25 Best Bars to Go to Alone in NYC

New York City is one of the most developed cities in the whole world and if you are scouting to find what are the best places you can visit solo, to have a drink or grab a bite, you are in the right place because we created a list of best bars to go to alone in NYC.

Many times people assume that a person who goes out for food or drinks alone is a little on the weird side and has no friends because they do these typically “social” things by themselves. However, many people just enjoy the quiet that comes with going out alone. Instead of socializing over a meal or drink, you get to observe and people watch, which can be really entertaining. And sometimes it’s just nice to treat yourself to a meal out. What’s weird about enjoying your own company while drinking a delicious cocktail?

On the contrary, it is perfectly good to spend a quality time in your own company because this way, you will actually get to know yourself better. It will get you out of your comfort zone and you will start listening to yourself. Despite that, you will also get to know your boundaries and you can actually see how far you can go without your friends, family or significant other, just you, alone in a big crowded city. After this experience or adventure, if you prefer, you will come back home reborn as a whole new person who is more confident in themselves.

Of course, there are many people who are going out to search for their soulmate, but that isn’t always the case as we always assume. But, if you are looking to venture out solo with hopes of meeting that special someone, you can check our list of Best Places to Meet Singles in NYC and who knows, maybe if you visit a place or two from our list you will finally meet the right one.

While we were creating our list og best bars to go to alone in NYC, we used Class Curious’ database and a Google search as our sources to find different bars you can visit by yourself in New York City. However, since there isn’t an order in which to sort the list because it all depends on your taste and interests, we have no ranking in our list. What you may find interesting and fun, others may not so it is up to you to decide the best bars you can go to and enjoy a drink by yourself.

Let’s take a look at the best bars to go to alone in NYC, so you can enjoy a few hours of quiet time in the chaotic city.

25. Employees Only

If you ever find yourself alone in the big apple, don’t worry because you have a great adventure ahead of you. You can head out to one of New York City’s best bars located in the heart of West Village and just enjoy your own company. But, despite enjoying your own company, we recommend you to try one of their delicious cocktails, the delicious food that is served in astonishing space without pretense. You can feel the positive vibe of the place as soon as you walk in.

24. Wilfie & Nell

A West Village bar, the number 24 on the list of best bars to go to alone in NYC, that is proud of its tasty, locally sourced food as well as delicious drinks in Wilfie & Nell. Here, you can relax and enjoy a delicious dish, or you can just take a moment to just relax with a pleasant ambiance and enjoy a drink or two. The simplest dishes are often the most delicious and satisfying and in Wilfie & Nell and almost all of the dishes cost less than $10. This is a great place for singles who want to enjoy a flirty night, but, you can also enjoy a drink or dine without being bored.

23. Dante

One of New York City’s landmarks and one of the oldest bars is Dante, the next one on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC. Dante opened their doors for their customers back in 1915 and ever since then it has been operating successfully. This place attracts a different kind of personalities from musicians, to famous actors to writers and basically, everybody who wants to spend a relaxing night in a pleasant atmosphere along with a good glass of wine and delicious dish. Here, you can travel to Italy with a single bite of their Italian specialties and you can enjoy a world-class cocktail.

22. Bemelmans Bar

The Bemelmans Bar is located in one of the best hotels in New York City, The Carlyle. This hotel and bar, of course, abounds with luxury, glamor, elegance, and charm and it will allow you to enjoy a world class dinner or drink. The moment you step into the bar you will feel all of the luxury of this place and you won’t want to leave. This hotel is a second home for many celebrities, world leaders, as well as sophisticated travelers, so the chances of meeting your idol are huge. This award-winning property will provide you with impeccable service and luxury.

21. Seaborne

At a glance, the Seaborne bar that ranks 21st on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC, is casual and relaxed, but once you step inside you can immediately feel a pleasant atmosphere and the luxury this place is offering. The inside of this bar portrays an overall cozy, welcoming, relaxed and yet glamorous vibe. When it comes to making drinks, the bartenders in the Seaborne will make you fall in love with this place. It doesn’t matter how many expensive bars you have been in, you will always want to come back at Seaborne and spend some quality time by yourself.

20. Nancy Whiskey Pub

Irish pubs are one of the best places you can go to drink or eat alone. When we are talking about Irish pubs, you should know that in NYC, the Nancy Whiskey Pub is one of the best pubs for solo drinkers. The prices are cheap, the drinks are strong and everyone is having the time of their life here. On top of all that, this pub also has a happy hour and shuffleboard. If you come here alone you can enjoy your own company without anyone bothering you, or you can become friends with some of the people who are regulars here.

