The Douglas Fairbanks cocktail, named for the famous screen star, traces its roots back to the Prohibition era. Originally built with rye whiskey, its core flavors of stonefruit and citrus become the backbone of one of our house staples: The Douglas Fir-Banks. Shaken with a base of a unique Japanese shochu distilled from sesame along with the vibrant flavor of California fir, it translates the romance of old Hollywood to the modern Japanese bar.
Before service there’s family meal. Always.
We believe in putting a great amount of care to feed each other, as we do in the food we serve to our guests.
Ankake Branzino.
We butterfly and debone these huge 24oz sea bass before grilling, while focusing on charring and crisping the skin. The fish gets plated on top of a thickened dashi sauce and covered with kelp salsa verde.
Best enjoyed over rice, and with our daily rotating okazu.
American Wagyu Zabuton.
These beautifully marbled steaks are marinated in shio koji to season and tenderize. Then grilled over binchotan while we brush with wagyu fat. Accompanied with Lancaster Farm hakurei turnips that are tossed in a chili bonito butter. All coming together with our bold yakiniku sauce.
Sliced to easily share. But we won’t judge if you don’t.
Masu Tataki.
Hudson Valley Steelhead trout comes to us incredibly fresh. We dry age them for two days and marinate the filets in our sweet soy, then torch it with Hudson Valley foie gras. Lastly, each slice is topped with kumquat and sorrel to balance the richness in each bite.
At Thirds, every drink starts with knowledge of the craft.
We recently hosted a hands-on training with Suntory, where Highball Specialist, Kyohei Okura, guided our team through the history and technique behind the Japanese whisky highball, followed by a deep dive into Japanese whisky with our Director of Bars, Brian Evans. Ongoing education like this shapes how we make, serve, and share each pour, bringing more intention to every guest experience.
The first course of our duck experience is the platter of sliced duck breasts that have been glazed with honey, and sichuan & sansho peppercorns. Served with crisp and tender baby lettuces to wrap each juicy slice & an array of sauces to make the perfect bite.
We present our whole roasted duck table side, resting on beautiful sun dried flowers from Lancaster Farms, before it’s taken back to be carved and served across three courses.
It’s one of those experiences we think everyone should have at least once at Thirds.
We are SO excited for our Cocktail Competition Party on Sunday, 4.26 at @thirdsbk !
Live judges will select the top three cocktails, and you get to help choose the People’s Choice winner. With 8 mini cocktails crafted by 8 incredible New York bartenders, this night is all about showcasing just how versatile shochu can be.
Enjoy as we preview all of our contestant’s creations throughout this week.
#4 is El Raimu by @fer.nan.do.c of @thirdsbk ✨
Inspired by New York’s intersection of Japanese and Western flavors, El Raimu (Katakana for “lime”) brings together earthy tamarind and bright, clean citrus. Clarified with silky coconut milk and infused with orange bits, the cocktail highlights the nuanced character of Kura Shochu while honoring the Japanese philosophy of Mottainai—the idea that reducing waste is something we can all strive for. Thoughtful, balanced, and quietly bold, El Raimu is a reflection of harmony through intention.
See you 4.26 🪩
A5 miyazaki wagyu tartare dressed with calamansi vinegar, shio kombu, shiso, and topped with fermented persimmon & habanero hot sauce, and a quail egg yolk for extra lusciousness. Perfect pairing with our pillows of milk bread buns.
