What You'll Get
To tuxedoed people, velvet ropes are ordinary white picket fences and champagne fountains are lawn sprinklers. Kick down the fence and drink from the sprinkler with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of small plates, cocktails, and other drinks at Flûte Bar & Lounge. This Groupon is good at both Flûte Bar & Lounge locations, in Gramcery on East 20th Street and in Midtown on West 54th Street.
Flûte Bar & Lounge serves classic cocktails and small plates in an upscale, elegant setting. The menu features sleek updates of bar favorites such as foie gras mini-burgers, three beef sliders topped with house-made terrine and accompanied by truffle-salted fries ($28). Sample the bar's signature Vietnamese-fusion spring rolls, filled with clever themed ingredients such as the traditional shrimp and pork Saigon ($11) or the smoked-salmon-filled Helsinki ($16), tastier options than snow-packed Anchorage. Those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, spring for the chocolate and banana crepes sprinkled with chopped pistachios ($10).
Because Flûte has speakeasy-inspired décor, it is only fitting to raise a glass or hoist a bucket in its cozy confines. Sip from a slew of champagne options, or opt for multiple tastes, such as the three grapes flight, a trio of single-grape origin bubbly ($34). Flirty flappers will flock to Flûte's signature Antoinette, a grapefruit-strawberry concoction doing the Charleston with champagne ($15), while dapper dandies may cut a rug with the cucumber, melon, and sake fusion of the Green Kimono ($13).
Reviews
The Flûte on East 20th Street received a 3.5-star average from more than 90 Yelpers, and Citysearchers give it a perfect five-star rating:
- The service is great and it's a really nice space. I have enjoyed myself every time I've gone. – rach52, Citysearch
- When I stepped foot into Flute, I thought I had been transported (Tron-like) to a Prince of Persia fantasy. The exotic décor - brightly-colored draperies and pillows, plush couches and purple-hued light - resembles that of a Mediterranean lounge. – Kira M, Yelp
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Jan 28, 2011. Amount paid never expires. Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per table. Reservation required on Fridays and Saturdays. Not valid toward happy hour. Must use in 1 visit. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Flûte Champagne Bar
Spherical lights seem to drift in smooth bubbly spirals up toward the ceiling of Flûte Champagne Bar. Conversation bursts effervescently off walls and artwork in a palette of rosé pinks and prosecco tans. Myriad champagnes and sparkling wines, including Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut and a range of cavas, form lace-like crowns of bubbles in an atmosphere that aims to blend the French Art de Vivre aesthetic with a dash of NYC nightclub. Patrons can select single flutes or bottles, or they can sample several flights that showcase different grapes, a single producer, or the patience of a waitress willing to help you pick out all the bubbles. Cocktails lean heavily on sparkling wines and include bellinis, a blend of prosecco and fruit puree, which pair nicely with small plates of cheese and fruit or foie gras terrine.
Flûte now operates in Midtown, where visitors descend a short flight of stairs before sinking into intimate booths or plush benches. The original Midtown location celebrates its speakeasy roots with fiery jazz nights every Wednesday, complete with performers and guests alike dressed in period apparel.