Choose your location
Tue / Mar 9
Choose a neighborhood
Primarily a residential area and home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the world, the Upper West Side has undergone years of gentrification to become one of the most sought-after and expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan.
The run-down buildings and time-worn shops of the past have given way to an array of designer clothing stores, specialty shops, and small trendy eateries interspersed among the elegantly renovated pre-war brownstones.
Populated by successful entertainment professionals and young creative types, the Upper West Side is usually buzzing with activity as residents and visitors alike peruse department stores like Loehmann’s and Williams Sonoma or jog through Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park, while school kids and Columbia University students congregate on the stately front steps of the Natural History Museum or book it back and forth between museums, galleries, and libraries.
At night, high-end artists and roving packs of after-work business people flood the wide range of ethnic restaurants, staples like Gray’s Papaya and Zabar’s, and loud sports bars along Amsterdam Avenue to sample some of the Upper West Side’s best food and drink.
20s / 30s / Budget-friendly / Dive
Reviewed by Mike C.
"The Ding Dong Lounge is the most seriously chaotic, gloriously filthy dive bar in north Manhattan. Technically on the upper west side, it's located in ..." more
929 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10025
All Ages / All Types / Casual
Reviewed by Ivy K.
"My Take: I have been to Mughlai on several occasions. There are various reasons for my repeated visits – the intimate yet friendly atmosphere, the att ..." more
320 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10023
20s / 30s / 40s / Anything goes / TVs
Party Earth Review Light on the décor but heavy on the beer and the flat-screen TVs, Blondies is a must for die-hard fans in need of a sports fix, whether they want to see the NBA Finals or Sunday NFL ... more
212 West 79th Street
New York, NY 10024
30s / Club Music / DJ / Dance / EDM
Party Earth Review Perched on the twelfth floor of the elegant Empire Hotel – home to one of the main characters on the TV show Gossip Girl – is the exclusive Rooftop Bar and Lounge, an upscale nightspot ... more
The Empire Hotel
44 West 63rd Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10023
20s / Beer Pong / Casual / Crowded
Party Earth Review New Orleans meets the Upper West Side at Bourbon St., where patrons channel a Mardi Gras mentality every night and aren’t afraid to leave behind their inhibitions…and maybe a brassiere ... more
407 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
20s / 30s / Bar / Barbeque / Burgers
Reviewed by WJ C.
"During the warm spring and summer months, there's no better place to be in New York than The Boat Basin Café. Located on West 79th Street--How far wes ..." more
West 79th Street at Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10025
20s / 30s / Backpackers / Bar Food
Party Earth Review A casual dog-friendly hangout tucked discreetly into Riverside Park, the seasonal Hudson Beach Café provides a laid-back oasis for Upper West Siders, young professionals, and nearby ... more
105th Street & Riverside Park (Riverside Park 103rd Street entrance)
New York, NY 10025
All Ages / All Types / Burgers
Party Earth Review No place epitomizes the spirit of New York City quite like Central Park, an 843-acre swath of green that stretches from 59th Street to 110th Street, making it a much-needed and much ... more
Central Park
New York, NY 10019
20s and up / Bar Food / Casual
Reviewed by Viktoria A.
"Without a doubt this place is a beer drinker's heaven. There are over 100 beers on tap and the prices range from 7 dollar stouts to 10 dollars for a 1 ..." more
982 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10025
20s / 30s / After Work / Bar / Burgers
Party Earth Review Given its sidewalk café tables with mod green chairs and candlelit paper bags, Prohibition may look like a classic Upper West Side restaurant from the outside, but the muffled sounds ... more
503 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024