Highball Ltd., a new cocktail bar from Jeff Bell, managing partner of the East Village speakeasy Please Don’t Tell (PDT), will open March 13 inside the Ely Jacque Kahn-designed 10 Grand Central office building. Created in partnership with Apres Cru Hospitality and Marx Realty, the transportive new bar brings Bell’s signature precision and hospitality to a hidden, design-forward setting inspired by the golden age of cocktails and luxury rail travel.
At its core, Highball Ltd. is a cocktail bar organized around one of the most enduring and versatile drink formats. The opening menu will feature 15 cocktails divided into three distinct sections: five classics, five house highballs, and five signature creations, alongside a dedicated selection of non-alcoholic offerings. Highballs serve as the conceptual backbone of the program and as a vehicle for highlighting exceptional spirits, particularly whisky. The bar will feature a strong selection of Japanese whisky alongside other premium spirits, with highballs positioned as both a connoisseur’s drink and an approachable entry point for newer drinkers and those seeking lower-ABV options. A curated list of classic and contemporary highballs will sit alongside precisely executed craft cocktails that reflect Bell’s detail-oriented style and commitment to balance and clarity of flavor. Highlights from the opening menu include a Gin & Tonic brightened with kabosu and shiso; a Whiskey Ginger layered with quince, lemon, and cinnamon; and a Vodka Soda accented with Granny Smith apple and basil powder. Signature cocktails include a Yuzu Negroni with Roku Gin, shio koji, and ponzu; a Blueberry Pisco Sour built on Macchu Pisco; and a mezcal-based “Rocks” finished with chili threads for subtle heat. Classics are treated with equal precision, from a maple-kissed Old Fashioned with Old Forester Bourbon to a Martini offered with Fords Gin and dry vermouth or vodka and blanc.
The beverage program will also include a focused Champagne and rare spirits offering anchored by a striking green marble bar at the front of the space. Dom Pérignon will be served alongside a rotating selection of vintage spirits presented simply, neat, on the rocks, or with minimal embellishment, emphasizing quality and craftsmanship. The front bar will also host ongoing tastings and intimate programming highlighting specific producers and categories.
The food menu leans into elevated bar favorites that make it just as easy to pop in for a drink and snack as it is to linger for the evening. Small plates are designed to pair seamlessly with the cocktail program and include: Lior’s Mixed Nuts; Sour Cream and Onion Dip with Chips and Optional Caviar Service; Green Goddess Dip with Seasonal Crudité; Spinach and Artichoke Dip; Cows in a Blanket with Kraut and Grain Mustard; Oysters on the Half Shell; Cured Salmon with Bagel Chips and Boursin; and Steak Tartare with Quail Egg. A concise sandwich selection rounds out the menu with Roast Beef, Confit Garlic Aioli, Horseradish Cream; a Chili Lobster Roll with Crispy Shallots; and Grilled Cheese with Roasted Tomato Dip. The menu is playful, polished, and designed to pair effortlessly with the cocktail program, and reinforces Highball Ltd.’s role as both a destination cocktail bar and an inviting early-evening gathering spot.
Highball Ltd. marks Bell’s first dedicated Midtown project and arrives on the heels of several buzzy openings and collaborations across New York. One of the most decorated bartenders working today, whose accolades include a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program and World’s Best Bar honors for PDT, Bell now turns his attention to a new neighborhood and introduces a destination cocktail experience designed for both industry devotees and after-work drinkers alike. “The proximity to Grand Central is an exciting entry to Midtown for us,” said Jeff Bell, Managing Partner of PDT in a statement. “The beautiful space reminds me of a luxury pullman car and provided a lot of inspiration for the menu. There is such a rich history to draw from with the overlap in the golden age of cocktails and the golden age of train travel.”
Highball Ltd. seats 65 guests and is discreet by design. Guests enter on Third Avenue through a dedicated freight entrance (look for the red light), where a red carpet inspired by the early 20th-century tradition of welcoming first-class train passengers leads to a service elevator bound for the bar above. The experience is intentionally a little under-the-radar, designed to feel like a place you discover rather than simply walk into. A doorman directs guests to the 11th floor, where the elevator opens onto an elegant, intentionally discreet space that feels both transportive and distinctly New York. Highball Ltd. fuses the timeless glamour of the building’s 1930s-era Beaux Arts design with distinct nods to the golden age of luxury train travel. Walnut millwork, velvet upholstery, marble surfaces, and a bronze-fronted fireplace create a warm, layered environment that feels transportive yet unmistakably New York. South-facing views bring in natural light during the spring and summer months, allowing the space to shift naturally from early evening drinks to a more atmospheric nighttime setting. The result is a simple but elevated cocktail experience in the heart of Midtown, designed as much for destination drinking as it is for spontaneous after-work stops.
The name Highball Ltd. carries a double meaning. It references both the classic lengthened cocktail and the historic railway signal indicating a clear track ahead, allowing a train to proceed at full speed. The “Ltd.” nods to the naming conventions of historic train routes and reinforces the concept’s connection to travel, movement, and timeless drinking culture.
While Highball Ltd. is open to the public, it is also integrated into The Meeting Galleries at 10 Grand Central, an 11,000-square-foot amenity level designed to blend hospitality and workplace culture. The bar sits alongside a series of flexible gathering spaces, including The Grand Gallery, a 200-person town hall venue; The Podcast Gallery, a fully equipped recording studio; and The Screening Gallery, an intimate theater with stadium seating beneath a ceiling inspired by Grand Central’s celestial dome. Developed in partnership with Marx Realty, the project introduces a true cocktail destination to a part of Midtown long defined by office towers and now increasingly energized by new food and beverage openings. Just steps from Grand Central Terminal and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of daily commuters and office workers, Highball Ltd. is positioned as a natural gathering place for post-work drinks, informal meetings, and early evening occasions. “Highball Ltd. represents the next chapter in our mission to provide an exceptional experience that blurs the lines between workplace and luxury hotel,” said Craig Deitelzweig, CEO of Marx Realty. “By partnering with Jeff Bell and ApresCru, we are creating an authentic, design-forward speakeasy experience that pays homage to the architectural history of the building and its location near Grand Central Terminal. We are not only setting new benchmarks in workplace design, but transforming 10 Grand Central into a true social destination — and our tenants are already enamored with the concept.”
Highball Ltd. is located at 10 Grand Central (between Lexington and 3rd). Beginning March 13, the bar will be open Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. Reservations will be available via Resy, with walk-ins welcome. For more information, email: [email protected], visit highballltd.com or follow along on Instagram at @highball_ltd.
