New York City is home to the best bars in the world, from high end cocktail bars to jaw-dropping rooftop bars, to chic wine bars and iconic dive bars. New bars open in New York City every week, but the city is also home to several historic bars that are more than a hundred years old, and have stood the test of time. 

After living in New York City for nearly two years, and working in hospitality for a decade, I’ve written this guide to the best bars in New York City to share the best of the city’s incredibly diverse and exciting bar scene. There is something for everyone in this guide, whether you’re snagging a reservation at world-renowned Death & Co, taking in the Manhattan skyline from Westlight or stepping back in time at New York City’s oldest bar, McSorley’s Old Ale House.

This New York City bar guide starts with 5 of the best bars I’d recommend to any visitor looking for the “best of the best”, and the rest of the guide is arranged by style of bar, so you can find a few suggestions for the best cocktail bars, rooftop bars, wine bars, waterfront bars, historic bars, dive bars and beer gardens.

Top 5 Best Bars in NYC (Start here!)

These are the five bars I’d recommend first, to any visitor to New York City. They’re some of the city’s best, and cover a range of experiences, from moody cocktail bars to glamorous rooftop bars, and even a bar on a boat (if you’re visiting in the warmer months). 

• Best Cocktail Bars: 
• Best Rooftop Bars:
• Best Waterfront Bar

Best Cocktail Bars in New York City

Employees Only

For more than twenty years, Employees Only has been recognised as one of the very best bars in New York City. The entrance is via a psychic’s parlour, and while it may have helped to kickstart the hidden bar & speakeasy renaissance, it is so much more than a gimmicky entrance. 

The atmosphere is impeccable, and effortlessly cool, even when it’s packed to the gills – which is most Friday and Saturday nights. This is the perfect spot for a drink after dinner in West Village, but expect a queue, or at very least, for it to be standing room only.

Reservations are essential for securing a table, but are only for guests who will be dining. If you’re just after cocktails, you’ll need to walk-in.

Maison Premiere

Inspired by the cocktail and oyster bars of New Orleans, Maison Premiere serves some of the best cocktails in New York City, alongside one of the most extensive oyster menus in town. Located in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, Maison Premiere feels like an old-timey saloon on the inside, and a garden party in its leafy courtyard.

I love the oyster tasting plate – you’ll get two of every oyster, lined up from coast to coast around the platter.

Death & Co

Death & Co is one of the biggest names in the cocktail world, and with good reason. The renowned cocktail bar in East Village has been a tastemaker and thought leader in hospitality for years. Expect that you will need to wait if you visit during peak times, as there’s no standing room in the bar – every guest is seated, which makes for a much better experience once you finally get in.

All of the bartenders are truly at the top of their game, with the spots behind the bar some of the most coveted bar positions in the country – every bartender contributes to their thoughtful and creative menus which change seasonally.

It’s hard to go past the menu, but for a truly memorable experience, let the bartender ask you a few simple questions, to find the perfect cocktail, tailored to your tastes.

Dante

Dante is a West Village darling, and became a household name in Manhattan when it was named one of the 50 Best Bars in the World, shortly after opening. Dante is Australian-owned, but old New York inspired, with an Italian-American flair. Their patio is the place to be on a sunny day, but it’s a local favourite year-round, whether for cocktails, dinner or brunch.

Bar Goto

Bar Goto is a tiny, Japanese cocktail bar, serving the best cocktails on the Lower East Side. Every cocktail at Bar Goto is presented like a work of art, and it has a chic, understated ambience. It’s very small, and only accepts walk-ins, so if you arrive during peak times (which run late into the night), you might face a wait.

The Dead Rabbit

The Dead Rabbit made waves when it first opened in New York City, and was soon awarded the Best Bar in the World – no small feat! Tucked away in the Financial District, the Dead Rabbit is a world-class watering hole in a bit of a hospitality desert. It’s an Irish themed bar and pub, with traditional Irish food and drinks, alongside impeccable cocktails, which put it on the map.

Best Rooftop Bars in New York City

Westlight

The best rooftop bar in New York City is not in Manhattan, but in Brooklyn! Westlight is a rooftop bar in Williamsburg, atop the William Value Hotel, with the best views of the Manhattan skyline that you’ll find anywhere.

