Restaurants are the new bars, and it comes as no surprise that TikTokker @itisjor has something to say about this sentiment. Known for her refreshingly honest NYC lifestyle content with an emphasis on food and nightlife, Jordan is the queen of being plugged in.
2025 is not the year of going out, but it is the year of meeting people in real life and making restaurants more social. Any time you leave your apartment in New York, it's an opportunity to meet someone new, and my friends and I love to socialize any time we go to dinner. These are some of my favorite restaurant bars for a fun and chatty crowd when we don't want to be out late, but want to get a drink and flirt with someone cute.
If I could recommend one restaurant to hang out at on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night for people in their 20s and 30s, it would be BondST. Their lounge is the perfect spot for a dinner, birthday and, most importantly, a bar to grab a drink to people watch and socialize.
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Thanks to TikTok, Bernie's is now the internet's worst kept secret, but I would be amiss to not include it. Bernie's is the go-to walk-ins only spot in Williamsburg for burgers, sundaes, martinis and a lively young crowd. Come hungry and come friendly.
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The absolute most popular restaurant in the West Village for residents under the age of 35. No matter what day it is, you'll find groups of friends camped out for the night to catch up or preparing for a night out. The bar is the ultimate destination for drinks, bites and a little socializing, because it's large and right by the door. Everyone has to walk past it to go in and out of the restaurant, and it becomes quite the social spot as the night gets later.
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If you spent the summer blasting on repeat the viral "Man in Finance" song, you will find your next crush at Monkey Bar. This sister restaurant to Au Cheval and 4 Charles is in-demand for the after work Midtown crowd. The waitlist for an actual table in the bar area can be long, but it's worth it for the crowd and espresso martinis. Expect groups of coworkers commiserating over their week. Thursday nights are definitely the best nights to go.
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Recently, I polled all my followers on "what restaurant all the hot guys are currently obsessed with in New York City" and Hillstone was the landslide submission by my male followers as their go-to spot. It can be impossible to get a reservation for the dining room, but the bar is always lively and packed with an attractive crowd spanning a wide range of ages.
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This Soho institution is the place in warm weather to stand outside and smolder while tourists and locals walk past, but year-round it's the place to socialize if you're someone who ironically or unironically follows nolitadirtbag on Instagram. You don't come here for a culinary masterpiece, you come here to mingle with someone cute who's probably wearing sneakers that cost more than your rent.
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You may have seen my social media review of this newer restaurant and members club, but I will commend Crane Club on the crowd they have attracted at their bar. I have never seen so many attractive people of a wide range of ages in one place. We spent two hours post-dinner hanging out there, and I imagine it will only become even busier as more people join the members club. Dress up with a couple of friends, and make sure you order a martini. They do not skimp on their martinis. Each one comes with a very generous sidecar.
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