New York constantly showcases the best of the best when it comes to food, sports bars, rooftop bars, classy restaurants—if you want, you can find it. What NYC has done especially right the past few years are the drinks. Bartenders and mixologists around the city make some of the best drinks you’ve ever sipped. Whether you’re just visiting or just want to find a new happy hour spot, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite inventive cocktail bars in NYC. Check them out!

Amor y Amargo

443 E 6th St

If you don’t mind bitters, then Amor y Amargo is the spot for you. Open since 2011, their menu runs from less to more bitter, putting more of a focus on unique cocktails and liqueurs than the classic cocktails of today. Sip on some more elusive elixirs, such as Fernet Branca, Cynar, and Meletti, and you’ll understand why people are always standing for drinks in the eight-seat environment.

Bar Wayō

89 South Street, Pier 17

Head to Pier 17 for lovely river views, outdoor seating (once the weather’s warm enough), and some of the best drinks for happy hour. Their drinks are “tiki-inspired”—you’ll find cocktails like Melon Creamy Soda with vodka, Midori, and milk punch. Their cocktails and flavors are varied; South Street Sling, for example, has fin, mezcal, pineapple, macadamia, pomegranate, cherry, lime, and bitters. Enjoy!

Canary Club

303 Broome St

New Orleans in NYC? That’s what you’ll get when you head to the Canary Club, a multi-level restaurant and music lounge. There’s French Cajun food, a dance club, and drinks that incorporate absinthe, bourbon, and all your favorite liqueurs. Head here for the weekly jazz shows and stay for their Persistence of Memory—it combines blanc vermouth, pamplemousse, sherry, and prosecco.

Existing Conditions

35 W 8th St

If you’re a true cocktail lover, then you’ll definitely find your haven at Existing Conditions. Bartenders use various techniques to prepare ingredients for the night’s cocktails—clarifying, centrifuging, pressure cooking, and more! The drinks pull from genius Dave Arnold, who is known for his rum and coke which carbonates and pressurizes both soda and rum for extra bubbles. Inventive cocktails aren’t hard to find here.

NR

339 E 75th St

Another incredibly inventive space to visit is NR—it’s a bar inspired by 19th century Japan. All the cocktails come in antique and unique drinking vessels, but that’s not where the innovation ends. The drinks themselves often partner both savory and sweet; for example, the cumin and dill mezcal-based drink that also comes with yogurt, lemon, and strawberry jam. The flavors may seem odd, but once they hit your taste buds, you’ll fall in love.

These are just a few of the many wonderful cocktail bars in NYC; do some searching and find the best one for you! Make sure that you drink responsibly and know your limits—happy hour may seem like a good idea, but make sure you understand how alcohol affects your body, especially if you’ve had a stressful day. Enjoy sipping, but do so safely!

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