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New York City is home to every kind of drinking establishment; there is no single idea of a New York bar. And since there are simply so many of them, that same principle can be extrapolated and applied specifically to cocktail bars; New York is home to every different conceivable type and kind you can imagine and a few you couldn’t possibly. To make a list of New York City’s best cocktail bars is, in some ways, an impossible task–the city is silly with bartender heroes living incognito; people who cut their teeth ice shaving and dry-shaking and garnishing with tweezers but choose to work in a dive bar and charge you peanuts just because.  RECOMMENDED: The best bars in New York All of that said, wide stratification across class and style means that standards must inherently exist. And though said standards are neither hard-and-fast nor necessarily a measure of a place’s overall value, we can–nay, must–recognize when a bar’s (and its tenders’) work and care and thought and technique consistently yield excellence. Bartending is hard work. But cocktail bartending is almost absurd; each element and technique must be applied in the correct sequence with the correct timing for an often-drunk audience late at night. It takes vision and cunning and tenacity. So today we celebrate them, the bartenders, and the places where they apply their skills, without which we, the drinking public, would not be able to well and truly luxuriate.  How we curate and review at Time Out

Double Chicken Please is a double act. Up front, Free Range is a straightforward LES bar. Venture deeper for The Coop–inner sanctum of cocktail invention. Here, the brief is blurring the line between food and drink. While it’s more than a gimmick, confirming that firsthand will likely require a long wait. Service is brisk up front and convivial in back. No surprise there. Actually getting into the place is the shocker–reservations for The Coop are booked solid. This reveals the true purpose of the front room: a waiting area for the back. You could do worse. Still, eager drinkers stake out a place in line well in advance of opening, so prepare yourself.  DCP’s signature is not deconstruction but transliteration; familiar foods are the cocktails, or is it vice versa? Waldorf Salad, French Toast, Thai Curry–each cocktail is equal parts technique, humor, and ingenuity. “Cold Pizza” is a tequila-based cocktail that hits tomato, basil, and bready notes with a background parmesan funk, served up. It may not work on paper, but the place’s slew of awards proves the practice. They’ve got classics, too, which are also excellent. If you’re after actual food, they serve a small but enticing menu of sandwiches and snacks in both front and back. The chicken sando is the signature, but the Bolognese Grilled Cheese is as tasty as you suspect it is.  If standard cocktailing feels stale, a trip to Double Chicken Please is invigorating. But either show up early or make peace with whiling time...

The best brunch in NYC can be found every day of the week. Saturday brunch is the best time to gear up for the night ahead, Sundays are perfect for relaxing and a weekday brunch is a rarefied treat designated for ad hoc time off—we would know. We make brunch our business. It doesn’t matter so much when you do it, but where you do it. And whether you skew more toward the breakfast or lunch ends of the portmanteau’s spectrum, toward coffee or mimosas, these are the best brunch destinations in NYC.  December 2025: After a recent visit, we updated our entry for Kokomo, the hip Brooklyn lounge doling out Caribbean eats. We also added Miami-born, Mediterranean newcomer, Motek, to the list. Hummus platter, anyone?  For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out. Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

Much like pizza, New York City bagels are the subject of years-long debate, competition, and consideration. Is it something in our water that makes them so special? Is it the accoutrements? And the age-old question: yes or no to ketchup on a BEC? We’re gonna go with "maybe" and "whatever you wish, as long as you’re ordering from the very best bagel shops in NYC." Here are our favorite spots in the city. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC Updated December 2025: We spent a good amount this fall, scouring the city in search of carbs and schmears (I know, hard work). This year's update inducts two viral newcomers of the scene: Apollo's Bagels and PopUp Bagels. We removed Absolute Bagels as it closed late last year and Baz Bagel and Restaurant. We also removed Black Seed, Riverdale Bagels and Sadelle's. 

