The Best Upper East Side Bars For A Date

About the bar: Keys & Heels is a sophisticated cocktail bar on the Upper East Side. With a romantic vibe with dimmed lights and intimate seating, they are well known for fun cocktails and surprisingly delicious small plates.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side:  The interior is very elegant with vintage decor and usually has live music to set the mood.

Our favorite drinks: The "Weekend Upstate," was a must-have for bourbon lovers.

Our favorite bite: The salmon tartar cones were incredible and easy to split!

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy.

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About the bar: A bar behind the owners of 2nd Ave Deli - an unassuming date spot that has a cool, old-school NYC feel.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: You enter through a nondescript door on 75th Street, identified only by a subtle neon sign. It gives you the feeling of walking into a private 1920s club. The low-hung ceilings and vintage light fixtures take you back to an earlier time.

Our favorite drinks: The "Maya Made" was refreshing - made with green chile vodka, pineapple, cilantro, and mint.  

Our favorite bite: The "Franks in a Blanket" was amazing with their everything seasoning - get this to start/split. They have Jewish classics here.

Reservations? Yes, on OpenTable.

About the bar: British-style taproom with a calm atmosphere and a generous selection of craft and draft beers.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: Almost like an upscale Irish pub - grab a spot with your date by the bar and make friends with one of their friendly bartenders. Also, on the weekends, they make one of the best English breakfasts we've had in the city.

Our favorite drinks: A large selection of beers on tap here and a lot of wine-based cocktails (not much hard liquor). The Earl Grey was tasty, made with prosecco.

Our favorite bite: The menu features tuna tartar was surprisingly good - get this to start.

Reservations?: Yes, on Resy.

About the bar: Another British pub in a rustic-chic yet cozy hole in the wall.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: Loved the exposed beams inside, making for a cool interior. As the picture shows above, a picture-esque date environment. A great ambiance that will set the mood right.

Our favorite cocktails: Take our advice and get the Sage Advice - a tequila-based drink.

Our favorite bite: Hands down, the truffle chicken nuggets or the beer-battered shrimp.

Reservations? Yes, on Resy.

About the bar: Bemelmans Bar is one of our favorite bars in all of Manhattan. It's inside the Carlyle Hotel and has a classy piano bar decorated with famous murals created by Ludwig Bemelmans. A must for live music lovers, too.

What makes it one of the best bars on the Upper East Side: It's one of those iconic bars that you can't think of a more picture-esque interior for a date and can't go wrong. They have live music, a piano player nightly to set the mood, and well-crafted cocktails.

Our favorite cocktails: Their espresso martini was amazing - get this.

Our favorite bite: The charcuterie board was standard and had a great mix of meat and cheeses.

Reservations? None - first come, first served.

About the bar: While this borders more Lenox Hill than Upper East Side, we still wanted to add it because we love it.  You can also enjoy the Bar Room menu on The Terrace, which overlooks MoMA's Abby A. Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.

What makes it one of the best bars on the Upper East Side: This bistro offers stylish and sophisticated dining, serving imaginative New American cuisine alongside craft beer and cocktails.

Our favorite cocktails: The Miso Mango - which is whisky made with salted mango, white miso, and ginger. Incredible.

Our favorite bite Chef Thomas Allan's seasonal contemporary cuisine, is available in the Bar Room, where you can enjoy the à la carte menu.

Reservations? Walk-ins are welcome, and reservations can be made up to 28 days in advance on Resy.

About the bar: Pil Pil is an awesome Spanish-themed tapas and cocktail bar with a rustic jungle-vibed inside that is a no-doubter for your next date.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: The atmosphere of the restaurant is created by the presence of brick walls, tree branches hanging from the ceiling, and colorful bottles, while Spanish tapas and wine are served.

Our favorite cocktails: This is a wine and beer-only bar, so definitely get the sangria as they are known for it. It was a good deal during happy hour!

Our favorite bite: The Carne Adobada, which is some of the best skirt steak we've ever tasted. It comes as a small plate, and you won't regret it.

Reservations? None - first come, first served.

About the bar: The Sefton is an old-school neighborhood bar ideal for a date night in the Upper East Side.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: From their website, this bar boasts a unique history. Sefton is named after a horse born in Ireland and sold to the British Military, where he became a Household Cavalry horse. He came to prominence when he was critically injured in the Hyde Park Bombings during the traditional “Changing of the Guard”. After a speedy recovery, he returned to active duty, won Horse of the Year, and became a national symbol of defiance against terrorism.  

Great cocktails: The Pornstar Martini (lol) or the When The Smoke Clears were great.

Our favorite bite: The truffle tater tots or the spinach & artichoke dip.

Reservations? Yes, on Resy.

About the bar: Jeffrey's is a rustic-chic cocktail bar on the Upper East Side with a large selection of beers on tap and some unique cocktails.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: It is not too loud but has a cool, lively atmosphere that you can't go wrong choosing as an "early-in-the-game" date.

Our favorite cocktails: Loved the Bee Sting - a spicy margarita infused with honey. Was a good deal during happy hour.

Our favorite bite: The truffle popcorn or the spicy sriracha snacks were incredible as a starter to have while you chat.

Reservations? Yes, on their website.

About the bar: Serena's is a cool, dimly-lit wine bar in the Upper East Side, a delicious combination of wine and Italian small plates.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: The amazing Mediterranean feel makes it very light and fresh of atmosphere.

Our favorite cocktails: Since it's a wine bar, get the New Zeland Sauvignon Blanc if you are a white fan or the Oregon Pinot Noir if red.

Our favorite bite: The Greek sampler with pita was a great starter and easy to share, where you can pick three of a bunch of dips, like hummus and tzatziki.

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Reservations? None - first come, first served.

About the bar: From the producers behind the well-known Secret Summer Festival, "Festival" is a modern bar perfect for your next date in the Upper East Side.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: We love that they advertise themselves as "farm-to-bar." We loved their modern atmosphere, and the decor was clean and simple.

Our favorite cocktails: We're big fans of gin and tonics over here at Vance, and they had one of the best in the city, called Elderflower G & T. Get that.

Our favorite bite: Known for their shared plates, get their oysters off the raw bar menu or split the festival nachos.

Reservations? Yes, on Resy.

About the bar: Eli's Night Shift is a bar in the Upper East Side that is cafe by day and bar by night. During the day, this is a cafe for Zabar patrons, but at night it transforms into a cool local bar with a great selection of NYC-sourced beers.

What makes it one of the best bars in the Upper East Side: It gives you all the NYC feels and such a well-designed space.

Excellent cocktails: The Fall Into Winter (which comes hot) was one of the best cold-weather drinks. During the hotter months, they had over 8+ Brooklyn-based beers on tap. Also loved that they had the Talkhouse seltzers!

Our favorite bar snacks: The mozz sticks and bowl of fries were tasty. They were a good deal during happy hour.

Reservations? None here. First come, first served.

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Thanks for reading!

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