I got the Himokawa dipping udon set with tempura and it was so good! The noodles were perfectly cooked and chewy and the tempura were not greasy with a thin coating. The sauce that they gave to dip the udon was my favourite part. Loved the slight hint of yuzu! Near the end, the udon at the bottom were really difficult to separate so that’s the only thing that bothered me. We came at around 7:00pm on a Sunday and were lucky enough to get seated almost right away with around a 5 minute wait. They close a little early on Sunday at 8pm, so keep that in mind when visiting.

This place is very popular, and on weekends at lunchtime you’ll likely need to wait for a table unless you arrive right when it opens. That said, the wait usually isn’t too long. Their specialty is a variety of udon and cold noodle dishes—the noodles are springy and unique, and the toppings are well-seasoned without overwhelming the natural flavor of the noodles. The way the dishes are enjoyed also feels distinctive, making it a spot well worth visiting.

Sara Parente

Super fun tiki bar! Spot on decor, great drinks and great staff. Weve gone to dozens of tiki bars around the US and Paradise Lost is definitely one of the best. Had no wait getting in on a saturday night around 630PM. Although its the winter so that could be different in the warmer months. Will totally come back whenever in NY!

John Vandercook

The service here is 100% on point. Friendly and outgoing staff across the board from the front desk to the bartenders, I enjoyed every second of my visit because of how nice they are. The atmosphere is very immersive and it's kind of a punk rock surf/tiki vibe which is perfect for the place. Drinks were honestly the weakest part of my visit; they were good but not as good as the service or atmosphere.

Stephen Harlan (Gogostevie)

For real, this place is amazing. It's not a tiki bar, it's even better. You like punk rock? You like John Milton? You like tattoos? You like rum? Then you'll love Paradise Lost. Hail Satan. More cowbell.

+6

Rebecca J

This is one of my favorite bars in the city. The drinks are incredible and super interesting. The staff is so friendly, the food is great, and the vibes are like satanic tiki - what’s not to like??

Sarah Volz

Very fun & festive!! Felt like stepping into the live action scooby doo (in the absolute best way). Yummy drinks coming from someone who doesn’t love alcohol and we enjoyed our spicy chicken too !!

+12

Olivia N

Overall rating: 4.8 Super fun “speakeasy” tiki bar with amazing cocktails! Best on a date or with a small group of friends. Drinks average around $25 with tax and tip, so come on a day you’re ready to spend. The first time I went our waitress, Noa, was so friendly and so knowledgeable. She had a cool vest with all these trinkets. I love the vibe of the bar and how there are so many options. While I don’t have the names now, here’s my favorites: 1. The clear drink 2. Frankenstein face 3. Tall glass 4. Green drink 5. Blue drink (not pictured) Will edit once I know the names. Also we put our name down which was about a 2hr wait at peak time. It’s better to do it first before you go to the next bar. My only comment is I wish they had a clear sign for when you can open the door to come in (vs waiting outside). It’s a little confusing to be honest.

+5

Joshua Holten

I had a fantastic evening at Paradise Lost in the East Village (100 2nd Ave). From the moment I walked in I felt transported — the hallway entrance, the lush plants, the lighting all set the mood before I even sat down. The cocktail menu was seriously impressive. I tried their take on a Piña Colada and a mocktail called Greenfuz — both were creative and well-executed. The bartender took time to explain flavor notes and seemed genuinely into what he was doing. The food was fine for the setting — I had some musubi and the fries/tater-tot dish (Crispy Rum Spudlets) which were fun and flavorful, though slightly pricey for what they were. A little more polish on the kitchen side might push the experience to 5 stars. Service overall was friendly and attentive; we felt welcome and got good recommendations. One thing to note: it gets lively and loud as the night goes on, so if you’re after a quiet chat it might not be ideal. Also, reservations for small parties can be tricky — walk-in early is a good plan. Bottom line: If you’re looking for a memorable night out with inventive cocktails in a themed, immersive setting, Paradise Lost is definitely worth a stop. Just go in knowing it’s more about the experience and drinks than casual laid-back dining.

Sloane Bradford

Truly, this has been one of the coolest bars I have been to, both as a punk and an avid tropical-drink lover. The drinks are perfect, the servers, bartenders, bar backs, everyone there are truly so helpful, kind, and such a hoot. Gabe and Alex were some of the coolest folks and were so amazing overall. I know that anytime I’m in the lower east side, I will make it a mission to swing by here to get a drink, no matter how busy.

