Click here for Best date spots nyc New York is home to thousands of restaurants and bars. It also has a notoriously fast-paced, full-on dating culture. Choosing the perfect place to go can be pretty overwhelming. There are so many essential things to factor in. Like drinks that are strong but not too strong, and exits that are easy to slip out of if your date ain't going great. So, I consulted the good people of the BuzzFeed NYC office, about their go-to first date spots in this crazy city we call home. Here's what they said: 1. Lovers of Today, East Village. I'm all about Lovers of Today. The speakeasy is located down an alley and, therefore, tends to be a little quieter than its neighboring East Village bars. The drink menu is on point, the bartenders are friendly, and the light is dim enough to feel intimate. Plus, you can't beat the BOGO til 8pm happy hour. Try the Hong Kong Garden cocktail! 2. Extra Fancy, Williamsburg. Extra Fancy has both great cocktails and delicious food so you can start with a drink and if it goes well, move on to dinner. It not, you have an escape. 3. Cibar Lounge, Gramercy Park. Cibar is very cozy, with good lighting. 4. The Bearded Lady, Prospect Heights. It's a cute little corner bar right on Washington, so it's easy to get to. They have a good candle situation in there, which makes it pretty cozy, and fairly big windows for people watching. Good cocktails, good location, and fun snacks (cheeses and grilled cheeses and things). Also, it's pretty small, so it doesn't get that loud, and you can actually hear your date talk. 5. Apotheke, Chinatown. It's a great speakeasy with apothecary-inspired decorations at the end of a hidden street in Chinatown. They have amazing cocktails (Kale In Comparison is a must), the bartenders are super nice, they usually have live music (best Cuban band on Thursdays) and enough space for dancing. 6. June, Cobble Hill. Just a really cute and cozy wine bar, if you're in the mood for a bit more of a classy first date. 7. Shalel Lounge, Upper West Side. Shalel Lounge is a super fun, dark, candle-lit basement restaurant. 8. Weather Up, Prospect Heights. It's like an oldschool speakeasy. Delicious/cool cocktails (good for conversation starters), and fun 50s atmosphere. 9. The Penrose, Upper East Side. Love the Penrose on the UES! The food is awesome, they have a great drink selection, and it's a bit quieter than most places so you can actually have a conversation. 10. Parm, multiple locations. Parm for the ice cream cake and a beer or glass of wine, because if someone does not enjoy the happy 80s/90s music and ice cream, that's a red flag. 11. Berg'n, Crown Heights. Berg'n in Crown Heights is great — it's a food hall so you guys can pay for your own food/drinks, lots of food options so you don't have to just decide on one, the music is almost always great, and there's lots of seating so it's a no-wait space. 12. Dear Irving, Union Square. Dear Irving has great cocktails and a very chill vibe. You have to make reservations and it feels super fancy inside. It’s the type of place a guy who's definitely trying to impress you would take you. 13. Henry's Public, Brooklyn Heights. This is such an old-school classic bar, it feels like you should be able to smoke cigars in there. Definitely more of a fall/winter bar than a summer bar, because it's dark wood and a classically warm, inviting atmosphere. The cocktails are pretty expensive (like $13), but it's nice to just get one and then do whatever you want after depending on vibe. They also have really good food, especially their turkey burger and shoestring fries! 14. Boulton &, Watt, Lower East Side. They have a big bar, so you can start your night there, or, if you want to sit at a table, they let you just sit and get drinks without having to order food. The cocktails are delicious and fancy enough to feel date-ish, and then, if it's going well, they have great munchies. Or if you want to go somewhere else for dinner, you're in a great spot to go find food. Also, the vibe is very cozy and date-like — it's pretty dim lighting, dark wood paneling, and they have these big windows that are great for LES people watching. 15. Barcade, multiple locations. My favorite place in all of Brooklyn is Barcade in Williamsburg, which is also the perfect first date spot because dating awkwardness is completely avoidable there. As opposed to other bars and restaurants where you have to sit and stare at your new acquaintance, Barcade is filled with old-fashioned video games like Pac-Man and Tetris that make long pauses and uncomfortable conversations a thing of the dating past. They also have a ton of beers on tap beers on tap. Plus, everything is relatively cheap, with each game costing no more than a quarter or two. 16. Fat Cat, West Village. Fat Cat is fun! Good places to go on a date in nyc Fun places to go with your girlfriend in nyc Best nyc dinner date spots Romantic dinner places nyc Romantic dinner spots nyc
