Wednesday, October 6th, 2010—Bar 269
Day 269—Wednesday, October 5th, 2010
Madame X
Okay, tonight I turn to my co-pilot in picking bars, 365 commentator Al Rizo from Miami. Al found a bar that bills itself as a “bordello-styled bar.” The name of the place is Madame X and I found the website and from the looks of the joint, it definitely looks like a red-light district bar. And it looks very dark inside, I think Al’s picked another winner. Let’s go see.
Wow, talk about a red-light bar! I spy a seat at the end and snag it.
And bartender Henri serves up an ice-cold beer. Henri's worked here for 10 years and is also a fire-fighter and a friendly bartender.
The view from my perch at the bar. Sammy Hagar would love it in here.
A shot of the middle of the bar with the obligatory barroom mirror shot.
The DJ for the evening was M.C. K Swift. Check out his website here: M.C. K Swift. And you can follow him on Twitter right here: M.C. K Swift on Twitter.
Here he flashes the 365 card from the DJ booth in the front window.
Here's the back room in all its red-lit, velvety glory.
This trio of beautiful women were enjoying themselves back here. From left: Jamie, Kim and Latifah.
Some of the local art that hangs on the brick wall in the back lounge.
Brian and Ron were hanging out in the back porch area.
And like an idiot I forgot to write this fellow's name down. Send me it or leave it in the comments section if you see this, so I don't look like a complete jerkoff.
Okay, back at the bar and Henri's taking care of business.
The house drink is a cocktail called the Madame X, so I had to try it. It's a little bit of a girly-man drink, so I extend my pinky for proper drinky. And I only had one, Jaws, no Oompa Loompa men for me!
And the perfect place to close with...FIRE! Goodnight, everybody!
Review
At Madame X you’ll find the velvet on the inside and not outside on a rope and that’s a good thing. As you walk into the bar you’ll need to let your eyes adjust to the darkness and then you’ll note that everything is tinged in a hue of red, giving the bar a true red-light district feel. There’s a small wooden bar in the front room, with a window that houses a DJ spinning tunes some nights. The velvet draped back room is chock-a-block full of red velvet couches and candle-lit wooden tables. Local New York City artwork hangs on the walls and is switched out every month or so. There’s a back porch that’s heated in the winter and allows smokers to do their thing. The bartenders are friendly and likeable and the crowd is local.
There’s a full bar with an emphasis on their provocatively-named specialty signature drinks such as: the Cherry Pop, which is Bacardi Limon rum, triple sec, Rose’s lime juice, sour cherry syrup, sour mix, soda and lemon sugar rim upon request; Sweet Little Bitch which mixes Amaretto, Grand Marnier, pineapple juice; Indecent Proposal which is, champagne, peach schnapps, mango nectar, soda and the house drink, the Madame X which is made of Champagne, Bacardi Limon rum, splash of cranberry juice, drop of grenadine. Their’s over 10 variations of martinis to sample and a decent beer selection including: Blue Point Brewery Winter Ale, Hoegaarden, Chimay Grand Reserve and East India Pale Ale.
They have a happy hour, they’ve dubbd “foreplay” that lasts till 9pm every night with five dollar wine, champagne, well drinks and six specialty drinks. Beer and cider go for four bucks a pop. If you’re looking for a dark, fun and unique place to hang out, X marks the spot at this red velvet underground.
Madame X
94 W Houston St. (Between Thompson St. and LaGuardia Pl.)
212-539-0808
3 References
Reader Comments (24)
Har! Sammy Hagar! You're killing me, M.
Those red pictures are beautiful, and that bar with that old cash register, great. The trio of pretty ladies looked like they were really happy to be there. Bartender and DJ look like fun people. Have to mention the couches,,, man,, if they could talk. Oompa Loompa video was funny. @365: Marty, again, thank you for taking us there. I think I would try the "Sweet little bitch", with pinky out also.
It is super-duper red in there! Looks like a great place. Next time I'm in the City, I'm going to stop in for a little foreplay.
@Al: Thanks once again for another great suggestion! Keep 'em coming, you haven't steered me wrong yet!
@Al: Great suggestion, again! You're like Robin to Marty Batman!
@365: Great shots on this one. Love the red hues, cool place! Those cocktails sound wild!
@Barfly: Thanks, one good thing I learned along the way, turn off the flash whenever possible!
Jesus H. Christ in a sidecar...talk about whorehouse chic!!! What a great place for a bachelor party, or a bunch of sailors on leave...HAW! Did you buy anyone a drink in there, Marty? My God, I haven't seen a bar like that since I was in the army,...there was this place in Crailsheim Germany, a strip joint that my buds and I used to visit every night just about, where the waitresses would serve more than just drinks. One of them was a transvestite and none of us knew it...suckered a buddy of mine into the back room and we all heard his howl of rage and disgust when he found out what he had his hand on when he reached up her (his) skirt ... we laughed ourselves into a hemorrhage! Nope, no little pink oompa loompas this time, not enough concentrated alcohol in a girly drink like the Madame X...unless those oompa loompas all show up in drag....