Nina Cash

One of the COOLEST tiki bars I’ve been to and some pretty badass staff members. This one was like a dark, grunge tiki vibe so I found that to be very unique. The bathroom had a button that you press and wait for something spooky to happen. Our bartender Ayeli was the coolest! You could tell she was a seasoned bartender and knew her stuff. We vibed with her and she made us some delicious tiki cocktails. I thought their menu was super dope and I wanted to try something different and got the one that used fish sauce. We got to hang until they closed and had the best time with awesome vibes! Totally recommend it if you’re in NY!

+4

Joshua Polzin

Insane vibes, insane atmosphere, insane drinks. I came here after overhearing someone say that it beat out Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco, and it’s definitely in the running. The drinks are distinctly tiki but creative enough to bring something new to the table.

Emily Fligel

Flavorful food, creative drinks, and a cool, dark, sexy, atmosphere. There are a few different types of seating; and even going to the bathroom there is an experience hahah. Look for a door with a green circle that says PL within it and ring the doorbell to get inside the restaurant. The food menu isn’t huge, mostly bar bites, we tried the dumplings and chicken tenders. The drink menu is pretty large. I got the cobra’s fang and my date got tita’s mango tree. Mine was delicious and strong but went down easily, my date’s was also good but you can taste the alcohol. There is a key on the drink menu with varying icons ie strength of the drink, if there is dairy in the drink, etc. The service is good as well.

+8

Jamie Prince

Our party of 4 dropped in at opening time (5pm) on a Sat for a drink before dinner. Hostess by the door was professional & accommodating, and we were quickly shown to a cozy table. Loved the decor, vibe and menu, and our waitress could not have been nicer. Although the classics looked tempting, I've made many of them at home so went with one of their "New Acolytes" creations, the Riptide Martini. While it looked relatively austere for a tiki drink, I really enjoyed it — not too sweet, lots of botanicals, and a savory saline edge. My companions were happy with their drinks as well, including a friend visiting from Japan who was wholly unfamiliar with tiki and loved the whole experience. Great place, definitely worth a stop-by if you’re in the neighborhood.

Daniel Rieger

Favorite cocktail bar in NYC right now. Have tried the full menu and you won't find a weak link. I must have ordered the Beelz's Road Soda 30 times at this point. Bartenders know what they're doing and care immensely about the craft and experience they provide. Busier nights can require patience with the wait list and a short wait, something previous reviewers don't seem to understand about popular bars and restaurants. If they allowed every single person in, the bar would be impossible to get around and drinks would take twice as long to arrive. Kudos to the team for making sure everybody inside is having a fun and memorable time.

Tif

First heard about this place from the hostess of another cocktail spot - she mentioned this was her favorite place and I could see why. The outside is a bit discreet and for a Monday we needed to ring a doorbell - I passed by it the first time without realizing what it was. Inside the vibes are totally different and you feel like you teleport to another place. The drinks we had were nice and boozy - I had the Tita’s Mango Tree and the Tarman, both of which were delicious. I definitely would get the Tarman again and I’m looking forward to trying the Behemoths when I have a larger group. Staff (including the new floor manager) was also super wonderful and knowledgeable, checking in on us regularly and providing thorough recommendations and detail on each of the cocktails. Definitely a recommendation for friends and I’d love to bring coworkers in when they’re in town, although I’m not sure what weekend crowds will be like.

+3

John Doe

Paradise Lost is hands-down one of the coolest bars I've ever been to in my entire life. The second that my foot crossed over the opening door's threshold, I was amazed at what I was seeing. The gentleman working the entrance was so witty and played his character so well, and the hallway to the entrance of the bar caused me to swell with excitement. When I entered into the bar, I was not disappointed! The inside of the bar reminded me of a crazy luau party, and the inside was dark, but all of the fascinating objects were illuminating, providing for an amazing aesthetic contrast. The bartender was awesome as well; I wasn't sure what to get, and he quickly pointed me in the direction of a drink he thought I would like, and... sure enough, I did! Overall, Paradise Lost was an amazing experience, and whether you're visiting NYC or a permanent resident, this bar is a must-visit!

+8

Daniel Maros

Almost forgot to review this place. Love it. Best tiki bar in New York by far. The best thing about it is when you’re inside you don’t feel like you’re in New York (this is defenitly a positive 🤣). You can get popcorn to go with your wonderful drinks. No complaints, bought a glass souvenir. Will be back when I begrudgingly return to New York. Thanks guys!

+4

Angie Vr

Awesome spot! From the moment we walked in, the staff were super friendly and welcoming. The bartender was on point with their recommendations and service…the drinks were totally lit! The whole atmosphere was really cool – we'd definitely come back!

