Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
New Yorkers are fond of the "work hard, play hard" maxim, but the truth is, Gothamites don't need much of an excuse to hit the town. Any day of the week could easily be mistaken for a Friday or Saturday; the bottom line is that when the the mood strikes, there are always plenty of choices in this 24-hour city. Whether it's raising a glass in a historic saloon, a dimly lit cocktail den, or a swanky rooftop lounge; checking out the latest band; or laughing it up at a comedy show, it isn't hard for visitors to get a piece of the action.
The nightlife scene still resides largely downtown—in the dives and speakeasies of the East Village and Lower East Side, the classic jazz joints and piano bars of the West Village, and the Meatpacking District's and Chelsea's "see-and-be-seen" clubs. Midtown, especially around Hell's Kitchen, has developed a vibrant scene, too, and plenty of upscale hangouts dot the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Brooklyn and Harlem are go-to destinations for in-the-know locals.
Keep in mind that when you go is just as important as where you go. A club that is packed at 11 pm might empty out by midnight, and a bar that raged last night may be completely empty tonight. Time Out New York magazine has a good list of roving parties (www.timeout.com/newyork), as does Urban Daddy (www.urbandaddy.com/new-york). Scour industry-centric websites, too, like Eater and Grub Street, which catalog the comings and goings of many a nightlife impresario. New York magazine and the New York Times have listings of cabaret and jazz shows, the latter mainly in its Friday and Sunday Arts sections. Bear in mind that a venue's life span is often measured in months, not years. Phone ahead or check online to make sure your target hasn't closed or turned into a polka hall (although, you never know—that could be fun, too).
In a space that housed an old-school Italian place for decades, La Diaspora is a fun bar (with an adjacent restaurant next door). Cozy up to the long bar, order a mezcal margarita, and chat with the always-friendly bartender. If you get hungry, the adjoining restaurant has a long menu of pan-Latin fare, including birria tacos, Cuban sandwiches, and shrimp quesadillas that you can eat at the bar.
Crowning the Standard Hotel, this two-floor club might not be that easy to get into, but once you're in, you'll be breathing the same oxygen as A-list celebs, lanky models, and the people who love them. The music veers to the house and techno variety, and the views of the Hudson River are spectacular. Oh yeah, did we mention there's a Jacuzzi? Be sure to bring your bathing suit.
Head into the street-level or underground entrances to behold this cutting-edge, multipurpose entertainment and dance emporium, whose name means "the Red Fish" (and whose parentheses around "Le" remain a mystery). Blending just the right mix of posh notes (lush decor, fine dining), party nights, reasonable pricing, and brave music programming (retro-pop, jazz, electronic, cabaret, rock, folk—even rollicking drag-queen bingo), the Poisson is an essential NYC fixture.
End or start your night with views of the Williamsburg Bridge and the Lower Manhattan skyline at this new rooftop bar. LilliStar is an Indo-Australian-inspired venue with DJs spinning vinyl, creative cocktails, and tasty light bites. Make sure to try the Shroom Barbacoa, with spinach and pineapple salsa. The cocktail that's a must-try is the Hot Doggin It, made with tequila, vermouth, tomato water, and mustard-seed agave—it sounds unusual but is perfectly refreshing.
This lipstick-red, high-ceiling spot is a roomy lounge and playground (as in, billiards, shuffleboard, and darts). There are screens for sports, a long bar, and weekend dance parties—all without a cover charge. Extra points, too, for the bar's name, which cites TriBeCa's warehouse zoning law.
Regardless of whatever "Marie's crisis" was or is (each employee seems to have a different story), all the customers here know all the words to show tunes you've never even heard of. Down enough drinks at this ultrafun West Village joint and you'll be singing along, even if you don't know all the lyrics. There's only one rule here: no songs will be played (and sung) by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
A beloved neighborhood institution, McSorley's is one of New York's oldest saloons (established in 1854) and the motto on the current menu says, "We were here before you were born." The menu is simple: there's just two kinds of beer—McSorley's Light and McSorley's Dark—and the pub food is better than you'd expect. Weekends get busy (don't even think about getting in the door on St. Patrick's Day) but it's perfect for a cozy afternoon. Note that it's cash only.
