NYC Bars Guide

Who needs Dry January?

Jan 12, 2026

∙ Paid

Over the past year and a half, I’ve been keeping a running list of NYC bars for different occasions. Because it’s important to have options prepped on the fly for when one cocktail with friends turns into a bar crawl or when in the middle of a second or third date, he asks you to pick the next place.

Whether you’re halfway into dry January, already quit, or vehemently against the concept (me), save these spots for whenever and wherever your next cocktail or glass of wine finds you. All of these places are pinned on my NYC Google maps guide for paid subscribers, so you can conveniently pull that up whenever you’re wandering the streets of NYC looking for a great place to land nearby for your next drink.

I find that bars are some of few remaining establishments that contain any sort of mystique; it’s very difficult to understand what your experience at any given bar will be like until you go check it out yourself. In a city like New York, it’s overwhelming to pick a bar on almost all occasions, due to the sheer volume of bars per block and neighborhood. The flip side of the density is that there’s always a convenient plan B.

How is it possible to keep track of which clubs charge a cover, which cocktail bars require reservations, and which dive bars are cool vs. kind of seedy? Where are the cool people and cute guys (sans finance backpacks) convening?

Ellie Williams has made an influencing career out of answering these very questions. Her street interviews have become infamous; a couple years ago she began stopping cute men on the streets of New York and asking them a few questions about their favorite places to go out. She concludes each interview by snapping a polaroid of the interviewee (now including cool girls, too), then she makes a follow up video in which she goes to check out their bar recommendation herself and explains to her followers what the vibe of the place is like.

I must say, Ellie is truly doing all of this field work for the girls, as her Instagram handle implies. She herself has a boyfriend; she just wants to facilitate more socialization and fun amongst Gen Z-ers living in New York. Her platform has blossomed to include For the Girls parties, which she has hosted at bars from Old Mate’s Pub to Jean’s (and she doesn’t charge a cover). My friend Olivia and I attended the Jean’s party last April; I’ve never seen the line as long as it was that night, and it’s always long. Ellie hugged Olivia as though they were long lost friends and offered us sips of her drink when we saw her on the dance floor.

She is genuinely so sweet and loves partying with her friends and followers. For a pretty new and niche influencer, she’s gained a lot of traction. She’s even started popping up on my dad’s Instagram feed… He’s always sending me cute guys that she posts and bars she likes that I should go to. I’m obsessed that she’s part of his algorithm.

Long live word of mouth! Thank you, Ellie, for keeping us informed of the hotspots. Here are some of my favorites. Bars listed with asterisks are places I’ve vetted as solid choices for a first, second, or third date—when you want something stress-free, palatable, and quiet enough to actually talk. The sections are divided based on occasion—to drink, to meet people, to dance, etc.

TO DRINK: COCKTAILS

I consider these places cocktail-forward; you’re going there for a couple of drinks that are probably overpriced but interesting in some way. Either you’re paying for ingredients you can’t find at a dive bar or for the experience of hanging out somewhere sophisticated or out of the ordinary. You should probably be adventurous and try one of their weird-sounding signature drinks, because that’s what you’re there for.

Schmuck (East Village): The melon, cheese, and pepper cocktail sounds bizarre but is one of the most memorable cocktails I’ve ever had. It can be hard to get in here but is the perfect spot for a pre or post dinner drink, especially on a weeknight when it’s less buzzy. They do also take reservations on Resy two weeks in advance, if you’re planning that far ahead.

Pearlbox (Soho): Very chic cocktail bar that feels like you’re inside a high-end ski lodge. Make a reservation two weeks in advance on Resy. Perfect for chatting with friends over a martini—either a destination for a weeknight or a first stop on a weekend.

The Mulberry Bar (Nolita): Great spot to start the night with friends. The dirty martini will run you over $30 but comes with a side car and is one of the best in the city. You can walk in and perch at the bar or make a reservation for one of their small cocktail tables.

Lamonte (Williamsburg)*: The perfect place to start a Brooklyn night out or for a chill weeknight destination, especially when coordinating between Brooklyn and Manhattan dwellers. It’s directly on top of the Bedford Street L stop and serves one of my favorite pornstar martinis. The food is also good!

Sip & Guzzle (West Village): Trendy bar for creative cocktails and fun food like fried chicken you need to cut with a pair of scissors and what people are saying is the best new burger in New York? I haven’t had it yet. This place is fun as its own destination. Definitely get the soft serve, and definitely make a reservation (ten days in advance on Resy).