Westlight does allow reservations, but only for indoor tables – and outside is where you really want to be. The walls are glass, but the best views are from the outside tables. Unfortunately, the queue on weekends is hours long, so if you’re visiting New York City during the week, take advantage and head up on a weekday afternoon.

The Broken Shaker

The Broken Shaker is a beautiful, Caribbean-inspired rooftop bar, that was born as a pop up in Miami and now has outposts around the worldl. Along the way, it’s collected some of the top industry awards, including being recognised as one of the World’s 50 Best Bars. 

The New York City outpost of the Broken Shaker is a stylish rooftop bar on top of the Freehand Hotel in Gramercy, a chic neighbourhood that’s off the tourist trail. The cocktails and atmosphere are exceptional, it’s one of my favourite spots.

Mr Purple

If you’re after a scene-y New York City rooftop bar, look no further. Located on the Lower East Side, on top of Hotel Indigo, Mr Purple is one of the best rooftop bars in New York City, even if it does have a slight attitude problem. Part of its charm! This is the spot if you want “downtown hotspot” vibes, but you’ll need to dress the part. Reservations are recommended.

Le Bain at The Standard

Le Bain is the best rooftop bar in the Meatpacking District, a neighbourhood jammed with rooftop bars and restaurants. Le Bain comes out on top thanks to its Hudson River views, and summery, day party vibes. You’re in the middle of a concrete jungle, but it feels like there should be a beach ball bopping around. Expect queues and crowds, but it’s a great spot to soak up the sunshine (and solid cocktails!). Le Bain is on the rooftop bar of The Standard Hotel.

Best Wine Bars in New York City

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels is the best wine bar in New York City. Located in SoHo, La Compagnie hails from Paris, but there’s absolutely no pretentiousness here. You can splurge on something super special, or enjoy affordable but interesting wines by the glass. Don’t be shy, the bartenders here are super knowledgeable and love helping people find their perfect drop!

Fairfax

Fairfax is an all-day wine bar & cafe in West Village, that feels a bit like you’ve been invited into someone’s living room. It’s cosy, stylish and yet also low key, and is a great spot for a pre or post dinner drink in West Village.

Corkbuzz

Corkbuzz is a cute wine bar inside Chelsea Market, and the best wine bar in the Meatpacking District. They have an excellent range of wines by the glass, and some great snacks to go with it.

Best Waterfront Bars in New York City

Grand Banks

The best waterfront bar in New York City is naturally, on a boat! If you’re in New York during the warmer months, head to Grand Banks, docked at Pier 25 in Tribeca. The bar-on-a-boat is technically a museum, and I’ve heard there’s some displays in the lower half of the boat ticking off this requirement. It gets super busy, so make a reservation or be prepared to wait, but it’s worth the wait on a beautiful day. If you squint, you can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance!

City Vineyard

City Vineyard is a casual restaurant with a rooftop on the Hudson River waterfront, at Pier 26. It’s always busy when the weather is nice, but is larger and easier to get a spot at than Grand Banks – it’s nearby, so it’s a good spot to hang out while you wait.  It’s popular with groups and corporate crowds, and one of the best spots to enjoy a drink by the water.

Frying Pan

Frying Pan (formerly known as the Light Ship Frying Pan) is a bar on a barge, docked near Pier 66 in Chelsea. It’s very casual, and used to be quite rowdy, but these days is a bit more laidback, and another great spot to get on the water – albeit in a much more casual environs than Grand Banks or City Vineyard.

Best Historic Bars in New York City

Grand Central Oyster Bar

Grand Central Oyster Bar is one of the best historic bars in New York City, buried underneath Grand Central Station in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Dating back to 1913, Grand Central Oyster Bar is one of the most historic bars in New York City, and surely one of the most beautiful.

The Guastavino vaulted ceilings are finished in a mesmerising herringbone tile, which continues to impress and confound in equal measure today – just a few years ago, the bar won the James Beard Design Icon award, at the ripe old age of 104.

There are more than thirty wines by the glass, with plenty of sparkling and white wines that will go perfectly with oysters. The oyster menu is extensive, surprisingly affordable, and you can order single oysters, which means you can devise your own oyster tasting plate!

