The Most Romantic Bars in New York City

Behind the psychic parlour window on Hudson Street sits one of the great date bars in New York. The room is narrow, candlelit and loud enough that you have to lean in to hear each other — which is, of course, the point. The cocktails are serious without being theatrical. The clover club served here is better than the one at the bar where it was invented. Arrive before 9pm or expect to wait.

Order: The Ginger Smash or a Clover Club — both are made with a precision that justifies the price

Tucked into a basement beneath MacDougal Street with low exposed-brick ceilings and just enough space for the bar and a handful of tables, The Up and Up is a reliable choice for a second or third date when you want somewhere intimate and considered. The menu changes with the seasons. The bartenders are knowledgeable and brief — they will not lecture you about provenance unless you ask.

Order: Whatever is on the current seasonal menu — the programme here is thoughtfully composed

Down a staircase in the West Village, Little Branch plays jazz quietly enough to talk over and loudly enough to create mood. It is one of the original speakeasy revival bars in New York and it has aged better than most of its contemporaries. The whisky selection is carefully chosen; the cocktails are classically minded. Our editors have been taking dates here since it opened and it has never disappointed.

Order: A Manhattan — properly proportioned, stirred cold, served in a coupe

Maison Premiere has the best absinthe programme in New York, an oyster bar that draws serious seafood people, and a garden that feels like it was transplanted from New Orleans' French Quarter. The drinks are elaborate and slow to arrive — which is why this is a date bar rather than a quick-drink bar. Order the absinthe drip service, sit in the garden, and let the evening take care of itself.

Order: The traditional absinthe drip service — it takes time and gives you something to talk about while it sets up

Leyenda focuses on Latin American spirits — mezcal, pisco, rum, cachaça — and the cocktails built from them are among the most distinctive in Brooklyn. The room is warm, the lighting correct, and the food programme (devilled eggs, ceviche, empanadas) is good enough that a drink can easily become dinner. One of the most consistently enjoyable bars for a date in the borough.

Order: A mezcal-based cocktail from the current menu — the agave programme here is exceptional

The Standard High Line's rooftop is best in the half-hour before sunset when the Hudson River catches the light and the Meatpacking District below shifts from afternoon to evening. Arrive at 6pm, get a table on the western edge, and you will have one of the better romantic settings in Manhattan. The cocktails are unremarkable but that's not why you're here. The view is why you're here.

Order: Something simple — a Aperol Spritz or a glass of white — so nothing distracts from the view

From the rooftop of 230 Fifth, the Empire State Building is close enough to fill the frame of a photo without effort. The bar is large and the crowd is mixed, but the sheer scale of the view absorbs it all. Blankets come out in cooler months. The cocktails are adequate and reasonably priced. This is one of the more affordable romantic bar settings in Manhattan — the view is doing most of the work.

Order: A rum punch or house sangria — uncomplicated drinks for a view that does not need competing with

Ophelia sits on the 26th floor of the Beekman Tower with unobstructed views east toward the Queensboro Bridge and Queens beyond. The cocktail programme takes Art Deco as its design language — drinks named after Jazz Age figures and built from period-appropriate base spirits. The room is narrow, the seating intimate and the lighting exactly right. Book ahead for a window seat.

Order: The Zelda Fitzgerald — gin, elderflower, lemon, and a touch of something effervescent