My Bartender
New York City has more than 2,500 fun places to get drinks. The most ambitious drinker couldn’t hope to visit each one with their livers intact.
However, the city features some of the greatest bars in the World, can’t-miss destinations certain to delight every visitor. While New York doesn’t sleep, most of us do.
This list provides glimpses at the 23 best bars in Manhattan, NYC. Each of these pubs provides a unique and entirely New York experience.
The Dead Rabbit
30 Water St, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (248) 250-3690
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Don’t let the ominous name scare you away from The Dead Rabbit. No actual mammals were harmed in developing one of the World’s premier Irish-American bars.
Jack McGarry strove to fuse American and Irish cultures into one cohesive whole when he opened the bar in 2013. The Dead Rabbit offers three unique tavern environments on the five floors of a 19th-century townhouse.
The Dead Rabbit has an impressive cocktail menu featuring global drinks and Irish specialties. The food combines the best elements of American pub grub with a distinctly European flair.
Mace
Multiple Locations
Phone: (347) 866-7739
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Nico de Soto opened Mace in 2015 and immediately began earning fans and acclaim. The cocktail bar’s single-minded focus on incorporating hand-picked seasonings and spices consistently lands on worldwide best bars lists.
Mace isn’t a casual, local watering hole. The establishment challenges visitors’ notions of mixed drinks, providing fresh, unexpected takes on cocktails accompanied by gourmet small dishes.
Bemelmans Bar
35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 744-1600
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Bemelmans Bar captures the platonic ideal of the elegant bars featured in old movies and books. The pub features murals crafted by Ludwig Bemelmans, who created the “Madeline” book series.
Bemelmans invites guests to enjoy live piano music while enjoying top-shelf cocktails. The setting is smart and elegant; after 5:30 pm, Bemelmans requires male patrons to wear collared shirts and prohibits shorts and hats.
Sunken Harbor Club
372 Fulton St, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (347) 689-3677
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Despite what the name suggests, the Sunken Harbor Club is located at sea level in the Gage & Tollner building. The Brooklyn bar allows patrons to enjoy nautical fun without leaving shore.
Leave the Dramamine at home and enjoy one of Sunken Harbors tropics-inspired cocktails. The mixed drink menu is vast; however, the beer selection is minimal.
The Sunken Club offers a limited food menu to soak up some of the libations.
McSorley’s Old Ale House
15 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 473-9148
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Stop by the atm before visiting McSorley’s Old Ale House. The blue-collar Irish bar is cash only, an early indicator of the pub’s working-class ethos.
McSorley’s has been a New York institution since 1854. The pub welcomes all and has inspired plays, paintings, and a poem by e.e. Cummings.
Located in the East Village, McSorley’s makes its ale. The bar serves simple, hearty Irish-American food. Truly one of the best places to go out.
The Honey Well
3604 Broadway, New York, NY 10031
Phone: (646) 861-0489
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The Honey Well perfectly embodies effortless Harlem cool. The bar offers indoor seating in its modern interior or outdoor seating in the backyard garden.
The Honey Well runs a happy hour daily from 4 to 6 pm, where guests enjoy 11-dollar classic cocktails and 1-dollar deviled eggs.
BAR GOTO
245 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
Phone: (212) 475-4411
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Bar Goto is the Lower East Side’s premiere Japanese tavern. The establishment has won multiple awards and has been named one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and one of the World’s Best Bars.
Bar Goto’s menu is vast, including a wide array of cocktails and sake. The elegant pub serves hungry guests delicious Japanese cuisine.
TALEA Beer Co.
Multiple Locations
Phone: (347) 799-1281
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Talea’s founders created the brewery in 2021 as an alternative to the often insular World of craft brewing. The company makes easy-drinking beers that refute the notion that quality brews need to challenge drinkers.
Located in Williamsburg and Cobble Hill, Talea is a brightly lit, welcoming space. The beer list is appropriately vast and includes an ale for every taste.
The tap rooms offer small plates to nosh on while you hang out. TALEA is another fun place to go out.
The Bar Room at The Beekman
123 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038
Phone: (212) 658-1848
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The Bar Room at the Beekman transports visitors back in time to old New York. The understatedly elegant bar sits beneath a nine-story Victorian atrium and serves signature cocktails and elegant fare.
The establishment has an impressive cocktail menu, blending beloved favorites with innovative soon-to-be classics. Make reservations before your visit to ensure you can enjoy the multi-course food menu.
Clover Club
210 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 855-7939
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The Clover Club shares a name and ethos with a group of Philadelphia journalists. These members of the fourth estate met to drink and relax between 1882 and 1920; the Brooklyn bar aims to emulate the reporters’ pursuit of ease and comfort.
The Clover Club makes elegant, classic cocktails with a modern twist. The mixed drink menu is broken down into several subcategories to help guide guests to their ideal drink.
Clover Club offers hungry visitors small plates, full meals, and bar munchies.
Katana Kitten
531 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
Phone: (347) 866-7739
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Katana Kitten mixes classic Izakaya fare with traditional American cuisine. The modern, fun bar sits on the upper floor of a duel level building.
Katana Kitten fits perfectly into the effortless cool environment of Greenwich Village. The hip pub has been named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022, as well as one of North America’s 50 Best Bars.
If you want to know where to get a drink, Katana Kitten’s cocktail menu is full of delicious, inspired, and whimsical drinks, including an entire section dedicated to boilermakers.
Overstory
70 Pine St 64th Floor, New York, NY 10005
Phone: (212) 339-3963
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Overstory is no place for acrophobia drinkers, but for visitors who love heights, you can’t beat the bar’s view. Overstory sits on the 64th floor, looking out over the Financial District.
