What they say is true. There is nowhere as magical as celebrating the holiday season in New York City. The Christmas lights, the Rockefeller Christmas tree, the ice skating, the general jingle jangle, December is one of the best times of year to be in New York.
As someone who’s lived in New York the past couple of years, I definitely have a bit of bias. But of any city I’ve lived in, this is by far the most ~winter wonderland~ of them all. And unlike other places I’ve lived, there’s always the possibility of snow.
Here are some of the absolute best NYC Christmas bars to visit while you travel. Just keep in mind always with New York– the earlier you arrive, the more likely you are to get a seat!
Tips for Bar Crawling in New York City
There’s nothing like a New York City Christmas where nearly every window is filled with festive Christmas decorations. The only thing that can top it off? Bourbon apple cider, seasonal craft beers and holiday cocktails galore! But here’s what you need to know before you hit the bars!
Arrive Early
New York isn’t known for its slow pace or lack of crowds.
My advice in general is to get to bars as early as possible, but especially from November through January. The earlier the better. It’s our most popular tourist season!
Use The Bathroom While You Can
There is no worse feeling than leaving a bar or restaurant and realizing that you have to use the restroom. Cities like San Francisco are amazing for providing public restrooms, so it’s less of an issue.
NYC has one of the absolute worst public restrooms in the country. You can find public restrooms in Central Park, but it’s far too cold to trek out there this time of year.
Even if you think you don’t have to go, I highly recommend just waiting in line and checking one more time before your next stop.
Dress In Layers
New York winters are positively brutal. It’s one of my least favorite things about living back on the East Coast.
Make sure you dress in layers. You’ll need a puffy coat for walking around, along with a sweater and maybe even a hat. But the subways? And the bars? BLAZING hot. Most places pump the heat so high, it’s a sauna and bar experience in one. Definitely dress for both occaiions by layering up.
Wear Comfy Shoes
Whether you’re staying on the Upper West Side or Brooklyn, you will be doing a lot of walking through the trip. Comfy shoes are key. And if it’s snowing, waterproof shoes are even more key.
New York snow is gorgeous while it’s falling, and absolutely foul anytime afterwards. So make sure you protect your toes and wear a pair of comfortable, sturdy, very waterproof shoes.
You Need To See It To Believe It: Best NYC Christmas Bars
If you have a Tik Tok account, then you’ve probably seen Rolf’s before. Rolf’s NYC is a Christmas fever dream– the tiny bar located near Grammercy Park transforms from a surly German pub into a tinsel covered lounge starting December 1 every year.
For all things Christmas themed bars NYC, Rolf’s is the place to go. I visited this year with my girlfriend after eyeing it for years on social media, and it is definitely worth the hype. There’s no catfishing here– every social media pic is accurate in terms of just how decked out this place is.
I would advise you to make a reservation here. We waited in the standby bar line for about 35 minutes, which doesn’t sound awful, but it was Sunday at 1PM. To eat, you had to have a reservation to sit. We were a little short sighted there.
In terms of drinks, Rolf’s has everything from themed Christmas drinks and warm mulled wine to classic German beers. We went for the spiced eggnog, which was delicious and stronger than it tasted.
While there’s no cover fee at Rolf’s, be warned– the drinks make up for the lack of cover charge. Our singular eggnog cost $30. I guess that’s just New York for ya!
Down in the Lower East Village is one of the best heated outdoor beer garden that just so happens to be DECKED in holiday decor from November 30 to January 7.
Loreley Beer Garden is a must-visit even when it’s not Christmas in New York. They’ve got a killer list of German beers that pair beautifully with hot pretzels, schnitzel and lots and lots of cheese (kind of my dream menu TBH).
Through the months of December, they host multiple events including an ugly Chirstmas sweater party and a New Years Eve masquerade. The holiday themed cocktails are mostly heated drinks, including bourbon hot chocolate, spiked egg nog, mulled wine, and of course, hot toddy’s.
One of the absolute best parts of this holiday bar is that there is NO cover fee! New Yorkers will understand the beauty in the statement– and just how rare it is for anything labelled “seasonal.”
If you’re big into holiday spirit but not so keen on green and red, this pink Christmas bar might be the place for you. Think decarations a lá Barbie, but festive.
Deep in Chelsea, you'll find it at A Pink Wonderland Bar. There are a couple different Wonderland bars around the country. They’ve got popular locations in Chicago and LA, too. I get the feeling that this is such an amazing bar for photo ops, and dancing with the girls. The drink menu isn’t available until arrival, and I get the sense from Google reviews that it’s a little over-hyped.
Still, if you're open to the possibility of being disappointed, I think this is a great cocktail bar for the story. Do it for the bit! And take a lot of pictures while your there.
One of the biggest downsides to this bar is the ticket cost. The cover runs from $35-75 depending on what day you want to visit. It’s not awful, but it’s definitely not ideal when you’re paying
I had to put a Brooklyn bar on the list! As much as Manhattan is the absolute epicenter of seasonal festivities in New York, you can’t count Brooklyn out. Especially not at 221 Smith St.
