I just took the most fun trip to New York. Seriously, I cannot wait to share more about my trip with you! I actually vlogged the entire trip, so stay tuned for that. For now, I couldn’t wait to share my favorite bars I went to!
The first bar I went to in New York City was a wine bar called Bocca di Bacco in Hell’s Kitchen. I have a friend that went to college in Nashville, but is a born and raised New Yorker. Needless to say, I trust any and all suggestions given by GraceAnn. Anywhere that serves Veuve Cliquot by the glass is a win in my book. You have to buy good champagne by the bottle in Nashville, so this was quite the shock for me. We grabbed a couple of appetizers with our drinks – the mushroom bruschetta was a must-have. The service was fantastic too!
The second night my friend Jaclyn and I tried a few places that I really enjoyed. We went to dinner at Beauty and Essex (one of my favorite restaurants) on the Lower East Side. They serve FREE champagne in the ladies room! After dinner we stumbled upon The Ludlow Hotel Lobby bar. There’s a restaurant called Dirty French at the bottom of the hotel that we walked through to get in. They had a bright neon sign that caught my eye immediately when we were walking down the street. Something about the relaxed atmosphere made it the perfect place to start the night. I ordered the Belmondo because I’ve been on quite the tequila kick lately.
One of the coolest trends in NYC are all the rooftop bars. Obviously there are so many tall buildings in the city and you get some of the greatest views. My cousin, Chase, took us out to a place called Mr. Purple. The name was strange, but the bar was great. It had a beautiful view of the skyline. Again, this place had great vibes. Definitely perfect if you’re in the mood to party.
My favorite causal hang of the trip was by far The Standard Biergarten. You order tickets whenever you walk in, then you turn them into the bartender whenever you’re ready to order a drink. I love a good lager and ended up drinking a HUGE stein of beer.
My number one favorite bar of the entire weekend was a speakeasy that you could only access by walking through a Five Guys Burgers and Fries in the West Village. The guy that took us said that he was hungry and we were just stopping in to grab a snack. We were a little confused whenever he walked straight past the ordering counter and headed up a flight of stairs. The Garrett was small, but the drinks were unique and the ambiance was on point. There were lounge areas as well as bar seating and it felt super exclusive.
Hands-down the two best views we found were at Bar SixtyFive at Rainbow Room on top of the Rockefeller Center and The View at The Marquis Marriot. Depending on what you’re looking for, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out at least one of these places. Unfortunately the patio at Bar SixtyFive was closed due to the cold and windy weather, but the view from inside was still beautiful. Bar SixtyFive is only two floors down from Top of the Rock and I would way rather spend $20 on a drink instead of $30 for admission only to go up two floors higher.
The View at Marriot Maquis was very cool. We made it just in time for sunset on my last night in New York. The bar actually rotates so you get to enjoy a 360 degree view! The drink napkins actually have a guide to what landmarks are located in each direction so you can keep an eye open for anything you want to see.
If you’re planning a trip to New York City, you absolutely must check out a few of these bars, rooftops, restaurants, and speakeasies. Stay tuned for more on my NYC weekend!
xo, Nicole
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