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If you’re tuned into bar culture, you may already know Juliette Larrouy and Moe Aljaff. The two self-proclaimed schmucks made their name at Two Schmucks, the award-winning, five-starred dive bar in Barcelona. After citing professional differences, the team disbanded—but fate had other plans. These two schmucks came stateside with keys to a space in the East Village. Marked by teaser pop-ups and marred by construction delays, schmuck. became one of our most highly anticipated openings in 2024… and 2025. But it seems the build-up paid off: Almost a year after opening, lines continue to stretch down 1st Ave every night. Much less punk than its predecessor, schmuck.'s front room reads like your most artistic friend's gussied-up lounge, with handsome leather seating, a commanding steel bar and a blue-tiled corner room that somehow gives spa. Cool kids pull up a chair and chat over highballs bursting with tomato sweetness (Bread with Tomatoes) and peanutty tipples that hum with a chili-oil spiked heat (Larb Gai). But it’s a popular hang, and showing up without a reservation will almost certainly mean a wait. Luckily, the back room is ready for all. The walk-in back bar is designed to feel like the natural gathering hub of any house party: the kitchen. The cocktails are just as thoughtful, though the massive wooden table in the center tends to squeeze people into corners if they don’t snag one of the few seats. Still, no matter how laid-back the vibe, these schmucks will take...

Lizzy Okpo named her Harlem-based coffee, lifestyle and wellness shops "oma," meaning beautiful in Igbo. And it seems she has truly embodied the spirit of the word. As The Oma Shop I (1707 Amsterdam Avenue) dabbles in home goods alongside coffee cups, the follow-up, The Oma Shop II, continues in stride, expanding on the original's imprint. Reading like the living room of a Moroccan home, the shop finds power in its minimalism with white walls that curve and shelves stocked with aesthetically pleasing bottles of balms and beauty goods curated from Black, POC and LGBTQ+ vendors. The stainless steel counter shines near the front, where a blend of coffees and teas is brewed. But if you push deeper into the shop, you'll reach the sizeable backroom that morphs to the needs and whims of the community. On any given night, you can find a barber shop and braiding studio, a quiet room for podcasting and interviews and even a booth where up-and-coming DJs livestream their sets. But if you just came for a cup of coffee and a chill or early evening glass of wine and a bit of community, that is more than welcome here, too. 

The William Vale is effortlessly cool. Nestled on the border between the ultra-hip Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods of northwest Brooklyn, the five-star stay opened back in 2016, has 183 guestrooms over 23-floors and resembles something you’d see in an up-and-coming neighborhood in Tokyo or Seoul.  With a gym, pool, rooftop bar(s), and three dining spots that get many of their fresh herbs from the on-property Vale Garden, there’s enough here to enjoy The William Vale as an urban resort, all with the perk of being nestled in a lively, walkable part of New York area that’s not overcrowded like much of Manhattan. Why stay at The William Vale? First up, while in Manhattan hotels can feel pretty cramped, visitors to the William Vale will instead enjoy spacious, modern rooms (which each have their own balcony), plus access to the gym, pool, and three different drinking and dining options—you don’t need to leave the hotel if you don’t want to.  But, as it’s close to some of the museums, restaurants, bridges, and public spaces that make New York America’s top tourist destination, William Vale allows you to enjoy the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods as a proper, temporary local What are the rooms like at The William Vale? There are 15 different room types, from the Queen rooms to the Vale Garden Residence, which has a large deck with a hot tub. And in case you don’t have the energy to make it down to the gym, the Vale Garden Residence has its own Freemotion Coach...

Matthew Moinian is the mind behind one of New York's most opulent "coffee concepts," Felix Roasting Co. He also happens to be a developer, investor and principal at the Moinian Group, one of the largest privately held real estate investment companies in the world. It is important to distinguish, however, that Moinian's fascination with coffee is that of a passion project rather than a pet—the coffee here has a serious pedigree. But given that his investment company develops "visually distinguished properties," it is perhaps no surprise that Moinian's resulting coffee shops are just as fantastical. Grand is certainly one of the words we would use to describe the fifth location that landed in midtown in 2025, as blush pink chairs shake with fringe, hand-laid mosaic tiles zig-zag across the floor and the chandeliers that hang here look like they've been lifted from The Met. You can't help but look up and take it all in, especially as an egg-shaped copper dome hovers over the counter, a magical starry scape painted at its center.  But Felix Roasting Co. does well not to rely on good looks alone, as the shop roasts and packages its own blends, makes its own syrups, tonics, and, short of getting a cow in the back, blends its own nut milks—cashew, almond and pumpkin seed. It all ladders up to a coffee shop where people linger with colleagues over Americanos and espresso and likely impress incoming clientele. But beyond the standard pours, Felix also has a flair for the...

