53 Best Bars in New York City, New York

Don't be surprised if you see some snickering Italian tourists taking a selfie in front of this bar-café's sign on the facade. The name means "small penis" in Italian. The interior is nothing to laugh at. Imagine if, by some divine miracle, a prettied-up antique bar in Milan or Rome suddenly materialized in the West Village. That's the vibe at Pisellino. The high-ceilinged, wood-and-marble-clad space is stunning. During the day, sip espresso; in the evening, stop by for a perfectly made Aperol spritz or a Negroni.

Classy tipplers and well-dressed commuters pack into this hidden away Grand Central Terminal bar (especially during the evening rush), but you can still have a romantic time in one of Manhattan's most elegant rooms. The restored space dates from the 1920s, when it was the private office and reception hall of a financier named John W. Campbell, who entertained friends and colleagues here. Sample the good life as you sip cocktails from club chairs and banquettes amid a 100-year-old leaded glass window or come to hear live jazz on weekend nights. The proprietor also offers the smaller Campbell Palm Court and enclosed, outdoor Campbell Terrace; the latter is just outside in the former taxi driveway.

An outpost of the original hipster haunt in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this Avenue C spot has all the diversions to make you stay here for longer than you had planned: classic cocktails, with an emphasis on the tropical variety; retro tunes on the hi-fi; plush comfy booths; and a menu of excellent feel-good fare, including the legendary mountain of nachos, gooey mac and cheese, and some of the best fried chicken this side of the Mason-Dixon line. 

Known for their addictively refreshing frozen piña coladas, Connolly's is a favorite for locals and travelers alike for good reason. They host plenty of specialty nights, like trivia night, which usually is on Monday, with a variety of topics. Wacky Wednesday is always a good time with drink specials and a DJ. If piña coladas aren't your thing, try their frozen pink lemonade or frozen mudslide. Frozen drinks run $11 a pop, with the option for a boozy floater for an additional dollar. Note that Connolly's closes to the public from January to the Friday of Memorial Day, but they're open year-round for private party bookings.

Delight awaits at this uncommonly large (for Times Square) and flamboyantly decorated bar, with nearly every square inch covered in old English art and sculpture. Don't be thrown off—the cocktails here are inventive and expertly made, as is the tasty, filling pub fare. Consider a table reservation if you're dining around pretheater hours. Lillie's also shares its friendly brand of Victorian charm in its Union Square location.

From the same father-son team who made Jacob's Pickle a neighborhood fave, this pleasant restaurant is deservedly famous for its French-dip sandwiches, melts, and other filling dishes. But its "old-school but progressive" cocktails, wine, and beer menus keep both of its separate bars busy. This is the sort of place where one visit will make you a regular.

One of the first of the retro speakeasy bars in NYC, PDT ("Please Don't Tell") made a name for itself with top-line cocktails and it's "secret" entrance, and although it's not much of a secret anymore it's still a great spot for excellent drinks with a touch of cloak-and-dagger. Make a reservation online, then head to the unassuming Crif Dogs hot dog restaurant, where you'll be escorted through the phone booth's false back. The upscale cocktails are perfectly complemented by the hot dog specials from the neighboring shop that are also served here.

"Drink craft beer" is the motto here, so grab a stool, saddle up to the bar or around one of the barrels fashioned into a table, and take your time poring over the video board displaying various lagers and ales, along with hard ciders and seltzers. There's a heavy focus on NYC and New York State brews, with some suds from other states. Take advantage of the Tuesday through Friday happy hour from 4:20 to 6:20 pm, when beer, wine by the glass, and well drinks are all $7; on Monday, happy hour is an all-day/all-night affair. The kitchen stays open late, serving bar fare to soak up some suds. A vegan burger is available.

Perched atop the Arlo Williamsburg, overlooking its rooftop pool, this ambitious bar serves inventive albeit pricey cocktails, and is one of four party venues within the hotel. Not actually one of New York’s iconic, functioning water towers, but rather a conical glass structure made in tribute to them, the bar attracts both scenesters and those just coming to take a selfie with its jaw-dropping view of the Manhattan skyline.

