cocktail bars
Here are 11 of the best low-key but fun cocktail bars in NYC with good drinks and vibes for your next date night/chill night out with friends.
east village / cocktail bar / $$
Make this newish bar your next drinks’ spot. They have happy hour from 5-7 pm Monday - Thursday with half-priced food, drinks, and $10 bottomless fries. They have great food (I was pleasantly surprised by this, and ended up staying for dinner!) solid drinks, and the cutest decor inside. With an expansive interior and outdoor seating as well, this place is great for big groups.
chinatown / cocktails / $$$
Located underneath the multi-level omakase restaurant Juku, Straylight is one of my favorite speakeasies in the city. Combining molecular gastronomy and art, Straylight crafts exquisite cocktails in an art-filled space. Cocktails like the Bulleit Train (Bulleit bourbon, sesame, matcha, cacao nib, ginger honey, oloroso) are on their menu, along with light bites like a pork katsu sandwich. Located through a panel of plastic strip curtains that are typically found guarding walk-in freezer entrances and down a flight of fluorescent-lit, fun-house vibe stairs, lies a dark, wood-paneled space lined with green booths and a canvas ceiling that mimics stained glass. Call for reservations.
various locations / cocktail bar / $$
The Garret is a fun and low-key cocktail bar in West Village, East Village, and Nolita. With amazing drinks and good vibes, the Garret is a perfect date spot. Their location in West Village is located above a Five Guys (you’ll have to walk through to get to it!) and is my favorite spot by far. (Pictured is the Nolita location).
west village / $$
Your search for the perfect aperol spritz ends here. Owned by the same couple behind Buvette, I Sodi, and Via Carota, you know this place will be good. They also have coffee and pastries, so you have a good excuse to spend all day here.
gramercy + midtown / speakeasy / $$
My favorite speakeasy in the city, Dear Irving in Gramercy will always have a special place in my heart (they also have a rooftop location along the Hudson in midtown.) They have three extravagantly-decorated, spacious rooms in the Gramercy location, each with a theme from a different time period. The first room has Gatsby-esque beads covering the booths, creating privacy between different parties. The second room is seductively dark and is reminiscent of Abraham Lincoln vibes, whereas the back room is reminiscent of Versailles. My favorite room, the back room is decorated in the theme of the Marie Antoinette time period.
east village / sake / $$
Sake Bar Decibel is hidden down a nondescript flight of stairs in the area known as Little Tokyo in East Village. Unlike its Italian and Chinese counterparts, Little Tokyo is less well-known and more authentic. You can find over a hundred varieties of sake to choose from such as sparkling, hot etc. from different areas of Japan, as well as regional food specialties like okonomiyaki (which is a popular savory pancake from Osaka.)
soho / cocktail / $$$
This leafy urban jungle will transport you to a tropical oasis far, far away from Manhattan. Although the drinks are pricey, an $18 frozen watermelon margarita is a lot cheaper than a $365 flight to Bermuda. The atmosphere here is also more worth the price tag than Gitano, the nearby Tulum-inspired bar that bears a close resemblance. Expect a bit of a sceney vibe and interesting people watching, but not enough to detract from your overall experience. The addition of heaters will also make you forget about the cold of NYC winters!
greenpoint / cocktails / $$
This is a cute, fun, but low-key bar in Greenpoint with really good pina coladas (perfectly creamy and coconut-y but not too sweet), and a heated back patio, making it the perfect place to grab drinks during covid. You can also bring in food from the pizza place next door, so you get the best of everything.
west village / cocktails / $$
Individually heated outdoor booths (think forest green phone booths but add booze and a heater), create the utmost safe and cozy atmosphere to grab drinks with friends or on a date!
west village / cocktails / $$
If you’re looking for a chill but fun bar, head to Bandits in the West Village for delicious and unique cocktails, the most amazing tater tots, and the best vibes.
The owners of the Garret bars have done it again with their latest venture on Bedford Street. I already can’t wait to come back already. You can’t go wrong with the drinks, but I would recommend the Rice Russian! Also, don’t forget to order the tater tots!