Chelsea bars near the High Line: Where to go for summer drinks

Chelsea Brewing Company

• Price band: 1/4

In addition to an ice-skating rink and batting cages, Chelsea Piers also houses a brewery: Sample one of the Chelsea Brewing Company’s seven different quaffs on tap, including always-available options like Checker Cab Blonde Ale and Sunset Red Ale ($6). Relax on the outdoor patio, or grab a seat inside the bar, where you can peek at the brewing process. 5-minute walk

The Half King

• Price band: 2/4

Author Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm) is part owner of this pub, which features a rotating selection of art on its walls. The drink list is extensive (and not terribly expensive; all beers are $7), and the location—right underneath the High Line—is ideal. Try to get a spot in front, but if it’s too crowded, fear not: There’s also a brick-walled backyard (adorned with a single tree wrapped in twinkling lights) and an indoor space that’s portioned into three smaller rooms. 5-minute walk

Bathtub Gin

• Price band: 2/4

Cool off in this sleek, dimly lit Prohibition-style speakeasy (hidden behind the Stone Street Coffee Company), which showcases a copper bathtub at its center. The drinks list was created by fresh talent on New York’s cocktail circuit—Sean Muldoon of Belfast, Northern Ireland’s lauded Merchant Hotel bar. Choose from his creations, like the off-menu Bijou (gin, rouge vermouth, green Chartreuse, orange bitters, lemon oil; $15). 6-minute walk

Salinas

• Price band: 4/4

While this Chelsea hideaway is best known for its superior Spanish cuisine, it also boasts an exceptional bar program, including refreshing quaffs such as the Salud ($15), a blend of rosemary-infused tequila, fresh cucumber juice and a hint of lemon. The open-front tapas lounge provides a fine spot for postbrunch drinks, but wise patrons will want to ante up and order a few of Salinas’s small plates at a table in back. There, a retractable roof enhances the romantic decor of live vines and hanging lanterns. 6-minute walk

The Standard Biergarten

• Price band: 2/4
• Critics choice

A rowdy postcollegiate crowd dominates the scene at the Standard Hotel’s trendy outdoor beer garden, but the rewards of drinking here are paramount. You’ll find German and Austrian brews on the menu, along with Bavarian eats such as pretzels and brats; best of all, everything is available for less than $10. 5-minute walk

The Tippler

• Price band: 2/4

This massive cocktail joint is casual and inclusive, with a long menu by Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci that includes eccentric hits like the Gin & Chronic (lime, allspice liqueur, whole-dried hops; $11). Escape the usual Meatpacking District attitude and invite your crew to join you at one of the bar’s big round tables, separated by large Persian rugs. 6-minute walk

Pier 66 Maritime

This breezy bi-level spot is ridiculously popular, and for good reason: Not only are the views (of the Hudson River and the Jersey skyline) stunning, but you can drink aboard a docked 1929 lightship while floating on the Hudson, which is just plain cool. Shade is available on the main level, but the nicest views are from the second-story observation deck. Plan your day so that you arrive early—between 11:30am and noon on weekends, or before 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays—for your best chance at a seat. 10-minute walk

BillyMark’s West

• Price band: 1/4
• Critics choice

In 1999, brothers Billy and Mark (hence the name) founded this pub, continuing the family legacy of bar ownership into a third generation. The no-frills, no-fuss watering hole that resulted is an homage to their father’s original Queens BillyMark’s, and it’s a most excellent dive: You’ll find $8 beer-and-a-shot specials, raucous regulars and a jukebox that leans heavily on classic rock. 11-minute walk