Bar B is kind of an odd duck, but in the most charming of ways. It's a narrow, no-bigger-than-a-hallway venue with no seats—just standing room at a long counter (unless you can nab a sidewalk table). It's also a hybrid, of sorts: there are cocktails, like an excellent Negroni, but also excellent Italian and Iberian snacks, too. Sip a glass of wine and nosh on chicken-liver-pâté-topped bruschetta, or tuck into a bowl of penne all'Amatriciana. Best of all, everything is very nicely priced.

The bar in the basement of the Andaz 5th Avenue hotel may have a generic moniker, but it certainly has pedigree. Alchemy Consulting, a joint venture from Chicago's Violet Hour and New York's Death & Co., designed the cocktails here; look for spins on the Negroni and Manhattan in the sleek subterranean space. Sample a curated flight of New York State whiskeys, or choose between a fine range of Negronis and Japanese highballs. The New York--sourced food menu is similarly upscale, with small plates and a short list of mains.

Gen Xers will certainly get nostalgic at this mostly '80s video arcade, featuring classics Ms. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. However, any generation can enjoy the 8- and 16-bit gameplay, or the row of pinball machines, as long as they're adults, since this place doesn't typically cater to children—unless it's a special family day listed on their website's calendar. As the portmanteau of "bar" and "arcade," it's very much as good a beer bar as it is a retro arcade, specializing in dozens of rotating taps from microbreweries around the country. However, this original location has no proper kitchen, so there's no bar food—only bagged snacks are available—so plan on grabbing a bite elsewhere.

Opened in 2004, when the Meatpacking District was just starting to become trendy, the wood-clad Brass Monkey is still around and more popular than ever. And what a minor miracle that is, given that it's a true neighborhood bar, lacking the glamour and glitz that attracts scenesters to the area from far and wide. This might well be part of the bar's appeal. Also appealing, though, is that, in warm weather, you can plant yourself on the rooftop, enjoy the sun and the views, and raise your glass to that funky monkey.

Plunked down in the rapidly transforming industrial section of the South Bronx, this neighborhood hangout, with its breezy deck seating, relaxed vibes, and fruity, tropical cocktails, has become a local favorite for DJ beats or just watching football on game day. Stop by for a beer from their rotating list of over 30 craft beers on tap, or for brunch bites, the cheap lunch special ($10.95), or happy hour. 

With nearly 20 beers on tap, sports on big screens, and bar food that's anything but boring (everything from braised lamb shank to chicken parm), it's no surprise that this neighborhood favorite is packed on weekends. Their brunch menu includes classic soul food with a spin, like the fried chicken and waffle with bacon, topped with Cholula honey cheesy sauce, and well-balanced salads like the Asian calamari salad, made with fried calamari, fresh vegetables, and a sesame ginger dressing.. In warm weather, an outdoor patio gives you a front-row seat to the scene on Lenox Avenue.

Opened by a former high-school English teacher, the appropriately named Dead Poet is the place to go for a properly poured Guinness, a shot of Irish whiskey, or—if you're looking to tie one on—the namesake cocktail, which manages to taste like grape soda despite being made with seven liquors (and a splash of sour mix). Other cocktails are named for books (Moby Dick, for example) and authors (Hemingway). For conversational inspiration or life contemplation, the mahogany-paneled walls are full of poetic passages, literary quotations, and black-and-white photographs of some authors. There's even a bar library so you can sign out classic literature.

Despite the generic name, this is far from a traditional dive bar. Yes, there’s a long list of domestic microbrews and imports on draft, along with whiskeys and other spirits, and there are TVs playing sports. But this dive bar features an extensive and inventive menu with daily mussels specials, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, and even poutine, the stick-to-your-ribs dish from Québec (fries topped with gravy and cheese curds). The kitchen is open late and the bar even later—until 4 am daily.

Set in an erstwhile horse stable, The Eagle is the New York City hub for the community of leather fetishists and an institution in the local gay community. Leather daddies and those who love them frequent this bi-level chainlink-clad bar to show off their leather-clad bodies and sip beer and cocktails. The bar is also a den of sorts for the local bear community. During the warm-weather months, the anything-goes rooftop bar is open. One need not be dressed in leather or particularly hirsute to enter. Everyone is welcome.

Since the early 1800s, this watering hole (at one time also a bordello) has been a sturdy New York landmark in a rapidly changing downtown, and it still draws a laid-back crowd of locals for drinks and pretty good pub grub, too. There's live music several times a week. Note that the location is pretty far west, closer to the Hudson River.

