Cool Sips Summer: 9 NYC Bars Mastering the Art of the Pour
- JAHLEAH SANTIAGO
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
If you’re just trying to make it through the work week with your head on straight—we see you and propose a little bit of luxury. Enter: NYC Bars and the coolest cocktails in the boroughs. These are the drinks and venues that double as a moment—glittery spritzes, sculptural garnishes, and vibrant views practically made for your camera roll.
Wonderland Bar
Tucked behind an unmarked garage door in the East Village, Wonderland Bar is a surreal, sensory escape where theatrics and flavor collide. Inside, bartenders double as performers, crafting cocktails like the smoke-filled Bubble Trouble or the fiery Green Dragon, served in suspended orbs and lit ablaze tableside. Each drink is paired with vibrant Sichuan-inspired small bites by Michelin-starred Chef Peter He—think scallop-studded seafood pearls and punchy spicy chicken sliders. Live music fills the intimate back room on Thursdays, while the dreamy backyard patio offers cozy egg-shaped lounges perfect for summer nights.
MANÉ
At Please Tell Me, Williamsburg’s cult-favorite vinyl bar, the return of its charming Wine Window marks the unofficial start of summer. Now home to MANÉ—a bold Brazilian residency from Chef David Sedycias, whose pedigree includes Le Bernardin and Momofuku—the bar channels the spirit of Florence with a Brooklyn twist. Every Winyl Wednesday and weekend brunch (weather permitting), the petite window swings open to serve chilled new world wines, St. Agrestis spritzes on tap, and rotating Brazilian street food bites: think lamb-filled pastels and pillowy Pão de Queijo sliders. It’s sidewalk sipping with soul—sun-drenched, stylish, and just a little bit transportive.
BarChef
Toronto’s most talked-about cocktail experience has arrived in New York—and it’s every bit as extravagant as the hype suggests. BarChef, the brainchild of modernist mixology icon and Drink Masters judge Frankie Solarik, brings its sensorial, sculptural cocktails to a striking new setting, complete with a retractable rooftop and sweeping Empire State Building views. Inside, the space is moody and meticulously designed, featuring a plush full-service bar and an intimate six-seat Modernist Counter where cocktails are composed like haute cuisine—saffron ice, perfume clouds, edible petals, and all. It’s part performance, part alchemy, and entirely unlike anything else in the city.
IYKYK
Hidden in plain sight in the heart of Downtown Flushing, IYKYK is the kind of place you hear about in whispers—a speakeasy for those who know where to look. Concealed behind an unmarked door, this sultry, Shanghai-meets-Prohibition hideaway is the brainchild of hospitality vet Mack Chen, who set out to bring Manhattan-level cocktail culture to his own backyard. The result? A moody, cinematic escape with coin-framed walls, dramatic opera masks, and a cocktail list that reads like a passport through Asia. From a miso-honeyed Gold Rush to a Saigon Mule laced with salabat spice, every drink is a revelation. Add in craveable bites and a crowd that feels like they’re all in on the secret, and you’ve got a night worth remembering—if you know, you know.
Loulou
Loulou is a sultry French bistro with a secret: a hidden speakeasy that hums with late-night glamour and Parisian charm. While the dining room serves up elevated French fare and fine wines, the real magic lies beneath, where velvet banquettes and moody lighting set the scene for some of the city’s most artful cocktails. The Firebird—a luminous mix of Patrón Silver, Cointreau, lime, and hibiscus—is a standout, balancing elegance with just the right edge. Like its namesake, Loulou is fiery, flirty, and always unforgettable.
Sungold
As pistachio-studded Dubai chocolate bars become the internet's latest obsession, Sungold—the chic, sun-drenched restaurant inside Arlo Williamsburg—has gone one step further and turned the viral treat into a cocktail. Enter Dubai Me a Drink, a lush, dessert-like pour dreamed up by Bar Captain Armando Acevedo. With housemade pistachio cream, chocolate liqueur, roasted pistachios, crispy kataifi, and a whisper of saffron, its indulgence in liquid form. It’s also part of a delicious new era—where bars are riffing on the internet’s favorite flavors and turning nostalgia into something entirely unexpected.
Bar Cima
Just steps from Bryant Park, Bar Cima elevates the cocktail experience—literally. Perched on the 28th floor rooftop at Grayson Hotel, its Outdoor Terrace debuts a Tropical Sips menu with frozen cocktails, skyline views, and Latin-inspired bites that feel made for golden hour.
TABÚ is a Tulum-inspired oasis in Williamsburg, serving up an enhanced menu with irresistible smoked tacos, delightful corn dishes, and other seasonal standouts with a backyard BBQ inspired expense. Indulge in a culinary journey in their outdoor space, complete with lush waterfall and open air patio, making it the perfect Summer go-to. Experience the flavors of Mexico with an extensive tequila and mezcal selection with a top mixology program.
Le Petit Village
Step into something a bit more transportive at Le Petit Village (173 7th Ave.), where the cocktail menu blurs the line between scent, taste, and storytelling. The standout is the Petite Histoire—a signature creation that evokes the quiet romance of the French countryside. Crafted with patchouli-infused gin and Earl Grey sweet vermouth, the drink is finished with a bespoke misting of Le Labo perfume, delicately tailored to your dominant sipping hand. It's an experience meant to be savored slowly, as the layered fragrance lingers in the air long after your glass is empty—a drink designed not just to be tasted, but remembered.
If you have an bar you'd like to see mentioned send press releases or tips to gtkmag@gmail.com
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