All About Kabin, New York’s Newest Norwegian-Inspired Cocktail Bar

1. The name is very on the nose.

The inside of Kabin is both cozy and sleek, designed to make you feel like you’re in a “retreat from New York City,” Tangen describes.

Nordic cabins, the seaside, and Norwegian nature shots all played a part in inspiring the bar’s design aesthetic. The space was designed by Jeanette Didon, who also designed Brooklyn’s Aska, a Michelin-starred Scandinavian restaurant, and Ekstedt in Sweden.

“We have these super-high ceilings and a beam structure that is inspired by cabin design,” Tangen notes. “[But] we ‘New York-ified’ the aesthetic a little bit.”

This means plenty of rolled steel, lots of black, and enormous windows that quite literally make the city a focal point. There’s also a big center “sauna-style” banquette seating in the middle with dark wood accents, as well as a large communal table through the bar, both of which are perfect for hosting groups.

2. It’s not just Scandinavian by design — it’s a lifestyle.

Norwegian cabin culture wasn’t just an inspiration for the interior design (or the name). For Tangen, who grew up in London with Norwegian parents, the lifestyle that surrounded winter and summer cabins was one that she missed most after moving to the U.S.

“We would spend all summer down south in our seaside cabins, and then in the winter, we would go up to the mountains to spend time in winter cabins. It’s just this really big retreat away from the city, up into nature. That’s really what we’re trying to do here [at Kabin],” Tangen explains.

She hopes that the spot will also be reminiscent of London pub culture, which she categorizes as a bit more communal and “less rigid” than the New York cocktail bar scene. She anticipates having plenty of room for walk-ins, and wants to do all she can to avoid turning anyone away.

“We’re not a ‘no’ place. If people want to come and sit and hang out with us, we’re gonna make that happen,” Tangen says. In addition to plenty of standing room, there’s a total of 66 seats, too.

The menu also inspires a sense of community and encourages sharing. “We’re doing some spirit infusions that you can buy by the bottle and make your own spirit tonics. The point is that it becomes a bit of a communal activity — you can pour shots, highballs, whatever you want [at your table],” Tangen explains.

You’ll also find Norwegian waffles, served with Kaluga caviar and designed to be torn apart. “Norwegian waffles are big, with five ‘hearts.’ It’s a rip-and-tear situation that you can then add your caviar to,” she adds.

3. The drinks are Norwegian inspired, but not gimmicky.

“I never wanted the [cocktail list] to be gimmicky Norwegian,” says Tangen. “I said to my team, ‘Let’s do this in a New York fashion — not just a shot of aquavit and done.’” And in contrast to what you might usually think of as Nordic minimalism, everything on the drinks menu is intentionally colorful and vivid.

Industry veterans Pamela Wiznitzer (of Seamstress) and Eloy Pacheco (of Leyenda and Dante) consulted on the bar menu. “It’s been amazing to work with them [on the cocktail list]. They’ve pulled in lingonberries and cloudberries — all these fun flavors that I think will stand out a lot in the New York City cocktail scene,” Tangen adds.

You will also find aquavit in several of the cocktails, like the signature Kolio, but that drink is also made with tequila, manzanilla, bitters, olive, and Bénédictine. Then, there’s the Lillesand with pisco, lingonberry, gin, citrus, and cherry, and the Sno, a take on a white Negroni. Prices range from $19 to $20 a cocktail. “The cocktails are all named using Norwegian words that resonated with me growing up,” Tangen notes.

There’s also a robust non-alcoholic and low-ABV cocktail list, with options that go far beyond sodas and juices, each costing $17 apiece. There’s the Hav, a non-alcoholic take on a martini, and the Blikksund, a zero-proof take on a margarita, made with elderberry and orange blossom.

4. The food comes from a Michelin-starred chef.

For the food menu, Tangen tapped Johnny Spero, the Michelin-starred chef behind D.C.’s Reverie and Bar Spero. “We’ve really been working on getting the dishes to be approachable,” she says. “Nothing is too precious, but it still looks perfect and tastes amazing.”

Yes, there will be Swedish meatballs (inspired, of course, by IKEA), but there will also be oysters with elderflower and grains of paradise; beef tartare with rugbrød, a Swedish rye bread; and a tuna tostada with nasturtium.

“I think it will evolve and change as we see the need. There will be a lot of seasonality involved, so in winter we may add some heavier and heartier dishes to the menu,” Tangen adds.

For now, larger dishes include a Jarlsberg Hasselback potato, a pan-fried fish cake, and pickled mackerel served on Swedish flatbread with trout roe.

As for Tangen, she’s just excited for this, her first hospitality business venture, to open soon. “At the end of the day, this is my passion project,” she says. And lucky for her, she’s had a lot of great help along the way, too.

Kabin takes reservations from 4 to 10:45 p.m. nightly. The kitchen closes every night at 11 p.m., but the bar stays open until midnight on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Ellie Plass is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn. Follow her on Instagram and X. Follow Resy, too.