The only thing better than hanging out in Lincoln Center on a lovely night is hanging out a dozen stories above and taking in city views. Thanks to the Empire Hotel's sprawling rooftop bar—most of it outdoors, covered by a retractable roof, and heated in winter—you can enjoy that pleasure even on nights that are less than lovely, whether or not you are a hotel guest. Check online for the schedule for live music and dancing under the stars.

Linger over lunch or a beer at this well-worn neighborhood bar and restaurant, a down-to-earth SoHo landmark that's been serving drinks (and good burgers, sandwiches, and old-school pasta dishes) since 1847. The old-timey photos on the walls add to the vintage atmosphere, as do the no-nonsense bartenders.

A quasi-subterranean bar with a nautical theme and a penchant for rum drinks, the Folly is a cool, refreshing place to chill out when the temperatures are high. The frozen painkiller—rum, creme de coconut, and pineapple juice—soothes the misery of a blazing day. The happy hour goes until 8 pm on weekdays and the snack menu includes crab mac and cheese and roasted garlic hummus.

It may have all the fixings of a typical sports bar, but this spunky spot with striped wallpaper and black-and-white photos of sports stars on the corner of 120th Street is far from average. If you want to meet some Harlem locals, this is your spot. Grab a seat at the bar while enjoying delicious small bites, beer on tap (plus weekly happy hour), and high-quality cocktails. Try the $10 happy hour margaritas and Moscow mules, naturally best paired with the organic chicken wings (which can also be prepared vegan). You catch local and international sports games here, anything from Mongolian archery to rugby, on one of the 12 flat screens around the bar. 

 Manhattan's first whiskey distillery since Prohibition, this four-floor space is a fun house of sorts for adults who like food and drink: from the basement speakeasy bar to ground-floor gift shop to the second-floor cocktail bar and restaurant serving up pastas, seafood, and burgers. Visitors can also take guided tours, partake in whiskey tastings or cocktail-making classes, or just come to eat and imbibe.

At this gay bar, the plentiful flat-screen TVs and cheap Budweisers draw sports enthusiasts of every stripe, from athlete to armchair. The bar also sponsors—and frequently hosts parties for—a number of local gay sports teams. The two-for-one happy hour in the early evening on weekdays is one of the best deals in the neighborhood.

Launched by three graduates of Historically Black Colleges, this cozy pub is Manhattan's first 100% African American--owned craft beer bar. Bites on the casual menu include a Bavarian soft pretzel, jerk chicken and vegan bratwurst sausages, and a variety of spicy guma pies (similar to a flaky samosa or empanada). Everything pairs well with an accessible selection of innovative small-batch beers. They can also be found at Market 57 in Chelsea.

A juicy burger and more than a dozen craft beers on tap make this the type of neighborhood watering hole every New Yorker wants on their corner. Plenty of stools fill the sprawling space, along with a scattering of tables on the sidewalk in warm weather. The peanut butter burger, loaded grilled cheese, and fork-and-knife fries are crowd favorites, and there’s live music during special events. It's an unfussy spot to raise a glass after a day of exploring vibrant Harlem.

The nightly parties at this laid-back West Village HQ for the Sapphic set attract young professional women, out-of-towners, and longtime regulars. Because the DJ and pool table quickly create a crowd, though, lesbians arrive early to stake their claim to a spot, especially on weekends.

The fantastic neon signs, padded black walls, large round mirrors, and L-shape bar here make you think you've wandered onto a 1930s movie set. Settle into a booth or banquette, and watch the neighborhood bons vivants (and bon-vivant wannabes) leap into action nightly, be it early for the daily happy hour or late weekend nights. A raw bar serves seafood and sushi to wash down your boilermakers.

If you've been in the city long enough, you'll remember the Holiday as the quintessential New York dive bar, with dim lighting and basic drinks, where everyone felt comfortable despite the slightly uncomfortable bar stools and banquettes. If you've just arrived here, you'll be treated to a similar welcoming ambience, but with new upholstery, trendier drinks, and bar food that ranges from Wagyu corn dogs, kimchi tacos, and deep-fried pickles to a somewhat questionable Cuban sandwich and doughnut hybrid.