19. Mother’s Ruin

The Mother’s Ruin story began back in 2011 when Richard Knapp and TJ Lynch joined forces and decided to open a place where every guest will feel at home. This pub represents a perfect mix of everyone’s favorite local bar and a cocktail temple. It doesn’t matter what you order, a beer, cocktail, a shot or a mescal negroni, you are welcome to have your drink and enjoy your own company. People who live in New York City and visited this bar once became regular guests and tourists are looking forward to visiting it again in the nearest future.

18. Lexington Bar and Books

One of the best bars to go to alone in NYC is Lexington Bar and Books. This bar first opened their doors for guests back in 1990 and it has been running successfully ever since. It is located next to New York City’s most luxurious and exclusive shopping avenues like Madison Avenue and the residential Park Avenue. Every guest is welcome to have a cup or a glass of their favorite drink in this bar, but keep in mind that there is a dress code. You need to be dressed casual but stylish at the same time and a proper attire is required.

17. Grassroots Tavern

There are many places in New York where you can take a moment to relax and just enjoy while admiring the beauty and the energy of it. One of the best bars where you can go out alone and enjoy a mug of beer is Grassroots Tavern. This bar has a very pleasant, friendly and divey atmosphere and it doesn’t matter if you came alone, you will make many new friends in this bar. There are also happy hours when you can buy pints for $1 and pitchers for $2.

16. Half King Bar

Directly below one of the most beautiful parks, the High Line, you can find one of the best bars called Half King Bar, the next one on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC. Two journalists and one filmmaker opened the doors of this bar for guests back in 2000, and for around 17 years it has been creating successful history on this land. In the back of the bar, there is a truly mesmerizing garden to make your stay even more enjoyable during the warmer months. Pick your coziest outfit and head out to the Chelsea neighborhood to enjoy a drink or two in one of the best bars in NYC or enjoy a delicious meal.

15. Sweetwater Social

Moving to the heart of NoHo where the Sweetwater Social bar is hidden. This bar has industrial architecture and classic speakeasy elements that offer a unique and welcoming environment for people who are coming alone, with their significant others, or with friends. You can enjoy playing shuffleboard, foosball or vintage arcade games with complete strangers who are most likely to become your friends. Enjoy a handcrafted cocktail by Justin Noel and Tim Cooper and enjoy your own company every once in a while. 

14. Ace Hotel Bar

We are continuing our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC with The Ace Hotel that has been a second home to many people since it opened their doors in Midtown Manhattan. Inside this luxurious and glamorous hotel, there is a bar suitable for every person whether couples, singles or those who love to travel alone. This hotel is one of the favorites among celebrities but, New Yorkers are often visiting it just because of their bar. Here, in the Ace Hotel Bar, you can enjoy world-class drinks including one of the oldest and best-tasting wine and cocktails. Head out to Midtown Manhattan and enjoy a drink or two in one of the best bars for people who love spending time by themselves.

13. Hanson Dry

Every booze enthusiast must visit Hanson Dry, the number 13 on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC, at least once. Here, as a booze enthusiast, you will spend quality time with yourself while enjoying one of the best classic drinks like the Tux (Pernod rinse, maraschino liqueur, whiskey, and rye) and the Hanson Dry (Angostura bitters, vanilla liqueur, and gin). Pick your best and coziest outfit and head behind Southpaw and Franklin Park where you will find the Hanson Dry bar and enjoy a pleasant evening. There isn’t a better feeling in the world than to enjoy your own company no matter where you are.

12. Zablozki’s

If you are scouting to see what are the best bars to visit alone where the bartenders are friendly, the crowd is lovely and the drinks are cheap, head over to Bedford Ave, where Zablozki’s bar that ranks 12th on the list of  best bars to go to alone in NYC, lies and it will suit you perfectly. It doesn’t matter whether you are coming alone, with a friend or your significant other, either way, this night will be a night to remember that’s for sure. Head out to the Zablozki’s bar and learn how to enjoy your very own company along with a glass of a good old wine.

11. The Bennett

It is almost two years ago since The Bennett, the next one on the list of best bars to go to alone in NYC first opened their door for many customers who shortly after that became regulars in this place. The bar is named after a gin gimlet with bitters cocktail – The Bennett and you can be sure you will drink a tasty cocktail for a fair price in this bar. Despite drinking, you can also grab a bite of steak skewers, hamburger, cauliflower croquettes or fries.

