“Straight-up delicioso” describes both the food and the scene at this ever-“trendy” SoHo Mexican comprising a “dive”-like taqueria, casual indoor/outdoor cafe and “ultracool”, hard-to-access underground grotto; the Williamsburg spin-off set in a “futuristic retro diner” comes equipped with a moody back room and “huge outdoor patio.” --Zagat
114 Kenmare St
SoHo
Classy Late Night Pickup Lively
Bar Restaurant
A “semi-speakeasy” behind a semi-hidden entrance, this “sceney” but “relaxed” West Villager ranks among the “all-time favorites” for “phenomenal cocktails” via “bartenders who treat their craft as an art”; since it “tends to get packed”, those in the know employ it as a “late-night alternative.” --Zagat
510 Hudson St
West Village
Chill Classy Fancy Late Night Lively
Bar Restaurant
Speakeasy-style bar in the East Village offering exotic cocktails in a cool, hard-to-find space.
8 Stuyvesant St
East Village
Chill Classy Speakeasy
Bar
“Mixology at its finest” is the draw at this “edgy” East Village speakeasy, a “super-dark”, no-standing hideaway offering “memorable” drinks served by a “pleasant” crew; even though it can be “a pain to get in” and it's “not cheap”, the payoff is “unique”, only-in-NY drinking. --Zagat
433 E 6th St
East Village
Classy Fancy Late Night Speakeasy
Bar
This “dark, secretive” Village basement “cocktails oasis” with a speakeasy vibe, serves “bespoke cocktails” that are “conversation pieces in and of themselves”; despite being “crazy expensive” (and cash-only) it's so “killer” that it's always busy – expect “a bit of a hassle to get a seat.” --Zagat
22 7th Ave S
West Village
Chill Classy Fancy Late Night Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
Upscale bar modeled after a vintage railway car with classic cocktails and homemade mixers.
W 11th St
West Village
Chill Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Bar
Turks and Frogs is the West Village’s wine bar, epitomizing all the intimacy and novelty of this neighborhood. Turks and Frogs offers a wine list that is the envy of other wine bars, both spanning the world and satisfying even the discerning lover of wine.
323 W 11th St
#2
West Village
Chill Classy Fancy Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
This “transformed” NoHo bistro’s latest iteration is a “pleasant surprise” offering “tasty” upmarket French-Italian dishes and “sophisticated” cocktails, downed by a “lively”, “trendy” crowd; with its downstairs lounge and “party” vibe, it “fits the neighborhood to a T.” --Zagat
9 Great Jones St
NoHo
Classy Club Fancy Social Late Night Lively Pickup Romantic
Bar Restaurant
Primo “people-watching” abounds at this “fun”, all-day Bowery Hotel Italian that lures “scenesters” with a “romantic”, “country-chic” setting festooned with “hundreds of candles”, plus a sidewalk patio; “tasty” fare, “attentive service” and “fair prices” make the “no-rez” policy (except for hotel guests) less of a drag. --Zagat
335 Bowery
East Village
Chill Classy Social Romantic
Bar Restaurant
Creative Mexican fare with Eastern flavors in hip surrounds with a retro vibe, booths & funky lamps.
151 Essex Street
Lower East Side
Classy Club Social Late Night Lively Pickup
Bar Restaurant
Accessed through a phone booth in Crif Dogs, this speakeasy-style East Village lair features bartending “experts” who whip up “fancy concoctions” (at “fancy prices”) in “intimate”, “taxidermied” digs; the initials stand for 'Please Don't Tell', but since “everyone's been told”, it's best to make advance reservations. --Zagat
113 St. Marks Place
East Village
Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Bar
“In-the-know” types like this Little Italy “mixology paradise”, an unmarked cellar speakeasy where “professional” barkeeps whip up “spectacular” bespoke cocktails “tailored to your taste”; it's a “nothing-fancy” space outdone by its “awesome back patio”, but that doesn't preclude occasional “door drama.” --Zagat
149 Mulberry St
Little Italy
Classy Late Night Pickup Speakeasy
Bar
Hip, rustic bar serving cocktails & Luzzo's pizza in a brick-lined space with Edison bulbs & TVs.
310 Bowery
East Village
Classy Late Night Lively Pickup Social
Bar
A meeting spot for early evening cocktails, this lounge at the 11 Howard hotel sets the mood with dark woods, rich velvets and flattering lighting. Later at night it’s geared toward exclusive parties. --Zagat
11 Howard St
SoHo
Chill Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Bar
The Dead Rabbit team is behind this Battery Park City resto-bar on Pier A, which harks back to the expat life in Havana with its highballs, punches and sours, accompanied by seafood-focused American fare. The space includes a wood-panelled main bar and a ‘lobby’ area. --Zagat
22 Battery Place
2nd Floor, Pier A Harbor House
Financial District
Chill Classy Fancy Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
While this Irish-inspired FiDi duplex has a “well-deserved” rep as a “cocktail mecca” with a “Bible” of “enviable” craft drinks, its “well-prepared” pub fare is “not just an afterthought”; manned by an “excellent” staff, the saloonish digs “get busy quickly” and “just need more elbow room” when it hops. --Zagat
30 Water St
Financial District
Chill Classy Lively Speakeasy
Bar
“Beautiful people” and random “Kardashians” populate this “trendy” Meatpacking “scene” for “very good” seafood in a sprawling, “pumping” duplex with a rooftop lounge; “expensive” tabs aside, it’s “good for groups.” --Zagat
21 9th Ave
Meatpacking District
Chill Classy Fancy
Restaurant Bar
A “neat find” down a “dark alley”, this atmospheric LES lounge “feels like a real speakeasy” with cocktails served in teacups and “beers covered in paper bags” -- “in case the Prohibition agents bust through the door”; though hardly hush-hush at this point, it maintains its “underground vibe” if you're “willing to play the game.” --Zagat
102 Norfolk St
Lower East Side
Chill Classy Late Night Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
This SoHo cocktail bar pours updated takes on classic drinks, plus a no-risk Bartender's Choice (you can send it back if it's not your thing). Short-rib sliders and other rich plates are also on offer in the downstairs space, designed with a mix of clean lines and weathered fixtures. --Zagat
158 Lafayette St
SoHo
Chill Classy Fancy Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
This “stylish” “trendsetter” in the NoMad Hotel draws a “chic crowd” that’s “blown away” by Daniel Humm’s “superb” American-European menu (the roast chicken is “one for the books”); “spot-on service” and a “beautifully designed” space spread out over several cozy rooms help distract from the “heavy” tabs. --Zagat
10 W 28th St
NoMad
Chill Classy Fancy Romantic Speakeasy
Restaurant Bar
The Bar Room at Tom Colicchio’s Temple Court is located beneath The Beekman’s stunning, nine-story Victorian era atrium and offers a singular New York setting to enjoy a list of handcrafted cocktails alongside an all-day menu. With plush lounge seating and a distinctly old New York feel, The Bar Room at Temple Court is a new entry in New York City’s canon of destination bars.
