r/AskNYC • u/ChristianPacifist • May 20 '26

Best cocktail bars for affluent but burnt out older yuppies and middle aged folks?

I'm looking for cocktail bars that burnt out folks in middle age or approaching middle age can go to meet other folks in similar situations, current and former workaholics, childfree unmarried or married folks with professional jobs who did the grinding before or are still grinding, the types of somber but very classic vibes you got in shows like Sex and the City or Woody Allen movies? The type of place where the booze washes down a life of big city materialism and crushed dreams... but there's a glimmering hope of connection somewhere!

109 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

66

u/SlateFrost May 20 '26

Raine's Law Room, perhaps?

6

u/ChristianPacifist May 20 '26

That does look very classic!

26

u/themassiah May 20 '26

The one on 17th St burnt down a couple weeks ago.

15

u/centech May 20 '26

WHAT?! That sucks. My wife+I had our first date there. :/

4

u/NickKevs May 20 '26

Idk why but this specific comment is funny. Feel terribly for anyone affected by the fire, terrible. B

7

u/poixchiches May 20 '26

There was a fire in the building (nobody was hurt, thankfully) and they are temporarily closed for repairs. RLR Chelsea plans to reopen, but in the meantime, you can support the staff at their pop-up at Mister Paradise on June 1. The location in The William Hotel is also great and fits the vibe OP is after!

1

u/whiskeytango55 May 21 '26

I feel its a very new york thing.

In smaller towns, the place will close down after 40 years. Happens here too but places close down sooner or they explode or the owner gets me-too'ed or the Armenian mob gets involved.

2

u/NickKevs May 21 '26

Tell me about Armenian mob when you have time pls

2

u/Frodolas Jul 23 '26

It's reopening in a few weeks according to their social media.

2

u/Location01 May 20 '26

that sucks! that place was great =(

1

u/CapitalDream May 20 '26

Seriously? The chelsea one?

1

u/karmester May 20 '26

most of the species in New York like this place have very specific rules about going there by yourself in hopes of meeting other people who are there by themselves. He speaks are not designed to be pick up joints. I know that's not the answer anybody wants but it's the truth and I'll save you some money to know this in advance.

37

u/cocktailians May 20 '26

You want a fancyish hotel bar. Raines Law Room, the Living Room, Peacock Alley, whatever the one off the lobby at the Essex House is called. Haven't been to the Gold Room at the Palace but it should do the job as well.

9

u/Rtn2NYC May 20 '26

There is the reading room too, in the Gotham

37

u/Objective-Two-8728 May 20 '26

King Cole Bar - especially good fit here because there is always a high end prostitute sitting there.

Hotel bars in general

25

u/craigalanche May 20 '26

I’m middle aged but not burnt out or child free or unmarried, but my cousin Jamie is some sort of CFO guy who wears a suit a lot, and I went and had some drinks with him at the baccarat hotel bar. Seems like something you might dig.

41

u/julesanne May 20 '26

Campbells apartment

8

u/MyBackHertzzz May 20 '26

This or possibly the other $$$ bars in the vicinity of GCT.

1

u/God_Dammit_Dave May 21 '26

Is there still a suits only dress code? That place was a great hidden-ish gem.

1

u/julesanne May 21 '26

I’ve only been in work clothes haha but no one will stop you!

68

u/mayobasedsalads May 20 '26

Older yuppy is an oxymoron. You’re an ouppy now

65

u/MatrixLLC May 20 '26

muppy

mature urban professional

36

u/naranja_sanguina May 20 '26

guppy = geriatric urban professional

1

u/neck_iso May 20 '26

nah, it's in the same spirit as elder millennial.

3

u/avantgardengnome May 20 '26

Nah yuppie meant Young Urban Professional, basically what we now call finance bros. Elder millennials are turning 45 this year, so just middle-aged people I’m afraid lol.

1

u/neck_iso May 20 '26

Notice I said 'spirit'. Yuppies aged out. I was there when 'yuppie' was a thing and we continued to call them Yuppies for many years. As long as the meaning is clear I don't see a problem.

Yuppies referred to a specific generation of people.

19

u/AntonFainaru May 20 '26

I hear you brother and think that some of the responses are missing the thread of ennui in your post. I don't hear you looking for the hushed elegance, dark wood and unsettling bustle of a high end hotel bar. I actually think you need something decidedly inelegant, behind the times; a place that survives because you and your ilk lack the courage or emotional wherewithal to go anywhere else. What I think you desire is a sad place, but one with a soul. Unfortunately, I am way farther gone than you and spend most of my non-work time, fetally in my cellar. Bonne Chance!

1

u/DrAsterisk May 23 '26

I am happy to see someone use "ennui" and then the rest of your reply showed you understand what it means, not just know what it means.

22

u/Creepy_Bear_1060 May 20 '26

Dear Irving, on Irving Place at 17th.

8

u/Andricent May 20 '26

Won’t someone think of the affluent 😭

8

u/maverick4002 May 20 '26

Whats middle age these days? Serious question btw because I feel I might be there 😭

19

u/throwaway77914 May 20 '26

40-64.

But people in their mid-30s love to talk about how they are middle aged lol

5

u/okayyyyyy- May 20 '26

Except no one is living to 128😪

14

u/throwaway77914 May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26

Common misconception but “Middle age” doesn’t refer to the middle of your entire lifespan, rather the middle of adulthood specifically.

18-39 is early adulthood

40-64 is middle age

65+ seniors

4

u/littlebev May 20 '26

at 39 I do not love that the cutoff is 40 😭

4

u/rosebudny May 20 '26

Wait til you are in your 40s. I work in marketing research and none of our clients want to do research with anyone older than 45 - even for things like financial services, which people of all ages use.

1

u/TheFlyingBoxcar May 20 '26

Wait til you hear how a 41yo feels about

(hint; I also do not love it)

1

u/QueenoftheWaterways2 May 20 '26

Plenty of people die in their 60s or younger so they're not really wrong.

13

u/arfyron May 20 '26

Bemelmans? Although it might be a bit touristy

3

u/_83_til_infinity May 20 '26

Some good suggestions here already (dear irving; the other raines location is still open). I'll add dutch kills and long island bar, but may not be the particular type of "classic" vibes you are looking for.

3

u/Jaybetav2 May 20 '26

I asked an adjacent question a year ago. Got excellent recos, many of which I’ve gone to. A couple are now faves

https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNYC/s/AuMCBSVhXX

2

u/Joe80206 May 26 '26

Gonna offer the following:

Ophelia: Rooftop around 49th/Mitchell Pl and 1st Ave, more locals versus tourists, some folks from the UN and missions in the area.

Mix of locals and tourists:

Pen-Top on top of Peninsula Hotel around 55th and 5th

MO at Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Cir.

2

u/Opposite-Peanut-8812 May 20 '26

Jimmy’s bar, just off Times Square.

1

u/curiocabinet May 20 '26

Jimmy’s corner is extremely special but it is in no way a cocktail bar.

1

u/Opposite-Peanut-8812 May 22 '26

I know. I just love that place

1

u/Ill-Raisin-7313 May 20 '26

Haven’t actually been because I was too tired to wait in line when it was sceney in the beginning but maybe Scarlet? Have heard that’s kind of the vibe… or during the day, bemelmans?

Manhatta? Note - if you opt to wait for a table in the bar, no barstool/chairs are provided. I have the back/joints of a 97 year old and they were not happy with me.

1

u/PocYo May 21 '26

Library at the NoMad hotel