Best bars in Hell's Kitchen
Ardesia
Inspired by the combination of old and new architecture in Hell’s Kitchen, Mandy Oser has stocked this wine bar’s 80-strong international list with a combination of established classics and less common selections from up-and-coming producers. The design, too, mixes past and present, with a look that includes a wine wall modeled after the neighborhood’s iconic fire escapes. A small menu from chef Amorette Casaus (El Quinto Pino), meanwhile, includes a house-cured duck banh mi and...
- 510 W 52nd St, (between Tenth and Eleventh Aves)
The Pony Bar
Hell’s Kitchen has long been a dead zone for civilized bars, but this sunny paean to American microbrews is an oasis. There are 20 beers on tap and two cask ales artfully listed on signboards according to provenance and potency. The thoughtful selections include Dogfish Head’s peachy Festina Pêche Berliner Weisse and Victory’s Bags Packed Porter, a toasty treat rich with coffee and chocolate. The low prices (all 14-ounce servings cost $5) and expert curation suggest that the...
- 637 Tenth Ave, (at 45th St)
Flaming Saddles Saloon
City folk can party honky-tonk-style at this country-western gay bar. The 74-seat spot is outfitted to look like a Wild West bordello, complete with red velvet drapes, antler sconces and rococo wallpaper. Throw back a shot and wrangle yourself a mate, or chow down on hearty grub like Texas red chili or Angus beef burgers. Don't miss the entertainment—performances by bartenders dancing in cowboy boots add to the raucous vibe.
- 793 Ninth Ave, (at 53rd St), 10019
Réunion
From after-work drinks to killing time around Times Square, this subterranean surf shack is a solid card to play when faced with all manner of midtown conundrums. Though there’s kitsch aplenty, including colorful bathing suits strung up on the walls, the under-the-radar drinkery has its bona fides in order: Classic surf bands warble over the speakers, six wave-bashing flicks (including Endless Summer) play on loop, and friendly barkeeps serve the type of dangerously drinkable...
- 357 W 44th St, (at Ninth Ave)
Xai Xai Wine Bar
Visit South Africa via Hell’s Kitchen at this urban-rustic wine bar (the name’s pronounced “shai shai”). High wood-beam ceilings held aloft by thick cypress-tree logs shelter a bustling pre- and posttheater crowd. Pick from about 100 South African wines served in beakerlike carafes (we like the Tumara Malbec with notes of vanilla), and explore a menu that ranges from the familiar (oysters) to the outré (ostrich tartare).
- 365 W 51st St, (at Ninth Ave)
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