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The best nightlife venues and restaurants in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn were the main draw for New Yorkers taking Lyft this past year.
Rideshare platform Lyft shared data with us for rides taken between July 2022 and 2023 and we saw that the most popular spots among Lyft users in NYC were located downtown or in Brooklyn—most being hot restaurants or music venues, which checks out! New Yorkers love good food and dancing until the wee hours.
East Williamsburg/Bushwick’s Elsewhere (1), 3 Dollar Bill (2), Chelsea’s Eagle (5) Gowanus’ Public Records (9), the Meatpacking’s Brass Monkey (10) and Ridgewood’s Nowadays (6) were among the top 10 Lyft destinations in NYC that people took a Lyft to last year.
Why these spots? Because they are among the best clubs in NYC, obviously. NYC is after all one of the best cities in the world for clubbing and nightlife, so it is no surprise. Years ago, the majority of the most popular clubs were concentrated in just a few neighborhoods, but now the best clubs can be found from Ridgewood to the Financial District and points in between.
The famed Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg (3), which just updated its menu for the first time in a decade, was the restaurant the most Lyft customers went to in the last year. Who could blame them with its porterhouse for two or the crisp apple strudel? Chelsea’s dramatic and Asian-inspired, clubby bistro Tao Downtown (8) followed, showing New Yorkers used Lyft a lot in their fine dining adventures. These two spots are beloved and it shows in this data.
Williamsburg’s Freehold came in at no. 4, which confirms that people love its bumping spacious outdoor area, cold beverages and house burger.
Finally, Soho Grand Hotel came in at no. 7, as the only hotel in the top 10. This historic mainstay is where to go to experience Old World New York glamor as the city’s very first boutique hotel. It is also well-known for Soho Diner, its fairly new eatery, which is open late every day.
As you can see, so many Lyft travelers headed into Williamsburg, in particular. The ‘Burg is known for its indie music and party scene, offering a good reason to cross the East River and check out its delights. Those who live there are there because of its vintage shops, good music venues and street art, as well as its always-changing roster of restaurants, flea markets and shops.
Some of the best things to do there include sampling some of NYC’s best foods at Smorgasburg, taking in a flick at Nitehawk Cinema, and taking in a show at Baby’s All Right.
Chelsea seems to be the second-most traveled-to neighborhood in the top 10—it’s got so much within its boundaries! Chelsea has been New York City’s arts district for many years, but it has become so much more. Now with awesome speakeasy bars and dives, flea markets and worthwhile gay bars, there’s something for everyone, not just art fans. We particularly love walking the High Line and taking in a free concert at Little Island, and stopping in for a bite at Chelsea Market.
Curious about where else people are going? Check out more of the data below.
NYC spots most popular with Lyft users:
- Elsewhere
- 3 Dollar Bill
- Peter Luger Steak House
- Freehold
- Eagle NYC
- Nowadays
- Soho Grand Hotel
- Tao Downtown
- Public Records
- Brass Monkey
NYC's top spots for tourists using Lyft:
- Martinique-New York on Broadway
- New York Hilton Midtown
- Lotte New York Palace
- Katz's Delicatessen
- Brass Monkey