago. It was around 6pm, before dinner time, and this place had a really nice romantic vibe to it. Quiet, great autumn view out the window, comforting jazz music, etc. I though it was a great place to have an actual conversation.
So i took a girl there the next week around 11pm. and it was hectic. way too many people for the space. LOUD. uncomfortable. drinks didnt really feel memorable.
So it really depends on when you go. it's a great place to stop by for a drink.... uh, anytime before it gets dark that is...