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NYC Speakeasies and Cocktail Bars: Drinking Behind Hidden Doors

There's a particular thrill to pushing through what looks like a phone booth in a hot dog shop and finding a candlelit bar on the other side. That's not a metaphor — it's literally how you get into Please Don't Tell on St. Marks Place, and it captures something true about New York's speakeasy obsession. Born during Prohibition and revived with real gusto over the last two decades, the hidden bar has become an art form here. This is our guide to that secret world, and how to actually get in. A Short History of the Speakeasy The original speakeasies sprang up after the Volstead Act took effect in 1920, when selling alcohol became illegal and drinkers gathered in concealed rooms that operated in plain sight. New York, never especially fond of being told what it could do, became home to thousands of them — from basement clubs in Harlem to backroom bars downtown. One of the few that survived the era in spirit is The Back Room on the Lower East Side, which still serves co...
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NYC Sports Guide: Catching a Game in the City That Loves to Win

Baseball on the grass at a New York City ballpark

New York doesn't just have sports teams; it argues about them. Spend ten minutes in a Bronx diner during a Yankees losing streak, or in a Queens bar after a Mets walk-off, and you'll understand that this is a city where allegiances get inherited like furniture. For a visitor, getting to a game is one of the fastest ways to feel the real pulse of the place. Here's how we'd do it, borough by borough.

Baseball: Yankees vs. Mets

The city's baseball rivalry splits along class and geography as much as anything. The Yankees, with their 27 championships, hold court at Yankee Stadium in the South Bronx (take the 4, B or D to 161st St–Yankee Stadium). The Mets play across town at Citi Field in Flushing, Queens, reachable on the 7 train — and the ride out, past the old World's Fair grounds, is half the experience.

The regular season runs April through late September, so summer visitors have plenty of midweek home games to choose from. Tickets to a Tuesday-night Yankees game can start under $20 in the upper deck; a Subway Series weekend, when the two teams meet, is another story entirely and books out fast. Get there early for batting practice and a Citi Field Shake Shack, which is genuinely better than it has any right to be.

Basketball and Hockey at the Garden

Madison Square Garden, sitting on top of Penn Station, is where the Knicks (NBA) and Rangers (NHL) play, often on back-to-back nights. The Knicks inspire a particular kind of long-suffering devotion; a packed Garden during a playoff push is one of the loudest rooms in American sports. The Rangers draw an equally fierce hockey crowd from October through spring.

If MSG tickets are steep, remember the Brooklyn Nets play at Barclays Center near Atlantic Terminal, usually for less money and an easier subway ride. Either way, getting to the arena is simple — both sit directly on top of major transit hubs.

Fans watching a football game near New York City

Football, Soccer, and Tennis

Here's the local secret nobody tells tourists: both NFL teams, the Giants and the Jets, actually play in New Jersey, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. NJ Transit runs dedicated game-day trains from Penn Station to the Meadowlands. Tickets are pricier and the season is short (September to January), so plan well ahead if you're visiting in the fall.

For soccer, NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls both draw lively, flag-waving crowds — NYCFC often shares the ballparks while their own stadium in Willets Point takes shape. And every late August, the US Open takes over Flushing Meadows for two weeks of world-class tennis, with cheap grounds passes early in the tournament that let you roam the outer courts up close.

Getting Tickets and Game-Day Tips

Stick to official team sites and established resale platforms like Ticketmaster or SeatGeek; avoid anyone selling outside the gates. Midweek games are almost always cheaper than marquee weekend matchups. Whatever you do, take the subway or train — parking at these venues is expensive and miserable, and transit drops you at the door.

Bag policies are strict at every venue (most require small clear bags), and security lines build up in the last half hour before first pitch or tip-off, so give yourself time. Soak up the pregame instead of sprinting to your seat.

Watching the Game Like a Local

Sold out or over budget? A good sports bar is the next best thing, and arguably more fun. Standby in the Financial District, the dozens of neighborhood bars in the East Village, or any Irish pub in Midtown will be packed and loud for a big game. Wear the home colors, learn one chant, and don't badmouth the home team — do that and a New Yorker will happily talk your ear off about why this is finally their year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sports teams play in New York City?

New York is home to the Yankees and Mets (MLB), the Knicks and Nets (NBA), the Rangers, Islanders and Devils (NHL), the Giants and Jets (NFL, who play in New Jersey), and NYCFC and the Red Bulls (MLS). The US Open tennis tournament is held in Flushing, Queens each year.

How do I get tickets to a New York sporting event?

The safest options are official team websites and reputable resale platforms such as Ticketmaster or SeatGeek. Prices vary widely by sport, opponent and seat; midweek games usually cost far less than high-profile weekend matchups.

What is the best way to get to the stadiums?

Public transit, every time. The 4/B/D reaches Yankee Stadium, the 7 reaches Citi Field, and MSG and Barclays Center sit on top of Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal. For Giants and Jets games, take NJ Transit's game-day trains from Penn Station to the Meadowlands.

Can I enjoy a game if I am not already a fan?

Absolutely. The atmosphere, the food and the crowd carry the night on their own. Reading up on the home team for five minutes beforehand just makes it more fun.

Last updated: June 16, 2026.

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