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There's nothing like a New York neighborhood bar, even if you live across town.
Going out in New York can be as easy as stopping at the nearest corner for happy hour, and staying all night. The city is lush with incredible bars, specializing in everything from award-winning craft cocktails to natural wines to cheap drinks that keep the party going. And while there are tons of critically acclaimed spots to drink across the boroughs, there's nothing quite like a local bar with friendly bartenders, cold drinks, and a convivial ambiance that, well, makes it hard to say no to the next round. There's nothing quite like a New York neighborhood bar, even if you're not in your own neighborhood. Here's where to drink to feel like a local.
Head to Barcode for a unique cocktail, tapas and dessert bar—yes, you read that right! Each of their focus items have their own bar concepts to craft a totally unique dining and drinking experience. Explore their rare whiskey collection alongside upscale cocktail creations while snacking on Western and Asian inspired bites. Check out their Instagram for more information!
"Everything's Jake" is a Prohibition-era slang term meaning "it's all good" or "everything is under control," and at Everything's Jake off Union Square, you'll be sure to have a night that's just that. The low-key—yet totally luxurious—bar and lounge features cocktails made to your liking, natural wines, beer and chef-curated small plates. The elegant, speakeasy-style setting is perfect for any situation, from happy hour or date night to birthdays and events. This is a place where the velvet rope has been set aside for a velvet couch and any worries about tomorrow can be cast aside, because everything's Jake tonight.
Keeping a dive bar—and even a beloved one—alive in New York isn’t easy: Just look at the recent demises of Milady’s, Winnie’s and Mars Bar (RIP). Which makes the phoenixlike rebirth of Holiday Cocktail Lounge—a six-decade-old East Village mainstay whose barstools have seen the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Joey Ramone and Sinatra—such a head-scratching anomaly. Three years after the bar shuttered its dinted metal doors following the sale of the building, the saloon has been given a new lease on life, thanks to Pirate’s Booty founder Robert Ehrlich and La Palapa owner Barbara Sibley. And though the place has been spruced up—duct-taped booths traded for green banquettes, neon beer signs for gold sconces—the joint hasn’t been scrubbed clean of its charm.
ORDER THIS: While $5 Genesees survived the refurbishing, the cocktail list has been reworked courtesy of barman brothers Michael and Danny Neff (Ward III and Extra Fancy, respectively). The I Know You Are… ($13) is a standout, a smooth mescal swill with a slow burn of peppercorn-infused Cointreau. For something lighter, opt for the Mortally Afraid of Madam ($13), a creamy whiskey concoction tinged with Avuá Amburana cachaça and frothed with egg white.
GOOD FOR: Holiday virgins and veterans alike. Frequenters of the original will breathe easy seeing that the battered red awning, wooden phone booth and signature horseshoe bar remain. Beneath a restored harem-girl mural, dating back to the 1920s when the bar was known as Ali Baba Burlesque, dressed-down groups in their twenties and thirties convene over drinks at the back tables, the din of laughter regularly overtaking the ’80s deep cuts spilling from the speakers.
THE CLINCHER: “Honestly, we’re a hybrid between a cocktail lounge and a dive bar,” says a smiling waiter somewhat sheepishly. And he’s right—the prices are a few bucks higher and the drinks given more thought, but there’s not a speck of pretense to be found in the place. And there’s still East Village zaniness in spades: A recent night hosted a cards-slinging magician wearing nothing but a shiny red Speedo. The gleam-over-grit revamp—while still keeping the bar’s DNA intact—allows for an even broader crowd, which is exactly what a dive is all about. Holiday, celebrate.
Rediscover the DL, a luxurious, multi-level rooftop, lounge and restaurant spanning over 7,500 square feet in the heart of Manhattan's Lower East Side. Find top DJs spinning on Friday and Saturday nights as well as special day parties. Dinner on Ludlow—the restaurant on the first floor—boasts culinary delights that will satisfy even the most discerning palates. This stylish venue boasts state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities, in-house catering, and a retractable roof, making it the perfect one-stop-shop for year-round entertainment.
Five and Dime is located within the lobby of the iconic Woolworth Building and serves as a coffee bar by day and cocktail hotspot by night. Stop in for happy hour on Mondays and Thursdays from 4 to 7pm for discounted drinks or on Tuesdays for live opera music.
Here at Time Out, we love a name that throws you off. Whatever you think Swingers is gonna be, we promise you that’s not it. This Swingers club is of the crazy golf kind. (Get it?). If you’re no more enlightened, crazy golf is a British term for mini-golf with a little more edge—think wild routes, obstacles, windmills and more. Swingers opened its first club in London, and is now a hit in D.C.
Their new NYC lcation, Swingers NoMad, is located beneath the Virgin Hotel at 29th Street and Broadway. But it’s not just the golf that will make you say ‘Oh yeah!’—the venue is serving up authentic cocktails, premium spirits, beers and wine, as well as a whole array of street food. Choose from Sauce Pizzeria, serving up classic New York thin crust pies from vodka and pepperoni, Tacos Fonda’s punchy Mexican, and Emmy Squared Burger which is a concept by Emmy Squared Pizza that is exclusive to Swingers. There’s even Mah Ze Dahr bakery to get your cookies and ice cream fix after. Oh, and there’s a DJ.
A sister spot to Chicken & the Egg, Sincerely, Ophelia’s door is hidden in plain sight—right beneath the sign for the fried chicken sandwich spot. Affordable cocktails, vibey music and a mix of glow-in-the-dark graffiti and old-timey spooky photos draw a young crowd for a (sort of) secret night of partying.
Room 31 is a new speakeasy style venue located on the 2nd floor of the Arlo NoMad hotel. The space features a broad lineup of shows—spanning genres ranging from jazz, blues, Americana, poetry and more—from up and coming artists and tastemakers.
