The best bistros and brasseries New York (Manhattan)

Timetable

Most bars are open by noon, but the more upscale places rarely open before 4pm on weekdays. Smaller neighborhood bars close at 1 or 2 a.m., but if you're going out on the Lower East Side, West Village, Meatpacking or Midtown, it's much later. On weekends, the nights get longer and the bars rarely close before 4am on Friday. As for coffee shops, which are legion in New York, they generally open at 7 or 8 am and close before 8 pm.

Budget & Tips

If you're going to take full advantage of New York's nightlife by hitting the city's bars (and you'd be wrong not to!), it's best to go out with a fat wallet. The prices listed do not include the local tax, which is 8.875%, or the tip. It is customary to leave a US$1 or US$2 tip per drink or, if you have had many drinks and pay by credit card, about 18% of the bill.

The highest prices are probably found in rooftops and speakeasies, where cocktails can cost up to US$20. No matter where you go out, beer is still the most affordable alcoholic drink, and there are local and artisanal brands that are really worth it! On the other hand, wine is atrociously expensive, especially for those coming from France... In bars and restaurants, the price of a glass of wine varies between 12 and 18 US$. Finally, in cafés and tea rooms, a hot drink usually costs between 3 and 4 US$

Fortunately, New York has a lot of broke people and they have found a way to go out without breaking the bank! Ask them what their secret is, and they'll whisper these two magic words: Happy Hour. This usually takes place on weekdays, between 5pm and 7pm, sometimes earlier. Alcoholic beverages are half price or a few dollars cheaper than usual. In some bars, the reduced prices also apply to food, usually appetizers or plates to share.

Age restrictions

In the United States, alcohol consumption is subject to very strict rules. The minimum legal age for ordering alcohol and drinking in public is 21 years. As you enter the bars, no matter how old you may be on the slope of the quarantine, a doorman will systematically ask you for your identity card. Anyone who is not of legal age will be expelled. In some places, at specific times, young people over 18 years of age are allowed to enter but are not allowed to buy or consume alcohol once inside. A word of advice, don’t think you should break alcohol laws, it doesn’t amuse Americans who have inherited some puritanical reflexes.

What's very local

Cocktails are to New York what wine is to Bordeaux... Every bar and restaurant in the city serves them and, even in the most obscure places, the bartender will be able to concoct you a Cosmopolitan of the thunder, shaker in hand. This pink cocktail popularized by Sex and the City was born in New York, as were the Bloody Mary, the Manhattan, the Gin-Gin Mule and the Old Fashioned, Don Draper's cocktail of choice in Mad Men. New York's trendy bars offer not only these classics but also signature cocktails of their own invention

Americans are also big fans of beer, especially IPAs, the bitter, highly hopped beers. In bars, restaurants and liquor stores, you will discover that there are New York beers, and that they are quite good: Brooklyn Brewery, Coney Island Brewery, SingleCut Beersmiths are some local brands.

As for non-alcoholic beverages, Americans, and especially New Yorkers, are big coffee drinkers. It must be said that a good dose of caffeine is often necessary to keep up with the frantic pace of the Big Apple! During a walk in Manhattan, no more than 5 minutes go by without coming across a crowded coffee shop or a New Yorker with a cup of coffee in hand. Here again, there is something for everyone: cappuccino, iced coffee when it's hot, matcha latte for the trendiest, and black coffee for the purists.

Kids

In New York, there is no law against taking a child to a bar, as long as the child is accompanied by a responsible adult and provided the place serves food

Smokers

The legislation on smoking is very dissuasive in New York. Just like in France, smoking is obviously forbidden inside shops and cafés, the few cigar bars in the city being the only exception to this rule. This also applies to electronic cigarettes. When there are tables outside, you will sometimes see the non-smoking sign. But be aware that even when the sign is missing, smoking on the patio of a café or bar is not allowed in the United States. If you try to light a cigarette, you will be asked to move away