Diners' Choice: Cocktail Bar restaurants in New York City

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Cocktail Bar cuisine in New York City? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

ART Midtown

4.4

4.4 (47)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Hell's Kitchen

About the restaurant

Renwick Hospitality Group and Arlo Hotels Present ART Midtown. Art Midtown offers sweeping views of Hudson Yards, the Empire State Building, World Trade Center, & more. Offerings include incredible seasonal cocktails, frozens, local beers, and wine. Along with fantastic food offerings from chef Carsten Johannsens such as pizzas, guacamole & chips, and other shareable bites.

Top review

Raquel

Dined on Oct 14, 2024

Beautiful views, great service, and good drinks/local beers. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a chill bar with a great view.

The Rickey Cocktail Lounge at Dream Midtown

4.6

4.6 (57)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Midtown West

About the restaurant

Located on the lobby level of posh, boutique hotel Dream Midtown, The Rickey is an energetic and inviting craft cocktail lounge, with an unconventional mixed drinks menu and a sophisticated yet accessible wine program.

Top review

David

Dined on Nov 23, 2024

This is a great spot for drinks. The drinks and small bites were excellent. Service started off great but once they filled up service slowed down significantly. We waited over a half hour to receive drinks after ordering. Definitely understaffed when we visited to handle the crowd that arrived while there and it was early in the evening for pre dinner drinks. Other than that I would recommend.

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Experience

The Rickey Happy Hour

Lady Blue

4.5

4.5 (196)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Hell's Kitchen

About the restaurant

Inspired by the alluring nature of the late 1970’s New York, Lady Blue is an ode to a remarkable decade of transformation. An oft-forgotten character from the Broadway classic, Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein, Lady Blue’s combination of seduction and grace narrates the main protagonist’s transitional phases, symbolically encapsulating both the wonders and challenges of life in that era. The ambiance and aesthetic of Lady Blue aim to invoke the nostalgia of a quintessential time period for the Broadway community and our darling city.

Top review

Suzanne

Dined 1 day ago

Brunch was fantastic! Hard to choose a favorite. We started with the chicken sliders that were amazing. Shared the tator tots, ricotta pancakes and breakfast burger. All delicious! Highly recommend!

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Experience

'Tini Tuesday 2 for 1

Ascent Lounge New York

4.5

4.5 (352)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Midtown West

About the restaurant

Located on the 4th floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle, Ascent Lounge offers an incomparable cocktail lounge experience. Presenting stunning views of iconic New York destinations, Central Park and Columbus Circle, Ascent Lounge presents exceptional product and service in a sophisticated, inviting atmosphere. This Premium Cocktail Lounge and Multi-Faceted NYC Event Venue is designed to provide a variety of elegant experiences, from early evening cocktail hours and late night VIP Reservations to Private NYC Corporate Events and Social Celebrations.

Top review

Craig

Dined 2 days ago

Very good experience early in the evening. It will get loud as it gets busy.

Madame George

4.7

4.7 (84)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Rockefeller Center

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of Manhattan, Madame George is a swanky New York cocktail bar, made for New Yorkers, by New Yorkers. Join us for live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening and happy hour specials 5-7pm Tuesday - Saturday.

Madame George features an extensive cocktail program inspired by New York City through the ages using refreshed & modern techniques while referencing historic & prolific cocktail culture. The plush, eclectic cocktail den offers an intimate hideaway for cocktail lovers and city goers alike.

Step from the busy New York streets into a whimsical space, where luxe textures and bright accents form a striking canvas for creative cocktails. A place vaguely nostalgic, yet original; comforting, yet provocative – and like its namesake muse, a captivating mystery.

Find us in Midtown Manhattan just off 5th Avenue, with close proximity to Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center.

Top review

Steve

Dined 4 days ago

Outstanding location, decor, staff, food and quality of drinks. Amazing live music. One of my faves in NYC - a must visit if you can get in.

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Experience

$1.50 OYSTERS EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Experience

Live Music

Nubeluz

4.6

4.6 (652)

$50 and over

Cocktail Bar

NoMad

About the restaurant

Nubeluz by José Andrés is a lightbox in the sky, bringing together the Spanish word for cloud (“nube”) and for light (“luz”). Located on the 50th floor of The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, Nubeluz offers modern interpretations of classic cocktails and small bites coupled with remarkable 270-degree views of the New York City skyline.

