Carver Road Hospitality has unveiled The Blue Vault, a bourbon-driven speakeasy in the heart of Midtown Manhattan (305 W 48th St, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10036). Tucked behind a concealed entrance and designed in collaboration with Remus Bourbon by Ross & Squibb Distillery, the lounge is an ode to the Roaring Twenties, Prohibition intrigue, and Broadway’s gilded mythology.
The space itself reads like a love letter to both whiskey and theater. A floor-to-ceiling collection of Broadway memorabilia — including the red boots from Kinky Boots and Elphaba’s hat from Wicked — lines the intimate room, while Rockwell Group’s design cloaks it all in speakeasy glamour. The 18-seat tasting bar doubles as a storytelling space, a nod to both George Remus, the notorious bootlegger, and the endless drama of the Theater District just outside.
Cocktails with a Prohibition Twist
The beverage program, curated by Carver Road Beverage Director Alec Kass, leans heavily on bourbon, naturally. Guests will find the West Egg Cocktail (bourbon, amaro, peach, cacao, coconut), the Armed and Dangerous (bourbon, brûléed banana, walnut, egg white), and the Spice Runner (high-rye bourbon, rum, mango, lime, white lotus). For those drawn to variety, the Minor Offenses menu offers $10 half-sized renditions of classics like the Gold Rush, Sazerac, Boulevardier, and Manhattan — a clever way to sip through history between 9pm and 11pm.
Straight whiskey drinkers will appreciate the Flight Risk bourbon flight, featuring Remus Straight Bourbon, Remus Highest Rye Bourbon, Rossville Union Rye, and Remus 9 Year Experimental, all crafted by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman in Lawrenceburg, Indiana — “Whiskey City” itself.
Food to Match the Whiskey
Chef Daniel Ontiveros supplies a food menu of elevated Americana. Highlights include Salmon Tartare Cones with avocado mousse and tobiko, a Korean fried chicken sandwich dubbed the R.V.C. K.F.C., and Togarashi Spiced Potato Chips paired with caviar-chive dip. Smaller plates like Deviled Eggs with Calabrian chile and Crispy Artichokes with green goddess dressing round out the bourbon-friendly offerings.
An Immersive Theater District Hideaway
The Blue Vault joins Carver Road’s expanding New York portfolio — which includes Starchild Rooftop Bar and Rosevale Cocktail Room — while carving out its own niche as Midtown’s new late-night bourbon escape. Hidden, theatrical, and rich in whiskey lore, it offers New York drinkers a rare chance to experience bourbon history with a Broadway soul.
The Blue Vault is open Thursday through Saturday, 8pm to midnight. Reservations are available via OpenTable and Resy. For more information, head over to the official website.
