Where is the Best Happy Hour in New York, New York?
You need a sense of humor to deal with the seating at Verlaine.I chuckle when I see a party of 5 seated at a 2 person table.If you are looking for a romantic date spot or a place to have a deep conversation…then this is not the place.But if your with a group of friends who don’t mind getting cozy….real cozy…..then stop on by at Verlaine’s.The happy hour is what always reels me in. Those Lychee Martinis are so yummy…yet so strong! The appetizers are tasty too so order a bunch and share with friends.Despite the crappy seating and sometimes aloof waitress I always leave here with a full belly and (alcohol-fueled) smile on my face.The neighborhood is great for bar hopping too.Pros + Happy Hour & Yummy AppetizersCons – Bad seating
This is one of the classier “dive” bars that I’ve been to in NYC. The atmosphere is relaxed, the place is clean, and the crowd tends to be non-pretentious. For whiskey lovers, the owners (really nice folks) make sure to stock the bar with excellent premium label bourbon, rye, single malt, and Irish whiskeys. But don’t let the name fool you…The Whiskey Ward has an excellent beer and wine selection and really tasty cocktails. The unlimited peanuts in the shell are also a nice touch. And of course, the bartenders are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. I like this place so much that I visit at least weekly after work to play a round of pool and knock back a couple of rye whiskeys. But I also like swinging by for a few drinks when I go bar hopping.Pros + Great liquor, excellent service, and a relaxed atmosphereCons – More
I was pleasantly surprised by Uptown Lounge. I’ve been dating a girl who lives on the UES for a few months, so I’ve been spending lots of time up there lately and trying a bunch of the bars/restaurants. Most of the places we’ve gone so far are either dive bar with kids that just graduated college yesterday, or stuck-up, old UES people. Uptown was different. It was a good mix of younger and older people, it was nice but not stuffy, people weren’t spilling drinks on us like the bars on 2nd Ave, and the food was actually really good. We sat at the bar for a while and the bartender was great – he made great drinks and was cordial and quick. We ate at the bar as well, and I was impressed with the food. We split an appetizer, and a chicken dish with mushrooms and tomatoes and artichokes that was great. The only downside I found of the place was getting in – there are so many doors on the building front that it was kind of hard to find our way in. Once we did, I was glad we made it.Pros +
I hosted a happy hour here for my friend’s birthday. It was a lot of fun, and the perfect venue to draw together a crowd of friends and acquaintances! The atmosphere is completely laid-back, and the bar was actually really full (which I wasn’t expecting, given the location). We were able to get a booth in the back room and had plenty of space to game of beer pong going. The bartenders were nice, overall, and helped us out with pitchers for the game. Good fun, cheap beer, good specials!Pros + Friendly, comfortable atmosphereCons – Difficult location to reach
