There's nothing quite like springtime in New York. The cold of winter is almost entirely on its way out, but the humidity of summer has not yet arrived. The technical first day of spring may be March 21, but in reality, its the first day that you walk outside your building in a jacket only to realize that you don't need it. It really is magical.
However, if you're a student like me, enjoyment of the wonderful springtime weather is interrupted by all of the looming finals and papers you need to be working on. It's an incredibly stressful time, especially if you're like me and job / apartment hunting on top of it all. Finding time to relax a little is almost impossible, but when you do happen to find time for yourself, all that stress makes it feel that much sweeter. Everyone's got their method of relaxing: watching Netflix, playing video games, getting exercise, going to a cat cafe, napping for hours on end, etc. Personally, when I have a minute to breathe, the only thing I can think about is going out and getting a beer with friends.
New York has some of the greatest bars in the country, arguably the world, and there are certainly no shortages of places to get pleasantly stewed in the 5 Boroughs. But while those Top 10 places are great for special occasions and wild nights out, they get really annoying when you just want to unwind for a bit. Meanwhile, you don't want to go in the exact opposite direction and hit up the seediest dive bar you can find: being in a new place that doesn't look too safe is not going to help you relax at all. So here are some of my favorite bars in the city, not to have a wild night out or engage in illicit activity, but to just unwind and have a damn drink.
1. Whitehorse Tavern (25 Bridge St.)
Now don't get this place confused with the trendier White Horse Tavern in the Upper West Side. This here is a good old fashioned friendly neighborhood dive bar, where the bartenders learn your name and beer is as little as $3.00. Whitehorse Tavern is the Eagle and Child to my J.R.R. Tolkien (that's just a way of saying I go here a lot). It's my go-to for a quick Guinness after a long day, or a small celebratory drink for something like not failing a test. It's just one of those bars where memories are made, that also won't break your bank account.
2. O'Reilly's (54 West 31st St.)
When I lived in Midtown, this was the only place in the neighborhood that didn't blast crappy music and wasn't full of obnoxious drunk people trying to get laid. It also honors the 4:00 a.m closing time, unlike most places that say they do but then close at 1:00. This is the kind of bar you can actually tolerate staying in until closing, because it's quite, spacious, and not terribly busy. I actually had my first drink as a 21 year old at this bar, along with my second...and third...and fourth...
3. Caledonia Scottish Pub (1609 2nd Ave.)
What it lacks in elbow room, it more than makes up for in ambiance and scotch selection. I mean, they have so much scotch here, it's incredible. They have beer and other stuff here too, but you can get that anywhere: scotch is what you really want, and they have one for whatever mood you may be in. For an Upper East Side place, it's rather affordable, and the music and people who drink here are very agreeable to a night of relaxed casual drinking.
4. The Dead Poet (450 Amsterdam Ave. #1)
If you can avoid the busiest hours (8:00-10:00), it really is a remarkable place. They have a huge selection of everything, there's lots of space to sit, and it feels classy without being too expensive. There are a lot of great places in the Upper West Side, but this is one place you can always count on to have a good time.
5. The Library - The Nomad Hotel (1170 Broadway)
This one is a little bit tricky: it's inside of a hotel and the guests are given priority over seating, so if they're full you're out of luck. But if it's not a particularly busy day, the Library in the Nomad Hotel is my favorite place to have a relaxing drink in the city (so far). It's quiet, comfortable, and serves amazing cocktails. You're surrounded by books and fancy furniture too, so you feel like you're living the New York high-life when you're there. But if this isn't an option, the hotel has another bar inside that is also amazing. You just have to make do with not drinking in a comfy armchair.
No comments:
Post a Comment