Oh, yeah...another story I remember from that bar in Crailsheim; One of by best friends (from Tennessee, nice guy with one of the strongest Tennessee accents you ever heard in your life) had a tendency to let his hillbilly habits run wild when he got a few drinks in him...started smarting off to the stripper when she was right in the middle of her act. She screamed; "ay Ay AYYY...YOU SHUT YOUR ASS!!" at him and jumped off the stage and started jabbing him repeatedly in the shoulder with a hat pin before the manager and a couple of strippers threw him out the door. He didn't remember a thing about it the next day, but kept complaining to anybody who'd listen about how his arm hurt all that day. Damn good times, Marty!
@Jaws: Good stories! Thanks for the memories!
Madame X is amazing. I love red. It's the colour I see most days. The couches and cocktails....man you've got the best gig in the world (apart from Tom Hamilton - Bass player for Aerosmith). W Houston and Thompson....If my calculations are correct we're talking somewhere in the Greenwich Village?
Have you seen Tales from the Crypt's Bordello of Blood? starring Dennis Miller....very funny. This place reminds me of that movie.
Sammy Hagar clip rocked the house but the video made me a bit dizzy...but never too early for rock.
@Tim Cliack: You're right, the West Village, you're not even here yet and you already know your way around! I'll have to put Tale of the Crypt in my Netflix cue, thanks for the heads up! Cheers, mate!
@365: I figured that a copy of the Lonely Planet would be a sound investment. 25 days to go and we're getting a bit antsy!!!! Our apartment is next door to a sake bar on E 7th. I'll send you a link.
You'll enjoy that flick. All the hookers are sexy blood sucking vampires... memorable quotes aplenty.
The nineth picture I can picture myself there with ZioumZioum necking on the couch .
TO : 269
@ Jaws , You know , before I read ur stories & wrote my comments I was going to say this looks straght up Vietcong !
For all you menfolk out there thinking about going to Germany for a vacation, the three best whorehouses in Germany; 1) Annabella house (Near Landstuhl)
2) The Wall (Nuremberg)
3) The House of Three Colors (Stuttgart)
Author tested,author approved!
@Jaws: Whats the third colour in the house at Stuttgart? I can only think of two.
@ Tim Clack; I can't remember, it's been 35 years since I got out of the army and came home. Sorry!
Madame X is a very cool looking bar. That drink looks mighty tasty as does Henri, he is buff!
What an interesting bar and I love the dimly lit ambiance. Cheers to the trio of beautiful women Jamie, Kim and Latifah and cheers to Brian and Ron and that other nice looking fellow with the cool hat and especially Cheers to you Marty! You look so cute drinking that drink.
@Tiki Bar Susie: Thanks and cheers to you!
Marty, thank you for finally bringing your fine self down to my bar, Madame X! I've been reading about your "exploits" for ... well it does seem like longer than 270 days ... and was hoping you'd deem us worthy. How appropriate that a place that looks like a whorehouse was #269.
I much appreciate the fact that it really seems like you *got* my bar (your readers seem to appreciate that as well). Come by sometime for a more manly cocktail on me (perhaps the Rum, Strip and Go Naked?). That champagne glass doesn't quite suit you. Good wishes to both you and your liver in your peripatetic journey.
Amy
Owner
Madame X
@Amy: I had a great time in your bar! A very cool place and a wonderful stop on the 365 tour. I will definitely stop back when this is all over and watch out, I might become a regular!
wow!!! so beautiful place !!! I Love it !!! I really want to go there when I'm back in the city!!!
Indeed, me too, when I read the name "madame X" and saw the photos, I thought it look exactly like a typical whorehouse in Paris!
@Jaws and everyone: And I got my story about whorehouse too... Well when I was living in Paris, with my roomate we were looking for a cute bar to hang out, then in a calm street, we saw a small bar with a small window. We looked by and it was so cute, red light, compfortable couch.. like Madame X, same looking! we said "so cool that place!! let's go in!" So we sat on a couch, the bar was empty, only a woman was seating at the bar, and I thought of her she dressed hot like a whore but anyway I was there to drink a beer!!! Then the old chic lady behind the bar came to us, and said "here is the champagne menu, what the name of the 'hotesse' you would like to meet?" A giant silence broke the time !!!! LOL And the old chic lady laughed and said "ohhh little ladies, I think you got lost in here!!!! Indeed when you came in I thought you were a little too young to be a lesbian couple looking for sex with one of our hotesse!" We got up from the couch and with a panicked voice we apologized and hurried out !!! HAHA!
And I always thought it was too bad that in France, only whorehouse look cute and compfortable with red light...
So @ Madame X: Thank you to have a bar looking as cool and cute where you can go hang out without to have to give the name of a hotesse!!! ;) I will visit you when I come in nyc !!!!!!!!!!!
TO MADAME X !!!!! Cheers!
Red and velvet, want to get cozy there!