Temple Bar (Noho)*: A central location for a drink or two. Very dark and chic inside, plenty of space to sit at the bar, or you can reserve a table. Dirty martini GNO vibes.

Jac’s on Bond (Noho)*: A good place to start a night out; it gets crowded early! The cocktails are solid. If going there for a date, reserve a table on Resy.

Apotheke (Chinatown): I’m not a huge fan of the herb-forward botany vibes of their signature cocktails, but the atmosphere is great. They always play great music, and it makes me wish that the crowd was cool and dancing along. It’s a lot of millennials, for some reason, but it’s a fun spot to hit with a small group on your way to somewhere else.

TO DRINK: WINE

My curated selection of natural-leaning wine bars where you can pop in for a glass or stay for a whole bottle. Some have snacks, others you can eat a whole meal, at all of them you should know what you’re looking for in a wine when you sit down and be as specific as possible with your server.

Stars (East Village)*: Brand new 12-seat wine bar on my block serving reasonably priced glasses and delicious snacks. You need to pop in and put a name down at least an hour before you’re hoping to sit down.

Sauced (Williamsburg): The perfect place to be on a balmy summer night. Their backyard is epic. They have amazing natural wines by the glass; just explain to the bartender what notes you’re looking for.

With Others (Williamsburg)*: Love their wine, love their small plates, love their Sunday wine school!! Yesterday, Bella and I learned about alpine wines and ate fondue at With Others—the perfect cure for Sunday scaries.

Elvis (Noho)*: I love everything about Elvis. A dependable location for a quick bite, a couple of glasses of wine, or a French 75 before a night out.

Horse with no name (East Village)*: Cute new wine bar that’s really committing to the European bit; the bartender told me she had to go smoke a cigarette outside before taking my order. Walk in whenever for a few glasses with some bread and cheese!

Moonflower (West Village)*: Very cute, intimate wine bar. Great for a date or a chill couple of glasses with a friend. I haven’t tried their food, but it looks good!

Pinkerton Wine Bar (Williamsburg)*: Cozy wine bar that feels like the closest you can get to a night in—in the best way. Great date location. Not too loud.

TO DRINK: BEER AND SAKE

A few quirky bars for the beer girls

Sake Bar Decibel (East Village)*: Funky underground cavernous bar that serves sake (and a lot of other drinks, if that’s not your thing). Good for a small group or the second or third drink on a date; I wouldn’t start the night there, but it’s a fun place to end up.

McSorley’s (East Village): Allegedly McSorley’s is the oldest bar in New York. It was established in 1854. Women were not allowed inside until 1970, and it shows. It’s still cash only, and the only two things you can order are light and dark beer. It has stood the test of time in an awesome way and is a fun place to stop by for a pint, but it’s also a bit of a tourist trap, so don’t bother waiting in the line if there is one.

Banshee (East Village)*: New cute bar specializing in Guinness and oysters! Sounds like a weird combo but it’s kind of a dream. They also have many other drinks, including a solid dirty martini. Plenty of space to walk in and sit at the bar with whomever.

TO MEET PEOPLE

Please take this section with a grain of salt. These bars are places I’ve (mostly) been to multiple times where I’ve observed a social energy. That does not mean that I’ve met anyone interesting at any of them, but I do think if you are confident enough to approach a stranger, you should do it here. The lighting is low enough that your skin is glowing, the music is loud enough that you’d have to talk into someone’s ear in order to hear them well, but they feel like true gathering places where people are there in groups but wanting to branch out—even if they fail at making the first move.

Time Again (Lower East Side): Hate on Dimes Square all you want, but there is nothing like Time Again on a warm night. Literally, whenever it’s above 48 degrees, like last Friday! You couldn’t have guessed it’s the dead of winter based on the crowd gathered outside. Piled on top of tiny plastic stools that are clustered around circular tables on a sidewalk, it’s impossible not to talk to people, mostly because you’re constantly tripping over them. It attracts a European-adjacent crowd, which means the men are not afraid to speak to women! Bars like this are on every corner in European cities, but for some reason Time Again is the only New York establishment that has mastered the art of the sidewalk gab. Bring a lighter even if you don’t smoke; someone is always looking for one. It’s a conversation starter.

Lucy’s (East Village): I need to learn how to play pool, but learning how to play pool in New York feels like learning how to surf in California: daunting, high stakes because the real estate is precious, but if I could get good at it, I’d have a lot of social capital, especially with men. Anyway, Lucy’s is a solid dive bar to start or end the night at. People who frequent it are usually cute and normal. But will they approach you? Probably not.

