Perched above Eleven Madison Park, Clemente Bar is a small, deliberate space shaped by memory, artistry, and a quiet sense of connection. The room was designed to serve with intent, intimate in scale, but exacting in detail.
When the Clemente team approached us, the direction was clear: a station that could support a focused, guest-centered experience: purposeful, understated, and efficient. Working within a compact footprint, we designed a custom counter-height station that encourages calm, intuitive movement behind the bar.
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"We really looked at the menu in those ways—color, its texture, its light. A lot of the cocktails are based more on something that we wanted to achieve via color, via nostalgia… drinks that are reminiscent of our childhood memories."
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Exploring the station
The bar station at Clemente was designed as a quiet engine behind the guest experience: precise, minimal, and fully tailored to its environment. With symmetrical workstations, hands-free tools, and custom storage solutions, the setup supports seamless service while maintaining a clear, uninterrupted visual line to the artwork beyond the bar.
Symmetrical and fully tailored dual workstations. Each side designed to mirror the other for seamless service, no matter where a bartender is positioned.
Custom-sized tool well: precisely measured to fit their specific mixing glasses and shakers so they sit at the ideal height - neither sunken nor exposed.
Thoughtful elements were combined like the foot-pedal faucet, hidden ticket rail with LED lighting, and dual-temperature fridges.
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"Behind Bars really let us achieve that—something practical, efficient, and clean—so you can look straight across the bar and focus on the back bar, which is the painting right behind us."
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Inside Clemente Bar with Behind Bars
A short film and story on how Clemente Bar came to life, thoughtfully built to serve both guest and bartender. Sebastian Tollius and Richie Millwater reflect on the process–from childhood memories and old art books to layout decisions and drink creation.
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Clemente Martini
Since its late 2024 debut, Clemente Bar has quickly carved a space among the top cocktail destinations in North America. In 2025, it entered North America’s 50 Best Bars at No. 11 and was awarded the Three Cents Best New Opening, further solidifying its reputation.
At the core of this recognition is the bar team, led by Beverage Director Sebastian Tollius, whose approach balances technical discipline with sensory boldness. Each drink is conceived with the same layered thoughtfulness that defines the space itself. From the Clemente Martini, where green curry and saffron meet with restraint, to the Harvest Highball, which folds pistachio and pale cream coffee into Japanese whisky.
There’s a quiet confidence in how the bar operates. It’s not just about innovation, but intention, driven by a team deeply attuned to craft, and a guest experience that never feels rushed.
