4 girls going to the city for the weekend... We are looking for the all time best bars to go to. We'd like trendy or just plain fun. Any suggestions?

I live here and can never seem to decide where to go b/c there are just so many options. Some sites to check out: www.sheckys.com, www.digitalcity.com, www.citysearch.com
Hope that helps!

how is Pravda?

Pravda is a subterranean "Russian" martini bar on Lafayette just south of Houston. It used to be a "scene," back in 1999 or so -- now it's still a fun place, but occasionally a little heavy on eurotrash.

Without more info on your preferences/neighborhoods/definition of "fun/budget, it's just about impossible to suggest "all time best bars" in New York -- there are thousands of options. Can you be more specific? For example, what age/type of crowd are you looking for?

There are a few places in the Meatpacking that are really happening... what kind of scene are you looking for?

The meatpacking district is definitely on the decline; particularly on Friday & Saturday amateur nights, it's overrun.

(When my tourist friends start asking about a particular area or spot, I know it's done, and that happened to me last week with meatpacking.)

Pravda is still great for a girls' night out - great atmosphere, EXCELLENT drinks. Not as trendy as it used to be, but that means you can actually get a seat and hear your friends talk.

I've not been but NA has one heck of a PR department. I've seen 'around town' paparrazi photos there a zillion times.

Chris Noth is one of the owners.

Meatpacking: True for Friday/Sat night -- but that's true anywhere in the city on the weekend. So if your only choice is the weekend, well, then I'd rather spend it at Spice Market having drinks and great food than many other really "done", "has been" places (read: Soho) around this wonderful town.

well we'd like a 30ish crowd on the trendier side. we're staying in times square but i know that there are NO trendy bars there. we are willing to travel to any part of town. a friend mentioned Gaslight but went there long ago... We plan on having dinner at Blue fin if that helps with the kind of place we like.

Gaslight? No way.

A couple of ideas --

Brandy Library on N. Moore Street in Tribeca -- new and very upscale, "lounge" atmosphere, the best selection of single malts in NYC (but full bar, of course).

PS 450 in the East 30's. Also new. Larger, more clubby (but not a club by any means). The back rooms are more intimate than the front bar area. Also the food is fantastic -- the chef had been at Suba and Mojo before PS 450 opened. Try the lobster roll and espresso martini (available in bottles that are perfect for 4 people).

where specifically in the meat packing district? we talked about heading there.

If you must go to meatpacking, I suggest a night other than Friday or Saturday. Check out the rooftop bar at the Hotel Gansevoort, as well Spice Market, Vento, and Highline (particularly the unique space-age lower level).

sounds like we'll have lots of choices! Thanks!