It takes one to know one and two to tango. And it certainly takes much more than that to give a bar its buzzing atmosphere. Sadly for L’étage, it still doesn’t quite yet boast a hearty crowd and can’t shout about having an electric-yet-cosy ambiance.

On our recent visit to the new Central cocktail-and-cigar venue, there wasn’t a soul in the place save the members of staff who seemingly had little to do. Yes, it’s only been open about a month, but we graced the Staunton Street bar on a Saturday night when other nearby watering holes were plenty busy and bustling. In our view, there should have been at least some sort of atmosphere in this classy lounge. However, dead it was.

L’étage is a chic lieu, of that there’s no denying. More of a long-room than a homely bar, it touts itself as ‘a perfect concept in the art of socialising and drinking’ as well as ‘the new lifestyle destination for the Soho chic’. High aims. And, scouring the main room, it has just the potential to achieve those objectives. But, so far, in its virgin days, it’s falling short.

The speakeasy theme is obvious and well-played, with hand-made glass lamps adding to the feel. The fittings are sleek and the drinks cabinet is imposing on the left of the room. The staff are friendly and immaculately dressed, and the place reeks of the refined.

However, it claims it’s committed to delivering ‘pure, traditional’ cocktails, with more than 500 classic recipes. The menu is impressively extensive – but the proof of the pudding is always in the tasting. And, on our visit, it was disappointing. The caipirinha ($88), that benchmark of cocktails, was below par, lacking the usual bite. And the house L’étage bloody Mary ($98) was too watery, lacking the expected deep richness of the tomato juice, to be ranked among Hong Kong’s best. There was a grand selection of beers – the Hitachino Pale Ale ($78) was gratefully received – however they’re not the normal high-end reason you’d go to a cocktail lounge. The enthusiasm of the cocktail shakers was spot on, so we hope we were just unlucky to select the wrong cocktails on, it seems, the wrong day.

We’re told the venue has drawn in some punters on other days thus far. Apparently it’s popular with Japanese drinkers (in fact, the head barman is Japanese). However, the cupboard was bare for more than two hours on our visit, despite the staff trying their best to make us feel comfortable. And the cigar tasting room downstairs – called The Humidor @ L’étage – is homey and tranquil, with a superb old-school cosy ambiance, but we didn’t feel ready to max out on a Cuban when there was nobody there except more smiling staff.

It’s early days for L’étage, situated on a road which has seen the crowds drip away to Wyndham and other nearby locations over time. That already makes its start in Hong Kong a tough one. But with no atmosphere and no crunch to the cocktails we sampled, we doubt we’ll return for a second look until plus tard in the year. Matt Fleming

33 Staunton St, Central, 2522 5300; www.letage.com.hk.