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Festive pop-up bars are opening all around NYC—and we say, “The more, the merrier.” From returning favorites like Sippin' Santa's Surf Shack to ski-lodge–inspired newcomers, these are the seasonal boites you have to hit up before year's end.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in New York
The Holiday Hideaway
at the VNYL
Along with showing Monday-night Christmas movies (Home Alone, A Christmas Story) at 6pm in the upstairs main bar, the team behind this East Village boîte has tricked out the basement with artificial snow, tinsel and a
faux fireplace. Instead of regular ol’ dairy, you can wash down
holiday cookies with boozy milk punch, and on Mondays, look out for elves handing out free stocking stuffers.
100 Third Ave (917-675-7725, thevnyl
.com)
The Lodge at Gallow Green
Inspired by mountainside ski chalets, the woodsy rooftop pop-up at the McKittrick Hotel is decorated with blanket-covered armchairs, book-filled wooden shelves and even bunk beds for relaxing, along with a fire pit and real-deal evergreens outside. The menu corresponds with warming, wood-fired grub like a tarte flambe with Gruyère and nutmeg, which you can wash down with Sleep No More mulled wine. 542 W 27th St (212-564-1662, mckittrickhotel.com/gallow-green)
Silver Belles
at Belle Shoals
The outdoor patio at this Southern-comfort Williamsburg bar has been fixed up as a holiday garden, with strung lights, pine trees and a fire pit where you can curl up with one of the bar’s hot cocktails: The Baby It’s Cold Out Cider is spiked with apple brandy and whiskey, while the Choco Choco Oaxaca gives house-made hot cocoa a jolt of cinnamon, cayenne and, if you so choose, some smoky mescal.
10 Hope St, Brooklyn (718-218-6027, belleshoals.com)
A Midwinter Night’s Dream
at Locl Bar
“What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!” Cool it, Billy, this should warm you up: This Upper West Side hotel bar transforms into a Shakespeare-inspired dreamscape through January 1,
complete with tulle canopies, floral garland and a red baby grand piano. At the bar, find festive cocktails from bartender Cody Goldstein, including a bourbon-and-banana Puck’s Shadow (Campfire marshmallow, walnut, mole bitters).
NYLO New York City, 2178 Broadway (212-362-1100, nylo-nyc.com)
The Peak at PHD Terrace
A weekend getaway to a mountainside cabin is closer than you think. Through the holidays, the 16th-floor terrace at Dream Midtown is festively fitted with frosted topiaries, fur throw blankets and logwood candles. Food and drink follow jolly suit, with options like warm Swedish glogg, peppermint-garnished martinis and baked brie with figs and candied walnuts.
210 W 55th St (646-756-2044,
phdterrace.com)
Sippin’ Santa’s Surf Shack at Boilermaker
It’s like Saint Nick took a trip to the tropics: Through Christmas Eve, East Village bar Boilermaker is gussied up in equal parts twinkling lights and floral leis and serves a tiki-inspired cocktail menu from bartender Samuel Gauthier: The Chinatown Christmas (five-spice–infused Scotch, plum wine, Angostura bitters) is poured over a snowball ice cube, while the And a Parrot in a Palm Tree features tequila, mescal, dry curaçao and spiced coconut syrup in a novelty coconut mug.
13 First Ave (212-995-5400, boilermakernyc.com)
Miracle On Ninth Street
at Mace
Drawing major lines since debuting in 2014, the holiday pop-up at East Village cocktail bar Mace is back for the season with yuletide fixings like garlands, ribbons and a playlist of holiday classics. As in years past, bartender Nico de Soto is the brain behind the drinks list, which includes sips like the Christmaspolitan (a Cosmo updated with vodka, fig bitters, elderflower liqueur and spiced cranberry sauce), the Jingle Ball Nog (brown butter fat-washed cognac, amontillado sherry, almond milk, egg, nutmeg) and the gin-based Brazen Blitzen, made merry with pine liqueur, vanilla syrup, mint and club soda.
649 E 9th St (macenewyork.com)
Winter Holiday Garden at Midnights
The garden area of the Williamsburg restaurant-bar is transformed into a festive wonderland for the holidays, complete with charcoal warming stations, plenty of holiday decorations and themed food-and-drink specials, like a boozy hot cider splashed with your choice of spiced rum or bourbon. 149 North 6th St, Brooklyn (718-384-6961, midnightsbk.com)
Winter Wonderland
at Good Story
Chef Harold Moore (Harold’s Meat + Three) brings you this cheery seasonal revamp of Good Story, the rooftop bar at the Arlo Hudson Square hotel, which is decked out with flocked trees, colorful lights and holiday ornaments through the end of the year. Along with themed cocktails (hot-chocolate martinis, fruitcake old-fashioneds) and party food (cheese puffs, pigs in a blanket), the bar also counts down the 25 days to Christmas with a liquored-up Advent calendar: A specific bottle is showcased every day until December 25 and is poured free for guests until it runs out.
231 Hudson St (212-342-7000,
arlohotels.com)
Holiday Village at La Sirena
Floral designer Carlos Rivas tricked out the spacious outdoor patio of the Batali-Bastianich restaurant with 35 real trees (holiday firs, mountain laurels and maples) and festive lighting for this winter wonderland, open Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 1pm through December 18th. Sip warm cocktails in between snaps with Santa, who will be on hand for pictures. 88 Ninth Ave (212-977-6096, lasirena-nyc.com)
Baita at Eataly
Eataly's Alps-inspired rooftop bar returned for the season with some new additions: Baita 2.0 introduced a dine-in log cabin, a polenta bar, a large-format beef shank (for groups of 10 or more\) and new cocktails like the Smokey S'more, a hot chocolate spiked with 1921 Tequila Cream and Buen Bicho mezcal and topped with cookie crumble. 200 Fifth Ave (212-937-8910, eataly.com)