At time of writing, Grand Central Oyster Bar is open Monday-Friday, I recommend double checking opening hours before visiting.

McSorley’s Old Ale House

Established in 1854, McSorley’s Old Ale House is the most historic bar in New York City, and the oldest continually operating saloon in the city. You truly feel like you’ve stepped back in time at McSorley’s, from the bar crowded with old fashioned equipment and memorabilia, to the 6-oz beer steins, to the layer of sawdust that coats the floor. 

Your beverage options are also straight from 1854, with the choice of “light or dark”: the house ale or a porter. Having a drink at McSorley’s is an experience you won’t forget, and nearly two hundred years after opening, it’s still packed every weekend.

The Campbell

Step into the Jazz Age at The Campbell, an elegant cocktail bar hidden inside Grand Central Station. In the 1920s, it was the office and private reception hall of financier John William Campbell. Today The Campbell is one of the most beautiful and historic cocktail bars in New York City. 

The Campbell was also a filming location for Gossip Girl, used as the setting for a scene in the series premiere.

Old Town Bar

Dating back to 1901, Old Town Bar is one of the oldest continuously operating bars in New York City. With dark, moody interiors, a marble and mahogany bar and pressed tin ceilings, it feels like time has stood still at this historic Flatiron District bar.

It’s been used as a filming location for films, tv series including Sex And The City, Gossip Girl and Mad About You, and even in a Madonna music video!

Old Town Bar was a Sex & The City filming location for Episode 1 of Season 2, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, in the scene where Carrie runs into Mr Big, while she’s on a date with the New Yankee. It was also used as the filming location for an episode of Gossip Girl in Seaosn 4, where Serena goes on a date on Valentine’s Day.

Best Dive Bars in New York City 

Spring Lounge

Spring Lounge is the best dive bar in New York City, and has been a locally beloved hangout since it opened in the 1920s. Known to locals as “shark bar” for the replica sharks mounted to the walls, Spring Lounge is the perfect laidback spot for a drink in trendy downtown Manhattan. 

Spring Lounge is in Nolita, a neighbourhood I lived in for nearly two years, so it used to be my local! I was the Director of PR & Marketing for a fine dining restaurant group in New York City, so Spring Lounge was the perfect place to relax at a bar…without thinking about work the whole time!

Tom & Jerry’s

Not far from Spring Lounge, in NoHo, Tom & Jerry’s is another perfect New York City dive bar. Tom & Jerry’s opened in the 1990s, and feels like the quintessential neighbourhodo dive – in the best possible way! We used to go here quite a bit when we lived in New York City, it’s generally pretty laidback in the day time and gets quite busy at night. I also recognised it when watching Girls recently, its used as a filming location in Season 1, Episode 2.

Tom & Jerry’s is cash only.

Whiskey Tavern

Whiskey Tavern is a lively neighbourhood dive bar in Chinatown, opposite the city jail, which David and I have always loved visiting, from the first time we stumbled upon it during our first trip to New York City, to the warm welcome they gave us when we first moved to the city. 

They’ve got a broad selection of bar snacks and burgers, so it’s one of the few dive bars where you can also soak up the booze with some (salty, deep fried) snacks. My favourite is the tater tots, something you can’t get in bars in Australia (at home, they live in the freezer aisle as “potato gems”, but they’re truly destined to be served in dive bars).

To go all in, try a pickleback, which is a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice brine. An acquired taste for sure, but a dive bar classic. 

Best Breweries & Beer Gardens in New York City 

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn Brewery is the best brewery in New York City, and the most impressive visitor experience. The tasting room at Brooklyn Brewery is a hugely popular hangout in Williamsburg, and is packed on weekends. Check their opening hours before you visit, as the hours vary each day.

Radegast Beer Hall & Biergarten

Radegest Beer Hall & Biergarten is a traditional Austro-Hungarian biergarten in the heart of Williamsburg. Alongside a wide range of all the traditional beers you’d expect, they also have a range of wine & cocktails, for my fellow non beer drinkers. There’s a smoker in the beer garden, and an extensive menu with the likes of schnitzel, bratwurst, pretzels and sandwiches. I’ve visited a few times and it’s always been a great vibe.

Further Reading

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