Bars near the Statue of Liberty

  A cocktail bar in the Financial District.

Overstory is as cozy as a music box in the sky inside, with views that seem to go on forever out on the wrap-around terrace. Perched on the 64th floor of 70 Pine Street above sibling spots Crown Shy and Saga, it's the just-drinks cherry on top of the trio of outstanding spots. The futniture's plush, the cocktails are crafty and even the ice is extra nice at what's become one of NYC's most elegant cocktail destinations since it opened last year. 

Missed out on cruising around Europe this summer? Yeah, us too. Thankfully, Ariel Arce (yes, the very one behind Heroes, Pearl Box and the once beloved Champagne lounge, Niche Niche) opened her very first hotel bar this spring, inviting all of us to her Italian terrace. Taking to the skies for her first hotel bar, Arce opened Leonessa, a spritizing and snacking bar on the 16th floor of the Conrad New York Downtown. The jewel-box-like roof is seemingly lifted from the motherland, with limoncello-colored couches and corners, a bubbling lion's head fountain and lush greenery, including a few real lemon trees. No, you won't be able to gaze upon the waters of the Amalfi Coast, but you can at least give a wave to Lady Liberty herself. Cycle through spritzes and bitter-forward drinks like the Sbagliato (with prosecco a la Emma D'Arcy). Yet the drink of the summer has to go to the Sgroppino, a Belvedere vodka and prosecco-based cocktail that comes with a foamy head of lemon sorbetto. Snacking will come at a later season (there are currently only nuts and olives for eating), so make sure you get a little something in you before you get to spritzing.

This Revolutionary-era tavern now operates as the first stateside outpost of Dublin’s Porterhouse Brewing Company. Tangles of filament bulbs above the bar and distressed mirrors on the walls smack of artificial ye-oldeness, but the real pedigree of the place still holds appeal for beer-swilling history buffs, who can geek out over the thought of George Washington drinking here in the 1700s. Hoist imperial pints of Porterhouse’s own brews—we like the smooth, slightly tangy Oyster Stout and the easy-drinking Porterhouse Red—or sample the globe-trotting selection of guest beers, including Victory Prima Pils on tap and bottles of Schlenkerla smoked beer.

It's only a whiskey stone’s throw away from the Dead Rabbit—Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry’s exceptionally successful cocktail bar on Water Street (dubbed the World’s Best Bar at 2015’s Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards)—but the sequel from the renowned team couldn’t be further away in terms of theme. Where the original tavern looked to the Irish gangs of Five Points- in New York, this second outfit, located inside the Pier A Harbor House complex, channels Prohibition-era Cuba, a time when Americans flocked to the island nation for the liquid pick-me-up that U.S. law was denying them. A statue of Cuban lit hero José Martí stands proudly at the rum-flowing bar, where the stools are modeled after those in Ernest Hemingway–frequented joints in balmy Havana, and the expansive menu is loaded with more than 50 cocktails pulling from the 1920s through ’50s. And unsurprisingly, those cocktails are excelente.ORDER THIS: Meticulously researched cocktails ($16) created by some of the planet’s most illustrious bar talent. A collaboration between McGarry, Dead Rabbit head bartender Jillian Vose and BlackTail head barman Jesse Vida, the menu upholds Cuban classics like daiquiris and mojitos, which are made with the bar’s proprietary “Cuban Rum Blend” (Bacardi Heritage, Barbancourt White Rhum, Caña Brava and Banks 5 Island). A humble rum and Coke is elevated with the refined fizz of champagne, the amaro edge of Fernet-Branca and a few dashes of house-made Orinoco bitters; the...

Down in the Financial District, you can find a few spaces animated by the threadbare spirit of old New York. And though it may not be even close to the oldest establishment in the city, the neighborhood, or even this list, The Dead Rabbit cultivates that all-too elusive atmosphere to great effect. That’s not to say this place is old-man-y; though you can certainly enjoy an expertly-pulled Guinness or nice glass of wine in the warm, inviting environs, Dead Rabbit’s inventive cocktail program earns it a place on critics’ lists year after year. The vibe: Old New York but innovative. The food: The food menu consists mostly of well-realized Irish-core but it there’s plenty of vegetarian takes on the favorites, so how can I not recommend the all-day Irish Breakfast? The drink: Order a citrusy Sunlit Sin cocktail starring vodka, Yuzu, and tangerine.

An upscale strip club Downtown, with four stages, a well-stocked bar and sports screening.

Too often, speakeasies are exposed by revelers lined down the block, bouncers guarding the door and guests loitering during cigarette breaks. Not this one. To find Mr. Cannon, you have to enter through an empty courtyard in the Seaport District and into a back alleyway. To the right is a 19th-century-style printing shop, and past that is a glowing doorbell on your left. A bouncer disguised as a loiterer (or maybe just a loitering bouncer) will ask if you’re here for the speakeasy, and in you go. The space is a funny mix of a soundstage (black walls, black floor, sparse seating) and a Victorian living room (velvet couches, bistro tables lined with beaded fringes, antique mirrors) with industrial Brooklyn elements (exposed pipes, edison bulbs)—made all the more discordant when you’re literally reading your menu by candlelight to Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow.” Thankfully, the attention paid to the exceptional drinks is laser- focused. ORDER THIS: Head mixologist Chris Kearns (the Roxy Hotel) crafts throwback cocktails ($17) that taste supremely fresh. The Havana-style mojito (pricer than the rest at $23) is mixed right in front of you; the ingredients are wheeled out on a cart, and the bartender delineates the history of the tipple’s inception (inspired by a bar in Cuba that Ernest Hemingway frequented). While the mojito evokes summer nostalgia, the cognac-based Jose’s Revenge, an elixir of allspice dram, stone pine liqueur and raspberry tea espuma, is an ideal autumnal drink with...

Five and Dime NYC 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 every day from 3-6pm for discounted drinks, with live opera music on Tuesdays from 7-9pm. They also screen original films by local filmmakers—so head to their Instagram for dates and times.

It’s happy hour in reverse: Jeremy’s 8 to 10am “eye opener” is just the ticket for day traders seeking liquid assets. The deal offers 32-ounce Styrofoam buckets of Coors for just $5. After work, you’ll find off-the-clock Wall Streeters and hard hats comfortably sharing the bar. Join them to nibble crispy fried clams while catching up on the game, broadcast on five televisions.