The very best bars on the Upper East Side

What is it? A well-realized gastropub–The Penrose is a crowd-pleaser.

Why we like it: Comfy, stylish–a bit of hip downtown, uptown.

Time Out tip: The Penrose does have a ton of seating but it still gets crowded on Saturday nights. 

Address: 1590 2nd Avenue

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday, 11:30am-4am; Saturday & Sunday, 9:30am-4am 

Expect to Pay: Cocktails are $15, Beers are about $8; Wine glasses are $13-ish, bottles are around $55, there’s also bottles of sparkling that reach up to $210. Small plates of food are about $12-$15 while a main can go for between $17-$34

What is it: One of NYC’s premier beer bars

Why we like it: Home to a 65-seat outdoor biergarten, a coffee shop, a mixology lab, The Jeffrey wants to be your go-to for whatever you’re into.

Time Out tip: This is a destination for beer nerds, yes. But it’s also the kind of place that, on a sunny weekend afternoon, you can bring the whole team and have a great time. It’s right under the Queensboro Bridge, so if you’re going at night and wanna sit outside, bring a jacket.

Address: 311 East 60th Street

Opening Hours: Monday - Wednesday, 4pm-midnight; Thursday - Saturday, noon-1am; Sunday, noon-midnight

Expect to pay: Beers range, depending but most are around $8. Cocktails average $15. Wine glasses are $15, bottles are $65. Small plates are mostly about $8, tacos are $7-ish per with a minimum of two to an order; big plates are from about $15 to $20.

What is it: A low-key Scottish pub with a huge scotch whiskey selection.

Why we like it: It’s not all about the price-tag on single-malt here; the collection is more thoughtfully curated than that.

Time Out tip: There are house rules you’d do well to observe: There’s no such thing as the best whiskey. There's a 5% discount for Tinder dates (with proof). Do NOT close your tab after each drink, you Gen Zers. Don’t ask for free drinks—it’s gauche and annoys bartenders. Fellas: respect women or get the boot.

Address: 1609 2nd Avenue

Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday, 5pm-2am; Friday & Saturday, 4pm-4am; Sunday, 4pm-midnight

Expect to pay: Cocktails are around $16, food is around $8, beer around $9, wine is at around $13/glass and $50/bottle. Whiskeys have a vast range, some hitting $150 for a pour.

What is it: An atmospheric, long-running lounge on a residential strip with no street-facing signage. 

Why we like it: This place was a trailblazer in NYC and has maintained its intrinsic integrity through the years.

Time Out tip: There’s no storefront, so it may take you a minute to locate the entrance but trust us: it’s there. There’s no dress code, but keep it classy. Cash only.

Address: 300 East 89th Street

Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 6pm-2am; Friday, 6pm-1am, Saturday, 6pm-4am

Expect to pay: House cocktails are $14, Beers are around $7, wine about $10/glass and bottles range wide from $30 to $100+. Food doesn’t break the bank, averaging $15.

What is it: Sunny English gastropub showing British Premier League matches. 

Why we like it: You don’t need to be an Anglophile to appreciate the Jones Wood Foundry. The reason is simple: their commitment to the Brit bit is so earnestly affectionate.

Time Out tip: If you’re a footie fan, this is an excellent spot to get in the spirit. It’s a pub, yes, but it’s really more about the food and this is a really charming place for casual lunch or dinner. Daily specials are fun and include England’s national dish–Chicken Tikka Masala–on Mondays, but as far as I’m concerned, Saturday/Sunday Roast is the move.

Address: 401 East 76th Street

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday, noon-12am; Saturday, 10am-midnight; Sunday, 10am-11pm. Kitchen Closes at 10pm.

Expect to pay: Beers run around $15. Small plates are about $16; mains range from $15 to $42 but average $30.

What is it: The sort-of hidden classy cocktail bar above the Jewish delicatessen institution. 

Why we like it: The concept of pairing alcohol with Jewish appetizing isn’t new, but this place does it beautifully. Cocktails and sumptuous, craveable food—you’ll walk away satisfied. 

