Post: #1

So you met a beautiful girl. The time has come to set up a date. I get asked quite a bit from friends who are visiting NYC on where to take a girl. So I deiced to put a list together of my favorite spots. I am not a big fan of dive bars and I don’t mind paying higher price drinks for a good atmosphere. The following is a list of my favorite date spots in NYC:

1. Medi Wine Bar
9th ave between 53 and 54

Good selection of wine and tapas, if you decide to order. I usually sit at the bar next to the girl for Kino. There are also tables but usually for dinner. There is also courtyard for good weather evenings. This is my go-to first date spot. There are several other bars within the area for venue change

2. The Hudson Hotel
West 58th between 8th and 9th avenues

I like this place because it has a few different rooms. The Library room is low- key with a few couches and chairs. There is also a pool table. The other rooms are as follows: a courtyard, sports bar, and the other room has will either have live music or seem more like a lunge. Each room has its own feel and moving into a different room seems like a venue change.

3. Employees Only
510 Hudson Street

This used to be on of New York’s best kept secrets but it is quite popular now. In addition to a good pick-up spot, it is a great place to take a girl for a drink during the week. Weekends get very crowded. Even during the week you might have to flight for a spot at the bar. But it is a fun and festival setting. Girls love the drinks here.

4. Bar Vellore
2nd ave between 11th and 12th

Another nice wine spot located in the East Village. Close to the center of the
action if you want to bounce to another place.


5. The Empire Hotel
West 63rd right by Lincoln Center

Drinks are very expensive but this is my favorite rooftop bar. The couches are perfect setup for a date on the rooftop. This place gets crowed on the weekends and there are a lot of private events so check the website or call ahead to make sure they are open to the public.

6. Botega del Vino
59th and 5th ave

This is a good spot if you are meeting a girl during the day for coffee. Convenient to get to if working in Midtown.

7. Covo
135th and 12th ave

This is a bit off the beaten path by Manhattan standards. I have gone to this place when seeing girls in the Morningside Heights/ Columbia area. This area was shady when I was going to grad school close more than a decade ago. Times have changed and the area is much better. The Italian food is excellent and reasonably priced. Also, there is a good wine selection. This place is of course for a dinner date.

Post: #2

Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Post: #3

(07-20-2014 08:08 PM)Vaun Wrote:  Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been there. I will have to check it out...I like that area

Post: #4

(07-20-2014 08:14 PM)Dantes Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:08 PM)Vaun Wrote:  Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been there. I will have to check it out...I like that area

There is another great Italian wine bar at 69th and Broadway called Barcibo Enoteca. Its another great spot, probably a better 1st spot to not appear to try so hard on the first date. Shalel is a little over the top, but a great place to drink, eat hummus and make out on secluded couches. Plus in the summer when its hot as hell its nice and cool downstairs. Its a good little multi venue night, Barcibo first to see if they are worth it, then Shalel next, then walk over and make out with her on the fountain at Lincoln Center. I am starting to get a little misty here...

Post: #5

Smalls Jazz club in the West Village is a nice cozy place for a date. Especially during the week when it's slower. Grab a bench table under the front street window so no one can sit behind you, sit next to each other, have some drinks, listen to great jazz, and kino it up.

Post: #6

(07-20-2014 08:14 PM)Dantes Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:08 PM)Vaun Wrote:  Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been there. I will have to check it out...I like that area

Empire roof top was looking pretty Jersey Shore last time I was there about a month ago.

Post: #7

(07-20-2014 08:58 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:14 PM)Dantes Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:08 PM)Vaun Wrote:  Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been there. I will have to check it out...I like that area

Empire roof top was looking pretty Jersey Shore last time I was there about a month ago.

saturday night?

Post: #8

(07-20-2014 09:01 PM)Dantes Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:58 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:14 PM)Dantes Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 08:08 PM)Vaun Wrote:  Good list.

I would add Shalel. Columbus and 70th. Good second date spot. Good for a first if you really like the girl. Underground, Moroccan, good wine, there is a waterfall. Good spot to start if you are in the UWS.

I take dates to the Hudson Hotel a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been there. I will have to check it out...I like that area

Empire roof top was looking pretty Jersey Shore last time I was there about a month ago.

saturday night?

I forget, maybe a Friday. It just looks like a really young bridge and tunnel crowd, like under 21 crowd. Its a shame for such a nice spot

Post: #9

The best date spots are within a 10 minute walk from your crib. 5 min. is even better. This assumes you are in a "live" neighborhood with lots of venue options in NYC. Logistics, holmes.

