Forget the Beach House. This Summer, Drink Long Island at Portrait Bar
Long Island, But Make It a Cocktail — Portrait Bar’s New Summer Menu HAS ArriveD
If you're headed to New York this summer, make time for a detour that doesn't require a MetroCard or a rental car. Hidden inside the five-star Fifth Avenue Hotel—luxury without the attitude, all polished brass and velvet hush—is The Portrait Bar. It’s got the kind of character you’d expect from a library where the books drink Negronis. And for a limited time, it’s offering a summer menu inspired by that most unglamorous but deeply nostalgic New York tradition: the Long Island Rail Road.
Yes, that LIRR.
Turns out, the clackety old line that shuttles beach-bound city dwellers to Montauk, Oyster Bay, and beyond is now the muse behind one of the most imaginative cocktail menus in Manhattan. Bar Director Darryl Chan—equal parts alchemist and local historian—has crafted five drinks that nod to the train lines and the destinations at the end of them. They’re playful, potent, and made with ingredients sourced from Long Island’s own backyard. No tired “tipsy commuter” puns here—just damn good drinks with a sense of place.
The Cocktails: First Class Flavor, No Delays
Long Beach Branch
A watermelon beer shandy that tastes like your cooler got an upgrade. Built with Barrier Brewing IPA, Planteray Pineapple Rum, tepache, and a whisper of falernum. If summer had a soundtrack, this would be its drink. $22
Babylon Branch
What if a Long Island Iced Tea went to finishing school, spent a summer abroad, and came back with stories? That’s the Babylon: whisky, tequila, rum, gin, vermouth, and Grand Marnier harmonizing in a surprisingly civilized mashup. $22
Montauk Branch
A smoky Mint Julep that channels late-night bonfires and salt in your hair. Cherrywood-smoked single malt meets strawberry amaro. It’s the last train out, and you're not in a rush. $22
Oyster Bay Branch
A G&T for people who think they don’t like G&Ts. Botanical gin, Chartreuse, and Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic layered with salt, citrus, and tiny blooms. Sip it slow and pretend you own a sailboat. $22
Ronkonkoma Branch
This one’s for the romantics. A floral take on the Aviation, laced with lavender gin, crème de violette, and citrus. Delicate, dreamy, and just the right amount of old-fashioned. $22
The Food: Seashore Without the Sand
Of course, no ride out east is complete without a little seafood. Chef Andrew Carmellini steps in here with a trio of dishes that feel like a dockside shack decided to dress up and come to the city.
Peconic Gold Oysters with cucumber mignonette—clean, cold, briny perfection. $22
Fluke Ceviche “Hog Neck Bay Style” with avocado, chilies, and just a hint of watermelon. Pairs with a heatwave. $24
Classic Lobster Roll on a buttery toasted bun with tarragon aioli and celery crunch. East Coast gold. $26
The Vibe
The menu itself? Modeled after a vintage LIRR timetable. A little cheeky, a little classy. There’s even a fictional conductor in the artwork who might just be your spirit animal. It’s the kind of detail that makes The Portrait Bar feel like more than just another pretty place in Manhattan. It’s thoughtful. It tells a story. And it invites you in.
Bar Director Darryl Chan sums it up best: “Having grown up and now living in Long Beach, this one’s personal. We wanted to honor the flavors of home—and give our guests a little sensory head start on their weekend escape.”
Chef Carmellini, meanwhile, calls Long Island “an incomparable haven.” He’s not wrong. But for those stuck in the city, this menu might just be the next best thing.
Getting There
You don’t need a train ticket—just an appetite and a thirst for something memorable. The LIRR Summer Menu is available through September 21 at The Portrait Bar inside The Fifth Avenue Hotel, 1 West 28th St., NYC.
Open Sunday through Thursday, 5pm to midnight. Friday and Saturday till 1am. Dress sharp, drink slow, and ask about the Ronkonkoma—trust us.