Sitting upon the rooftop of the boutiquey Renaissance Hotel, Versa overlooks the junction between Madison Square Gardens and the Garden District. Billed as a gastronomic celebration of the ‘melting pot of New York City’, it’s a spot that’s elevated both in position and pub-style cuisine, serving up a selection of contemporary yet simple dishes.
A gastropub and cocktail bar, Versa has a variety of different menus available for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert and kids. The dinner menu incorporates everything from nachos and salads to strip steaks and veggie burgers, as well as offering a selection of different flatbreads. Reservations are recommended (especially for large groups), however walk-in diners can also be accommodated.
With a brush of black paint, wooden tables and minimal accessories, the interior is laid-back and functional. TVs sit behind the bar displaying news and sports and large windows allow guests an epic view of The Empire State Building.
Check out the original Brooklyn biergarten in Williamsburg for live music from Wednesday to Sunday, open mic nights on Monday, and a menu that offers the best beers from around the world with a kitchen and grill menu to suit all lifestyles. Radegast Hall & Biergarten is also a great place to host your next private event. Whether it’s a wedding ceremony, rehearsal dinner, corporate event or holiday party, the space can fit up to 300 guests.
At Bohemien Bar in Brooklyn, you can not only order exciting drinks like a Gold Dust Woman or Smokey Moon' cocktail but also enjoy the space’s exceptional sound system. The bar worked with Perry Brandston, sound system designer, and Peter Raho, a strategic problem solver, to design a system that will allow the sound to travel without bouncing on surfaces. This means you can actually hear your friends talk—while still enjoying the music.
Head to 245 Femme Fontaine for a tropical vibe with a secret backyard. This woman-owned bar is the sister bar to 142 Sullivan in Soho, bringing an inviting and cozy oasis to Williamsburg. There, you can enjoy delicious cocktails with fresh ingredients and snack on empanadas, shrimp ceviche, Cuban hot dogs and sliders—all while listening to a mixture of house-electronic music influenced by tropical sounds and music from all over the world.
Little Rascal Bar has been a Nolita staple for a decade now and is expanding its beverage offerings to Brooklyn with the help of renowned mixologist Keith Larry from Employees Only. The new Little Rascal location in Greenpoint serves modern Mediterranean dishes alongside an elevated cocktail program. The decor is elegant and comfortable while paying homage to the owner's Turkish heritage; lining the walls are puppets that are handmade by an Istanbul-based artist and representing the diversity of people in New York. Each cocktail ingredient—no matter how inventive—is crafted in house with ingredients from vermouth and bitters to curaçao and falernum.
The Rookery is a perfect place to pregame for a show at Brooklyn Mirage or a club night at House of Yes! The bar is open late every night and the kitchen stays open until a half hour before the bar closes (Sunday–Wednesday until 1:30am and 3:30am Thursday–Saturday). The menu features British and Caribbean comfort mash-ups like oxtail sloppy joes, curried beef shepherd's pie and of course bangers and mash.
This izakaya-style restaurant in Greenpoint offers Japanese favorites, including yakitori, sushi and sashimi. Owner Nick Wang puts a focus on quality, and the restaurant sources sustainable fish, free-range meats and produce from organic farms. Amami even makes its soy sauce and wasabi in house. Before you order dinner, make sure to explore their cocktail menu: with a program featuring ingredients like edamame, lychee, ginger and wasabi, their seasonal drinks are inspired by Japanese whiskeys and aged sakes.
The beloved Lavender Lake, which opened near the Gowanus Canal in 2012 and became a neighborhood favorite until it was torn down in March of 2022, has just opened in their new location at 53 Broadway in Brooklyn. Owners Mandy Jacques and Adam Sober (along with their chef, members of their old kitchen staff and a few of their bartenders) just re-opened their doors on March 4 of this year and are getting to know new neighbors and welcoming back their old regulars.
Jacques and Sober are committed to having good food on the menu—even though Lavender Lake is technically a bar—and want their guests to focus on connections and conviviality (no TVs). Lavender Lake has long been a spot for first dates and a place to hang with groups of friends while eating elevated bar food and drinking good beer and great cocktails. The frozen drink machines are cranking and the Shark Sandwich (a spicy passion fruit margarita) is off the charts.
Step into Kick Axe Throwing, the ultimate axe-throwing bar nestled in the heart of Brooklyn. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned pro, challenge your friends to an exhilarating game of axe-throwing and revel in the thrill of hitting the bullseye. There's even a spacious outdoor patio to kick back and relax, with comfy seating for everyone. With its unbeatable combination of tasty food, fantastic drinks, exciting games, backyard games and happy hour, Kick Axe Throwing Brooklyn guarantees an unforgettable evening of adventure and camaraderie.
Located in East Williamsburg, LoHi serves summer vibes year round from their rooftop perch featuring endless views of Brooklyn and the City skyline. The menu offers delicacies for everyone in your group, regardless of dietary restrictions, with dishes like vegan krab cakes made with shredded jackfruit, grilled fish tacos and a double smashed burger served on a brioche roll. House cocktails are shaken up with infused spirits like cucumber tequila or chamomile bourbon to add soft botanical notes as you sip. Outside of the must-have cocktails and food, the expansive space makes for a stunning backdrop for your next get together. Whether it’s an intimate wedding, celebrating a milestone or meeting a friend for happy hour, LoHi is the place for you.
Tootles and French carries over 20 wines to choose from by the glass and more than 100 by the bottle, which means there’s a perfect sip for everyone in your party. The list is approachable and adventurous with specialty wines and spirits from all over the world. Classic food pairings are available, like charcuterie boards, small plates and paninis. Head to their website for information on booking a private dining room or to book a table for your next post-work hang.
