- Question: Why is New York City known as the City That Never Sleeps?
- Answer: New York City’s reputation as the City That Never Sleeps is well-deserved, with hip nightlife spots throughout its Manhattan and Brooklyn boroughs offering unique drinks, exclusive lounges, and vibrant dance floors open all throughout the night.
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1. Bua
Bua occupies the former St. Marks Place home of legendary club Sin-é, best known for launching the careers of musical artists such as Jeff Buckley. Today, the bar retains its Irish character, named for the Gaelic word for “victory,” and attracts frequent crowds of arts students from NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts. The restaurant’s simple, satisfying bar menu offers favorites such as house burgers, pulled pork sliders, and vegetarian BLTs, with shareable appetizer plates also available. A clever cocktail menu is offered, along with draft beer selections and cauldrons of housemade sangria. On the weekends, a full brunch menu features comfort food such as chicken and waffles, along with carafes of mimosas or breakfast cocktails such as The Wake Up Call, a blend of spiced rum, espresso, and creme de cacao.
122 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009, Phone: 212-979-6276
2. Holiday Cocktail Lounge
Holiday Cocktail Lounge originally opened in the early 20th century and became known as one of the city’s most classic dive bars, a frequent haunt of music industry celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and the Ramones. In 2012, the East Village staple shut its doors and nearly closed for good, but after a purchase by Robert Ehrlich, best known as the creator of Pirate’s Booty corn snacks, the bar reopened under new management. Today, its space has been completely renovated into a more upscale bar, though signature elements such as its iconic red awning still remain. Craft beer is available on draft or by the can, along with a clever menu of staff favorite cocktails. A limited menu of bar bites is also available, including charcuterie plates, spiced almonds, and vegetarian Reuben sandwiches.
75 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003, Phone: 212-777-9637
3. Slate NY
Slate NY is a multi-level nightlife spot located within the heart of Chelsea, offering upscale bar, lounge, and club areas that attract top celebrities and New York City business types. The sleek club offers 16,000 square feet of entertainment space, including a wide variety of bar games throughout the venue, from ping-pong and billiards to giant Connect Four, Jenga, and chess boards. Two high-definition video walls support DJ sets and live concerts, which are presented on a regular basis. An upscale bar menu offers a wide variety of American pub favorites, including clever sliders, thin-crust artisan pizzas, and appetizers such as chicken wings confit.
54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010, Phone: 212-989-0096
4. Don't Tell Mama
Located on legendary Restaurant Row in New York’s theater district, Don't Tell Mama is one-of-a-kind – it’s a nightlife venue with four individual unique spaces: a restaurant, a piano bar, and two cabaret showrooms. Since it opened in 1982, this famous entertainment destination has hosted endless number of great names such as Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Paul Newman, Bette Midler, Chita Rivera, Rosie O’Donnell, Kathy Griffin, Audra MacDonald, Cuba Gooding Jr., and many others. The don't tell mama restaurant is popular with the theater-going crowd, and it serves New American Cuisine, a great selection of wines, and an upscale, elegant atmosphere. The legendary don’t tell mama Piano Bar opens at 4:00pm for Happy Hour. A pianist plays soft cocktail music until 9:00pm. After that the singing waiter/bartender staff joins the wizard at the keyboard and the party goes on until wee hours.
343 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, Phone: 212-757-0788
5. 809 Sangria Bar and Grill
809 Sangria Bar and Grill’s name is a reference to the area code of the Dominican Republic and is a Latin American cultural hub within New York’s Inwood neighborhood, showcasing paintings by prominent Dominican artists on its walls. The upscale first-floor restaurant serves a variety of gourmet traditional Spanish dishes, including seafood-focused entrees such as coconut-crusted Chilean sea bass, shrimp and mussel-stuffed lobster tails, and plantains filled with lobster and salt cod. Upstairs, an intimate lounge pours cocktails and serves as an event venue for exciting performances by Latin American artists. The upstairs lounge may also be rented for private special events, including custom birthday party packages.
112 Dyckman St, New York, NY 10040, Phone: 212-304-3800
6. Bar 54
Bar 54 is located within Times Square’s stylish Hyatt Centric hotel, which offers convenient access to the city’s Theater District. The bar’s name is a reference to its location on the hotel’s 54th floor, making it Times Square’s tallest rooftop bar. Stunning floor-to-ceiling windows offer unparalleled views of lower Manhattan sights such as the Chrysler Building, perfect for relaxing after spending the day seeing the city’s sights. Cocktails highlight farm-to-table fruit and herbal ingredients such as watermelon, cilantro, and ancho peppers. A fine wine list is also available, along with light gourmet bar bites. Downstairs, a full menu of globally-inspired fare is served at the hotel’s T45 Restaurant.
135 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036, Phone: 646-364-1234
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