Botanica

«Simple syrup is a staple here. It’s in most drinks». Said the server. This is why I’ll never return.
I had been here in 2011 and I remember it being fresher — and I also remember them touting their fresh fruits and ingredients… How they made their craft cocktails like scientists.
But now — sugary syrup is their staple and default. It’s clear in the drinks.
Save your money.

When our waiter came over, at first I thought he was strung out on cocaine. He swaggered over, leaning dramatically through the large open windows, and we had to repeat our order to him at least 3 times. After we left, we laughed and started taking odds on if our order would actually arrive. However, to our simultaneous relief and disappointment, it did.
First note: the drinks here are outrageous. These guys know how to mix a good cocktail.
Second note: the empanadas are crack. Pure. Crack**. Get ‘em.
There’s no better place in Red Hook to start your evening. Go get your drink on.
** Perhaps the waiter was doing a little olé «one for you, two for me» with the crack.

Very cute, intimate, off the beaten path. With vegan juices etc by day, and fancy cocktails by night (all fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, etc) open air, and very romantic! Would have 5 stars, but no good food selection. Tapas, empanadas, but not for a hearty meal, if that’s what you’re looking for! I bet the food is excellent, but I did not try it!

Very delicious Martina’s and I would absolutely come back. The bartenders were very welcoming to us. We came by when they were almost closing and they still served us! I appreciate the hospitality and delicious drinks.

Great. I mean I gave it 5 stars. Great cocktails and a wolf dog lives next door. The waiter laughed at all of my jokes, which made feel at home (because I know not all or them were hilarious). But seriously, my friends and I (all from NY) really had a genuine good time.

Their bourbon Manhattan is great. They also house both a peacock and a wolfdog next door. Be sure to ask your server about it.

We literally waited twenty minutes before someone took our drink order. I get that they only had two bartenders working, and I get that it’s a popular place. But it wasn’t even full (Sunday between lunch and dinner), and one of the bartenders was the one to seat us outside, so she definitely knew we were there. We watched other people walk in, grab a table or a seat at the bar and get served before us.
Sat down a little before 7, ordered at 7:15 and finally got our drinks at 7:30. I mean, I know Red Hook is a chilled out neighborhood, but even I have my limits. We really wanted to try multiple cocktails, but ended up settling for one each because the service was so bad.
I got the gin gin mule, which was made with gin, ginger peppercorn and mint. A decent drink for $ 12, but not worth half an hour’s wait.
If you’re coming here, I suggest sitting at the bar.
I do have to say that the space is really nice. There are floor to ceiling windows that open out all the way. There are a handful of tables outside. And the inside has high ceilings with a chandelier. I just wish the service was better.

Great cocktails, pleasant service and the multiple opening french doors to the outside are amazing. Great place.

I went here on a Saturday night and enjoyed the great live jazz band and that the space was open to the outdoors. The cocktails were pretty good, but for a cocktail bar, I was surprised that they didn’t have big ice. The service was terrible. They have table service, and after giving our order and waiting a long time, the server brought out our cocktails with a solid five minutes in between each drink. When I asked if they have wine, the server listed a couple red wines, had to check if they had white wine, (hello — it’s summer, that’s what people want!) and then came back saying their white is a «Notre Dame.» Which is not a type of white wine. However, it was cheap and decent so I ordered it. After the band left, they played some nice music via pandora, but there were commercials, which totally disrupted the vibe. The bathroom could also use some cleaning.

This locale is absolutely splendid. I was here on a Thursday evening and the vibe is perfect. Diana is an AMAZING bartender! She is attentive, friendly and vibrant. This is the place to be.

Positively delightful.

The natural tendency for all human beings when they experience something for the first time, aka, something they have never known, or never seen, is to hate on it… Now, I don’t mean that they «hate on it» for zero reasons, but I mean that we are wired to look for all of the faults in something, whenever we see it for the first time, as opposed to just loving it until it lets us down… Make sense?
I approached this beautiful criminal with extreme caution. I too have been fooled many times before by a beauiful exterior with a shallow interior, but NOT this time… Or, at least that’s what I thought in my mind.
One way or the other, this place wrapped its charm around me and I am loving it. The energy the décor during and after sunset, the lighting.
Come by, sit outside, order a cigar and some whiskey, and enjoy life.

