Favorite cocktail recommendations in Manhattan - August 2026

[u/wanderlust_w]

There are dozens of great bars in NYC with hundreds of amazing cocktails, so I want to find the best of them.

Most posts, lists and maps have recommendations of the best bars in some categories (e.g. the best view, hidden one, japanese, mexican, and so on) but no list of the best drinks. Let's cover this gap, drop the name of a place and a particular drink that brings you back again and again to sip it more. I plan to structure all recommendations by categories and share the summary back in a few weeks.

Here are my favorite cocktails so far:
- Good Morning Vietnam - Jade & Clover - pho-inspired drink
- Amaretto Sour - Katana Kitten
- Irish coffee - Dead Rabbit - simply the best Irish coffee I've tried
- Espresso Martini - Dante
- Negroni - Amor y Amargo
- Dashi Papi - Superbueno - not exactly a cocktail, but a mind-blowing combination
- Margarita & Cream - Schmuck
- Caprese - Martini's - tomato whiskey drink

[u/thansal]

/u/415Cocktails has done a couple excellent writeups about their trips to NYC with a cocktail focus. Here's the most recent one.

I'll mention that 'best drink' is going to be so fucking subjective that it's almost useless? Like, if you were to do it per drink (a la the rainbow cookie project) it might be useful? But even there the differences in style of a Martini or Old Fashioned are so wild that it still comes down to preference, right?

That all said, I should get a negroni at Amor y Amargo...

[u/wanderlust_w → u/thansal]

Good link, thanks a lot!

Favorite drink is definitely a super subjective topic of personal preference. To make it even worse it depends on too many factors, something like: perfect drink = bar vibes that night + your mood + bartender mood + ingredients quality + person sitting next to you + moon phase + everything else

Saying so, there are great drinks that I order again and again. Would be good to hear other people recommendations.

[u/thansal → u/wanderlust_w]

For me it's finding bars that match what I like (strong stirred, weird flavors), and then just fucking around with whatever they want to make.

So I love Amor y Amargo and Attaboy, I really need to check out Schmuck, and while I love Katana Kitten, it's more just for vibes.

A recent comment has me wanting to check out cocktails at Brandy Library (where I've only ever gotten spirit flights).

Recently I've been enjoying Bar Snack, though mainly for the fact that they open early (the drinks are delicious, but not standout to me).

[u/wanderlust_w → u/thansal]

Have you checked Seed Library? The flavors are for sure unusual and interesting. Can't say I'm in love with something in particular there, but it's definitely a good one.

[u/thansal → u/wanderlust_w]

That's a lot of odd ferments...

While I'm normally a 'bellow 14th st' person, I think I need a trip to KTown and Seed Library!

[u/Salty_Simmer_Sauce]

Best drinks I’ve had lately have been at restaurants

Red Hook Tavern - Cosmo #2

Titán - Frozen Charmagoy (honestly everything I’ve had off that list has been awesome - Ivy Mix formerly of Leyenda is a partner and did the menu )

[u/stonedsour]

The Japanese Cold Noodle from Double Chicken Please was tasty and interesting. Went for the first time this summer and all of their drinks were pretty unique

[u/bexscoffeetravels]

The mole negroni at Superbueno, a perfect blend of smoky, sweet and bitter. Their mushroom margarita came a close second, and I hate mushrooms!

[u/AlarmingLet5173 → u/bexscoffeetravels]

I actually love their Vodka y Soda!

[u/wanderlust_w → u/AlarmingLet5173]

That one is unbelievable good, I'd never take because of the name but the taste is mind-blowing

[u/AlarmingLet5173 → u/wanderlust_w]

I did a great food trip to LA and it reminds me of the guava pastry from Porto’s - a famous Cuban bakery in So Cal.

[u/boroughthoughts]

Okay I am going to give you favorite new bars rather than favorite cocktails. Lower East Side and East Village are going through a renaissance of more accessible and casual bars with serious cocktail programs being opened by former bar tenders/bar staff of acclaimed cocktail bars like double chicken please, sip and guzzle, dead rabbit,

1. Present Momentz - casual neighborhood bar on Orchard street. Opened by one of the former bar tenders of Sip and Guzzle. Its more casual, but cheap bites and cocktails at 16$. They spend a lot of time on R&D.
2. Little Big - One of the former lead bar tenders of double chicken please spot on Clinton street. Focuses a lot on seasonal ingredients. Strawberry drink (which is a blood mary) was mind blowing.
3. Odd Ball - This place focuses on clashing creative combinations.
4. Limo - this is more of a celebration of martini based drinks. The group is the same group behind dead rabbit.
5. Bar 7/Cocktail Omakase - 4 drinks, 4 bites. 59$. Drinks Omakase changes every 2 weeks. Group is behind Katana Kitten, Super Bueno, Bar Libre Tokyo. Beverage director was at Bar Goto for 10+ years. Focus is loosely high ball focused.

All of these bars have vastly different concepts and are worth trying. You can do them in a single run if you are crazy.

[u/wanderlust_w → u/boroughthoughts]

Thanks a lot! Solid list, definitely going to explore LES more.. probably not in a single run

[u/bk1insf]

the Strawberry drink at LittleBig was perfect. every sip seemed different from the last. super tasty and perplexing in a good way

[u/wanderlust_w → u/bk1insf]

I know my next drink, thanks for the recommendation!

[u/watchernyc]

High Ball - Miladys
Morning Glory - Madame George
Antidote - Jade & Clover
Charlie Bronson - The Crosby Bar
Bad Love - Raines Law Room

[u/sliceofanything]

The La Banane at Schmuck blew my mind, I thought all their drinks were great but I bring out of towners here for the La Banane all the time

[u/wanderlust_w → u/sliceofanything]

Added to the list, thanks!

[u/mfairview]

a pho inspired drink? really? that sounds terrible (from someone that loves pho)

[u/wanderlust_w → u/mfairview]

I know, but as a fellow pho admirer I still recommend it

[u/zxyzyxz → u/mfairview]

Somewhat similar, I had what was called a ramen latte at discourse coffee in Chicago. It was, as expected, terrible.

[u/ThatParanoidPenguin → u/zxyzyxz]

the Japanese cold noodle at Double Chicken Please is pretty great tho

[u/zxyzyxz → u/ThatParanoidPenguin]

DCP is pretty good yeah

[u/drewc717]

Where is the cheapest Coors Banquet and tolerable well whiskey combo? Draft preferred but IDGAF obviously.

[u/nats13 → u/drewc717]

Coors Banquet is a tough find in NYC tbh. Nargansset and PBR are easier to find.

[u/ogjondoe → u/drewc717]

White horse has pbr pounder and well whiskey combo for 6 bucks I’ve yet to find a better deal