I love to visit New York City. I’ve been fortunate that different jobs have regularly taken me there on business. I also try to visit once a year if I can.
The following is my “go to” list I share with friends if they are visiting NYC and want some suggestions!
Bars
- Deux Chats is a cosy french style bar on the corner of Broadway and Dunham Place in South Williamsburg. Great spot, with lovely cocktails and amazing looking food. Definitely worth a visit if in the area!
- Docks is a call bar and restaurant on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. Tasty food (burgers, seafood) and a nice bar selection. Safe bet for drinks / dinner on your own, or with friends / colleagues.
- Kent Ale House in Williamsburg. Great pub especially for sport (football, rugby etc). Nice relaxed vibe, with good food and great selection of beers.
- Patent Pending in Midtown. Great speakeasy cocktail bar hidden behind a coffee shop! Amazing cocktails!
- Crompton Ale House (26th between 7th and 6th). My go to, just off the plane, bar. Loads of seats at the bar, never too busy, with a great range of beers.
- Houndstooth Pub (8th Ave, corner of W 37th St). Nice bar, good range of beers. Chicken Wings aren’t bad either! Couple of minutes from 1PP.
- 230 Fifth (230 5th Ave, at W27th St) is a great roof top bar. Awesome views of the Empire State as well as the Chrysler Building. Avoid going on a Friday / Saturday night when it will be busy. Good around sunset!
- Foxy John’s Bar & Kitchen is a nice little bar couple of blocks away from Grand Central table. Great service, nice selection of beers, and good bar food.
- Stout cracking irish pub just by Penn Station. Have frequented it many times over the years - great for a quick drink, some food, or to settle in and watch some spot.
- Wolfgang’s Steak House (41st St, between 8th and 7th). Great bar with good wines (including by the glass), awesome cocktails and some good beers as well. The steak isn’t too bad either!
- The High Line Standard - its a hotel in Chelsea, which has a great bar at the bottom (including a hidden German beer garden!) as well as a swanky cocktail bar on the top floor. Worth a visit for the view alone - the cocktails are great! Food isn’t too bad either.
- Brass Monkey - next to the Standard in Chelsea. Great bar, with good American bar food.
- McSorley’s Old Ale House - oldest irish bar in NY (apparently!). Only do “light” or “dark” beers and you need to buy two at a time ! Recommend it for one or two rounds max. Its on E 7th St between 2nd and 3rd Aves
- Beer Authority - on 8th Ave on the corner of W 40th St. 100’s of beers available. Nice little place for a drink!
- Plug Uglies (corner of 3rd and 21st) Great bar. Lots of sport on, very much a local bar. Has an awesome shuffle board! Loads of sports screens.
- Barfly (corner of 3rd and 20th). Awesome dive bar. Some pool tables and a good range of beers. Local bar!
- Brooklyn Brewery - great bar at the brewery in Brooklyn.
- Terroir - lovely Italian wine bar / small plates!
Food
- Hillstone Park Ave South A great dinner spot is Hillstone on Park Avenue (corner of 27th). The ribs there are consistently the best I have ever had - the meat just falls off the bone. The french dip is also pretty awesome. As is the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Cannot recommend enough! If busy, a spot or two at the bar usually opens up quickly enough. Wine, beer and cocktails!
- P J Clarkes For a classic (apparently) NY Burger, try P J Clarkes. There are a few around the city, however the one near One World Trade is very nice (great views over the Hudson to Jersey) and amazing in the sunshine, and the original is on 3rd Ave between E 55th and 56th. Great comfort food and drinks, but equally good for a business lunch or drinks.
- Smorgsboard - open air market in Williamsburg full of food stalls. Great to get the ferry over from Manhattan to it (good views).
- Mercado Little Spain - nice spainish market / tapas in the new Hudson Yard Development (behind Penn Station)! No need to book - very casual.
- The Peasant great little restaurant.
- Tick Tock Diner Typical US diner experience on corner of W34th St and 8th Ave. Nice place for breakfast or lunch.
- Pershings Right opposite Grand Central Station is a great diner. Nice breakfasts if you are staying in the area.
- Cafe China Lovely little Chinese - really good (no tourists, full of locals).
- Time Out Market - great indoor market with loads of different food places and bars. Good to get the NY Ferry over - great views of Brooklyn Bridge / Manhattan.
- Lombardis first pizza place in NYC. Really good - order anything and you won’t be disappointed. Although have to say the Meatballs are great to start! Think they may only take cash again though….
- If you fancy steak, all of these are good:
- Keens Near Herald Square. Very old school.
- Del Friscos Near Rockafella Plaza. Swanky. Good cocktails
- Wolfgangs Near Time Square. Nice Bar. My favourite after BLT Prime.
- Peter Lugar - old school steak house in Brooklyn. Only takes cash. Really good!
Sightseeing
If you get time for any sightseeing, I’d really recommend getting away from Time Square occasionally down to Chelsea / Greenwich as well as up to around Central Park. You’ll get to see different sides of Manhattan that way.
Some suggest things to do:
- Really recommend walking the High Line from 10th Ave / W 30th St all the way down to Chelsea. It’s a great walk (max 25mins) and at the end in Chelsea there are some great bars, Chelsea Market is awesome (some small bars, a great little craft market and some lovely little food places), along with some good restaurants etc. It finishes at the High Line Standard Hotel I mentioned above.
- Freedom Tower (One World Trade Centre) is pretty moving. The Ground Zero Memorial is worth a visit, as is paying to go to the top of 1WTC. The 9/11 museum is also good to visit.
- Bryant Park is worth a visit. If you need a drink when nearby, there are some good ones on 38th and 39th between 5th and 6th.
- If you like live music, Rockwood Music Hall (Allen Street / E Houston St) is awesome. They have different live bands every hour. Some great dive bars near by as well, and a lovely “pizza by the slice” place just around the corner.
- The Edge newest viewing platform in the city at Hudson Yards. Great 360 views of the city.
- Central Park cycling - rent a Lyft bike (need the app). Remember to dock every 25mins to save money
- NY ferry be sure to download the “NYC Ferry” app. Can buy tickets on it, and see departure times. Great way to get around and see the city. Also has a bar on it!