The best parties and club nights in NYC this month: May 2025

Williamsburg's newest nightclub, Signal, is opening on Saturday, May 10, and promises to be a mecca of underground music. The venue’s sound-first approach is reflected in its architecture, which features a floating wood floor beneath skylights and several features along its walls and ceiling to isolate and amplify sound. There will also be an outdoor garden and a bar that boasts natural wines, specialty cocktails, beers and zero-proof drinks.

The lineup for the opening party will include Steve O’Sullivan and Andrey Pushkarev b2b Eli Verveine. You can get your tickets to that first rager here. 

These days, it might feel like there’s not much reason to dance, which is why it’s more important that we do, actually. Luckily, we live in a city that makes small displays of joy pretty accessible, and Bryant Park is hosting a slate of dance parties to keep our spirits (and heartbeats) up all spring. 

Every Wednesday from April 30 to May 15, you'll find dance classes happening near Bryant Park's iconic fountain starting at 6pm, followed by dance parties from 7pm till 8:30pm.

Hosted by dance curator and producer Talia Castro-Pozo, this year's dance series will feature music from all over the world, including salsa, Motown and more. The best part? There's no reservation needed, and walk-ups are welcome. 

The “clubstaurant,” an only-in-America genre of establishment that mixes elements of nightlife with fine dining, is making a major comback. Among our favorites is COQODAQ, the flashy new Korean fried chicken restaurant that opened in the Flatiron District last year. There’s also Jean’s on Lafayette Street, which regards itself as “a club where food is the gimmick.” Then, there's the new permanent location of Gitano at the Seaport, a Tulum-inspired clubstaurant that opened last week and claims to have the city’s largest disco ball (in addition to ceviche).  

As of this month, Schmuck, one of the best bars in the world, is open for business. The bar hopes to bring a neighborhood playground to the East Village. Inspired by a mix of Mid-Century Modern, the Space Age and Brutalist design movements, the 1,600-square foot bar is broken up into two spaces. The all-seated experience found in the cherry red living room offers 12 original cocktails that call to familiar ingredients and dishes, like the cinnamon bun and coffee number, FIKA, and the fennel-forward, salad-inspired BLANKA. 

While concrete-heavy, the smaller room leans more casual, centered around a long wooden table geared for gathering. Ten cocktails round out the menu here, like the Caramelized Apple and the Le Banané, popularly featured during their pop-up days. Snacking can also be had here, with a menu that includes White Bean Cacio e Pepe, Crushed Potatoes with a spicy peanut sauce and the Chocolate & Olive Oil, a dark chocolate mousse topped with salt flakes. Make sure to act fast, though: Reservations are already notoriously difficult to get.