In a city where rooftops, neon signs, and velvet ropes define nightlife, Attaboy offers the opposite: no sign, no menu, no scene. Just a locked metal door on the Lower East Side—and what might be the smallest cocktail bar in New York. With a reputation built on word of mouth and bartender intuition, Attaboy has become one of the city’s most quietly influential drinking destinations.

A Quiet Giant with Humble Beginnings

Located at 134 Eldridge Street, Attaboy occupies the former space of the legendary Milk & Honey. When Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy took over the lease in 2012, they kept the understated shell intact but reimagined the experience. What emerged was a room barely large enough to fit a dozen seated guests and two bartenders—but rich in technique, legacy, and mood.

Image Source: The Vendry

No Menus. No Reservations. No Problem.

Step inside, and you won’t be handed a menu. Instead, you’ll be asked a few questions: What do you usually drink? Any favorite spirits? Something spirit-forward or citrusy? Then your bartender disappears for a moment and returns with a drink tailored precisely to your answers. Each cocktail is bespoke, and the setting makes it feel like the drink was made just for you—because it was.

Image Source: Hidden Libations

Tight Quarters, Global Impact

Attaboy may be physically small, but its influence is enormous. The bar is the birthplace of modern classics like the Paper Plane and Penicillin—cocktails now served in top venues around the world. Despite its size, it has earned global acclaim, including being named the best bar in North America by the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022.

Inside, you’ll find low lighting, exposed brick, and a short row of stools facing a narrow bar. The entire space runs less than 500 square feet. There's no standing room—when it’s full, the door stays shut until someone leaves. That limitation isn’t a drawback; it’s a filter. The people inside are there to drink seriously and respectfully.

Image Source: The World's 50 Best Restaurants

A Bar Built on Bartenders, Not Branding

With no signage, no PR stunts, and no reservations (just a buzzer outside), Attaboy thrives entirely on experience. The bartenders are seasoned professionals, and they operate with the confidence that comes from deep knowledge and consistent creativity. In a way, the space forces both bartender and guest to show up fully—because there’s nothing to hide behind.

Image Source: New York Magazine

Over a decade since it opened, Attaboy hasn’t expanded. It hasn’t gone flashy. It still runs on the same principles it started with: keep it intimate, make it personal, and let the drinks speak for themselves. It may or may not be the smallest cocktail bar in New York—but it’s certainly among the most focused, refined, and quietly unforgettable.

Sometimes the loudest voice in the room comes from the smallest bar on the block.