We’re gonna say it: 2025 might have been the most unhinged year yet since height-of-COVID 2020, which means we will very much be eating (and drinking) our feelings this New Year’s. Luckily for all of us, New York City’s best restaurants are hosting fabulously festive dinners and rollicking New Year’s Eve parties. These prix fixe and à la carte options make for a memorable last meal of the year, whether you want to feast on raw-bar delicacies at one of the city’s top seafood restaurants, meaty Korean favorites only a few minutes from the Times Square ball drop or go full-glam at a luxurious Jean-Georges property. Here are the best restaurants open on New Year’s Eve 2025 in NYC.      RECOMMENDED: Full guide to New Year’s Eve in NYC

Photography today can seem a bit detached. We snap selfies on our phones, take screenshots of memes and document our daily lives—and then promptly forget about the thousands of images in our camera roll. I think that’s why, even at a time when we have easier access to photography than ever before, lines are forming outside of AUTOPHOTO, a new NYC museum dedicated to the old technology of analog photo booths. These machines operate like tiny darkrooms, creating something tangible out of the ephemeral act of sitting for a photo. Seven fully restored vintage photo booths have taken up residence inside the 121 Orchard Street venue, each one ready to snap your photo. It’s an incredibly rare collection—fewer than 300 working analog photo booths exist across the globe. AUTOPHOTO, the city’s first photo booth museum, has quickly become one of the coolest things to do on the coolest street in New York City.  RECOMMENDED: This buzzy Lower Manhattan street was just named one of the coolest in the world Shortly after earning her photography degree, Bre Conley Saxon stumbled upon an analog photo booth in an Alabama thrift store for just $200. Intrigued by the darkroom technology she loved, she found a mentor to help her refurbish the booth. It took 10 years, but that was only the beginning for Saxon, who became enamored with the technology and doesn’t want it to fade away. Photograph: Courtesy of AUTOPHOTO “This art is dying. It seemed like it was only older men who were gatekeeping...

I often get the question: What's your new favorite restaurant on the scene? And oftentimes, that question alone is enough to make my head spin. Not for lack of trying, but attempting to stay up-to-date with the rotating door of restaurants debuting month after month can be quite an endeavor. So, we've decided to collect some of the latest and greatest on this list of the best new restaurants in New York, for my peace of mind, and so that you, the reader, can get out there and try it yourself. And who knows, maybe a few of these might make it to our best restaurants list by the end of the year. December 2025: My never-ending rolodex of unposted photos from 2025 goes like so: tamarind-laced clams, blackened head-on prawns ladled with chili crisp and slices of focaccia and sourdough sticking out of a bread bowl that was equally edible. Truly, a fine way to measure a year. But a better way to measure a year is something like this list, which is now updated with our best eats of 2025. The best new restaurants in New York in 2025 include a retro-style steakhouse, a comeback Indian restaurant, and, our number one of the year, a Southern spot that screams all things whimsy. 

The Rockefeller Center tree is up, the Rockettes are kicking, the holiday windows are aglow and Mariah Carey is cued up at every festively decked-out bar in town: Christmastime is finally here in NYC! And with the streets buzzing with jolly activity and sparkling holiday lights brightening up the skyline, all there is to do now is figure out where to eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in NYC. While some local spots will be closed for the holidays, we’ve got an entire nice-not-naughty list of top-notch kitchens firing up merry meals on Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25. These are the very best restaurants in NYC open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2025. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

Do you hear what I hear? Glasses clinking, stools sliding across the floor, the murmur of a crowd. Why, what did you think I was gonna say? Christmas means wildly different things to different people: faithful friends who’re dear being near, stuffy in-laws and itchy sweaters, Chinese food and a movie. So if you want Christmas to mean absconding to a holiday-agnostic dive day-of, or spending the oh so holy night with your buds over pizza and beer, or going Christmas HAM on a seasonal cocktail or six–you’re in the right place. We’ve got a list of bars in NYC open on Christmas.Mind you: when we say “bars in NYC open on Christmas,” in some cases that means the eve alone, in others, eve and day both. But whether you’re looking for dives, hotel bars, cocktail-meccas, piano bars, Irish pubs, pizza places, gay bars, themed pop-ups, beer halls; affordable to splurge, Bronx to Flushing, naughty to nice–we’ve got you. It’s true that hotel bars are almost always open, and your neighborhood spot may just decide to be open at the last minute–there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the thousands of bars in NYC. “Open on Christmas” isn’t an exhaustive designation as much as encouragement to reserve guessing for what’s wrapped under the tree. If you’re strapped for an itinerary with visitors or itching to indulge your inner (pre-epiphany) Scrooge, look no further: here are 13 bars in NYC that are open on Christmas.Updated November 2025: We’ve tried to branch way out this year, giving...

