Pearl Club

Best Bars in New York City

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New York City/

Looking for the best bars in New York City to grab a drink and unwind after a long day? From trendy rooftop bars with stunning views to cozy speakeasies hidden behind secret doors, NYC offers a diverse range of options for every type of bar-goer. Whether you're searching for craft cocktails, local beers, or unique wine selections, this bustling metropolis has it all. Curious about the most popular bars in NYC or where to find the best happy hour deals? Keep reading for our ultimate guide to the top bars in New York City.

1. Apotheke, New York City

Apotheke Cocktail

Taking the idea of mixology to the next level. The bartenders pour cocktails in pharmacist coats and the décor takes heavy influence from science equipment. The cocktails, as to be expected, are inventive and chic.

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2. Bayard's Ale House, New York City

Bayard'S Ale House Food

Bayard's is a landmark Irish pub in West Village. An excellent place for a beer after a long work week. Serves classic pub food - from bangers 'n' mash, to burgers and chicken wings. A real community hotspot.

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3. Blind Barber, New York City

Blind Barber Bar

Barbershop by day, back-room cocktail bar by night - visit for the latter. Has a reputation for drawing a lively crowd. A unique bar and dance locale.

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4. La Milagrosa, New York City

Mezcaleria La Milagrosa

This speakeasy bar is hidden behind a laundromat 🧺 turned deli 🥪. They're known for the mezcal and good music. Sister to La Superior NYC.

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5. Bathtub Gin, New York City

Bathtub Gin Bar

Roaring-20's inspired speakeasy bar. Hidden behind a coffee shop, this bar is a call-back to the Prohibition era. An upmarket place for a date night, to see a Tuesday or Sunday night burlesque show, or to dance into the early hours.

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6. Bar Laika, New York City

Bar Laika by e-flux Drink

Unassuming coffee spot by day, hip cocktail bar and an arts venue by night. Great drinks and a Japanese-based menu. Grab a drink, and inevitably end up staying for the indie film screening or book launch that is happening in the bar.

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7. Employees Only, New York City

Employees Only - Cocktails 1

Famous speakeasy where patrons are encouraged to come for dinner and stay for drinks. Tucked behind a fortune teller, Employees Only has received commendation for its interpretation of cocktail classics. Busy, and for good reason.

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8. Blind Tiger Ale House, New York City

Blind Tiger Ale House Drink

A bonafide craft beer bar with an extensive brew menu. Also serves good pub-grub, like sandwiches and quesadillas. A worthy spot to sample beers and socialise whilst in Greenwich Village.

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9. Brandy Library, New York City

Brandy Library Bar

Bar with a substantial roster of brandies and cognac. A sophisticated space for mature and reserved purveyors of liquor. Spirit sommeliers are also on hand to pair patrons with their ideal drink. Reservations are encouraged.

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10. Radegast Hall and Biergarten, New York City

Radegast Interior

Williamsburg's rowdy beer hall with a regularly scheduled live brass band. People will be dancing on tables with beer and pretzels in hand. Plan on spending a lot of time here - it gets rowdy and you won't want to leave.

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11. Jupiter Disco, New York City

Jupiter Disco - Party 1

Neon-drenched speakeasy meets outer space. Come for the retro, sci-fi vibe, and stay for the dance parties, creative drinks, and solid sound system. A smaller venue with a proven atmosphere.

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12. Twins Lounge, New York City

Twins Lounge upstairs is bright and cottage -like.

Two bars in one venue that feel like a vintage pool lounge and disco bar found in the Poconos rolled into one. No-fuss good drinks lounge. The upstairs is brighter and calmer- downstairs is a little more vivacious.

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13. Goldie's, New York City

Goldie's - Drinks

Sleek Brooklyn bar boasting nostalgic, Vegas-lounge decor. Typically low-key, Goldie's pool table and Friday happy hour karaoke make for a change of pace from New York's more hectic venues. Book ahead for a spot.

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14. Art Bar, New York City

Art Bar Exterior

Interesting cozy bar in the East Village. There's art all over the place and an overall eclectic kind of grunge vibe to it 🖼. Also some outdoor seating for the summer and mulled wine for the winter.

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15. Attaboy, New York City

Attaboy Bar

The drinks are great but the cups they serve them in are even better and will literally have you feeling like a kid again... just with a cocktail. Intimate industrial space. Made the World's 50 Best Bars list.

