So it’s Friday night, it’s been a long week at work. Or better yet, you’re in town for the first time, and you’re looking for the perfect place to begin and end your night. You’ve come to the right place. New York is a place known for it’s vibrant culture, but it is also known as “The City That Never Sleeps.”
Ace Hotel
Let’s say you’re looking for nice vibes, chill atmosphere and a mood dark enough to feel mysterious, Ace Hotel is your go-to. The lobby of the hotel serves as their hotel concierge, coffee shop, and bar. The room is dimly lit, the only light really shining in are from the front doors of the hotel. In the day, it is filled with travelers, New Yorkers, and people working on their laptops. It has a Hogwarts library feel, with two long mahogany tables spanning across the front of the room. However, at night it turns into a sexy and chill place to bring your friends, your dates, or your really cool parents. The drinks are straightforward, with your classic cocktail options, and also beer on tap if you’re looking for something easy for the night.
Sake Bar Decibel
If you’re looking for a loud and vibrant place, Sake Bar Decibel is best option. Snug in the basement of East Village, you’ll find an eclectic Japanese bar. Each Friday, the queue at the door of the bar is always long, but completely worth the wait, and try your luck. As you head in, you’ll see a room lit with red lanterns hanging, and walls graffitied by people who have stumbled upon this place. It’s like your public school toilet, but nicer, you’ll find love letters, you’ll find names, crazy messages all over the walls. Because you’re in such tight corners, you will be very close to your next-door neighbors, shoulder to shoulder sometimes. But the experience is what makes it so special. There you’ll find an array of sakes, beers and classic Japanese tapas, you won’t go wrong with a hot or cold house sake, with some Karage (fried chicken). You can ask any New Yorker, they’ll all have been there once or twice in their youth, where they may have found relatibility to Sake Bar Decibel’s relentless and rebellious energy.
Monomono
So you want to impress your date and take them somewhere very few people know of, Monomono is your best option. Serving as a flower shop in the day, and bar at night, you’d be surprised by the drinks they serve. All made of handcrafted and fermented Korean soju, the owner MJ makes sure that each drink is more of a new experience rather than your typical cocktail palette. Make sure you sit at the bar, the owner is incredibly humble, and honed in on his craft, you would sometimes easily mistaken him as just the bartender. Using fresh ingredients from veggies and fruits, MJ creates incredible drinks that will satisfy any type of mood. My favorite drink is called “The Ella”, having discovered it on the most perfect occasion, where I fully put my trust in MJ and asked him to make any drink for me. So if you’re feeling adventurous, he’ll surprise you with a drink of his choice, and hopefully, you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
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