New York City has an abundance of excellent Italian restaurants, and we still can’t get enough. Our red sauce staples, fancy white tablecloth throwbacks, buzzy newcomers and slick high-concept ventures make it so that we can sample myriad regions’ cuisine almost every night of the week and never run out of options. You can but don’t need to go to Little Italy for the best!  These are only the best to get you started and keep you coming back. (Psst…if you want a taste of Italian pies, check out our list of pizza parlors and slice shops.) RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC Updated November 2025: Warming up to a bowl of pasta sounds just right as we ease into the winter season. After refamiliarizing ourselves with storied red-sauce institutions for newcomers who may just stand the test of time, we added three restaurants to the list: the Roman-born import, Roscioli, Andrew Tarlow's year-old Nomad restaurant, Borgo and Silvia Barban's casual Italian eatery, Briscola Trattoria. We removed Denino's, Il Buco, Pasquale Jones and Vesta Trattoria & Wine Bar.  For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

Brownstone Brooklyn's newest attraction is a win-win for kids and parents.  While you're sipping a hot chocolate (perhaps with a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream), your kiddos can whip around Court Street Tavern's debut ice skating rink. The newly opened Carroll Gardens restaurant has taken outdoor accommodations and upped the ante; while most eateries have opted for heated tents, this South Brooklyn spot has created its own destination for winter fun.  Meet the Court Street Ice Rink. Photograph: Time Out / Danielle Valente Photograph: Time Out / Danielle Valente Photograph: Courtesy Emily Bartlett Perfect for ages 13 and under, the super-cute "glice" rink from Matt Shendell of Paige Concepts is open daily from 12:15–7:15pm for $25 per child (including skate rentals). Parents can make reservations on Resy for 45-minute sessions and walk-ins are welcome. For an additional $10, moms and dads can rent a skate aid seal—an adorable buddy looking to help your little skaters keep their balance. Note that lockers are not available, so be prepared to hang onto those winter boots.  Plus, there's more good news. TVs are stationed right above the rink, so you can have your eyes on the game, your lil' winter Olympian and that tasty Hot Toddy. We told you this would be a win-win for everyone! Court Street Tavern is located at 449 Court St in Carroll Gardens.  Most popular on Time Out - Awesome things NYC families can’t miss in 2021- New kids’ movies coming out in 2021 that you can’t...

Are your little ones missing their favorite reading circle? Don’t worry, Mom and Dad: We have the perfect solution! Time Out is partnering with the New York Public Library to present digital storytimes for pint-sized bookworms. Beginning August 10, families can tune in Monday through Thursday at 10am—right here—for a remote read-aloud. Curious about the lineup? The Time Out New York Kids newsletter will reveal forthcoming story time schedules on Fridays, so sign up today! Monday, January 4 Susan Burkhardt from Van Cortlandt Library in The Bronx The Completed Hickory Dickory Dock by Jim Aylesworth and I Just Ate My Friend by Heidi McKinnon Tuesday, January 5 Dana Keddy from Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library in Staten Island I Went Walking by Sue Williams and Boo! by Ben Newman Wednesday, January 6 Ruth Guerrier-Pierre from Kips Bay Library in Manhattan Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson Thursday, January 7 Nanette Rivera from Mulberry Street Library in Manhattan Perfect Square by Michael Hall Friday, January 8 Katie Loucks from Mosholu Library in The Bronx Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and Rock-a-bye Baby by Jane Cabrera

Update: The completely redesigned Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals will now open in spring 2021 as opposed to February 2021. An exact date has not been revealed. We'll be sure to update you as soon as we know more.  Looks like we're going to have to be patient.  The Museum of Natural History's completely redesigned Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals will now open in 2021 as opposed to this fall. But judging from the details, we have a feeling it'll be well worth the wait. On Feb 17, 2021, the family attraction will welcome visitors to the 11,000 square-foot space that house roughly 5,000 pieces from 95 countries. Guests can catch a glimpse of a 3,000-pound block of iridescent green and blue labradorite, the Singing Stone from the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago and the new "Beautiful Creatures" exhibit, which will celebrate historic and contemporary jewelry inspired by animals. Patrons will be able to find it in halls’ first temporary exhibition space. Plus, as an added bonus for the little learners in your crew, the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals will be the perfect spot for children with an interest in earth science, as it promises to be an invaluable resource for schools and camps.  Courtesy AMNH “Generations of New Yorkers have loved the Museum’s mineral and gem halls, storing up memories of family visits and marveling at the glamorous displays of utterly spectacular minerals and gems,” Ellen V. Futter,...

