Lic Bar, Long Island City
There are some signs that this used to be a down-to-earth neighbourhood. One of those signs is LIC Bar (pictured above). The neon sign outside is like a port in the storm. No hipsters. No fancy décor. Just a solid wooden bar, brick walls and live music to get your drink on to. Recommended drink? A single malt scotch. licbar.com
Sunny’s, Brooklyn
Located right on the water, Sunny’s ‘back garden’ (cement yard with random folding chairs strewed haphazardly around) often has impromptu musical performances. The bar inside is festooned with tacky Christmas lights and Three Stooges statuettes. And the regulars are all zany locals who make visiting Red Hook the magical adventure that it is. Recommended drink? The strongest Dark & Stormy you’ve ever had outside of Jamaica. sunnysredhook.com
Grand Republic Cocktail Club, Brooklyn
Located on a quiet street close to Transmitter Park, this is an upscale cocktail pub wolf in dive bar sheep’s clothing. The cocktail menu is stupendous. Your recommended drink? The Salty Dog, made with gin, grapefruit juice and a salt rim. grandrepubliccocktailclub.com
Bar Veloce, Chelsea
This is centrally located enough to draw in just the sort of crowd that creates memorable, albeit totally random, bar conversations. This unassuming wine bar has one of the best happy hours in the city that only other New Yorkers seem to know about. It’s not the prices that make it great – it’s the offerings. Nowhere else will you get a half-priced glass of pinot noir or white burgundy that you would happily pay full price for. Recommended drink? Anything that the bartender recommends. winebarveloce.com
BG at Bergdorf Goodman, Midtown
This restaurant has sweeping views of Central Park and is a lovely hidden gem. A seat at the bar will afford you the feeling that you have been transformed somehow into Holly Golightly, one of the most iconic locals in film history. Recommended drink? Anything with Champagne. bergdorfgoodman.com
Keens Steakhouse, Midtown
Midtown Manhattan is not routinely where one goes for a ritzy night out. But this chophouse has been in business since 1885. Best known for its steaks, its world-famous mutton, and the wooden pipes which once belonged to figures like Albert Einstein, a seat at the bar is the best one in the house at Keens. The bartenders are the black- suited types straight out of central casting. Recommended rink? Try the dry gin martini with three olives. keens.com
Mar’s, Astoria
This is where Astorians go to unwind, thanks to its delicious Mediterranean menu (Astoria is a Greek dining mecca), robust offering of seasonal oysters, and comfortable atmosphere. Recommended drink? Whatever rosé the bartender recommends to go with your oyster selection. lifeatmars.com
Rudy’s Bar & Grill, Midtown West
It’s hard to miss Rudy’s. After all there is a ceramic pig stationed next to its front door. Rudy’s has been a Hell’s Kitchen staple since the 1930s. Its customer base has since evolved beyond the longshoremen the neighborhood used to be known for, but the cheap beer and free hot dogs pretty much remain the same. Recommended drink? A shot and a beer which, at Rudy’s, is Seagram’s 7 American Whiskey & a Rudy’s Blonde Draft for US$5. rudysbarnyc.com
The Long Island Bar, Brooklyn
This quaint eatery has been serving food and drink since 1951. It looks like a diner. The food is unpretentious but interesting – it has one of the best burgers in NYC – but the draw is the cocktails, thanks to co-owner Toby Cecchini, one of the most legendary bartenders in NY who is credited with inventing the Cosmopolitan. Recommended drink? The Long Island Gimlet. thelongislandbar.com
Cubbyhole, West Village
This is one of the few remaining lesbian bars in NYC. And it is also home to the world’s greatest jukebox. No idea why or how but the music here just sounds better. It is a friendly, warm, happy place – for the LGBTQ+ community, first and foremost, but also just anyone who wants to soak in the positive vibes. Recommended drink? Dyke Beer, locally brewed in Brooklyn. cubbyholebar.com