Time Out tip: Go at happy hour any day between 5pm and 7pm when $29 (plus tip!) buys you half of a rib-sticking deli sandwich from downstairs plus any house cocktail. My favorite permutation is Pastrami on rye alongside a Badlands: a spicy spin on a Manhattan.

Address: 1442 1st Avenue, East 75th Street, 2nd Floor

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday, 5pm-midnight; Friday & Saturday, 5pm-2am; Closed Sunday & Monday

Expect to pay: Beer is $9, Wine is about $15/glass and $60/bottle, cocktails hover around $19. Small plates range from $11 for pickles to $15 for pigs in a blanket, but if you’re hungry a $30 meat board is generous and delicious.

What is it: A craft beer destination with friendly, knowledgeable staff and bar food.

Why we like it: It’s laid back and straightforward. If you’re on the hunt for a place that reminds you (at least in spirit) of the bars back home in [insert American town here] this place will ring the nostalgia bell.

Time Out tip: The wings are crispycrunchy, very good. If you’re persnickety about your beer, check their website for an assiduously-updated tap list. 

Address: 1444 1st Avenue at 75th Street

Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday, 3pm-midnight; Friday: 3pm-3am; Saturday, noon-3am; Sunday, noon-midnight

Expect to pay: Drafts are $10, cans $12 and cocktails $13. Wings are 5 for $11 and 10 for $17. Small plates are around $12, sandwiches at $16.

What is it? This is the gorgeous bar at the Carlyle Hotel. It's got a smart dress code so you know it's for a fancy night out.

Why we like it: Choice acts keep New York’s most dapper nightspot on the map, while the steep cover charge and white-jacketed service makes sure riffraff doesn’t scuff up the bar’s most valued draw: original Ludwig Bemelmans murals. Not to be missed, spiffy (and pricey) cocktails preserve the bar’s classic character. 

Time Out Tip: Prepare to pay a $10 per person cover charge when the pianist begins at 5:30pm. When the jazz trio plays, it's $25-$35 per person (depending on the artist) at tables and $15-$20 per person.

Address: The Carlyle, 35 East 76th Street

Hours: Sunday–Monday, noon–midnight; Tuesday–Thursday, noon–12:30am; Friday–Saturday, noon–1am

Expect to pay: It's pricey but you go in knowing that.

What is it: A “hidden” bar behind an ice cream shop whose elaborate pretense is rendered superfluous by the near-certain need for a reservation.

Why we like it: Beyond the gimmick-ry, this place has undeniably great cocktails, most of which feature some form of ice cream.

Time Out tip: Ask to see the storage room. Cocktail attire is required for entry—doesn’t matter how trendy you are. No T-shirts, no Doc Martens, no ripped jeans.

Address: 1707 2nd Avenue 

Opening Hours: Monday - Wednesday, 5pm-1am; Thursday, 5pm-2pm; Friday & Saturday, 5pm-3am. Sundays, 6pm-midnight.

Expect to pay: Cocktails run about $17 but can go up to $25. Ice cream has one, two, or three scoops going for $5, $6, and $7, respectively. Bottles of bubbly start at $125 and go all the way up to $575. Beer hovers around $9.

What is it: After 4pm, the 79th Street location of Zabar’s (the venerable New York City Jewish grocer/appetizing mini-chain) shifts gears from cafe to bar.

Why we like it: Serving New York State craft beer adds even more value to the NYC-centric brand’s small empire of excellent (mostly) Jewish sundries, including prepared foods and baked goods. It’s also novel to drink in a place like this—it smells nice and the service is excellent.

Time Out tip: Great as it is, this isn’t a place you would take a first date–it’s maybe a little too casual if not off-beat. That said, it’s definitely a fun place for a more casual date with somebody who appreciates a neighborhood insider’s acumen. 

Address: 189 East 79th Street

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday, 4-11pm

Expect to pay: Wine is $16/glass and $60/bottle, beers are around $9, cocktails are $16-ish. Pizzas are about $23, small plates at $15, and larger plates around $25.