Good place to grab a quick meal, either by yourself or with one other friend (bar-style seating). The udon portion doesn’t look like much, but was surprisingly filling with the tempura. Delicious, though not at Raku quality.

Came here at 5pm on a Friday alone and no wait at all. The menu is simple, focusing on Himokawa udon sets. The tempura here is well made and not overly greasy, pairing well with the dipping sauce. The only drawback was the saltiness of the hot broth - I tried drinking it alone and it was unbearable. Considering this wasn’t the cold dipping noodles, I assumed that this broth would be less concentrated and more clear. Service was great and as a solo diner, I didn’t feel rushed at all. Overall, I would recommend people to visit at least once, but would personally not rush back.

the tempura has a light, thin batter that pairs nicely with the dipping sauce, making it very refreshing. The wide udon noodles have an interesting texture, but the soup base itself is a bit underwhelming.

Overall a decent meal. The cold noodle set with the katsu is a must get. The soup noodle is very salty and mid but that comes with Japanese soup I guess. It’s a bit pricey but decent experience

Visited on a weekend afternoon after hearing about their flat udon noodles served tsukemen-style. The place has a Japanese bar vibe with only counter seating—no tables. Ordering is done by scanning a QR code at your seat, but I found it uncomfortable that you’re asked to tip before your food even arrives. My friend got the hot udon and I had the tsuke cold udon. Both came with six flat noodles and tempura. The food tasted good, but the portion felt small for the price, which was disappointing. The biggest letdown was that there’s no restroom available. It’s worth trying once for the unique noodles, but I probably won’t be back.

Udon noodle was great. But the chicken broth was salty in my taste. I liked the cold fish broth udon better. Their shrimp tempura was salty as well. It was a good shrimp tho. I would've ordered 5 myself if it wasnt salty. There can be a wait so I recommend going in a bit earlier than usual dinner time if going for dinner.

Jamie L

My friends and I decided to stop in after hearing how much of a “hellscape or hellish” this place was supposed to be. I have to admit, the drinks were actually good. The number of skulls on the menu tells you how strong each one is, and there are tons of options—it definitely gives tiki bar vibes. We even ordered a large shareable drink that came with a fire show, which was super fun, a quick 10 second entertainment. Overall, it was a cool experience and I’d recommend checking it out! Do make reservations!

the noodles were unique - we tried the signature dipping set and broth set. my favorite was the sweet potato tempura. we waited almost an hour on saturday evening.

The udon texture is great—nice and chewy but not overly so. Tempura is also solid, especially the bacon one. It’s my first time trying bacon tempura and it was surprisingly good. The dipping udon broth is flavorful, and with all the extra seasonings, you can switch up the taste, which is fun. But the hot soup version was way too salty for me. That said, the set costs around $22–23 and only comes with six noodles… I mean, seriously? I’m not even exaggerating—it was literally six noodles.

Kawone Williams

Paradise Lost is a New York Tiki bar that can be described by me as overwhelmingly everything. The energy is on point and the service and hospitality is on point. The drinks abandon all subtly and yell their flavors at you. If you are tired of bland and lifeless drinks have two of these and you'll be good. Liliths Bacchanal - A mix of Martinique rums, coconut gin, carrot, and what I can describe as a chemical additive for Agent Orange this thing packs a punch. While it's somewhat strong alcohol wise the flavor has a lot of dram in it. Proceed with caution 👏🏾👏🏾 Belsnickle Bell - So this is one of those drinks that people will point to and say "Good Lord that's a lot of ingredients." Granted it kind of is but they work together to blow out your taste buds and ear drums. The three skulls at the bottom of the description are very appropriate. Whats in it you ask? Two cachaças, Nicaraguan rum, Jamaican rum, Alpine Amaro, blueberry, Mandarino, orgeat, falernum, and cream cheese. Cheers. 👏🏾👏🏾 Tarman - Clarified Tiki cocktail? Sign me up. This concoction of literal chemical warfare will strip the marrow out your bones. People say clarified drinks mute their flavors in order to get texture and stability. Someone didn't give the Tarman this notification. Nothing here is muted. The drink description warns ⚠️ that you won't see clearly after finishing this. Engage at your own peril. 👏🏾👏🏾

Ray Low

The check in system is incredibly uncommunicative and disorganized, and it got to the point where customers were pushing each other away from the entrance. Once we got in, the server wasn’t really attentive to our needs - we asked for waters, but they didn’t bring it until we reminded them. They also brought us the check to hurry us out even though there were groups there before us who were taking their time. Drinks are alright but by tiki bar standards, there are others with way better systems.