This is a sort of under-the radar speakeasy (it's quite popular, but you wouldn't know it was a speakeasy if you walked past it on the street [you would also probably not walk past it under normal circumstances]). 

Their mixologists wear white coats and the bar actually looks like an apothecary. The drinks are not my favorite in the city, but they're pretty good regardless. 

I would suggest coming here with a larger group, and on the earlier side of the evening if possible, to avoid long lines. 

This is actually a restaurant, but I only joined my friends for drinks at the end of their meal. All the cocktails we had were great. I forget the name of the one I tried, but it was with lime, jalapeno, and basil and it's definitely worth trying, so take a look at the menu to see if you can find it:) 

You can trust Beauty & Essex to never disappoint in terms of the crowd. There's good drinks & music. Tends to get really loud upstairs.

This is a Mexican restaurant / bar. The drinks are delicious and they have great music at night. The Llano en Llamas cocktail is incredibly tasty (and spicy).

This bar is inside the James Hotel in SoHo. It has a very nice terrace, which is open when it's warm out. There's an outdoor pool + nice music + typical NYC skyline view.

This is a great little spot in Williamsburg to visit either during the day on the weekend, or potentially in the evening during weekdays (even though I haven't tried that myself yet). I came here on a late Saturday afternoon once, and then on Saturday evenings a few times after that, and it was quite busy (in a nice way though) during all three times. They have a very extensive list of delicious cocktails, as well as wines by the glass, bottle, and some other drinks and bar snacks. 

This is a popular venue for people in their 20s. There's always a long line at the door and to be honest, I find it really overwhelming. That said, the rooftop terrace has an amazing view, and their drinks are delicious AND they have a crepe bar with a huge collection of ENORMOUS Nutella jars, though they also serve savory crepes. 

Important to note that I think the lower level that's indoors should be avoided at all costs. 

This is a Brazilian restaurant that's famous with its long brunches on Saturdays (I was once there for 6 hours). They have live music and after a certain point, everyone gets up and starts dancing. It's really fun if you go with a big group.

PS: Their margaritas are superb. 

This is a cute little place to grab drinks and eat some bar snacks if you enjoy them as much as I do. Their French fries are A-MAZING.

This is a "Russian-inspired" basement speakeasy in SoHo/Nolita. Very spacious, so people aren't on top of each other. You have the option to sit at the bar or at one of the many tables (especially if you want to have dinner). All of their cocktails are tasty' I'd highly recommend the Cucumber Margarita as a light, summery option, or The Nolita if you're in the mood for something sweeter.

This is a tiny spot in Williamsburg with a tiny back yard that has string lights and flowers hanging from the ceiling. They have live music most nights (which can get a little too loud if you're sitting inside), which is fun to listen to if you're sitting outside and can actually have a conversation at the same time. Their cocktails are pretty strong, and their staff are very friendly. 

This is a hidden gem in Williamsburg. The restaurant itself looks cute (although a little dark), but the back yard where you can't get any food service is spectacular. It's a huge back yard surrounded with tall brick walls, lots of trees, leaves on the grass floor below your feet, string lights, and some chairs and tables to sit on and around. My friend and I grabbed a bottle of wine from inside and spent hours just chatting outside, enjoying the beautiful weather. 

This is a hole-in-the-wall spot in Nolita that you would not even know existed if you walked past it every single day. You have to go down a very steep and long set of stairs the minute you walk in, but once you're down there, its quite spacious and airy. Their drinks are some of the best I've had lately in New York, and they have some snacky foods you can order if you're really hungry. I have this Turkish habit of wanting to eat nuts with my drink, which is surprisingly hard to find in this country, but they entertained my request by bringing me a shot-glass of crushed peanuts, which I gladly ate. 

This is a fun speakeasy in Chelsea Market. Their cocktails are tasty and the music isn't deafening so you can actually hear the person next to you if you're trying to have a conversation. 

few drinks worth trying are their Moscow Mule, Booty Collins, Chelsea Smash, and the Birthday Shot (only if you're into shots--I'm not-- and this one's almost like a liquid dessert). 

This is the rooftop at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg. You should go here for the following reasons:

- Beautifully decorated interior 

- Amazing view of Manhattan skyline

- Generally speaking, pretty good music

I stumbled into Home with a friend when we were looking for a spot to discuss a documentary that we had just seen about women's rights and abuse in Turkey. It was a cold winter New York evening and we had just left the IFC Center, looking for a small, casual, and close-by place serving alcohol. 

Home proved to be just the perfect spot with a cozily cushioned seating area in the windowsill. We ended up staying for a long time and chatting, while enjoying our glasses of wine.

Lois is a tiny wine bar in the East Village that does the trick perfectly with great red, white, and rose wine on tap. You can either get it by the glass or a carafe, which serves 3 glasses. Seating is quite tight inside, but it's not a bother. If you have an appetite, the avocado & polenta snack and the bar mix are absolutely delicious. 

To be honest, I would have never visited Papatzul if I wasn't invited here for a friend's birthday party because it looks a little hectic and worn-down from the outside. I came here late on a Friday night and it was pretty much empty besides my friend's friends who were there for the party. It's a fun spot that serves great chips & guac and delicious margaritas, but I have no comments to make about their food or service.