Broken Shaker: A New Tropical Oasis Rooftop Bar

May 9 2018 | By Stefanie Tuder for Eater NY
Behold the Tropical Jungle Oasis at Broken Shaker’s New Rooftop Bar

Orta and Zvi opened the original Broken Shaker as a pop-up in Miami’s Freehand hotel in 2012, and it has since become a cocktail sensation and spread to Chicago and Los Angeles, garnered two James Beard Award nominations, and landed as No. 14 on a list of the world’s best 50 bars. Here in NYC, at 23 Lexington Ave. between 23rd and 24th streets, the guys continue the same ethos of standout seasonal craft cocktails and Caribbean-Middle Eastern food in a lush setting.

Go-to design firm Roman and Williams got its hands on this highly designed 18th floor beauty, creating four distinct spaces — two indoor bar areas with 52 seats and two outdoor with 92 seats — with plenty of nooks and crannies. Inside, saturated colors explode on the walls and furniture cushions, tempered by wood panels and wicker framing and accents.

Outside, plants from UrbanGreen reign supreme in what comes off like an actual concrete jungle, sprinkled around tables separated by walls that make some areas feel private. The result is akin to a home rooftop garden rather than the more common neutral, lounger-filled decor of other rooftop bars.

“Here we pushed the boundaries a lot,” Zvi says, noting that more custom and vintage items went into this space than the others. “I started as a dishwasher in New York, so for me it was very emotional and important to get all our dreams in one bucket and make it happen.”

There is custom glassware, napkins, and coasters; artwork from Bard College students; and ceramic cups made by Penguin Foot Pottery that Zvi encourages people to steal.

Unlike doormen swayed by money and promises of table buys at other rooftops around town, here all tables are sat through a hostess keeping a wait list that’s first come, first serve, while servers bring the playful cocktails and island-inspired food.