That said, I like Ten Degrees and Bua(outdoors area), and the Weyland, in East Village. Decibel or Angel's Share if I'm looking to show them a more "exotic" spot that costs a bit more cash. Casa Mezcal and Leadbelly(Happy hour oysters) are fine choices in the LES. For a late midtown west date, try Dizzy's Jazz at Columbus Circle for the late night 11pm Jazz shows, with $5 drinks and cover.

Another go-to date is chilling out on the grass at Pier 15(near South St. Seaport) or Bryant Park for the midtown after-work girl. In either case I would bring a bottle of white burgundy or prosecco.

Post: #10

Agreed, good list.

Small edit - for #4, I think you meant Bar Veloce.

Post: #11

any of you know good spots downtown (Fidi area)

Post: #12

(07-20-2014 10:27 PM)TrueSlyr Wrote:  any of you know good spots downtown (Fidi area)

Fulton st. and Stone st. are going to be your best bets imo.

Post: #13

(07-21-2014 12:38 AM)Zyzz Wrote:  Fulton st. and Stone st. are going to be your best bets imo.

Any specific places you would recommend?

Post: #14

(07-21-2014 10:09 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 12:38 AM)Zyzz Wrote:  Fulton st. and Stone st. are going to be your best bets imo.

Any specific places you would recommend?

On Fulton st. not off the top of my head, no.

On Stone st. - Mad Dog and Beans(Mexican) and Smorgas Chef(Scandanavian).

I really haven't taken many girls out in FiDi. My suggestion would be to scout these streets out and see which ones work for you.

Post: #15

Anymore?

Post: #16

Haha. When I meet the wealthy, snooty types of girls who come to Brooklyn for an adventure, I take em to the grimiest dive you could imagine.

PBR and a shot for 3$.

And they get fucking turned on, no doubt about it.

Post: #17

But...when I'm feeling fancy or taking a cute little European girl around the city, I like to pop into PDT.

It's the place that is hidden through the phone booth in Crif Dogs. Good spot on a weekday.

The Euros get a kick out of entering a hot dog shop and being transported to a speakeasy through an old phone booth.

Cocktails are top notch too.

Post: #18

(07-21-2014 10:31 PM)Zyzz Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 10:09 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 12:38 AM)Zyzz Wrote:  Fulton st. and Stone st. are going to be your best bets imo.

Any specific places you would recommend?

On Fulton st. not off the top of my head, no.

On Stone st. - Mad Dog and Beans(Mexican) and Smorgas Chef(Scandanavian).

I really haven't taken many girls out in FiDi. My suggestion would be to scout these streets out and see which ones work for you.

The Dead Rabbit is one of the better newer bars in the city, on Water st.

Post: #19

I generally don't like to recommend saturated tourist areas, but the seaport a few blocks from Water St. has some nice views and spots where you can sit right in front of the river. I'm also pretty sure it gets very empty once the evening hits.

Post: #20

How often have you guys found that a really nice date spot has been the clincher in a bang? For me ever since I started only taking girls to bars or restaurants on my block my bangs have been way up. If I ever find myself thinking "oh i really need to pick a cool place for tonight to impress her" that is a sure fire sign that i am not going to get the bang

Post: #21

Speakeasies are great date spots but HORRIBLE for pickup. A girl I know in NYC told me recently that the staff at PDT call out guys making on girls. Pay a white knight $20 for a drink and then have him cock block you? No thanks, never going back there.

Post: #22

At PDT, you must ask permission from the bartender to talk to a girl you don't know. No joke.

Dates only.

Post: #23

The new empire hotel rooftop (Level L) is not such a good date spot. Doesn't have a date spot vibe since it was redone.

Post: #24

The thing with date spots is you don't want random drunk guys interluding on your time. low key, dimly lit, side-to-side seating. Avoid on the weekends as the riff raff comes out.

Elsa's and Death and Company are similar to PDT (no white knight bartenders afaik). I've gotten better traction pounding tequila and pbr at a dive on a monday. Again trick is to be there when the prowlers are asleep.

Then again I've seen these cocktail date spots packed on off days too, so be flexible to move around to a quiet spot regardless of name or mixology accolades.

Key to nyc is tight logistics and flexibility.

Post: #25

I'm not a date guy BUT when it comes to showing chicks NY it's either Le Bain or Ph-D both have rooftops and pools...








^^^^ I always go naked with the girls in the pool








Thing is most people never really get to see the luxury side of NY which is generally hidden from most new yorkers...

Rose Bar




Jane Hotel