Tasting Table Lists 12 Best Hotel Bars In New York City
Grab your seat at the iconic Regency Bar & Grill
Sipping libations at one of New York City's iconic hotel bars can be a right of passage for both locals and visitors. Hotel bars can range from stately ones like The Plaza Hotel to intimate spaces where celebrities rub elbows with influencers. New York City truly offers a spectrum of hotel properties for anyone looking for the right setting for a strong drink. Our selections of hotel bars are ones where the focus is on craft cocktails, curated vintages, and cold steins. Many of these same establishments also serve excellent meals. The ambiance, of course, is also an important factor.
Despite the allure of recognizable names, such as The St. Regis, the hotel bars that made the cut were about the quality of the bar more than the hotel. We focused on some of the more unique bars in New York City — some soak in views of Central Park, and others overlook Times Square. The many rooftop bars available in the city might excite people looking to enjoy the outdoors with a drink in their hand. Live music and crystal chandeliers compensate for a city skyline view for others. These hotel bars offer something for everyone.
The Regency Bar at Loews Regency New York Hotel
Hotel bars have a way of becoming an institution in a place like New York City. Not all iconic bars and lounges need to flaunt the latest trends or fight for patrons with DJ sets, though. This Park Avenue hotel is not, however, a stuffy dinosaur on the Upper East Side. The atmosphere at The Regency Bar and Grill is refined but not dusty and more elegant than the self-proclamation as the destination for a "power breakfast" might suggest. Yes, people meet at this New York City hotel bar for deals to be made.
The Regency Bar also features a healthy variety of wines by the glass and specialty cocktails to pair with a "locally inspired" bar menu. The adjacent Lobby Lounge is an alternative that offers a respite from the packed bar thanks to cozy seating and a Nina Helms sculpture of a tree spreading across the length of the wall. A few well-made drinks will help any guests ease into the Park Avenue lifestyle.
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