NYCGuide
The Best Bars In Tribeca
Where to grab drinks in that triangular neighborhood below Canal Street.
Tribeca is full of babies in strollers, bankers in Patagonia vests, and tourists on the lookout for celebrities in their natural habitat—all of which may lead you to want a drink. Whether you're looking for a fancy cocktail bar, a place to order a bottle of Côtes du Rhône, or somewhere with a secret entrance and live jazz, there are plenty of good options.
THE SPOTS
Galerie is at the bottom of the Smyth Tribeca Hotel, and it’s surprisingly spacious and very nicely decorated with two fireplaces and colorful leather and velvet midcentury modern furniture. You’ll see people who are on their way to—or on the way back from—business meals, and it’s easy to find little nooks if you want a little privacy. The cocktails are well-made, the music is relatively quiet, and you can order one of our favorite burgers from the restaurant next door.
Some places feel like they’re trying to check off every item on a “cool bar requirements” list. They have things like secret entrances, low ceilings, live jazz, and a “bartender’s choice” cocktail on the menu. Saint Tuesday in the Walker Hotel Tribeca covers all of those bases—but the place doesn’t feel cheesy. It’s somewhere you should bring a date, relax in a cushy booth, and sip on a cocktail made with elderflower liqueur and pisco.
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When someone asks us to recommend a bar in Tribeca with elaborate drinks, we send them to Weather Up. Their creative house cocktails have ingredients like beet, apricot, and coconut, and they also serve a handful of wines and beers. The dimly-lit space is large and has a long bar and lots of booths, so groups are pretty common here. You'll also see pairs having drinks after paying their checks at nearby restaurants. Eating beforehand is actually a good idea, because this place only serves snacks like nuts and olives.
When titans of industry want to sit around in three-piece suits and twirl their mustaches while plotting hostile takeovers, the Brandy Library is probably one of their go-to spots. This low-ceilinged cocktail bar has a fireplace, leather chairs, and illuminated shelves filled with brown liquor. We’re guessing you can find something you like from their list of 1,500+ spirits. You don’t have to be in charge of a corporation to enter, but you do have to be at least 25 years old.
Despite its location off the lobby of the upscale Frederick Hotel, Primos is actually pretty laid-back. The bar room up front looks like a set from The Life Aquatic—with conch shell lights, velvet furniture, and servers in matching red jackets—and there's a room in the back with a big dance floor. Not enough people seem to know about Primo's, so if you’re looking for a cool downtown spot that doesn’t get too crowded on weekends, this is one of your best options.
In the same hotel where you’ll find Saint Tuesday, there’s a rooftop bar that, unlike most rooftop bars, doesn’t make us want to turn around and leave as soon as we arrive. The space is filled with plants and cushion-filled enclaves that look like they were put together for a patio makeover by the Property Brothers. Bring a first date, order a bourbon cocktail with toasted marshmallows or a hot chocolate with mezcal, and take in the view of Midtown Manhattan.
Anotheroom
Anotheroom is the darkest bar in Tribeca, and it has a cushioned banquette along one wall that's designed for you to sit side-by-side with someone. This is a pretty romantic place, and it's perfect for a first date—but before you head here for a makeout session, you should know that they only serve beer, wine, and sake.
Puffy’s Tavern is the kind of neighborhood bar where thoughts like “Is it okay if I wear this?” never come into play. It’s not a total dive that constantly smells like spilled lager, but it’s also not the kind of place where you order a cocktail you saw in a mixology book. Come here to drink pints of light beer or shots of well bourbon while playing darts and watching people with helmets throw footballs on TV. Somewhat inexplicably, they have a huge menu of fantastic Italian sandwiches.
Thanks to all the old signs on the walls, Belle Reve looks like it’s been around forever, but it’s actually only been open since 2015. In the early evening, this is a pretty good place to drink a vodka soda around people who work at nearby ad agencies. Stay a little later and things really start happening. For reasons unknown, Belle Reve manages to attract situations like a bunch of middle-aged couples wearing motorcycle jackets taking shots and partying at midnight on a Wednesday. Don’t ask—just join in.
Terroir used to have multiple locations throughout the city, but there’s only one left, and we’re glad it’s still around. This place has a big bar area with lots of seating alongside a few communal tables, and there’s an extensive wine list that’s full of essays and entertaining rants. The food menu—which includes things like deviled eggs, steak tartare, and even a few Korean dishes—is quite large. If you come after work, the crowd feels a bit corporate, but it gets more neighborhood-y on the weekends.
This two-story bar has graffiti all over the walls in the bathrooms, relatively inexpensive drinks, and a big shuffleboard table in a room filled with scratched-up wood. In other words, it’s a dive bar, and it’s where to go in Tribeca when you’re not done drinking at 3am and need a second dinner consisting of chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks.