Ray’s (Lower East Side): I find Ray’s to be very hit or miss. Some nights it’s the perfect elevated dive bar to begin a night out at (before Outer Heaven or if you’re attempting The Box), and other times I want to leave as soon as I step inside. Ellie says Ray’s is good vibes on a Thursday.

Twins Lounge (Greenpoint): I’ve only been here once, but it’s far enough out of the way that it feels like an intentional destination for the people who are there. It has pool tables lit by paper lanterns, an analog photo booth, and a little outdoor patio upstairs. The energy is very social and approachable.

Pete’s Candy Store (Williamsburg): Most of my experiences at Pete’s have been for concerts in the room behind the bar, but every time I’m there I feel like the crowd is very chatty. Especially in the warmer months, their back patio is a great vibe, and drinks are cheap! A great place to start a Williamsburg night.

Maracuja (Williamsburg): The reality is that most people at Maracuja are either there to pregame Nightmoves or have just been rejected from Nightmoves and come back down the block, but regardless, it’s a very nice in-between bar. It starts getting lively around 11, but there is plenty of space to hang out and/or mingle. There’s a pool table in the back and the cocktails are well-made and very reasonably priced.

TO DANCE

When you’ve had enough of the sitting and standing around bars and it’s time to move on to the next location, these are the places I like to dance. The club scene in New York is really its own beast, and of course there are nights when it’s best to skip out on it entirely. But when you’re in the right mood, it can be super fun.

Jean’s (Noho): The music at Jean’s gets better and better as the night gets later, which is kind of unfortunate because you’re best off trying your luck at the door as early in the night as possible. It’s not overrated—it’s very fun—but don’t expect to talk to anyone new, and if the line is long, don’t bother waiting in it.

Joyface (Alphabet City): Joyface is the classic retro bar that feels like a living room out of a 70s sit com where the underage kids are throwing a party and everyone is drunk and causing chaos. In a great way! But it’s small, so the door can be difficult. And it’s sceney; if the Haim sisters are in town, they’re going to cut right in front of you. But if you bring your parent, you can cut the whole line!

Outer Heaven (Lower East Side): Sleek interior, European vibes, good music (leaning techno). One of few clubs where people actually dance, but the door can be really tough for seemingly no reason.

Cafe Balearica (Williamsburg): A very well-rounded spot with a chill bar upstairs and a club room downstairs with a dj. A lot of straight people and a lot of gay people, which means it’s fun for everyone. There’s usually a $10 cash cover, but they have an ATM inside.

Gabriela (Williamsburg): Gabriela has gotten hard to get into, so I recommend going early and getting a drink upstairs. There is something to be said for minimizing the number of stops and just getting drinks early at the club, to avoid waiting in line, especially when the club is this nice. The music is usually techno, but if you’re in the mood for that, it can be very fun.

Good Room (Greenpoint): Good Room is for when you’re really committing to a night out. This is hard clubbing, multiple rooms, out until 4 am minimum. Best in moderation.

Acme (Noho): Acme isn’t really a club; it’s more of a small dancey bar. People dance, and people approach you, which is a nice change of pace, though often the people approaching me are people I don’t really want to speak to. The crowd definitely skews young and I have probably aged out, but it’s not difficult to twist my arm into stopping by Acme at the end of a night out because it’s almost always on my way home. They play the sing-alongs everyone wants to hear at 3 am.

Little Sister (East Village): A genuine SCENE, kind of in the bad way, but if you’re looking for a New York Night Out, this is it. Down to the door experience, during which you will probably be humiliated, so show up as early as possible to minimize chances of defeat. And dress up—like, dresses and heels.

HAPPY HOUR

Mostly for the spring and summertime, these are spots to cut the workday short and gab with your girls over spritzes until your dinner reservation or all day long on a weekend afternoon.

Bar Pisellino (West Village): Go get your Aperol spritz (it comes with delicious olives) on a warm weeknight evening with a group of girls or cozy up by the window seat by yourself to sip a hot chocolate and read a book.

Red Hook Cidery/Strong Rope Brewery (Red Hook): Idyllic huge outdoor bars on the water with the best views of the Statue of Liberty in the whole city. Take your pick, beer or wine.

Sunny’s (Red Hook): The oldest bar in Brooklyn that is packed solid on a summer Saturday. I haven’t been there at night, but I imagine it’s just as cute and fun, and I know they have live music in the evenings. It’s cash only!

Von Bar (Noho): They set up tables in the street on Bleecker, which is 100% where you need to sit in order to enjoy the experience. They have everything from spritzes and wine to frozen margs and this great mezcal pear drink that I’m obsessed with.

