New on Resy, Bars Edition: The Dead Rabbit, 67 Orange Street, Dutch Kills, and More

Because for nearly three decades, this subterranean East Village institution has been home to countless first dates, group hangs, and unforgettable late nights. Those walls, adorned with scribbles, stickers, and the like, are the very proof of that. Whether you’re dining inside or outside, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with this sake speakeasy and izakaya.

Because this has been Harlem’s go-to speakeasy for more than a decade, and it never disappoints as one of the city’s best cocktail bars. Sip on a Paris at Night made with cigar-smoked Armagnac, and tuck into a decadent order of the lobster and shrimp mac ‘n’ cheese.

This is not just any hotel lobby bar. There’s nothing better than nestling yourself into one of the plush velvet or leather armchairs, martini in hand, and gazing up at that incredible nine-floor atrium. And Tom Colicchio’s classic small bites never disappoint.

Because it’s arguably one of the best cocktail bars in all of Queens. The handsome wooden booths and that long bar in the back invite you to linger. The drinks are strong and memorable. The hand-cut ice is crystal clear (it helps that the owners also run a custom ice shop from the premises). Come hungry: You won’t want to pass up a chance to order the Italian sandwiches from Troppo Stretto.

What can be said about The Dead Rabbit that hasn’t already been said? One of the city’s most beloved bars, and there is no pretense here: just solid, expertly crafted drinks, and a perfect rendition of Irish hospitality at this famed multi-level bar and restaurant. From the Tipline: Reservations here will open up in a few weeks (you’ll be the first to know when), but for now, you can use your Resy app to place yourself on the waitlist if you’re within the vicinity.

Because it’s the perfect spot to spend your violet hour — or any hour, really — with a few delectable, satisfying bites and a glass of natural wine, a stone’s throw from Greenpoint’s vantage of the East River.

Even after all these years, Employees Only still stands out, not just because it was one of the first old-school speakeasies to charm the city, but because the drinks — classic twists like the Ginger Smash, Amelia, and Yankee Notions — still can’t be beat.

Angel’s Share alum Shigefumi Kabashima, who also owns ROKC in West Harlem, has transformed the old Seamstress spot into a time capsule of 19th-century Japan, complete with cocktails served in vintage glassware and a comforting menu of ramen and small bites. The cocktail list is extensive and with Kabashima at the helm, you know they’ll be pitch perfect.

One of Tribeca’s hidden gems, the diminutive Smith & Mills is a bar that punches far above its size with its cozy environs and its carefully crafted cocktails. Classic bistro fare, like steamed mussels and whitefish toast, always satisfies, too. Housed inside a turn-of-the century carriage house, it also has a few charming design quirks, too; you’ll see what we mean if you visit the restroom.

Penicillin, anyone? The legend of Milk & Honey continues here in its original Eldridge Street spot where there’s no official menu to be found, and owners Michael McIllroy and Sam Ross (the inventor of the magical Penicillin) are still making modern classics.

This is a beloved, low-key haunt beloved among hipsters and fashion industry types. And, true to its environs, it’s got classic cocktails updated with Asian flavors, like an Old Fashioned with salted plums and a vodka tonic made with Chinese celery-infused vodka.

Come for the nearly 20-plus draft beers, stay for the natural wine, cocktails, and killer food (the sourdough miche from She-Wolf Bakery alone is reason enough) at this beer nerd’s paradise in Greenpoint. 

We all need our own neighborhood corner bar, and Bar Meridian fits the bill neatly for those lucky enough to live close by in Prospect Heights. But even if you don’t live in the neighborhood, it’s worth making a trip for a drink, and for the atmosphere — vintage jukebox, horseshoe bar, and patio included.

Beloved coffee shop by day, cozy cocktail bar by night, Lucille’s in Harlem checks all the boxes when it comes to being that one standby spot you’ll return to again and again.

An essential New York bar with a Japanese soul, Bar Goto is the perfect stylish-yet-subtle drinking den from bar maven Kenta Goto, where shochu and sake are shaken and stirred into brilliant cocktails. Miso wings and kombu celery are required snacking.

At the second, roomier location of his essential New York bar, Kenta Goto hones in on distinctly Japanese flavors (sparkling sake, yuzu bitters, roasted green tea, dashi) for his brilliant cocktails. If you’re a Bar Goto aficionado you’ll spring for the miso wings, but don’t sleep on the newer korokke, or Japanese croquettes.

Tucked away on Downing Street in the West Village, Ollie’s charms with its tight and ever-rotating selection of cocktails and its lighter, yet still filling, fare: Think pillowy pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), tuna crudo, charred carrots, and grain bowls. 

Because it’s one of the West Village’s most reliable Irish pubs for grabbing a laidback Guinness and a grilled cheese. Or a burger, of course. Don’t forget to look for photos of the bar’s namesakes, the owners’ Belfast-born grandparents, on the walls.

Alphabet City’s quintessential cocktail bar feels like an escape — it looks and feels like you’re in a log cabin upstate. The drinks, like the Garden Variety Margarita, and the food, from oysters to breakfast tacos, are just as cozy and comforting. 

This bi-level paean to the 1950’s-era tiki bar is an ideal spot to simply sit (indoors or outdoors), sip, and savor. The drinks are refreshing and, even better, they pair perfectly with the food, like chilled pineapple slices dusted with Korean chilli powder, and shrimp skewers marinated in coconut and lemongrass.

You’re sure to run into at least one of the trio of homebrewers — a former restaurant manager, a former advertising exec, and a former molecular biologist — who founded Kings County Brewers Collective, when you visit this massive Bushwick taproom and brewery, specializing in award-winning IPAs and sours.   

Because it’s a speakeasy where you can have an expertly crafted cocktail and catch a game, all in one of the city’s handsomest environs, hidden behind a coffee shop. The menu includes classics like an Old Fashioned and a Moscow Mule, as well as newer takes, like a Nitro Cold Brew Martini.

From the same folks behind Wilfie & Nell in the West Village, this cozy pub occupies a prime location in the heart of St. Mark’s Place in the East Village, making it an ideal spot to grab a beer and some bites any day of the week.