With Halloween quickly approaching, there’s no better time to check out all of the spookiest spots around town! From ghoulish creatures to sinister scenes, we’ve created a list of NYC bars & restaurants that go all-out with spooky decor. Here are some of our favorites:
1. Lillie’s Victorian Establishment, Hell’s Kitchen
Travel back in time at this Irish-Victorian bar that has been completely transformed into a haunting establishment for the season. Catch skeletons scaling the front entrance and ghoulish creatures upon entering.
Where: 249 W 49th St. New York
2. Citroën, Greenpoint
You’ll have more guests accompanying you than just those at your table as you’ll meet ravens, skeletons and more when you go to Citroën in Brooklyn.
Where: 931 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn
3. Beetle House, East Village
This year-round Tim Burton-themed bar is a fan-favorite destination to celebrate this season. Enjoy bubbling shots, blood bag cocktails, and decorations from your favorite Tim Burton films. You might even meet Jack Skellington himself!
Where: 308 E 6th St, New York
4. Oscar Wilde, NoMad
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Notorious for their decorative displays, Oscar Wilde never disappoints during Halloween time. Decked out in enormous cobwebs, flying creatures, and scary clowns, you’re sure to have a spine-chilling experience from the moment you see the front facade glowing from a block away!
Where: 45 W 27th St, New York
5. Coctelería de los Muertos, Little Italy
The Garret Cocteleria has undergone it’s fall pop-up transformation into the Cocteleria de los Muertos. Honoring the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, the space has been made over with lavish installations, gorgeous marigolds, and brilliant lights. Make sure to order one of their signature cocktails and get your drink served to you in a festive skeleton glass!
Where: 349 Broome St, New York
6. Café de L’Enfer, East Village
This absinthe and champagne bar is NYC’s very own take on the Cabaret de L’Enfer from Victorian-era Paris. With decor deemed as “an abandoned Parisian theatre meets Ossuary,” you’ll enter into an eerie atmosphere full of spirits—both the beverage and spooky kind!
Where: 95 Avenue A, New York
7. Loreley Beer Garden, LES
Loreley Beer Garden is known for their festive seasonal makeovers, and their Halloween iteration did not disappoint! Enjoy fall-inspired cocktails, cobwebs, ghosts, and corpses decorating the venue, and their annual pumpkin kegs! Learn more here.
Where: 7 Rivington Street, New York
8. Watermark Bar, Seaport
Check out “Oktoberfest” at Watermark Bar this year serving both autumn and Halloween vibes. Drink pints of beer and eat German food, all while taking in the festive decor that surrounds the restaurant and surrounding area. While you’re in the Seaport, be sure to check out the first annual Pumpkin Fest too that features Halloween installations, pumpkin carving, movie marathons and more!
Where: 78 South St Pier 15, New York
9. House of Yes, Bushwick
With Halloween-themed events slated for nearly every October weekend, head to Brooklyn’s most extravagant parties at the House of YES and dance off all that Halloween candy in a hair-raising environment!
Where: 2 Wyckoff Ave., Brooklyn
10. The Cauldron NYC, FiDi
Not only can you drink delicious Halloween cocktails here, you can actually make your very own spooky potion at The Cauldron NYC! The bar is completely covered in bewitching decorations sure to put you in the spirit.
Where: 47 Stone St., New York
11. Flying Fox Tavern, Ridgewood
Flying Fox Tavern is our favorite brand new bar located in Ridgewood! This horror-themed bar and restaurant is a stomping ground for anyone who loves ghoulish behavior. Their spooky interior is decked out in Halloween and vampire themed decor that reminds us of a vampire’s den! We suggest checking them out when they’re running one of their events this month (Oct 1st: Halloween Market, Oct 9: Count Brunchula, Oct 28 & 29: Feast of the Vampires).
Where: 678 Woodward Ave, Queens
12. The Auction House, UES
Let’s be honest. With all the historical and mythological art in The Auction House, it could pass as its own haunted house. Their washed brick walls and aged wood furniture give off the vibes as if you’re walking into a haunted castle.
Where: 300 E 89th St., New York
13. Madame X, Greenwich Village
The overall aesthetic of Madame X looks like something out of a vampire movie. Between their dimly lit red lights, plush leather curtains, and luscious sofas, everything reminds us of blood red! Deemed the sexiest bar in NYC, we know some creepy creatures would hang out here after dark!
Where: 94 W Houston St
14. Fraunces Tavern, FiDi
Last but not least on our list is Fraunces Tavern, one of the oldest bars in NYC. While there’s nothing necessarily over-the-top about their Halloween decor, the spookiness of this centuries old establishment is enough to give us the goosebumps. Between their creeky floorboards and antique picture frames, you can tell why you’re stepping into what many call one of the most haunted buildings in the whole city.
Where: 54 Pearl St