The Best Bars In Chelsea For A Date

About the bar: Bathtub Gin is a speakeasy known for its Prohibition-era aesthetic and gin-centric cocktails. Hidden behind the facade of a coffee shop. One of our favorite cocktail bars in Chelsea NYC.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: It combines old-world charm and modern mixology with an extensive range of craft cocktails and a dimly lit vibe.

Our favorite cocktails: If you're not into gin, get their house espresso martini -  named the "BTG." They also have a house gin martini that is a must considering the name.

Our favorite bite: Get the beef tartare - great to share.

Reservations?: Yes, book on Resy. Usually hard to get Bathtub Gin on there, so make sure to set up notifications.

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About the bar: Gallow Green is an awesome rooftop bar at the top of the McKittrick Hotel. Gives the lobby bar at The Hotel Chelsea a run for its money.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Known for its garden-chic vibe, a truly unique aesthetic. There is also live music there throughout the week, from jazz bands to solo artists.

Our favorite drink: Sleep No More - is named after the immersive theater experience at the hotel. The cocktail mixes vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, lime, and rose cider.

Our favorite bite: The Ellsworth cheddar cheese curds were amazing and perfect to share.

Reservations?: Yes, on OpenTable.

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About the bar: A rustic and charming bar inside the Chelsea Market. A hidden gem.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Unique drinks and feels picture-esque for a date. One of our favorite date bars in the city, generally.

Our favorite drink: Take It Ease - made with Ford's fin, Aperol, cucumber, and lime. Super refreshing.

Our favorite bite: Lighter food menu here, but the soft pretzel was great to split and the mustard was homemade and fresh.

Reservations?: None. First come, first served.

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About the bar: Raines Law Room Chelsea is one of those elegant cocktail bars with a speakeasy feel and a unique history behind it.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Quiet atmosphere and intimate booths make it a great date bar!

Our favorite drink: The Whiskey Business - so good. Made with Rye, cinnamon, and lemon.

Our favorite bite: The salmon dip was delicious, and we loved the everything seasoning topping on it.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy.

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About the bar: A Danny Meyer staple in Chelsea with a cool southern vibe.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Porchlight is a fun place that has an inviting, down-to-earth tone and a great selection of American whiskeys. Also had a good selection of local beer and craft beers on tap.

Our favorite drink: Gun Metal Blue Jellies - very visually stunning, mixed with mezcal, blue curacao, peach brandy, lime, and cinnamon.

Our favorite bite: While the fried chicken sandwich might be a little hard to split, I'd recommend it as it was so tasty and the best on the menu! If that is hard to split, get the sugar & spice popcorn.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy. Pro tip - walk the High Line after! Awesome happy hour as well.

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About the bar: A vibrant tropical-themed cocktail bar with plant-filled interiors and exotic cocktails.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Cool tiki decor by the bar area and an eclectic soundtrack on the tunes.

Our favorite drink: The flagship Jungle Bird - it's a tiki drink with rum, Campari, pineapple, lime, and simple syrup. Embodies the atmosphere of the bar.

Our favorite bite: There are a lot of appetizers that have a southern-Asian flair to them, but our crew likes the Malaysian Chicken Satay served with a peanut sauce. Amazing food.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy. Has a great happy hour as well during the week.

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About the bar: Crown Alley is one of the best cocktail bars with an Irish-inspired theme and a modern twist. Whiskey lovers will love it.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: The bar is elegant and cool, with polished dark wood and an extensive collection of vintage photos.

Our favorite drink: The Alley Old-Fashioned - the Crown Alley version, with bourbon, demerara, angostura, and orange bitters.

Our favorite bite: The bourbon honey roasted nuts and black truffle popcorn were tasty and easy to split.

Reservations?: None. First come, first served. Happy hour here as well during the week.

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About the bar: An upscale, Jazz Age-inspired cocktail bar that gives off "Roaring Twenties" vibes.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Unique plush seating, ambient lighting, and live music (acoustic and live jazz) on certain nights set the mood just right for a date.

Our favorite drink: The Miss Yee - which mixes vodka, lemon juice, peach, Rockey's, botanical, and sparkling rose.

Our favorite bite: We're a sucker for some bang bang shrimp at Vance, which is their take on rock shrimp and was tasty. Great food here.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy.

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About the bar: A cool, Japanese-style bar with a sleek bar counter.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: One of the more visually appealing bars on the list, and the menu's clear specialty cocktails were well thought out.

Our favorite drink: Their whiskey sour is the Yuzu Whisky Sour, which combines Japanese whisky, yuzu juice, and simple syrup.

Our favorite small plates: The Edamame is a good one to split at Shinji's, but they also have cool tableside handrolls they make. It was cool to learn that they ship their fish from Japan 4 times a week, which was super fresh.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy, and they also take walk-ins.

About the bar: An Italian wine bar with a sleek, contemporary design.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: It has an extensive range of Italian wines, ranging from more well-known brands to regional specialties. The decor is chic, with a cool back-lit wall of wine bottles.

Our favorite drink: If you don't get the wine here, definitely get the Negroni. It was equally stellar.

Our favorite item on the food menu: With an Italian wine bar, you must get the prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella to share to pair with said wine or negroni.

Reservations?: None. First come, first served. Awesome happy hour here, too. A fun idea after would be to walk the High Line!

About the bar: Sid Gold's Request Room is an awesome live piano karaoke bar in Chelsea, where you should bring someone who is into live music and a good cocktail.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: A very interactive venue, where you can request your favorite songs for the live pianist to play!

Our favorite drink: When we went last, they had a drink on the menu called "Sid Gold," a mix of bourbon, honey, lemon, and mint.

Our favorite item on the menu: Not the biggest menu here, but their meat & cheese plate was good to share.

Reservations?: Yes, on their website.

About the bar: The Trailer Park Lounge is a kitschy, divey, fun bar in Chelsea that gives vintage Americana vibes.

What makes it one of the best bars in Chelsea: Distinctive, retro atmosphere if you are dating someone who is more into dive bars than wine or cocktail bars.

Our favorite drinks: Jim Bob's IQ - which includes vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and Sprite. Aligns with the fun spirit of the bar, and they have a wide array of beer on tap.

Our favorite item on the menu: A lot of comfort food here, but I'd recommend starting with a classic side of fries or tater tots to split.

Reservations?: None for the bar here - first come, first served.

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Thanks for reading!

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