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New Yorkers are fond of the "work hard, play hard" maxim, but the truth is, Gothamites don't need much of an excuse to hit the town. Any day of the week could easily be mistaken for a Friday or Saturday; the bottom line is that when the the mood strikes, there are always plenty of choices in this 24-hour city. Whether it's raising a glass in a historic saloon, a dimly lit cocktail den, or a swanky rooftop lounge; checking out the latest band; or laughing it up at a comedy show, it isn't hard for visitors to get a piece of the action.
The nightlife scene still resides largely downtown—in the dives and speakeasies of the East Village and Lower East Side, the classic jazz joints and piano bars of the West Village, and the Meatpacking District's and Chelsea's "see-and-be-seen" clubs. Midtown, especially around Hell's Kitchen, has developed a vibrant scene, too, and plenty of upscale hangouts dot the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Brooklyn and Harlem are go-to destinations for in-the-know locals.
Keep in mind that when you go is just as important as where you go. A club that is packed at 11 pm might empty out by midnight, and a bar that raged last night may be completely empty tonight. Time Out New York magazine has a good list of roving parties (www.timeout.com/newyork), as does Urban Daddy (www.urbandaddy.com/new-york). Scour industry-centric websites, too, like Eater and Grub Street, which catalog the comings and goings of many a nightlife impresario. New York magazine and the New York Times have listings of cabaret and jazz shows, the latter mainly in its Friday and Sunday Arts sections. Bear in mind that a venue's life span is often measured in months, not years. Phone ahead or check online to make sure your target hasn't closed or turned into a polka hall (although, you never know—that could be fun, too).
This award-winning brewery shines in crafting brews across the whole beer and ale spectrum, especially IPAs and sours. However, they're now also partnered with Physica, a sister wine program of local, natural wines. In addition to their already sprawling taproom that's adjacent to their tanks and barrels, is a large outdoor-indoor rooftop space, where you can use your beer or wine to wash down slices of New Haven--style pies from La La’s Apizza.
This sprawling space, with its own taproom and backyard, is as good a sign as any that the Bronx’s time has finally come. It's a true local gathering place—one that brings in DJs, hosts basketball tournaments, and acts as a home base for the Bronx-founded Empanology, serving innovative empanadas, sandwiches, and pizza. The expansive list of beers created in-house include a mix of year-round and seasonal. They've since opened locations in Manhattan's East Village and Hudson Yards.
Each of New York’s five boroughs has embraced the craft beer trend and Staten Island is no exception. Located just a short walk from the ferry terminal, this proudly Staten Island microbrewery has a sizable taproom that plays an eclectic music playlist (almost always including an obligatory Wu-Tang song or two) for the patrons playing cornhole, or convening at one of its long communal tables. On tap: their rotating lagers, pilsners, stouts, and IPAs—Blood Orange being one of the more popular ones—all made in the other room.
This craft brewery proudly produces and serves 100% New York beer, sourcing all of their malts and hops from around the state of New York. As the giant flagship location, it's also a huge communal venue to showcase local creatives, from painters to poets. Some nights there's open mic or live music. Outside, the waterfront sitting area is prime for watching the sun set down the Hudson River with the Statue of Liberty.
In 2021, two female beer aficionados in Brooklyn founded Talea Beer Co. a brewery that puts an emphasis on fruit-flavored beer in the hope they could get non-beer drinkers to love this hoppy beverage. It worked. At least enough for them to open a small handful of taprooms around the city. The West Village outpost has 20 brews on tap, including crisp Vienna-style pilsners, IPAs, and fruity brews, of course. There is a small menu of beer-friendly fare, such as plus-size Bavarian pretzels, but you can also bring pizza slices from L'Industrie next door and eat it while you sip the sudsy stuff.
