Firstly, it’s not a hotel. This threw us completely, and we spent a good twenty minutes walking up and down the quiet Brooklyn street, lost. We kept passing this twinkling little corner bar with beautiful people drinking interesting-looking cocktails on the wraparound patio, before realizing it was indeed the Hotel Delmano. Frankly, we’d get a room here if we could.

It feels like a Parisian salon, somewhere where rouged ladies in French knickers might hang from the upstairs windows. The bar is deep mahogany, the tabletops are marble and it’s atmospherically lit by chandeliers. The walls are deep burgundy or turquoise, decorated with mottled mirrors and gold-framed black and white photographs of old people.

The cocktail list is old school with lots of absinthe, which a good thing if you ask us. There are house standards, as well as seasonal classics. True to French form, you can snack on charcuterie, cheese or choose from the extensive oyster and crustacean list at the raw bar.

Owned by the same people behind nearby music venue Union Pool, despite the upscale fittings the vibe is relaxed and friendly, with fantastic bar staff and management. You’ll be seated by a host over the weekends so it never gets too crowded, and on weekday evenings it feels like a neighbourhood bar with plenty of regulars, now including us.