Downtown Bars to Visit this Fall
From hip and homey hidden gems to drinking dens that will transport you to Tokyo—we share our favorite local spots right now plus what to order for a taste of fall.
Fall has arrived in New York City. The extreme heat of late summer has passed, and the fall wardrobes are coming out of storage. And while this time of year has many nicknames—pumpkin spice latte season, spooky season, cuffing season—for us, the fall is just a great excuse to throw on some layers and order a cocktail or three at a cozy downtown haunt. From hip and homey hidden gems to drinking dens that will transport you to Tokyo, we’re sharing some of our favorite spots plus what to order for a taste of fall below. Bottoms up!
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Step out of the East Village and into an uber-charming hole-in-the-wall in Tokyo at Hard To Explain. This brick-lined, intimate joint is atmospherically illuminated by oil lamps and eccentric hanging light fixtures, with jazz often spinning on the turntable. It’s easy to explain why we love this place after you take a quick look at the menu. It’s packed with rare sakes, shochu cocktails, Japanese beers, and more. Their fall menu is not to be missed. It includes the “Falling For U-Bae” cocktail, a blend of oat milk, junmai sake, ube-flavored condensed milk, and cinnamon, and a Pumpkin Ale made with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and pumpkin.
224 E 10th St; T. (646) 422-7892
If you consider yourself a discerning cocktail drinker but prefer sipping in a laidback setting that’s anti-content creators and pro-downtown art world, The River is your spot. Adjacent to Chinatown’s Columbus Park and open since 2022, the candlelit wood-paneled watering hole evokes an eclectic upstate cabin: think low ceilings, a sweeping mural of the Hudson River, and 1890s velvet drapery. Behind the mahogany bar, bartenders pour killer craft cocktails, with the vodka-based “Bull Shot” winning the “Most Unique” trophy—it features beef broth, celery salt, lemon, Worcestershire, and Tabasco sauce. As for their most fall-friendly cocktail? That’s probably the “Baklava” (vodka, Velvet Falernum liqueur, pear puree, pistachio syrup, and pistachio oil), although their “Pickled Pineapple” martini hits the spot at any time of year.
102 Bayard St
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Find yourself surrounded by downtown New York’s most fashionable crowd at Madeline’s Martini, a sexy, moodily lit Alphabet City speakeasy-style bar hidden away on Avenue C. Inside, expect the aforementioned fashionable crowd sipping top-notch martinis while seated at the bar and in velvet banquettes and DJs spinning vibey R&B music. The menu is just as eye-catching as the zany décor, which includes a taxidermied peacock set atop an antique cigarette machine. You’ll never go wrong ordering “The Classic” martini, which perfectly pairs with the black caviar and horseradish sandwich. But if you’re in the mood for a taste of fall, then it’s all about the “Rasta Joe” (aged rum, cinnamon agave, fresh lime, bitters).
171 Avenue C
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Mr. Fong’s, located at the corner of Market and Madison Street by the Manhattan Bridge, has been a consistent watering hole for the downtown creative set since swinging open its wooden doors in 2015. Don’t let the rowdy weekend crowds ruin this unassuming downtown fixture for you, which has a jukebox, a few potted plants, and a graffiti-covered bathroom, and instead stop by on a gloomy fall weekday evening. With its marble-clad bar, candlelit booths, and a solid soundtrack of blaring tunes, Mr. Fong’s is the perfect shadowy setting for chill nights enjoying a “Salty Plum Old-Fashioned” (salty-plum Bourbon, bitters).
40 Market St; T. (646) 964-4540
A self-described “New York bar with a Japanese soul” and the namesake of award-winning bartending superstar Kenta Goto (and former Pegu Club head bartender), Bar Goto is one of the best drinking dens you’ll find in NYC. Good luck getting a seat at this ever-lively, walk-in-only spot, whose interiors are minimalist yet warm. On the menu are a variety of delicious shochu highballs plus lots of shochu, sake, and Japanese whiskey selections. Among their most popular offerings is the “Sakura Martini,” made from sake, gin, and maraschino cherry liqueur and garnished with salt-pickled sakura. Can’t-miss fall-friendly tipples include the “Bar Goto Martini” (vodka, aged sake, and pickled green tomato) and the “Hojicha Old-Fashioned” (cognac, aged Rum, Kyoto roasted green tea, and mole bitters). Important tip: Don’t sleep on the bar bites, like spicy miso chicken wings and/or okonomiyaki (savory cabbage Japanese pancakes covered in Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes).
245 Eldridge St
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The glamour hits you as you push through velvet curtains into The Club Room, Soho Grand Hotel’s gilded speakeasy—and a magnet for the downtown set. The two-room, Art Deco-bedecked space feels like an expensive living room or private gentleman’s club, with hand-painted peacock murals, gigantic potted plants, and sumptuous seating. On any given night, guests enjoy decadent cocktails, food (like dressed oysters, steak tartare, and caviar), and vibrant live jazz, with dance parties under a spinning disco ball and mirrored ceilings kicking off later on in the evening. Every cocktail is excellent and served in exquisite glassware, from the “Mood Indigo” (Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin, butterfly pea flower, and lemon club soda) to their killer whiskey sour, made with bourbon, honey, ancho chile, lemon, and aromatic bitters.
310 W Broadway; T. (212) 965-3588
Come to this buzzy, sci-fi-chic Korean bar for endless photo-perfect opportunities. Stay for the inventive, soju-based cocktails, including a fizzy “Matcha Meadow,” made with matcha soju, Korean pear shrub, and sparkling jasmine. Craving something on the earthier side? Go for the “Miguk,” a blend of taro soju, sweet vermouth, and angostura bitters. No matter what drink you order, you must order a few delectable bar bites, like bulgogi mandu (dumplings with marinated beef) and pork mandu (dumplings with pork). The menu also includes the amazing garlic knots from Scarr’s, Reception’s trendy Orchard Street neighbor. Here, they’re topped with white kimchi and taste like heaven.
45 Orchard St; T. (646) 490-4053
WORDS Alex Catarinella
FETURED IMAGE Madeline’s Martini via Instagram