You have to squeeze past the sardine-packed hipsters in the front bar to reach the stage, but it's worth it. Not only does this top-quality venue specialize in cool bands on the indie scene, but it was also where the late, great Jeff Buckley used to stop by to do spontaneous solo shows. Other big-name musicians follow in his footsteps with occasional pop-up shows of their own.
Brought to you by the people who run Smalls (just across 7th Avenue from here), Mezzrow is a low-key, subterranean jazz club with a loyal following. Several acts perform nightly, and it's a good idea to make a reservation (see the website) to ensure entry.
Ruining livers since 1880, dark, narrow, and grungy Milano's is one of the best dive bars in the city, its Italian name a reminder of the time when Little Italy stretched all the way up to Houston Street. After entering, let your eyes adjust to the lack of light and then grab a stool at the long bar. Patrons and bartenders might appear intimidating at first but after a few potent well drinks, you'll stagger out of Miliano's with a few new friends. Open from 8 am to 4 am every day.
This "Monster" is a friendly one. This local-favorite gay bar has anchored its prime corner spot since 1969 and still serves as a lively piano bar and watering hole at street level, with an energetic disco downstairs that features a variety of nightly events, including Sunday tea dances.
New York Comedy Club revamped and rebranded this former Stand Up New York club in 2024 to make room for laughs on the Upper West Side, their third location in Manhattan. Head to this low-key club that lends a stage to both aspiring comedians and veteran comics who pop in to polish their material. Catch a preshow drink in the front bar, then join the laughter in the back room for the price of a ticket (from $39 online) plus a $20 drink minimum. FYI to parents: the comedy showroom is open to guests 16 and up, as long as those under 18 are with a guardian.
Think of Nowadays as a music venue with a conscience. This sprawling, indoor-outdoor space with fire pits and hammocks lies on the border between two neighborhoods (Bushwick and Ridgewood) in two boroughs (Brooklyn and Queens), and is up for just about anything. By day, people may enjoy a DJ set while picnicking with food trucks, but nights bring forth vivacious "Nonstop" parties with resident and guest DJs. The Zumbador, a Mexican restaurant on the premises, serves dinner Thursday–Sunday.
Named for a 19th-century bar at or nearby this address, this tiny, charming, divey craft-beer bar is often passed by unnoticed. But ring the bell to enter a hushed, low-lit subterranean bar with funky decor and rabbit images, where the menu dazzles with exotic and seasonal brews on tap and by the bottle (along with a few nice wines).
The proudly unpretentious Old Town is redolent of old New York, which makes sense since it's been around since 1892. The low-key atmosphere and pub-style grub make it a perennially popular spot but it can feel a bit bro-y when the after-work crowd descends.
Twenty-six stories above street level, Ophelia is the pinnacle of The Beekman Tower. An impressive space for after-work drinks and romantic dates alike, the bar has a greenhouse-style terrace with spectacular 360-degree views of Midtown and the East River. The emphasis is on mixology and cocktail presentation, and the signature drink, Ophelia’s Ascension (with Maker's Mark and mezcal), is a crowd favorite. While the ambience will draw guests back, service can be iffy. Note that tabletop seating has a two-hour max time limit. However, a seat at the bar is offered more leisurely, where old photos and keepsakes from the building's past—it was once a women-only space—are preserved within the counter. If you can, make a reservation and arrive in time to catch the sunset.
If the life-size statue of Oscar Wilde sitting on a bench out front doesn't catch your eye, the flamboyant interior surely will. Step inside to behold Manhattan's longest bar (at 118½ feet) and one of the city's most visually striking establishments, where every inch seems occupied by art and objects that blend busy Victorian and baroque styles, colors, and materials—from antique clocks and stained glass to a giant carved-marble fireplace (and Wilde quotes). The building was once home to the 1920s Prohibition Enforcement HQ, but now the bar serves expertly concocted, authentic, Prohibition- and Victorian-era tipples. The pub-style food is good, too.