Overstory is not a cheap evening out. The bar has a 50-dollar food and drink minimum per customer. The tavern provides a vast cocktail menu guests can enjoy on the wrap-around terrace.
Overstory’s food menu is limited but posh.
Fraunces Tavern
54 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (212) 968-1776
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Fraunces Tavern has a rich historical pedigree. The bar traces its roots back to 1762, making it New York’s oldest tavern. The founding fathers partook of Fraunces Tavern’s libations, and surely a beer fitting George Washington is good enough for the rest of us.
The tavern has ample room for patrons to enjoy their drinks. The food is hearty and filling; the Fraunces Tavern is a can’t-miss for history buffs and beer aficionados.
Death & Company
433 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009
Phone: (212) 388-0882
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Death & Company auspiciously announced its New York arrival on New Year’s Eve, 2006. The East Village institution crafts artisanal cocktails and serves immaculate cuisine.
Despite the ominous name, Death & Company welcomes drinkers with open arms. Get to the bar early; it fills up quickly. The institution divides its vast cocktail menu by mood and attitude.
The food menu provides elegant twists on pub favorites.
The Campbell
15 Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (917) 209-3440
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The Campbell bar is the opulent star of the Grand Central Terminal. The establishment is the picture of indulgence, featuring three lush experiences.
Patrons can sip drinks in The Campbell Palm Court, The Campbell Terrace, or The Campbell bar. Each tavern section features original and restored pieces from John W. Campbell’s 1923 office and reception hall.
The menu features a full collection of classic cocktails and several house specialties.
Attaboy
134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
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Michael McIlroy and Sam Ross opened Attaboy to serve good cocktails in a comfortable environment. The bar welcomes all patrons, refuting the often elitist nature of many cocktail bars.
Attaboy is a small, cozy neighborhood establishment with a full complement of unique and classic mixed drinks. The bar offers reasonably priced pub food for hungry visitors.
Pebble Bar
67 W 49th St, New York, NY 10112
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Pebble Bar resides in the beating heart of New York City, on the second, third, and fourth floors of a Rockefeller Center townhouse.
A group of celebrated New York hospitality specialists opened the bar in 2022. The tavern’s aim was simple: be a cool hangout welcoming artists and dreamers.
Pebble Bar specializes in unique and fun cocktails. The establishment serves small plates to patrons hoping for a nibble.
Good Judy
563 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
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Good Judy is a diverse and inclusive space in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The queer bar welcomes everyone, providing a safe area for visitors to mingle and drink.
Good Judy’s hosts a slew of events and has plenty of space and activities to pass a pleasant evening. Visitors can enjoy the patio and piano bar while sipping one of the tavern’s whimsical cocktails.
Bar Blondeau
80 Wythe Ave 6th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Phone: (718) 460-8006
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Bar Blondeau sits on the Wythe Hotel’s sixth floor. The Williamsburg institution invites guests to enjoy a brilliant view of the city while sipping superior cocktails.
The bar features European-inspired fare. Spain, Portugal, and France contribute unique flavors to the seafood-centric menu. Bar Blondeau offers a long list of unique cocktails full of European tastes.
Please Don’t Tell
113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
Phone: (212) 614-0386
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Visitors to Please Don’t Tell enter an immersive East Village speak-easy experience. Visitors enter the dark, intimate bar through a phone booth.
Please Don’t Tell allows guests to experience the elicit thrill of prohibition without breaking any laws. The menu features plenty of unusual cocktails.
Please Don’t Tell offers peckish guests several variations of burgers, hotdogs, and tater tots.
Panorama Room
22 N Loop Rd, New York, NY 10044
Phone: (929) 447-4717
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The Graduate Hotel provides the Panorama Room with a stunning view. The bar sits on the 18th floor, offering patrons a remarkable glimpse of the city.
The bar’s specialty is carefully-mixed artisanal cocktails. The food menu features a full raw bar and a wide selection of gourmet cuisine.
Holywater
112 Reade St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 466-6892
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Holywater transplants the unique experience of drinking in a New Orleans bar to New York City. The cozy, eclectic pub invites visitors to enjoy a little piece of the Big Easy through food and drink.
The cocktail list highlights drinks from New York and NOLA. The food menu honors the Louisiana influence by featuring lots of quality seafood.
Pocket Bar NYC
455 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (646) 682-9062
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Pocket Bar NYC is a quirky, Instagram-perfect bar. The cozy Hell’s Kitchen establishment welcomes guests into the intimate location.
Pocket Bar NYC has a respectable beer and wine list. Hungry guests can nosh on a charcuterie board featuring cheese and salami.
Opened in 2014, Pocket Bar is celebrated for its Sangria and generous pours.
Final Thoughts
New York has enough bars to keep a drinker busy for a lifetime. However, this list allows you to save your liver a little distress without missing out on essential Manhattan experiences. These bars in Manhattan, NYC, serve great drinks in unique settings.
Let us know what bars you can’t wait to visit or where your go-to watering hole is in the comments!
Best Bars in Manhattan NYC
- The Dead Rabbit
- Mace
- Bemelmans Bar
- Sunken Harbor Club
- McSorley’s Old Ale House
- The Honey Well
- BAR GOTO
- TALEA Beer Co.
- The Bar Room at The Beekman
- Clover Club
- Katana Kitten
- Overstory
- Fraunces Tavern
- Death & Company
- The Campbell
- Attaboy
- Pebble Bar
- Good Judy
- Bar Blondeau
- Please Don’t Tell
- Panorama Room
- Holywater
- Pocket Bar NYC
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