NIGHTLIFE
AVENUE
A prominent stop on the nightlife circuit, Avenue attracts celebs and scenesters with a sexy setting that combines over-the-top glamour (think tufted black-leather banquettes and electric candelabras) with masculine wood wainscoting. 116 10th Ave., 212-337-0054; avenue-newyork.com
BEMELMANS BAR
This swanky Upper East Side spot within the Carlyle Hotel features jazz bands and singers throughout the week (including Woody Allen on the clarinet!), classic cocktails mixed with pro polish, and original Madeline wallpaper illustrations by the bar’s namesake. 35 E. 76th St., 212-7441600; rosewoodhotels.com
THE BLOND
With subtle gold and bronze accents that glint alluringly in the low light, this glamorous spot in Aby Rosen’s 11 Howard hotel quickly emerged last year as the choice for private events by the likes of Jimmy Choo and the Cinema Society. 11 Howard St., 212-235-1111; 11howard.com
CHUMLEY’S
This West Village speakeasy was polished up before reopening, and the new gastro-chic surroundings get |a menu to match from chef Victoria Blamey. Did New York City need another $25 burger? Ordinarily, we’d say no, but after trying Blamey’s masterpiece (topped with bone marrow and served with twiceblanched french fries), the answer is a resounding yes. 86 Bedford St., 212-675-2081; chumleysnewyork.com
THE CLOCKTOWER
Housed inside the Edition Hotel, the 24k gold-leaf bar on the second floor sets the stage for a perfectly curated craft-cocktail menu. The cut-crystal barware glimmers alongside a superchic Flatiron crowd. INSIDER TIP: Make a reservation before or after cocktails at chef Jason Atherton’s British restaurant inside the hotel and take in the photography-covered mahogany walls. 5 Madison Ave., 212-413-4300; theclocktowernyc.com
DEATH & CO.
Turning the corner on its 10th birthday, this quiet, darkly lit lounge has graduated from cool newcomer to standard-bearer of the New York cocktail renaissance. The expert bartenders serve up some of the most exquisitely crafted drinks in the city, and there are just enough delicious snacks on the menu to keep you lingering all night long. INSIDER TIP: Let the barkeeps suggest a tipple from the extensive menu based on your preferences—they won’t steer you wrong. 433 E. Sixth St., 212-3880882; deathandcompany.com
KING COLE BAR
A legend of New York’s high-society kingpins, the King Cole Bar, within the St. Regis hotel, offers guests luxury dining and cocktails. We recommend the Bloody Mary, or “Red Snapper”— after all, the bar invented this brunch mainstay in the 1930s. 2 E. 55th St., 212-339-6857; stregisnewyork.com
SQUARES
Just east of Madison Square Park, far away from the din of the nightlife district, Squares takes a cheeky approach to the idea of old society clubs. Traditional décor, such as stag heads and trophies, are flattened and pixelated like a throwback Nintendo game, and even the cocktail bites have been cut into, well, squares. 360 Park Ave. South, 212-481-0187; squaresny.com
THE STANDARD HOTEL
This Meatpacking District gamechanger has not one but two nightlife destinations, both with semi-haughty gatekeepers at the door. Le Bain is the rooftop bar and club, and the Top of the Standard (formerly the Boom Boom Room) is the gold-dusted lounge that specializes in beautifully balanced retro and modern cocktails in a setting that likes its glam with a side of glitz. INSIDER TIP: The Top of the Standard closes to the public at 9 PM each night (or midnight from Sunday through Tuesday), but even early-evening revelers should book in advance to get a table with views of Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center. 848 Washington St., 212-645-7600; standardhotels.com
VANDAL
This trendy downtown restaurant pairs street art with street food in an elevated setting. The tapas-style menu keeps the place buzzy and fun; diners snack on New York hot pretzel steak tartare, banh mi sliders, and chicken katsu and waffles while taking in eye-popping murals by street artists Hush, Shepard Fairey, and Tristan Eaton. Diners can get into mischief of their own in the downstairs lounge. 199 Bowery, 212-400-0199; vandalnewyork.com