8 great martini happy hours in NYC for classic sips on the cheap
New York City’s love affair with the martini cocktail is a long, passionate one—boozy legend has it that the first dry martini was made at Manhattan’s Knickerbocker Hotel back in the early 1910s. And our thirst for that vodka-and-vermouth stunner hasn’t slowed in the century since. Nowadays, there are entire NYC happy hours devoted to the classic quaff, at bars, lounges and restaurants throughout the boroughs. Here’s where to enjoy the best martinis in NYC, but for cheap during happy hour. Cheers to that!
RECOMMENDED: Let me tell you—there are only two ways to enjoy a martini in NYC
Blackbarn
Head to the front Tavern room of this NoMad farm-to-table spot and you can enjoy the restaurant’s new $29 special, which features your choice of an entrée (shrimp tagliolini with shaved ricotta, sourdough pizza with spicy coppa and figs) and a classic cocktail—including, duh, a martini—for just $29. The nightly deal is available every evening from 5:30pm, but there’s also a more traditional happy hour from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, which includes $12 classic cocktails and half-off snacks (chicken wings, shishito peppers).
Caviar Russe
Briny caviar and a vodka martini are a match made in bougie heavy. You can get both during happy hour at this Michelin-starred Madison Avenue spot, which is held every Monday through Friday from 4:30pm to 7pm at its ground-floor bar. Enjoy an “ALB Vodka Martini” paired with a tasting trio of caviar-crowned coronets for $25, which is less than a martini alone goes for at many places around Manhattan.
Dante
An O.G. on the martini happy hour game, the West Village favorite hosts its iconic Martini Hour every day from 3pm to 5pm, with a range of $10 takes on the traditional cocktail: options include the “Emerald Martini” (Rutte celery gin, Dolin dry, Manzana Verde, celery bitters and black pepper), the “20th Century” (Brooklyn Gin, Lillet Blanc, white creme de cacao and lemon) and the “Upside Down Dirty Gibon” (Dolin Blanc, Cinzano Dry, The Botanist and pickled onion brine).
Emmett’s On Grove
The second location of the Chicago-style pizza chainlet recently launched a new Martini Hour special, featuring $9 martinis (Tito’s or Letherbee Original) along with $6 beers, $11 wines and an array of tavern snacks such as pigs in a blanket, chicken-parm sliders and house-cut chips.
Holiday Bar
Who needs an hour when you can have a whole night? Every single Tuesday, from 5pm to 10:30pm, this ’80s-accented Village spot pours $10 martinis all night long.
Ray’s Hometown Bar
The Greenpoint offshoot of the sceney downtown dive doles out a $20 Burger + Martini combo every Monday through Friday from 5pm to 7pm. But you’re not just getting any burger alongside that Citadel Gin ‘tini: it’s a smashed beef patty (with pickles, onions, special sauce, the works) lovingly overseen by Michelin-starred culinary partners Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske.
Sungold
Head to the lively lobby bar at the Arlo Williamsburg on weekdays from 5pm to 6pm and you can enjoy a very adult Brooklyn Happy Meal, featuring an espresso martini, fries and a signature Arlo fortune cookie for only $15. (Also available is $1 pizza-by-the-slice, dollar wines and five-buck beers.)
Tao Uptown
Available Monday through Friday from 5pm to 7pm, you can load up on dollar dumplings (steamed veggie, pan-fried chicken) as well as $15 martini flights during Tao’s new happy hour promotion. Each flight will feature your choice of three miniature martinis, with flavor options including classic Dirty, caffeinated Espresso, sweet Lychee, earthy “Teatini” and more.
And if your love for martinis falls outside happy hour, check out the Knickerbocker Hotel’s year-long celebration of the drink, which includes a bespoke martini cart, martinis on-demand in-room service, “21+ elevator hours,” and a seasonal Martini Rooftop Garden. It’s also launching a Martini World Tour to unveil its new martini recipe and history book and have guest bartenders host Martini Masterclasses.