With a combined resume that includes Angel's Share, Employees Only and Alinea, Shingo Gokan's and Steve Schneider's bi-level bar was bound to be a hit. At the subterranean bar, Sip, Gokan provides a sleek, Japanese cocktail bar. Schneider's Guzzle is a saloon-style bar where classics are familiar with a little oomph (looking at your Sherry Colada Highball). Former executive chef of Chicago's Alinea, chef Mike Bagale balances both bars with high to low offerings, including "electric" chicken next to a $150 sandwich made with A5 wagyu. 

On a random summer night, a bouncer perched outside Bar Snack called out to me and other passersby on the street, luring us with the promise of great drinks, great food and "the best bathroom in the East Village." Reader: I am here to tell you—he was right. But if a disco-fresh bathroom isn't enough to tempt you in, the convivial nature and solid list of tasty cocktails (and snacks!) found at Bar Snack certainly will.  The vibe: After surveying the East Village and its many, many (expensive) cocktail bars, bartender Iain Griffiths and Brooklyn-based bar owner Oliver Cleary decided they wanted to create something—and so they did, serving "dressed-up classics for dressed-down people." The inside gives off '70s lounge—think wood paneling and a dark, walnut-wood bar lined with glittery orange bar stools. Snagging a seat during the nighttime hours can prove difficult as this bar certainly attracts a crowd, making standing room your best bet. But even the daytime can bring a rowdy good time, as rock and throwback hits (hello Spice Girls!) blare through the speakers. The food: Snack is in the name, isn't it? And snacks, they do so well. Fried cheese curds are tossed in pickle dust and hot dogs get a little fancy with onion jam and a hot pickle. But the snack of all snacks is the Spice Bag ($18). Leaning on Griffith's Irish roots, the bag comes to the table in a white paper bag labeled "Spice Bag" fashioned in the style of the Spice Girls logo. As much as you'll want to save it,...

We really like eating around the city, and we're guessing you do, too. So lucky for all of us, we've packed all our favorite restaurants under one roof at the Time Out Market New York. The DUMBO location in Empire Stores has fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, pizza from Fornino, delicious bagels from Ess-a-bagel and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by us. Chow down over two floors with views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline.  RECOMMENDED: The best things do in NYC

If you thought getting a table at Per Se was tough, try getting into Rao’s. On second thought, don’t. Rao’s (pronounced “RAY-ohs”) is really a private club without the dues. To eat here, you’ll need a personal invite from one of the heavy hitters who “owns” a table. These CEOs, actors, politicians, news personalities and neighborhood old-timers established a long-standing arrangement with the late, legendary owner Frankie “No” Pellegrino, and that's what ensures a seat at one of the ten tables at the Italian-American icon. In fact, reading this review is probably the closest you’ll get to Rao’s.

Though not as easily accessible by public transit as most NYC museums, this Queens County treasure is well worth the bus trek or car ride. As the city’s longest continually farmed site in the city (it’s been in operation since 1697), the 47 acres feels like an entirely different world compared to Manhattan. Feed and pet the barnyard animals, including sheep, ponies and goats, hop aboard a hayride and come back during the fall harvest season when you can go pumpkin picking and attempt to find your way through the Amazing Maize Maze (yes, that’s a corn maze). Don’t forget to stop by the store on your way out for fresh fruits and veggies grown on the premises!

You may have become familiar with the tale of Takuma Watanabe while he tended bar at Angel Share. But at his three-story Japanese bar, Martiny's, he spins a yarn all his own. The Tokyo native's solo project is housed in a former carriage house, each floor dedicated to the art of the cocktail. Continually shooting for omotenashi, or the concept of hospitality in Japan, Watanabe and his dedicated staff take pride in curating an experience like no other, regardless of the floor you find yourself on.