Le Dive (Lower East Side): A Dimes Square classic that has mastered the all-day Euro cafe vibe. The food is good for brunch or light dinner. The vibes are perfect for a sidewalk spritz. You can also come at night for a few cocktails on a chill weeknight, or come early on a weekend and stay late and dance downstairs.

TO LINGER

These are places you go for one drink and then realize you kinda never want to leave. Places that transport you to a different place and time. Top notch people watching, cozy interiors, and a lot of live jazz.

The Bowery Hotel (East Village): One of the best hotel bars anywhere. On any given night it’s full of an eclectic mix of hotel guests, people on dates, mid-twenties groups chatting on the couches. No matter when you show up, you won’t want to leave.

Funny Bar (Lower East Side): The first time I went to Funny Bar I really did not understand the appeal. People eating steak at 2 am at tables with paper tablecloths you can draw on with crayons? There was a mime, which freaked me out, and I think I arrived too late. But when I went back recently, I discovered the allure. I haven’t tried the steak, but you can just grab drinks at the bar, enjoy the live jazz, and feast your eyes on some crazy Lower East Side outfits.

Book Club Bar (East Village): One of my favorite places to post up at the bar and read my book while drinking a cider or a cocktail. I love reading at New York bars in general, but many of them do not have suitable lighting or ambiences to do so. Book Club Bar is a functional bookstore and all day café/bar. Grab a drink, get lost in a good book, and maybe if you’re lucky the cute guy sitting next to you will ask what you’re reading.

FourFiveSix* (Greenpoint): I came here on a second date during the winter, and it was a great environment to drink hot toddies and get to know someone better. They sometimes have live jazz, and there are plenty options for seating, including comfy couches. I imagine their outdoor patio is lovely in the warmer months.

Smalls* (West Village): A tiny old subterranean jazz club in the West Village where you can go see some truly incredible live jazz. There’s a cover at the door and a drink minimum, but it’s not terribly expensive, and such a worthwhile experience.

NIGHTCAP

Bedtime beers, one last dance, or a post-club dive for when the night doesn’t feel quite over yet.

WXOU Bar (West Village): I imagine this place is a nightmare at pretty much all hours before 2:30 am. I came here with friends at the end of a night out and had a lovely time chatting over some beers. It’s cash only and the cheapest drinks in the West Village, for sure.

Josie’s (East Village): A classic East Village dive bar that is best at the end of the night

Radionublu (Alphabet City): This is the original Nublu! It’s discreet and much more chill than the one up the street. I had my 24^th birthday party there. Retro vibes, live music, a couple blocks down from the main Avenue C chaos.

THE FEW THAT HAVE IT ALL

When I think of my ideal bar, it’s a place where you could easily spend your whole night. It has something for everyone in your group and every mood you fluctuate between over the course of the night: decent drinks that aren’t crazy expensive, good music, people actually dancing, areas to hang out and mingle with people, and ideally some outdoor space to go smoke and take a break from it all. It’s hard to find all of these things in one establishment, especially in New York, where there is famously no space for anything. But these are the few that prevail!

Studio 151 (Alphabet City): Always playing vinyl, just the right amount of light still in the room so you can see people’s faces and talk to them, set up as a bar, but people actually dance. Always a good time. Sometimes there’s a cover if you go later in the night, but it’s never more than $20.

Carousel (Bushwick): The perfect bar exists, and I’m sorry to say that it’s in Bushwick. Carousel is one big circle (hence the name). It has multiple bars, a dance floor, a room with pool tables (but they’re chic), a photo booth, a 70s conversation pit (epic), and in the center of the circle is a little smoking patio. It’s genius. You literally can’t get bored. If you’re tired of one vibe, you can switch it up, without even leaving the bar.

Nightmoves (Williamsburg): Nightmoves is really worth the hype. The “wine club” sister establishment to The Four Horsemen is intimate and therefore hard to get into, but once you’re in, you’ll want to stay the whole night. Their sound system is unlike any I’ve experienced before (thanks to James Murphy’s vision of custom vintage hi-fi amps and speakers). What could be better than dancing around a light-up dance floor that moves with the music, glass of champagne in hand?

Public Records (Gowanus): Public Records is a trek. You always need to purchase a ticket online in advance. Sometimes you get all the way there and the music sounds like muffled whale sounds. But the infrastructure is impressive, the drinks at the main downstairs bar are good, and there are so many different areas to hang out and experience different vibes. It’s a great place to congregate with a big group for a birthday or just for a true Brooklyn night out.