There’s nothing fancy about Boilermaker, but there’s nothing immediately dive-y about it, either. Though it carries the shot-and-a-beer torch with pride, the real gems are the cocktails on draft. Read more.
Dark, brooding, and obscured, Death & Co. is everything one expects from a speakeasy-style bar. Though its been around for years, it’s still one of the best places to get an ambitious drink. Read more.
Cheap beer, strong whiskey and a consoling ear can all be found here. But Mother’s Ruin also flies under the radar as one of the most inventive cocktail bars in the city. Read more.
Mayahuel is dedicated to the worship and preservation of agave. A mix of Mexican tile, dark wood and lots of tequila & mezcal bottles, it’s an embodiment of the most intentional of cocktail programs. Read more.
One of the original bars to spur the NY renaissance, Pegu Club is still a bastion of beautiful drinks. It’s the best place to order modern classics like the Gin Gin Mule and the Earl Grey MarTEAni. Read more.
Pouring Ribbons is well-versed in the classics, but going off-piste is also rewarded with eccentric ingredients including seven-spice-pumpkin-coconut mix, corn milk and yogurt. Read more.
Wallflower is a tiny French bistro fronted by a cocktail bar. Garnished with streaks of Angostura, curling citrus peels or thick layers of foam, the drinks are all miniature works of art. Read more.