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16. Lillie’s Victorian Establishment, New York City

Lillie’S Victorian Establishment Bottles

Stiff drinks in a bar inspired by the Victorian era gin palaces of England and Ireland. A quirky menu fits with the imported scotch and occasional art show. An eccentric dining and drinking venue dedicated to a historic socialite.

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17. Ponyboy, New York City

Interior of Ponyboy

North Brooklyn cocktail bar to underground disco to music hall to sushi – all in one place. Late-night gets really busy and you'll most likely wait in line. Pro tip: book a late-night reservation for some bites and stay for more dancing.

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18. The Spaniard, New York City

The Spaniard Burger

A horseshoe bar located in West Village that boasts a vintage New York vibe. They have a large whiskey offering, ample cocktails, and a standout burger. Reserve a booth for happy hour or dinner - or both.

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19. The Wren, New York City

The Wren Cocktails

Intimate bar in Lower Manhattan. Grab a casual lunch or dinner here and pair it with their Wren-Quila cocktail. A great spot for 'Happy Hour' and a worthy place to start any bar crawl adventures.

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20. Parcelle Chinatown, New York City

a restaurant with a wooden floor and black furniture

Intimate Chinatown wine bar behind a bold green facade, pouring hundreds of natural bottles into delicate Zalto glassware. Vintage furniture, upscale small plates, and quiet conversation fill the low-lit room.

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21. The Lions Bar & Grill, New York City

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Loud East Village corner bar pouring cold martinis and serving a signature dry-aged burger. The cramped, walk-in only room runs on 70s rock, with waits routinely stretching past an hour.

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22. INDN Small Plates & Cocktails, New York City

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Late-night NoMad bar mixing craft cocktails with fenugreek, pickle oil, and garam masala. The vibrant room runs on loud conversation and rounds of modern North Indian small plates.

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23. schmuck., New York City

drinks, chips, and a menu on a table

Two-room cocktail spot with the feel of a lively house party, complete with vintage couches and a loud soundtrack. The highly technical, culinary-driven drinks are the main draw – expect combinations like strawberry with parmesan or fennel

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24. The Long Hall Pub & Grocery, New York City

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Long, wood-paneled pub in Murray Hill lined with shelves of imported Irish groceries. Locals pack the stools for early morning soccer matches and proper pints of Guinness.

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25. Fáilte, New York City

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Rough-hewn Kips Bay tavern warmed by a wood-burning fireplace. Pints of Guinness circulate among pool players and post-movie crowds from the theater across the street.

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26. The Gem Saloon, New York City

a bar with stools and an american flag

Lively Murray Hill saloon built around a massive horseshoe bar. The room fills early for long weekday happy hours, then shifts to bottomless brunches, smash burgers, and late-night DJs on weekends.

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27. Turtle Bay Tavern, New York City

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Dimly lit sports tavern where locals watch the game from booths in the back. The kitchen serves smashed burgers and a BEC donut; the bar pours creative cocktails like the Irish Buck.

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28. Bar Snack, New York City

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Cozy, candlelit wine bar focused on natural French producers. The menu is tight and simple: just cheese, charcuterie, and other small plates designed to pair with a glass or two.

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29. Double Chicken Please, New York City

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Dual-concept cocktail bar where a back room serves drinks that taste like food – think Cold Pizza or Key Lime Pie. Its casual front room is for walk-ins, pouring tap cocktails and serving a standout hot honey fried chicken sandwich.

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30. Angel’s Share, New York City

a bar with a painting on the wall

Pioneering Japanese speakeasy where precise cocktails are served under a massive cherub mural. The room is intimate and dimly lit – arrive early to avoid the inevitable wait.

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31. Sip&Guzzle, New York City

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Lively street-level saloon pouring classic highballs and shochu cocktails. A separate staircase leads down to an intimate speakeasy for inventive, technique-driven drinks and modern izakaya fare.

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32. The Portrait Bar, New York City

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Intimate hotel bar with wood-paneled walls covered in portraits and a carved stone fireplace. Cocktails are globally inspired – think sesame-washed scotch and Martinis made with aguardiente.

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33. Superbueno, New York City

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Vibrant East Village cocktail bar pairing inventive drinks with Mexican street food-style small plates. The neon-lit room stays packed and loud, running on a steady cumbia soundtrack and rounds of mushroom margaritas.

