Best cocktail bars for a date in New York
A proper drink between dinner and dessert.
224 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 224 cocktail bars in New York, from East Village / LES to Midtown Manhattan and West Village / Greenwich Village. 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 Hidden Tiger
4.3(11)East Village / LES · $$
Kingston Hall
4.3(11)East Village / LES · $$
Hidden Lane Bar
4.3(9)Flatiron / Gramercy · $
Sunrise/Sunset
4.3(8)Bushwick / Ridgewood · $
The Garret (West Village)
4.3(8)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$
Bar Fiori
4.3(6)Midtown Manhattan · $$
Lantern’s Keep
4.3(6)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Saint Tuesday
4.2(25)Tribeca · $$$
Superbueno
4.2(23)East Village / LES · $$
Attaboy
4.2(20)East Village / LES · $$$
Employees Only
4.2(13)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$
King Cole Bar
4.2(11)Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Westlight
4.2(9)Williamsburg · $$$
Martiny’s
4.2(6)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$$
Bar Nena
4.1(25)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$
Maracuja
4.1(20)Williamsburg · $$
Randolph's Bar & Lounge
4.1(17)Midtown Manhattan
Arlo Williamsburg
4.1(14)Williamsburg · $$$$
Jac’s On Bond
4.1(12)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
The Mark Bar
4.1(9)Upper East Side
Artechouse
4.1(9)Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen · $
Milady's
4.0(25)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$$
Little Rebel
4.0(23)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$
The Parkgate
4.0(23)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$
Showing 145–168 of 224 spots
Good to know
- What's the best cocktail bar in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is The Hidden Tiger in East Village / LES, rated 4.3 out of 5. Kingston Hall and Hidden Lane Bar round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best cocktail bars?
- East Village / LES (4), Midtown Manhattan (4) and West Village / Greenwich Village (4) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable cocktail bars in New York?
- Yes — The Hidden Tiger, Kingston Hall and Hidden Lane Bar are all $$ or under.
- 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.