A secret secluded bar covered in red neon lights
During the month of May, Ilegal Mezcal turned Fiddlesticks’ Perry Street Lounge into the legendary Guatemalan watering hole, Café No Sé. This month long popup was done to honor the birthplace of Ilegal Mezcal as well as celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Throughout the month of May, delicious craft mezcal cocktails were served to guests of the Perry Street Lounge (located in the back room of Fiddlesticks’.
As soon as you walk in to Perry Street Lounge, you are met with a room filled with neon red lights. There is a cross displayed on the front with Ilegal Mezcal under it in neon lights. The entire room has framed Ilegal Mezcal posters propped up and has some insight on the background of Café No Sé and Ilegal Mezcal. This pop up is a great place to have an intimate night out on a weekday or go dancing during the a late weekend night.
We got a chance to try out some of the delicious craft drinks being served at this pop up. The first drink we tried was The Other Boat which was made with Ilegal Mezcal joven, ancho reyes chile, watermelon, lime, and red pepper juice. The drink first draws you in with a fragrant and delicious smell of ancho chile. But, as you take the first sip, you are met with a building sweetness of watermelon that finishes off with a slight spice from the red pepper juice that is complimented with the salt rim. Another drink we tried was the Midnight Elegance, made with Ilegal Mezcal, habanero, hibiscus, Cointreau, agave, and lemon. This drink was a fun one especially if you are a fan of a spicy drink. With the first sip, you are hit with a big spicy note that is eventually mellowed out by the hibiscus and agave which cleanses your palette. The smokiness of the mezcal is found throughout the drink and plays as a nice middle ground between the spiciness and the sweetness of the drink. And if you are someone who enjoys a sweeter drink, the Lavender Mezcalita is the drink for you. Made with Ilegal Mezcal joven, lavender, blood orange, agave, and lime, this drink is definitely fruit forward and sweet. The drink itself was beautiful to look at and garnished with a dehydrated blood orange which gave an extra layer of fruity sweetness to the drink.
What makes this pop up and collaboration even more special is that Ilegal Mezcal is also donating $1 from every cocktail sold to Los Patojos, an organization dedicated to uplifting the disadvantaged youth in Guatemala.
