Bars
Your guide to bars and drinking in New York City. Whether you’re looking for a cocktail or a beer, use our guide to find the best new bars in NYC.
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The coolest wine shops in NYC
Hit up the hippest new wine shops around the city and bring a bottle home. Whether you're looking for a Netflix 'n Chill kind of night or hosting a lowkey dinner party, staying in doesn't mean you have to compromise. Educate your mind and palate by going for a funky natural wine selected by these expert newcomers. RECOMMENDED: The best wine bars in NYC
The absolute best Williamsburg bars in NYC
Williamsburg bars are responsible for the bulk of Brooklyn’s glittering drinking scene. The neighborhood has watering holes for every type of drinker: straightforward beer bars for hops geeks, sophisticated first-date bars for Tinder matches and a bevy of chameleon-like joints that are equal parts bars, restaurants and places to dance. Read on for the absolute best bars in the hood. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The 26 best speakeasy bars in NYC
It feels like NYC speakeasy bars are a dime a dozen right now. In a city as vibrant and storied as New York, there’s no telling how many hidden architectural gems, in-the-know parties and clandestine art galleries lay unnoticed to the greater masses—ditto with NYC’s best speakeasy bars and restaurants. From dialing in codes, secret entrances through a telephone booth and a Japanese restaurants' tasting menu served behind an unassuming butcher shop, these are the best restaurants and bars offering great eats and drinks on the down low. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best bars in NYC
Latest bar reviews
Public Records
We first encountered chef Daniel Bagnall a few months back at Short Stories, a clubby restaurant on the Bowery that initially seems easy to write off as basic due to its millennial-pink interior and influencer-heavy clientele. But the food—we tasted a pasta with ramp pesto and pickled strawberries—was memorable. Bagnall left for Public Records, where he’s whipping up more impressive, plant-based offerings.More than a restaurant, Public Records is also a music venue, a bar and a zine shop stocked with printed matter on niche topics, like the aesthetics of football culture, next to lingonberry gummy candies. No matter what mood you’re in, the spot has something to offer: a morning cortado, an energetic yet mature group hangout where you can feel like you’ve “gone out” but still make it to bed by 10pm, and food that’s flexible to dietary restrictions. Located on an industrial block, it feels like a secret passageway into one of the laid-back restaurants that are currently hot in Mexico City, with a touch of hypnotic, austere Berlin nightlife. Grand ceilings, skylights and a spacious gravel patio feel like a blessing in a city known for cramped quarters. And the entirely vegan menu is a nod to the building’s history as a former ASPCA. Dishes are ambitious and surprising (and not just because the dim lights don’t do justice to the Technicolor ingredients). The outstanding but vaguely named Fermented Bok Choy ($13) was a thick-cut sourdough toast topped with kimchi–bok choy an
No Bar
It’s long been a sad but all too real fact of nightlife that a designated gay bar is usually never a solid cocktail destination—until earlier this year, that is, when former Mission Chinese executive chef Angela Dimayuga unveiled this pioneering concept at the Standard East Village.Unabashedly queer and unbound by convention—No Bar’s website declares that there are “no covers, no rules, no holds barred”—the bar serves thoughtful cocktails like the In the Gig ($8), a Tecate-mezcal boilermaker served in a togarashi-rimmed beer can, and the fresh green-juice–esque Feel the Beet ($14), sloshing vodka with Lillet and a fragrant beet shrub. But the gag is that you can enjoy all of these drinks at a DJ-soundtracked, drag queen–moderated viewing party for the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. It’s the ethos of this interdisciplinary approach that makes No Bar a forward-thinking endeavour, and one that expands on what hospitality can be. Why should LGBTQ revelers not enjoy good cocktails and, for that matter, good bar food? From the kitchen, Dimayuga turns out gussied-up pub grub, such as a perfectly browned, made-for-dipping grilled-cheese sandwiches with gooey cheddar and provolone and amped up with a sweet tomato ragù. Then there’s the real showpiece: a spicy Italian sausage sandwich, the meaty links nestled on crunchy broccoli rabe and a funky alpine fontina. Yes, these are simply fancy bar snacks. And, sure, well-made drinks are a dime a dozen in New York. But that belies No
Mister Paradise
The name Mister Paradise sounds like it would be perfect for a bombastic WWE heel-face turn (a character the audience is supposed to hate but ends up loving), and that’s quite fitting for the East Village bar, which has both pomp and substance. While the space is gorgeous, and the cocktails are complex (Party Lobster: blanco tequila, mezcal, Campari, watermelon, lime, fermented habanero and garlic) it is all entirely amusing and accessible. Not to be missed are the french fries, which can be ordered with sea-urchin aioli or whipped foie gras mousse—sophisticated, surely—but the fries were modeled on those the staff were eating from a place across the street during the build-out, and that little spot is called McDonald’s.
