2lovers

Hello-

My husband and I (late 20s) will be visiting New York Labor Day weekend. We're staying with friends on the Upper East Side for two nights and are staying at The Drake-Swisshotel for two nights.

We enjoy visiting the hip hotspots (restaurants or bars) when we travel and are planning on going to Spice Market and Balthazar. What else should we put on our list? We're looking for a fun crowd, great food and drinks, and a very memorable New York experience.

Also, we're interested in going to comedy club on Saturday night...any recommendations (particularly in Midtown or the Upper East Side)?
Thanks for your help!

MrPep23

Can't help you with the bars but from what I've read and heard, Carolines on Broadway seems to be popular. Its in the Times Square area. Check out their website for more information if you'd like:

http://www.carolines.com/index2.html

Loki

Comic Strip on UES is pretty good.

If you're into a hip sushi place, Bond Street or Sushi Samba. Though hip and fun can be polar in NYC.

alex

If you will be going to the Spice Market, you might also want to check out the bar at the top of the Hotel Gansevoort. We stayed there in late July and it seemed to be the place to be. We also went to a place called APT which was fun and is right nearby.

Ryan

For hip restaurants, try Tao on West 58th. The food is good, if not pricey for pan-Asian, and the drinks/nightlife are better.

But, given that it is Labor Day weekend, those who really are "hip" won't be in town.

mclaurie

Anything in the meatpacking district (like Spice Market) is "hot." I agree with Alex, while you're in the area you might stop for a drink at the rooftop bar of the Gansevoort Hotel or Soho House.

Midtown and UES don't tend to be the trendiest areas. But I agree with Ryan...Tao in midtown is fun but also Asian food. Town (bar & rest.) in the Chambers Hotel on west 56th is very stylish.

Baraonda on the UES is an Italian rest. known for a crazy Sun. night crowd. Not sure what a holiday weekend will bring. Sessions73 is a jazz and tapas place on 73 & 1st.

There's a new comedy club called the Laugh Lounge on the lower east side. Might be a good way to see that area which is also very trendy.

http://www.laughloungenyc.com/schedule.html

Here's another website with comedy clubs.

http://www.jimsdeli.com/nightlife/co...bs/default.htm

I agree with Ryan, Labor Day weekend the NYers are usually out of town (makes getting reservations easier but finding a "fun crowd" may be more difficult.

While you're in midtown you should have a look at the new Time Warner building on Columbus Circle. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel starts at the 35th floor. Dress well and go for a drink in the bar. Great views and a cool vibe.

2lovers

Thanks for the responses! Another friend also recommended the Gansevoort Hotel bar...so it looks like that must be the place to go.

Tao sounds great, too. If anyone else has any further ideas, we'd love to hear about them...so we can hit them this weekend or share them with our friends who just moved to the Upper East Side from St. Louis.

Thanks for your help!