Life

The 12 Best Date Spots In NYC, So You Can Stop Stressing About Where To Go

by Natalia Lusinski
Astarot/Fotolia

Deciding where to go on a date can sometimes be as stressful as going on a date with someone new itself. But OkCupid's First Annual Daters' Choice Awards, a comprehensive list identifying the best places to go on a date in NYC, as well as in nine other cities, is here to help make things easier. After all, the more ideas, the better, right?! The awards covered all kinds of categories, from "Intellectual Attractions" and "Classic Local Spots" to "Spots That Get (Sex) Started" and "Best Bathrooms to Have Sex."

"OkCupid's first-ever Daters' Choice Awards have been an exciting way for us to continue to learn more about our community," OkCupid's CEO Elie Seidman tells Bustle. "Not only did we discover our members' favorites places to date across the country, but we also further solidified OkCupid's 'Substance over Selfies' motto. Out of all 10 markets, and all 12 categories, the venues we surveyed for 'Intellectual Attractions' and 'Nerdy Pickup Spots' received the most votes, proving that our daters value intellect."

And perhaps the daters valuing intellect has something to do with OKC's high-tech algorithm that connects people based on things such as shared beliefs and common interests. With the dating platform — which has 4-to-6 million monthly active daters in 113 countries worldwide — you can answer as many, or as few, questions as you'd like, from "How frequently do you bathe or shower?" to "Do you believe contraception is morally wrong?" Of course, the more you answer, the more you can see how much you match with someone else. So, it's not just about swiping left or right!

Overall, the date spots below were based on OKC users' experiences, as well as Foursquare, a partner in this date-spot project. Of course, you've probably used Foursquare at some point to find a great place to grab food or to check in, the latter which people have done 11 billion (!) times with the app!

OKC respondents for the Daters' Choice Awards had a median age of 30+, and 68 percent were male. Even though the below list is all about date spots in NYC — which you'll probably recognize or now be motivated to go to! — the nine other cities were Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle. Plus, the cities' dating guides are now on OKC's site, so if you live in one of the cities or are visiting, it's a perfect dating resource!

Without further ado, here are OKC's First Annual Daters' Choice Awards for NYC, so you can never again say you don't know where to go on a date.

1

Dime (And Face) Saver Destinations: Corner Bistro

2

Nerdy Pickup Spots: Barcade

3

No-Bro Sports Bars: Kettle of Fish

4

Instagram Filtered Bars: Beauty & Essex

5

Best Bathrooms for Sex: Home Sweet Home

6

Spots That Get the Sex Started: House of Yes

7

Classic Local Spots: Pete's Tavern

8

Well-Hidden Haunts: Apotheke

9

Boozy Date Spots: Employees Only

10

Ass-Kicking Locales: The Gutter

11

Open-Air Options: Gallow Green

12

Intellectual Attractions: Brooklyn Academy of Music

You can check out the Brooklyn Academy of Music here.

I don't know about you, but I love the above choices. No matter what your date vibe may be, with the list above, chances are you'll find a date spot that's right for you and your date. For instance, you may be in an "intellectual attraction" mood one night, but in a "classic local spot" mood the next. And now you know where to go to "get the sex started," too. ;)

Check out the “Sex & Relationships” stream in the Bustle App for tips, tricks, and advice on friends, sex, dating, and everything in-between.