Reception
When you think of the word reception, do you think of a warm welcome at someone’s home, where the hostess takes your coat, inquires how you’ve been and—oh, while she’s in the kitchen—asks whether you need anything to drink? Or do you think of a fabulous party, where all the gussied-up guests are indulging in equally gussied-up gastronomic treats? At the cocktail bar named Reception, you’ll find neither. Instead, you’ll enter a candy-coated, retro-futuristic space with nary a greeting. On a recent Wednesday night, all four tables were filled with groups of friends in beanies and thick glasses. Even parked on a barstool, I had trouble flagging down one of the two bartenders who seemed to be constantly preoccupied and slightly ticked that I was interrupting them. The downtown bar serves cocktails but touts its Korean-inspired “elixirs”—a nebulous buzzword for non-alcoholic drinks that harbor Gwyneth Paltrow–approved health benefits. We went to see if these stone-cold-sober options could cure our winter blues. They couldn’t. Out of the five elixirs, four are indistinguishable from chilled, off-brand seltzers. The exception is Aphrodite’s Milk: As a libation intended to “increase libido,” it’s appropriately thick and nutty, mixed with egg white and black sesame. However, the Skinny Shroom (“aids in the breakdown of fat”) with sparkling buckwheat, shimeji mushroom shrub and quince honey is thin on flavor, and Queen Min’s Botanics (“balances hormones”) with white lotus, ginseng h
Felix Roasting Co.
There’s so much to poke fun of at this chichi coffee shop. Take the Pepto-pink room that could double as a Wes Anderson set or its preening “every coffee has a story” motto or the tableside rose-water spritzes. But damn if our cynical hearts weren’t melted when the barista, unbidden, offered a one-on-one demonstration of how to make the $14.50 (ha!) Hickory-Smoked S’mores Latte. “Just tell me if you need me to pause for pictures at any point,” he offered this clumsy iPhone photographer. Yes, he’s done this before. And during this adorably overwrought prep, a lot of things happen. First, he offers you a shot of the addictive graham-cracker–infused steamed milk—which would make a fantastic stand-alone slurp—before mixing it with espresso in a chocolate-rimmed coupe. Then, he covers the drink with a glass cloche, infusing it with hickory smoke, thereby cocooning it—and you—in a woodsy aroma. Finally, he adds the finishing touch: a caramelized marshmallow that he torches until it’s golden brown. Midway through drinking your velvety, campfire-kissed treat, he’ll drop off warm hand towels to aid in the gooey, chocolately mess dripping down the stem. But in case the S’mores Latte is sold out (sometimes by 10am—the shop opens at 7am during the week, 8am on weekends), another new-age java is the Deconstructed Espresso Tonic, which comes in a Bordeaux wineglass filled with tonic water, non-alcoholic Campari reduction and lemon-basil leaves. The server mentions that you should first s
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What's happening at Time Out Market New York ?
Time Out Market New York will close temporarily from March 16
Your safety means a lot to us. That’s why, in addition to changing our logo and shifting our mission, we’ve decided to close Time Out Market New York temporarily. The market will remain closed for as long as needed to help NYC in its ongoing efforts to fight the spread of coronavirus. We’ve made this difficult decision after monitoring the latest developments and receiving input from health authorities and the city government. The wellbeing of our guests and staff is the most important thing for us, so this seemed like the right way forward. “These are unprecedented times and nothing matters more than the health and safety of our guests, teams, concessionaires and the local community as a whole,” says Didier Souillat, CEO of Time Out Market. “We have decided to temporarily close as it is our responsibility to do our part to protect everybody—we are looking forward to reopening when it is safe and to once again welcome guests to Time Out Market.” The market will be closing after dinner service on Sunday evening, March 15. We hope to reopen soon, and will let you know as soon as we can when that will be.