A very pleasant spot i’d heartily recommend.
Look: A very airy and bright street side situation bathed in light with soaring windows. Channels well the turn of the century mod look of so many «speakeasy“ish bars these days. Do be be careful of the stepin/​over as you enter through the massive window/​doors.
The food: Well, drink in this case. I sipped one of the two punches and something pretty earthy. This we fairly well into a day with more than a few refreshments throughout Red Hook, but i found the punch strong but not cloying and a good nuanced drink. The cocktail was quite good as well. I know coupe’s are popular these days, but so spill prone.
Experience: i found the service jovial and more than tolerant of the antics of my well served group. the other patrons were similarly jovial and this made for a quite pleasant way to spend the better part of two hours at dusk.

Blah! Horrible whiskey and to top it off, bad service. Don’t let the fancy old décor fool you!

Oh botanica… if only.
I saw this space when I originally came to Widow Jane/​Cacao Prieto next door and thought it was just gorgeous with it’s open windows and sidewalk café-​tables. So when I made a special trip to come back for a cocktail, I was extremely disappointed with the HORRENDOUS service. Not only did it take an eternity to track down someone to take our drink order, it took even longer to get our drinks, and even longer still to get a check once we were done. And this was around 6pm. On a Sunday. A not-​particularly-​busy Sunday, I might add. Also, I appreciate quality of liquor and don’t need a cocktail as big as my head (no, no, I do not want to go to Chilis for the all you can drink $ 5 margarita special…) and while the mismatched vintage glassware was lovely, it just… doesn’t hold much, and the drinks are standard prices. I also don’t really understand their erratic hours.

Great place, fantastic staff, cool atmosphere. Only reason I only give 4 stars is there is NO food on weekdays. None at all not even a chip … All that alcohol at least some snacks or nuts would be great… Still we love it and its a great addition to our neighborhood.

If you’ve never been, you’re seriously missing out. It’s a really vintage looking lovely open airy bar with beautiful views of Red Hook’s cobblestone streets. I’ve never seen more than 5 or 6 people in there — it’s a little understated and like another poster pointed out, the schedule seems to be a little weird. I was told that they’re open usually from 5/​6pm to around 11pm or so. It kind of depends on how busy/​quiet they are, which is understandable given the location. Honestly though, you won’t find a better place to just chill out and enjoy Red Hook during a sunset while sipping a solid cocktail with local booze.
The bartender, Mike, is awesome — we had so much fun chatting with him and he really knows his booze but is not at all pretentious about it either like some asshat «mixologists» — I really had difficulty choosing but ended up going with the Hemmingway which was insanely perfect. My husband got the Blood and Sand which was also very good — both were equally balanced and tasted like entirely new concoctions — not one ingredient stood out above the others. Whoever designed this menu really knows what they’re doing.

I love this place! It has such a romantic feel to it. The drinks are very unique and well crafted. The bartender was great. I like to sit here on a rainy day and have a cocktail. It gives the place such a nice relaxing atmosphere.

This review is only pertaining to cocktails.
Upon entering Botanica my party of 5 was immediately seated. The waitress was very kind and offered her suggestion on some awesome cocktails. The cocktails are about $ 11 each and are on the smaller side. The good news is that Botanica uses fresh ingredients and their cocktails pack a punch. They also have freshly made carbonated cocktails as well. They seal them on site in these cute glass bottles.
This is a very open outdoorsy place. It is not air conditioned but I enjoyed that. The setting is nice and even though you are in a huge city it felt very quaint.
If you are in the Red Hook area and want a cool place to sit down and sip a cocktail made with absinthe, try Botanica!

Small plates and fresh cocktails. If you are like me and have never walked by this place, it is definitely worth finding. Located next to a chocolate maker deep in the parts of Red Hook, you’ll find this open airy corner cocktail spot. Not many menu food options, but lots of great cocktails with all über fresh ingredients.
I got the personal favorite summer drink thus far: otro clavo. Basically a grown up soda of aperol, st. germain, pineapple, almond tincture and carbonation. Served with a slice of grapefruit rind. Refreshing. The wife got the stiletto… an absinthe rinsed prosecco cocktail with strawberry shrub, campari and lunazul blanco. Not sure what half the ingredients were, but both drinks were awesome.
The place is really great for drinks. The menus are laser etched into wood. Really cool. We discovered this place totally by accident after our kayak adventure down by the park. Looking forward to the next time I can get here.