Things to do in NYC with friends
The hardest part of a group night is agreeing. Find Your Vibe™ gives you a short list everyone can say yes to, based on how many of you are coming and what kind of night you want.
Our picks
Getting a group together in Manhattan can mean a family-style Italian dinner, a Filipino kamayan feast, shared tapas plates or an oyster happy hour. The picks span the island, from the Village to Inwood, and lean toward rooms that welcome a crowd, with plates meant for passing around the table.
- Ferdi
Italian · West Village
Birthday parties, rehearsal dinners and micro weddings land here for a prix fixe of red-sauce Italian that one reviewer said tasted like Sunday sauce with family.
- Le Petit Village
French · West Village
A French bistro on a corner with a long terrace, petit plates and large plates for splitting, plus a mezzanine for private events and plenty of gluten-friendly options.
- Patok By Rach
Thai · Inwood
Bring the whole crew up to Inwood for a kamayan feast; regulars rave about the crispy chicharrón and a bistek so tender no knife is needed.
- Plado Tasting Bar
Spanish · East Village
Small Mediterranean tasting plates come out of an open kitchen, built for a shared meal with friends, and the bartender gets singled out for chatting with every guest.
- Ama Raw Bar
Seafood · Alphabet City
Round up friends for the oyster happy hour, then pass around lobster buns and crispy rice tuna; reviewers rave about the oyster sauces.
- Yasouvlaki
Mediterranean · Upper West Side
Greek plates in big portions suit a hungry table: skewers, calamari, a flavorful gyro platter and a lamb burger stacked high, plus drinks reviewers praise.
- Pastis
French · Meatpacking District
Expect a packed, lively bistro with a curved zinc bar and mosaic floor, where friends split pâté, steak frites and fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
Size changes everything
Two friends can squeeze into almost any bar. Six people need a big table or a booth, and ten need a room with space to stand. Find Your Vibe™ asks who's coming, a small group or a large one, and favors places that suit that size, so you don't end up split across two tables or waiting by the door. On a busy Friday, book ahead wherever you can.
Something to do, not just somewhere to sit
Groups often have more fun with something to do. Pick entertainment or activities for what you feel like, and Find Your Vibe™ brings in live music, shows and places where the night has a shape. Drinks and food together suit a group that wants to settle in. If half of you want dinner and half want a bar, pick both and Find Your Vibe™ looks for places that do each well.
Make it easy to share
Once you have matches, add the ones you like to a plan and open it on moodap.com, where you can share it with the group. Each place comes with its address and directions, so nobody has to ask where you're meeting. If the group can't agree, run Find Your Vibe™ again with a different energy, or pick Surprise Me and let Find Your Vibe™ decide.
Questions people ask
- What can a big group do in NYC at night?
- Choose a large group in Find Your Vibe™ and pick entertainment, drinks or both. It favors places with room for a crowd, across Manhattan or in the neighborhood you choose.
- Where can a group eat and drink in one place?
- Pick drinks and food together for what you feel like. Find Your Vibe™ matches places that work for both, so nobody has to move halfway through the night.
- How do we decide when everyone wants something different?
- Run Find Your Vibe™ once with the group's must-haves, like budget and neighborhood, then pick from the short list together. Each match shows why it fits.
Planning something else?
More on moodap.com
Eight questions, and you'll have somewhere to go.