Pat LaFrieda opens pop-up Meats at Time Out Market New York
Pat LaFrieda’s name is all over the city when it comes to the best steak restaurants and best burgers in NYC. But there’s one dish the king of meat—who operates his eponymous Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors on the first floor of Time Out Market New York—has yet to conquer: paninos. The Brooklyn native opened a pop-up called Meats on March 6th on the first floor of Time Out Market with a nod to his Italian roots. Panino literally translates to “a little bread” and is often used to refer to a rolled sandwich filled with meats, veggies and cheese. Photography: Time Out / Savannah Wasserman At LaFrieda’s pressed-sandwich concept, he’s offering three choices: Prosciutto de Parma Panino ($17): imported prosciutto, provolone cheese, arugula and balsamic reduction Italian Stallion Panino ($15): grilled chicken, sautéed broccoli rabe, fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic aioli Grandpa’s Meatball Panino ($15): all beef LaFrieda meatballs, housemade marinara, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil We have no doubt that LaFrieda will also master the panino (we were fans of the slow roasted pork shoulder sandwich he debuted recently). But if you’re missing some of the greatest hits, just add an order of the seasoned house fries ($7) and take in the waterfront views of Dumbo and Manhattan—another hit you’ll only find at Time Out Market New York. Meats will be open noon-8pm Monday-Thursday and Sunday. Noon-10pm on Friday and Saturday. Photography: Time Out / Savannah Wasserman
Time Out Market New York launches $12 lunch deal with Bessou, Alta Calidad and more
Dumbo isn’t the easiest place to find affordable lunch options, what with all the tourist traps taking advantage of the crowds. With that in mind, we’ve launched our own lunch specials at Time Out Market New York. It's one of the best deals in the neighborhood for both those that are new to the area and those who’ve loved it for a long time. From Monday through Friday, 11am until 3pm, participating vendors will offer a signature dish with a complimentary soft drink (and some with other bonuses), for $12. Here’s what we’re offering: Bessou What’s the deal? Japanese chickpea curry rice bowl with a side of chicken karaage. Mr. Taka Ramen What’s the deal? Spicy Tantan Men (soupless ramen) with wavy, flat noodles, ground pork, scallions, leeks sesame and spicy oil. The dish also comes with a house salad or soba noodles as a side. Photograph: Courtesy Time Out Market New York Alta Calidad Taqueria What’s the deal? A quesadilla-roti (corn or flour) with chips and salsa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alta Calidad Taqueria (@actqloves) on Dec 3, 2019 at 2:13pm PST Pat LaFrieda What’s the deal? Signature slider and fries. Clinton St. Baking Company What’s the deal? A “B.E.L.T”: Double smoked bacon, free range eggs, lettuce, tomato and mayo, on sourdough toast. Avocaderia What’s the deal? Rotating salads and toasts that will change daily. Mondays will bring a seasonal salad, Tuesdays it
Most booked NYC restaurants
Las Santas
Venue says: “From 12pm - 9pm You Can Place All Orders For Delivery or Pick Up Only!(find us on all major apps). Call in Orders (718) 554-0477”
Veniero’s Pasticceria and Caffe
Venue says: “Purchase a Gift Card online between now-May 31st, receive a 10% discount. Plus, we will donate 10% of the value to feedingamerica.org!”
Keens Steakhouse
The ceiling and walls are hung with tobacco pipes, some from such long-ago Keens regulars as Babe Ruth, J.P. Morgan and Teddy Roosevelt. Even in these...
Katz’s Delicatessen
This cavernous cafeteria is a repository of New York history—glossies of celebs spanning the past century crowd the walls, and the classic Jewish...