5 Beekman St
Financial District
Chill Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Restaurant Bar
Stylish, sophisticated bistro with imaginative New American plates, craft beer & cocktails. --Zagat
117 E 60th St
Midtown East
Chill Classy Speakeasy
Restaurant Bar
A “secret gem” on a “random” Chinatown side street, this “fancy” lounge tricked out like an “old pharmacy” features “talented mixologists” in “cool lab coats” showing off “mad scientist” skills as they “serve up your medicine” via “serious” designer cocktails; if you can swallow the “premium cost”, it's a “really sweet spot” to “drop the dollars.” --Zagat
9 Doyers St
#1
Chinatown
Classy Fancy Late Night Lively Pickup Speakeasy Chill
Bar
An Acme vet is behind this retro West Village lounge evoking midcentury cocktail culture in distinct spaces: a horseshoe bar and tiki-inspired dining area on the main floor and a jazzy intimate bar down below. Small bites and burgers accompany classic or signature cocktails, the latter of which can be made with any spirit. P.S. there's also a retro cocktail bar downstairs called Slowly Shirley. --Zagat
121 W 10th St
West Village
Classy Fancy Late Night Lively Romantic Speakeasy
Bar
Behind an “extra-cool” hidden entrance in a pawn shop, this “vibrant” LES resto-lounge draws a “glam crowd” to “splurge” on “imaginative” New American bites in a bi-level space that “truly is a beauty”; if you “don’t mind a bit of shameless trendiness” (free champagne in the ladies’ room is a “nice touch”), it “does impress.” --Zagat
146 Essex Street
Lower East Side
Classy Club Fancy Late Night Lively Pickup Social Speakeasy
Bar Restaurant
“Go with a group” and “order everything” say fans at this LES New American that puts a “creative spin on classic dishes” via “delicious” share plates; the sleek duplex space may “no longer be a place to be seen”, but it remains “lively”, with an “especially good brunch” and many who “still love the vibe.” --Zagat
99 Stanton Street
Lower East Side
Chill Classy Fancy Late Night Lively Speakeasy
Bar Restaurant
This UWS cocktail bar hides behind a secret door upstairs from Australian restaurant Burke & Wills. The clubhouse-style parlor sports swanky, old-world charm with cricket memorabilia and personal liquor lockers, while mixologists shake and stir up a combination of traditional and inventive cocktails, like a salt-and-peppery interpretation of the Bloody Mary. --Zagat
226 West 79th Street
Upper West Side
Chill Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Bar
Underground lounge where dark nooks & a waterfall lend a romantic, intimate vibe.
65 W 70th St
Upper West Side
Chill Classy Romantic
Restaurant Bar
Audrey Saunders' SoHo temple to the “science of haute cocktails” “lives up to its reputation” with a “can't-go-wrong” drink menu “cleverly concocted” by “experienced” hands behind the bar; nestled in a “swanky” upstairs space that transports you to a “former British colony”, it's an “expensive” but “fantastic” place to socialize or take a “dressed-up date.” --Zagat
77 West Houston Street
SoHo
Chill Classy Fancy Speakeasy
Bar
“Dimly lit”, exposed-brick quarters with a cool “catacombs vibe” set the scene for “tantalizing” specialty drinks via a “solicitous” staff at this subterranean Chelsea Market bar; the “ample space” can get “crowded” and “frenetic” come the weekend, though school nights are “surprisingly chill” and “conversation-friendly.”
425 West 15th Street
Chelsea
Chill Classy Late Night Social
Bar
Classic martinis & bar snacks in a dimly lit, underground cocktail bar with Art Deco decor.
121 W 10th St
West Village
Chill Classy Late Night Speakeasy
Bar
Miami vibe cocktail bar and restaurant with chill vibes, and great rooftop views. Social and young scene with fantastic drinks.
23 Lexington Ave
Kips Bay
Classy Fancy Lively Social
Restaurant Bar
Like a “garden party” nested atop Chelsea’s guestless McKittrick Hotel (actually a stage set for the interactive theater piece Sleep No More), this “stellar” roof bar delivers “a dash of the unusual” thanks to a rustic setting lush with greenery combined with “delicious” cocktails, notably punch by the bowlful; sure, it’s “pricey”, but its show-going crowd calls it “a lovely place for a splurge.”
542 W 27th St
Chelsea
Chill Classy Fancy Late Night
Restaurant Bar