A library card goes a long way in New York City.  Today, the New York Public Library, Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library announced that Culture Pass will resume for 25 attractions—with limited capacity—on Nov 1. This program provides New Yorkers with library cards free access to their favorite family attractions.  The 25 institutions participating:  Alice Austen House Museum American Museum of Natural History Asia Society Museum Brooklyn Museum The Drawing Center Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Fraunces Tavern Museum International Studio & Curatorial Program The Jewish Museum King Manor Museum Kingsland Homestead The Metropolitan Museum of Art Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) MoMA PS1 Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum of Arts and Design Museum of the City of New York National Lighthouse Museum New Museum New York Botanical Garden The Noble Maritime Collection The Noguchi Museum Poster House The Rubin Museum of Art SculptureCenter How to snag a freebie:  Beginning Nov 1, in-person passes can be reserved up to one month in advance on culturepass.nyc. (Learn more about Culture Pass rules.)  More good news:  Additionally, Culture Pass is rebroadcasting virtual arts and cultural programs for all ages from NYC's favorite institutions through Nov 21.  Besides mapping out your Culture Pass plans, be sure to check out the best new and upcoming exhibits at our go-to kids' museums, sit in for virtual storytimes from the New York Public Library every Monday through Friday and see what...

November 3 is quickly approaching, and the New York Public Library is in a political state of mind.  In honor of the upcoming election, the NYC institution has released a 2020 Election Reading List for three age groups: children, teens and adults. The selections focus on voter issues such as climate change, foreign policy and healthcare, among many others.  If your little bookworms are curious about this historical moment in our nation's history, have a look at some of the inspiring kids' books below that have landed on the ballots!   2020 Election Reading List for Kids Around America to Win the Vote by Mara Rockliff  Dreamers by Yuyi Morales Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson Out of the Ice: How Climate Change Is Revealing the Past by Claire Eamer Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Doreen Rappaport Courtesy: NYPL 2020 Election Reading List for Teens Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook & Ryan Estrada Displacement by Kiku Hughes Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Life & Work by Victoria Ortiz Election Manipulation: Is America's Voting System Secure? by John Allen It's Getting Hot in Here by Bridget Heos Courtesy: NYPL For the full list for each age group, visit nypl.org/election2020. While you're at it, be sure to check out Time Out's daily virtual storytimes with the NYPL and get homework assistance with the NYPL's free virtual tutoring—a game-changer for parents.   Most popular on Time Out - NYC schools closed: a running list of building...

Milk & Cream is at it again!  After the success of the limited-edition Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle treats (ice cream pizza!), the Instagrammable dessert spot is continuing the fun with a second installment of the Nickelodeon flavor takeover (#NICKFLAVORTAKEOVER). This time, the focus is on Blue's Clues.   Show one of your favorite TV shows for kids some love by stopping in for a snack. Now through Oct 25, the shop will offer Blue's Snack Time Treat, an ice cream sammie with cookie dough, chocolate chips and dark chocolate-covered pretzels and Josh's Ultimate Ube Surprise, a purple yam ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate wafers and dusted off with chocolate crunchies.    Courtesy: Milk & Cream Cereal Bar   Of course, the ice cream hotspot will be decked out in all-things Blue's Clues, so make sure there is room in your camera roll. (We did tell you this was an Instagrammable dessert spot, after all.) Plus, temporary tattoos will be given out with your Blue's Clues purchase.    Courtesy: Milk & Cream Cereal Bar   If all of these dreamy desserts have given you a hankering for the Nickelodeon of yesteryear, check out where you can stream the coolest old-school cartoons (Doug, Hey Arnold, Ren and Stimpy, etc.).  Most popular on Time Out - NYC DOE reaches a new decision about the return to school- The NYC School Calendar for 2020-2021- A drive-thru fair food festival headed to New York this fall- The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is opening a second location this year-...