10. Birdland

The original Birdland bar opened in December 1949 about sixty-eight years ago and today, even after all these years it is still one of the best bars to go to. You can go with whomever you want or alone, and you will still have the best time of your life. This bar is a great place for a jazz lover to relax to the soothing sounds of music. Is there really a better place for you as a jazz lover to go and just enjoy your company?

9. Sycamore

If you want to taste a sip of drinks from different countries, you should definitely pay a visit to Sycamore. In Sycamore, the next one on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC, you can find a selection of more than 75 bourbons and whiskeys like Irish, Canadian, American and Japanese among others. Despite that, you can also try the delicious taste of eight different American craft beers or more than 20 bottles and cans. There are also happy hours when you can drink well drinks for $4.

8. NoMad Hotel Bar

At number 8 on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC we have The NoMad that is a hotel bar that radiates with hospitality and warmth towards every guest and it represents a classical tavern of New York City. The Bar Director Leo Robitschek who won many awards by now created a beverage program for the NoMad Hotel Bar that is mainly focused on cocktails and it is favorite among celebrities. If you want to have a little getaway from the city’s crowd, this is the perfect place to relax and enjoy your own company while drinking a delicious cocktail. Head out to the 10 West 28th Street east of Broadway and you will find the separate entrance for the bar.

7. Smalls Jazz Club

Thanks to Mitchell Borden, who opened the Smalls Jazz Club back in 1994, today we have a wonderful place where we can escape from reality and just relax while listening to good old jazz music. This place is a little piece of heaven on Earth for jazz lovers who prefer to go to these kind of places alone to enjoy the music as much as they want for as long as they need. If you are ever in need of a place where you can go and to clear your mind or just to relax with a smooth jazz in the background, you should head out to the Smalls Jazz Club.

6. Attaboy

How often you go to bars that don’t have a menu? The Attaboy, that ranks 6th on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC doesn’t have a menu in their bar because they serve their guests with improvised drinks based on how you are feeling, what you are in the mood for and what ingredients they have. This business model has proved successful for them and customers love it.

5. O’Lunney’s

If you don’t want to leave the big, bright and crowded part of the city, aka Times Square, but you still need a place to go to refresh, have a drink or two and relax, O’Lunney’s is the perfect place for you. It is located in the heart of the Times Square and it is one of the best Irish pubs to go alone and enjoy watching the people rushing to work, school or date. In this bar, you can actually feel how energetic New York City actually is just by looking at the crowd constantly moving and disappearing on the big streets.

4. DT UT

The meaning behind the name of this restaurant is Downtown Uptown that ranks 4th on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC and it has only one goal to bring the feeling of downtown to an uptown location. The owner of this bar thought the Upper East Side of the city needed to be refreshed by some reclaimed wood, vintage couches and of course, strong coffee, and he was right. Shortly after he opened his own place, people loved it. Many New Yorkers are regular visitors and many tourists want to refresh and regain their energy with DT UT’s coffee while they are exploring the Upper East Side of NYC.

3. The Double Windsor

The Double Windsor, the next one on the list of best bars to go to alone in NYC is a good old-fashioned joint that has one of the best beer, booze, and food selections for a great price. There are even 14 craft beers on the menu that are brewed internationally as well as locally and it has the largest selection of whiskey from all around the globe. Ever since its opening back in 2009, it started writing its own history of success and it attracted many visitors to come and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere. It doesn’t matter whether you are living in New York City or you are just visiting, this bar will conquer your heart and you will want to come back as soon as possible.

2. Bluenote

The second place on our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC goes to Bluenote that is one of the most popular jazz bars in the New York City and it isn’t without reason. Here, you can come alone, with a friend or with your significant other and you can enjoy a delicious drink to relax while some good old jazz is playing in the background. Those who are true jazz lovers prefer to visit these kind of places alone because this way they won’t get distracted or annoyed while they are listening to their favorite songs. If you ever find yourself alone in the Big Apple, you need to write this place on your must-visit list.

1. Ode to Babel

In NYC, there are many luxurious and glamorous places where you can drink world class drinks for an insane price, but, there are also many low-key places where you can enjoy the company of yourself or your friends in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Ode to Babel is one of those places and it is a second home to many New Yorkers. In this low-key chill bar, you can enjoy world class cocktails for a far more cheaper price, and you see many artists presenting their artwork in the form of music, movie, performance, and mixed-media.

This was our list of best bars to go to alone in NYC. We hope we managed to show you some of the best bars you can visit by yourself to enjoy our very own company and maybe help you decide where to go.