Top review

Tara

Dined 3 days ago

Took a while to get our food after ordering and then an extra idea got added without us ordering it

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Experience

High Tea

Experience

Valentine's Day Caviar Experience at Nubeluz

The Red Stache

4.6

4.6 (35)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Hell's Kitchen

About the restaurant

The Red Stache is committed to providing our customers with an exceptional and memorable craft cocktail & wine experience. We aim to create a warm and inviting atmosphere where our guests can relax and enjoy the best food, cocktails, and wines worldwide. Mix and match wines with our wine flights. Try some of our signature items like the steak frites, miso cod, & flatbreads.

On Sundays and Saturdays, get ready to sashay into a world of fabulousness with The Red Stache Drag Brunch! Indulge in a tantalizing blend of delectable food, bottomless mimosas, and the electrifying performances by NYC's top Drag Artists. From lip-sync numbers to dazzling dance routines, each Drag Brunch is a kaleidoscope of glamour and entertainment that will leave you spellbound. So, grab your friends and join us for a feast fit for royalty at The Red Stache, where every bite is seasoned with sass and sparkle!

For any difficulty booking or for parties larger than 20 people, please call us at (212)-933-4404.

Top review

Donald

Dined on Jan 3, 2025

I've been here several times with friends and we were glad to return after a fairly long absence. The food was all very good (the mac-'n-cheese outrageous) and the server friendly. My petty complaints, however, would be that the chairs are uncomfortable, the enormous video screen (which I don't remember) distracting, and on a cold night it was less than toasty inside. That all said, we had a good time with a satisfying meal and will definitely be back.

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4.3

4.3 (96)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

NoLita

About the restaurant

Located off the iconic Bowery in the Lower East Side, this Live Music Bar comes alive with nightly musical performances on stage. Experience local bands, Grammy award-winning musicians, and international special guests bringing the house down with all your favorite hits from the 60s, 70s, 90s, and 2000s. Silver Lining will have you on your feet, singing along as the music fills the room, with light bites and drinks flowing. Grab your friends and join the party every Thursday through Saturday. Curated by Creative Directors Dylan Hales and Ronnie Flynn, co-founders of Lower East Side hot spot The Flower Shop.

We’re getting the bands back together.

We are a 21+ venue. Live music will be from 9:30pm to 1:30am. Reservations are for a 2-hour experience. A $95 per person minimum spend on Thursdays-Saturdays, applicable to food and beverages, regardless of party size. A valid government-issued ID is required for entry. No copies or paper IDs accepted.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Dec 21, 2024

I absolutely loved the place. the ambiance. the vibes. the drinks. AMAZING!!!!

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Experience

Valentine’s Day Date Night Package For Two

The Highlight Room NY

4.5

4.5 (53)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Chinatown

About the restaurant

The Highlight Room’s real showstopper is the spectacular view of the city through a glass wall that spans the entire width of the room and folds back to allow access to the outdoor terrace. From there, guests can lift a cocktail to the expansive views — north to the Empire State Building, south to the Freedom Tower. The north and south sides of the room are lined with two-toned leather and velvet banquettes positioned to take advantage of the cityscape views from floor-to-ceiling windows.

The bar, set off by wooden arches and antique mirrors, complements the greenery, and elaborate, candelabra-style chandeliers allude to the candles that would illuminate the German garden as evening fell. Layers of premium materials — plaster, brass, velvet upholstery, caramel drapery, terrazzo tiles — add a dose of playful luxury. Although the bar is open to the public, the overall sense is of a swank member’s club, a private Eden commanding the sky above the Lower East Side. Must be 21+.

Top review

Julia

Dined on Jan 12, 2025

Ambience is great! Food (small plates), tasty but pricey but it’s New York so…

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Experience

$5 Rosé Golden Hour

Empire Rooftop @ Empire Hotel

4.4

4.4 (954)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Lincoln Square

About the restaurant

The Empire Rooftop is located on the top floor of the iconic Empire Hotel and overlooks the Lincoln Center complex. With over 8000 square feet of interior and exterior space, The Empire Rooftop has a seasonal open-air East Terrace, a West Terrace with a retractable roof cover, an Interior Main Lounge, and a seasonal Sun Deck. Enjoy our Signature Empire Sunset Cocktail, a light bite from our appetizer menu, and take a photo in front of the iconic neon sign to complete your experience.

Guests of all ages (accompanied by a Parent) are welcome on the roof until 8PM, when those under 21 must vacate.

Visit our website at www.theempirerooftop.com for more information.

Top review

emma

Dined 1 day ago

We had a wonderful time dining at the rooftop! The views were spectacular and the drinks were delicious. We will definitely be back next time we are in town.

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