Sleeping is overrated when there is a good book to finish.    Now that the New York Public Library has released its list of "125 Books We Love for Teens," a good night's rest will likely be few and far between. This brand-new collection of YA goodness joins the ranks of the Library's 125 favorite books for adults and children, both of which are in celebration of the attraction's milestone anniversary.  Now readers 12-18 (and the young at heart, of course) can enjoy tales of identity, self-discovery and love. (It's not all about unrequited crushes and the cool clique in homeroom, though there's plenty of that.) Curious what books made the list? Have a look at some of our favorite selections:  Go Ask Alice Anonymous The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier The Giver by Lois Lowry The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes You can take a gander at the full list on the NYPL website and download your favorite selections (aka everything) on the SimplyE app.  Have younger readers in your crew? Check out daily storytimes from Time Out New York Kids and the New York Public Library, where you can sit in on a digital read-aloud of your favorite kids' books.  Most popular on Time Out - NYC DOE reaches a new decision about the return to school- The NYC...

Museums in New York City were given the green light to reopen at limited capacity on Aug 23. Although family attractions such as The Museum of Natural History and The Met started welcoming back visitors, most of our favorite children's museums only remain active online. However, the Children's Museum of the Arts just announced its plans in a Sept 18 newsletter.  "After evaluating options to reopen safely, we have made the difficult decision to stay closed for the remainder of the year," the note read. "Though our doors remain shut, we are more dedicated than ever to pursuing our mission of providing transformational and accessible arts opportunities through online content and programs." There are still plenty of ways to enjoy the best of the attraction: Art pods, parent workshops and virtual kids' classes are some of the offerings that'll keep the creative juices flowing this fall. No matter your little artist's interest, CMANY has the perfect fit, from its graphic novel club to animation and character design, among other cool after-school programs. Check them out! You can stay up-to-date on kids' museum reopening plans at Time Out New York Kids.  Most popular on Time Out - NYC DOE reaches a new decision about the return to school- The NYC School Calendar for 2020-2021- A drive-thru fair food festival headed to New York this fall- The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is opening a second location this year- The best apple picking NY kids and families love Get us in your inbox!...

Summer vacation is practically in the rearview mirror, so now is the time for kids to soak up that last bit of freedom.  Plus, there are a few end-of-season perks to enjoy. Some of NYC's best family attractions are offering free and discounted admission for students before the first day of school on Sept 21. Count us in! “Arts and culture are a critical part of New York City’s social fabric, and we thank these organizations for providing our kids with safe, educational activities before schools open next week,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his Sept 14 press briefing.  Making day trip plans? Here are the participating institutions, according to the city's website:  American Museum of Natural History: The museum welcomes NYC schoolchildren and their caregivers back, with a hall to visit for every grade and every age. Tickets are pay what you wish for NYC residents. Reserve on their website: https://ticketing.amnh.org/#tickets. Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Met is welcoming students and caregivers back to both their main building on Fifth Avenue, and to The Cloisters. For NYC residents, admission is pay what you wish. Closed to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reserve a timed ticket on their website: https://engage.metmuseum.org/reservation. Morgan Library and Museum: The Morgan Library & Museum is providing free tickets to school-aged kids aged 18 and younger and their caregivers on September 16, 17 and 18. Advance reservation required. Families can...

Update: You can snag 50 percent off a child's ticket (with the purchase of one adult ticket) when children where their costumes to Boo at the Zoo. Use "COSTUME" at checkout to claim the offer.  In a spooky state of mind? You're not alone.  Tickets have just gone on sale for the Bronx Zoo's annual Boo at the Zoo festival, and this year's celebration is chillingly wicked—in a good way!  Thursday through Sunday from Oct 1 to Nov 1 is your chance to revel in the Halloween fun, from magic shows and pumpkin carving demonstrations to mind reading and trips through the spooky extinct animal graveyard. Each day, animal-themed costumed stilt walkers and Halloween animal puppets will put on a "MASKerade" while the Wildlife Theater will pull out all the stops with performances in Astor Court.    Photograph: Courtesy Julie Larsen Maher   Like other family attractions, the Bronx Zoo had to make some adjustments to this year's festivities, but that certainly doesn't mean Halloween is canceled—far from it. All guests 3 and up are required to wear a mask and social distance when on the grounds. Additionally, advanced tickets are required before attending and reentry is not permitted. A full list of health and safety guidelines is available on the zoo's website.  You can snag tickets online ($39.95 adults, $29.95 children ages 3–12) and map out your other fall activities. We suggest apple picking, checking out Six Flags' new HALLOWFEST and, of course, marveling at the pumpkin artistry on...