For most of the year, Leyenda is an AMAZING Latin American restaurant known for its delicious cocktails and adherence to Latin American tradition and culture.
Come December 1, the bar is absolutely transformed into a Christmas pop-up with a major homage to Beyoncé (hence the name “Sleyenda). Menus printed on Beyoncé Christmas cards, disco balls, and holiday-themed Latin infused cocktails are what make this campy bar so deliciously unique.
The most famous drink here during the holiday season is the Coquito Ho Ho– a patron reposado tequila with coconut, cinnamon, egg, and oloroso sherry. Celebrate the holidays with an island twist in the heart of Brooklyn!
Another restaurant turned bar, Roberta’s is one of my favorite Brooklyn restaurants that loves to lean into a good deal of holiday cheer.
A Christmas themes restaurant in the winter and a tiki bar year round, it’s quite the party at 261 Moore in Bushwick. They cover the place in tinsel, multi-colored lights, Christmas trees, and of course, Grinch related paraphernalia.
They have tons of seasonal drinks including eggnog and hot toddies, all spiked of course. The food here is so good, I’d go just for the pizza alone.
You can make reservations for table space to drink with groups of 6 or more, so long as you’re willing to pay a small table fee. Personally, I think it’s totally worth it. Especially if you intend on eating!!
As the website says, there’s Christmas, and then there’s Irish Christmas. If Christmas Eve beers are more your thing than Christmas Eve mass, Dead Rabbit is the place for you.
This bar has all the old timey charm of a place like McSoreleys, but a bit of a longer menu and holiday cocktails to boot.
In just its second year, Jingle Jangle (as the bar calls its holiday festivities) is so popular they already have merch. Along with Chrstimas food, themed drinks, and a fair bit of gaudy Christmas decor, this is a Christmas pub you don’t have to travel all the way to Ireland to get to.
This is by far the best of the Miracle Pop-Up Bars in New York. Located in the East Village, it’s a straight shot to the West Side to get to Rockefeller Center Tree, Times Square, all the good stuff.
And the bar itself is fantastic. More of a holiday bar than a Christams bar (because duh, we should have more Hanukkah decorations than we do!), it is packed with festive cheer.
The drink menu is full of delicious fun names such as the Chrismapolitan, Snowball Old-Fashioned, and Elfing Around. They’ve got food such as seasonal popcorn for purchase, and a ton of merch to choose from too.
Frosty’s is definitely more of a Christmas holiday pop up event than it is a bar. Tickets cost upwards of $30 depending on when you go, and there is a time limit for how long you can stay.
Still, this place looks insanely fun. Every post shared looks like it’s been taken straight out of the Elf movie. Or even Santa’s workshop itself. Reservations just include a walk-in, but you can reserve bottle service as well.
Drinks are seasonal, but mainly consist of peppermint schnapps, eggnog, and candy cane flavored liquor. All of which happen to be my faves.
Located at the Ollie bar in the West Village, Macabee is transformed into a Hanukkah bar come winter. While the list of Christmas bars in NYC is long, there are fewer places to celebrate the festival of lights! Macabee is the perfect place to go for a dreidel, latke filled time.
The drinks menu at Macabee is so fun. I’m particularly excited about the Latke Sour, a latke inspired drink with apple brandy, potato, lemon, egg white, havana, and hyde bitters.
Besides latkes, the bar serves jelly donuts, Reuben sandwiches, and bamba. The bar is filled with flickering menorahs, and dreidels at tables to play with.
This is the bar’s 5th year, and they’ve extended the length of the pop-up this go around to keep the party rolling. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, you should definitely pay a visit. The lights are gorgeous, and the blue and yellow decorations are the coziest winter ambience.
While I’ve never been to the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar during Christmas, I have been during Halloween. And it was a total and complete blast. They do not spare on ANY decoration or expense, and while my ticket was on the more expensive side, it was worth every single penny.
One of my favorite parts of this bar is how many bartenders they have. We didn’t have to wait long at all for a drink, even in spite of the Halloween chaos. While I haven’t been back yet for Christmas, I can’t imagine it’s much more crowded than Halloween night.
The view of the city from this bar is fantastic. Dress warmly– it is truly outdoors. The heaters work, but they won’t make you feel like you’re inside.
Festive drinks, plenty of pink (and more classic red and green) decorations, and a wide range of food should you get peckish, this is one of my favorite spots in the city for a rowdy night. They have a DJ, which is always appreciated.
As far as a NYC Christmas pop up bar goes, asking for a view is on the bottom of the list. You have a direct view of the Empire State Building skyline from this rooftop. It’s as iconic as NYC iconic gets.
New York is one of those places that changes with the seasons. It’s true of a lot of cities, but I’ve always felt that because of the climate, NYC in particular is susceptible to the ebb and flow of spring, summer, fall, and of course, winter.
If you are planning a holiday winter wonderland trip, whether it’s this winter, next winter, or beyond, you should definitely consider a holiday bar crawl. There’s no better way to get to know a city than fluttering around it. And there’s no better way to flutter than with a hot toddy or two warming your belly.
Happy holidays, and enjoy your time in the big apple!
