The High Water's exterior hides a greenhouse-like interior. Photo: Andrea Grujic.
Astoria, NY -Don’t be fooled by the plate-glass exterior of The High Water. The tiki bar’s interior is both chic and tropical, with enough of the neighborly goodness that one associates with Astoria to feel low-key. But it’s the standard of the cocktails that really keeps the regulars coming back.
“We like to wow people,” says Andrea Grujic, bartender and Media & Marketing Director at The High Water. “We really try to knock off any type of drink that a person might want. So we have drinks that are low in ABV and are more subtle if that’s what they want, and then others that are really out of the ordinary.”
That drive to give customers an extra surprise is what sets The High Water apart among bars in Astoria, with cocktails like the Earl of York, which includes not only Earl Grey-infused gin, but also gold flakes for an extra sparkle -though the cocktails aren't the only items on the menu. Their kitchen serves up dishes like Taro Truffle Fries, Fish Tacos, and Pork Belly Buns, geared to suit both carnivores and vegetarians.
“We’re trying to put bartenders in Astoria on a higher level,” Grujic says. “We’re selling something that’s different and show that we’re something more than a dive bar down the street.”
Polynesian roots and seriously fun and inventive cocktails characterize what you'll find at the bar. Photo: Andrea Grujic.
Grujic adds that The High Water loves being in Astoria because of the community and variety of people in the neighborhood that she and the rest of the staff get to see. Everyone visits one another and supports one another in a way that doesn’t happen in Manhattan, she says.
This Giving Tuesday, the bar has decided to support CIANA not only because of Astoria’s community ethos, but also because of how The High Water fits into the tight knit neighborhood.
“We just feel honored to be a part of a change,” Grujic says. “We’re all a family here at The High Water. You can count the people who run this place on your fingers, and in that spirit we like to give back to the community that gives to us.”
The High Water
thehighwaternyc.com