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34. Mary O's, New York City

muffins on a cooling rack

Warm East Village pub pouring proper pints alongside weekly traditional Irish music sessions. Owner Mary O'Halloran works the floor, serving hearty shepherd's pie and fresh soda bread scones with Irish butter and blackberry jam.

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35. Banzarbar, New York City

a cocktail on a bar with a bottle of gin next to it

Twenty-seat cocktail bar hidden above Freemans, styled like an early 20th-century explorer's tavern. Thematic drinks are complex and aromatic – a tasting menu pairs low-ABV cocktails with small plates of seafood.

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36. StEight(behind KUNIYA HAIR), New York City

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Japanese speakeasy hidden behind a hair salon – an intimate room with only a dozen seats. Bartenders pour rare sakes and handcrafted cocktails to a soundtrack of vinyl jazz.

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37. Swift Hibernian Lounge, New York City

a pint of irish beer on a wooden table

Classic NoHo Irish pub skipping the sports screens in favor of salvaged church pews, dark wood, and steady conversation. Bartenders pull proper pints of Guinness and pour from a deep whiskey list as the back room fills up.

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38. McSorley’s Old Ale House, New York City

two mugs of beer on a wooden table

East Village ale house with sawdust on the floor and walls thick with memorabilia. The cash-only bar pours just two types of ale – light or dark – served two mugs at a time.

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39. Molly's Shebeen Bar + Restaurant, New York City

a pint of guinness sitting on a wooden table

Gramercy pub with sawdust on the floor, low beamed ceilings, and a working wood-burning fireplace. Pints of Guinness and plates of shepherd's pie slide across the mahogany bar while sports play on the screens.

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40. Pig n Whistle, New York City

a bar with a variety of drinks on a wooden table

Midtown Irish pub and rugby stronghold opening as early as 6 a.m. for international matches. Dark oak paneling fills two floors busy with shepherd's pie and pints of Guinness.

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41. Clemente Bar, New York City

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Intimate cocktail salon from the Eleven Madison Park team, where large murals by Francesco Clemente line the walls. The menu is entirely plant-based: technical cocktails in the lounge and a tasting menu at the nine-seat chef’s counter.

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42. Martiny’s, New York City

some oysters and a drink on a plate

Japanese cocktail bar set across two floors of a historic carriage house. Downstairs is a classic Ginza-style bar; upstairs, a cozier loft for meticulously crafted martinis and small plates.

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43. Paradise Lost, New York City

a room with couches and a chandelier

Maximalist East Village tiki bar channeling a tropical hellscape. Raucous surf punk fills the dark, cave-like room as elaborate cocktails arrive in custom demon mugs.

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44. Bar Kabawa, New York City

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Caribbean cocktail bar tucked into a quiet alley, pouring creative daiquiris and rum drinks from a rattan-fronted bar. The menu centers on West Indian patties; the soundtrack is high-energy and the custom paintings depict quiet island life.

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45. The Dead Rabbit, New York City

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Multi-level Financial District pub with a sawdust-floored tavern downstairs and a seated cocktail lounge above. Crowds pack the ground floor for Guinness and Irish coffee under a ceiling covered in stapled dollar bills.

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46. Lei, New York City

a plate of pasta and a glass of wine

Candlelit wine bar on a historic Chinatown alley, its walls lined with hundreds of low-intervention bottles. The space is tight: patrons sit elbow-to-elbow sharing modern Chinese plates and soy-braised short rib.

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47. Overstory, New York City

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Intimate cocktail lounge atop an Art Deco skyscraper, wrapped by a terrace with 360-degree skyline views. The menu is spirit-forward and creative – think tequila Old Fashioneds and clarified milk punches with Earl Grey and champagne.

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48. Reception Bar, New York City

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Minimalist bar crafting cocktails from soju infused with Korean botanicals – think white lotus and matcha. The intimate, peach-toned space also pours a full menu of non-alcoholic wellness elixirs.

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49. Spring (bar), New York City

three bottles of wine sitting on ice in a tray

Sleek Chinatown cocktail bar pouring surprising drinks and strong martinis. Most people come for the spacious backyard patio – the fried taro cake is the essential order.

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50. Happyfun Hideaway, New York City

two ice cream cones and a poodle statue in front of a bar

Tiki-themed queer dive with chaotic decor, frozen cocktails, and cheap shots. The large, no-frills backyard is the main hangout, with DJs spinning everything from 90s R&B to techno.

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