Best cocktail bars for a date in New York
A proper drink between dinner and dessert.
226 spots · Jump to the list
These are bars you go to for the drinks themselves — a considered menu, careful technique, a bartender who can make you something that isn't on it. They sit best in the middle of a night: after dinner, before dessert, or as the nightcap. Restaurants with a strong bar are on the restaurant lists instead.
This guide ranks 226 cocktail bars in New York, from East Village / LES to Midtown Manhattan and Williamsburg. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
The Woo Woo
4.4(14)Midtown Manhattan · $$
Jac’s On Bond
4.4(12)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
The Hidden Pearl
4.4(10)Greenpoint · $$
Kissa Kissa
4.4(9)Prospect Heights / Crown Heights · $$
sourmouse
4.4(8)East Village / LES · $$
Brandy Library
4.4(8)Tribeca · $$$$
Brandy's Piano Bar
4.4(7)Upper East Side · $
Pokito
4.4(7)Williamsburg · $$
Mosaic
4.4(5)Astoria / Long Island City · $$
HiLot
4.4(5)East Village / LES · $$
Patent Pending
4.4(5)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$
Dutch Fred’s
4.4(5)Midtown Manhattan · $$
ART Rooftop Bar at Arlo Midtown
4.4(5)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
The Cabinet Mezcal Bar
4.3(26)East Village / LES · $$$
Layla
4.3(25)Williamsburg · $$
Bar Americano
4.3(23)Williamsburg · $$
Raines Law Room at The William
4.3(21)Midtown Manhattan
Golden Ratio
4.3(21)Fort Greene · $$$
Bar Milagro
4.3(20)Williamsburg · $$
Book Club Bar
4.3(20)East Village / LES
The Wallace Lounge
4.3(19)Upper West Side · $$$$
The Owl's Tail
4.3(18)Upper West Side · $$
Maggie Hall’s
4.3(16)Astoria / Long Island City · $$
Bar Goto Niban
4.3(15)Park Slope / Gowanus · $$
Showing 97–120 of 226 spots
Good to know
- What's the best cocktail bar in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is The Woo Woo in Midtown Manhattan, rated 4.4 out of 5. Jac’s On Bond and The Hidden Pearl round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best cocktail bars?
- East Village / LES (4), Midtown Manhattan (4) and Williamsburg (4) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable cocktail bars in New York?
- Yes — The Woo Woo, Jac’s On Bond and The Hidden Pearl are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. HiLot and Bar Goto Niban take walk-ins.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a cocktail night: dinner, then cocktails, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.