Things to do in NYC tonight
Working out what to do in NYC tonight is the easiest way to lose the evening. Tell Find Your Vibe™ where you are, who you're with and how much energy you have, and it narrows Manhattan down to a few places that fit.
Our picks
Evenings out across Manhattan stretch from sawdust-floored ale houses and Harlem jazz rooms to snug cocktail cellars and ornate old theaters hosting concerts and comedy. The picks range from craft beer shops and lively gastropubs to wine bars pairing Korean and Brazilian plates, plus paint parties and a comedy show with drinks.
- Paint 'N Pour
Bar · Harlem
A paint party for grown-ups where an open bar of signature cocktails comes canvas-side; regulars single out the Picasso drink and the DJ-fueled mood.
- AURA Tapas & Cocktail Bar
Cocktail bar · East Village
Mediterranean small plates meet well-made cocktails here; reviewers praise the calamari and truffle mac and call one bartender a drinks mastermind.
- Barlume Downstairs
Cocktail bar · Gramercy
Down a flight of steps near Union Square, this snug cocktail room suits two or three people, and reviewers note the attentive service.
- Drunk Shakespeare
Theater · Midtown
Comedy theater with cocktails: one cast member takes five whiskey shots before playing a Shakespeare lead, and reviewers say they laughed nonstop at the raunchy chaos.
- Avoca
Dive bar · Upper East Side
Loud, lively gastropub with a back patio; fans point to the spicy margarita, buffalo chicken dip and a toffee dessert.
- Jazz At Lincoln Center
Jazz · Upper West Side
For big band jazz with strong sightlines and sound, this Columbus Circle venue pairs concerts with dinner and wide views.
- Bill's Place
Jazz · Harlem
Live jazz in a former speakeasy on Harlem's old Swing Street, where Bill Saxton leads a band through standards in an intimate, BYOB room.
- City Swiggers
Beer bar · Upper East Side
Beer lovers come for a huge range of imported and craft cans plus a rotating tap list, poured by staff reviewers call knowledgeable.
- Cucina Italian tavern
Dive bar · Harlem
Harlem regulars compare this Italian tavern to Cheers, citing good music, cocktails and shrimp scampi before or after an Apollo show.
- Gomi Korean wine Bar
Wine bar · Alphabet City
Low-lit wine bar mixing Korean and Brazilian plates; reviewers love the owner's wine recs, kimchi dumplings and picanha steak.
- McSorley’s Old Ale House
Dive bar · East Village
Sawdust on the floor, history on every wall and just two ales, dark and light; ask the staff about the wishbones.
- Beacon Theatre
Live music · Upper West Side
Ornate old theater on the Upper West Side for concerts and comedy, with reviewers praising the terrific sound and friendly staff.
Start with where you already are
Most good nights in Manhattan stay within a few blocks. Downtown, the Lower East Side, the East Village and the West Village sit close together, with bars and small restaurants on almost every street. In Midtown, Hell's Kitchen is a short walk west and keeps going after the theaters let out. Pick your neighborhood first and Find Your Vibe™ looks there before it looks next door, so your matches are places you can actually reach tonight, not ones across town.
Pick the hour, not just the night
A place that's right at 7 can be the wrong call at 11. Find Your Vibe™ asks when you're going: happy hour, evening, late night, or Whenever, which goes with the current time in New York. Late night favors kitchens and bars that keep going past midnight, and places known to be closed at the time you pick are left out of your matches.
Match the energy to your mood
Some nights call for a packed room and loud music, others for a corner table where you can hear each other. Find Your Vibe™ asks whether you want it buzzing, somewhere in between, or quiet and intimate, and whether you'd rather be inside or out. If you can't say what you're in the mood for, pick Surprise Me and Find Your Vibe™ will choose for you.
Questions people ask
- What can I do in NYC tonight without a plan?
- Open Find Your Vibe™. Eight quick answers give you a short list of Manhattan places that fit tonight, each with the reasons it matches and directions.
- Can it find places that are open late?
- Yes. Choose late night when Find Your Vibe™ asks when you are going, and it matches places for that time of night.
- Does it work if I'm already out?
- Yes. Choose Whenever for the time and pick the neighborhood you're in. Find Your Vibe™ goes with right now, looks there first, then in the neighborhoods next to it.
Planning something else?
More on moodap.com
Eight questions, and you'll have somewhere to go.