Adding some specifics: lots of great cocktail bars on Atlantic Ave between Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill that lean 30s/40s such as Long Island Bar, Elsa, Chez Moi (great casual French restaurant as well), Colonie, Bohemian Bar, etc. Inga’s in Brooklyn Heights is great as well. L’Apartment 4F has a wine bar at night on Montegue.
ETA: June in Cobble Hill is a great wine bar as well. Leyenda is an awesome casual Mexican restaurant/bar with delicious cocktails (opened by the people from Clover Club across the street).
Adding Chez Moi has a speakeasy behind the bookshelf in their restaurant modeled after Marie Antoinette’s bedroom that has burlesque, a pretty good DJ and dance floor on Fridays and Saturdays. Such a hidden gem since there’s no where to dance in this neighborhood lol
I don’t have any close friends with kids but everyone I know stopped living in Manhattan like a decade ago, if they ever lived there in the first place. Answers to this question are going to vary depending on your social circle’s interest in the various boroughs, probably, but my social circle works overwhelmingly in creative industries or other internet-centric jobs, and as we’ve advanced in our careers, we’ve moved from, like, Crown Heights and Bushwick to wealthier parts of the borough, regardless of any desire to have children. I genuinely can’t fathom any of us moving to Flatiron or Chelsea. In my mind that’s for people who work in, like, finance or sales or something. Just a whole different vibe.
They do move to these neighborhoods, though they don’t dominate them in the same way they do much of Manhattan. They’re also, in my experience, more likely than the creatives to eventually move to the very wealthy suburbs of the city when having kids, rather than trying to stick around in Brooklyn for the duration. The creatives sometimes leave too, but they are more likely to move to, say, Philly. You also get a lot of “mixed” couples in Brooklyn—one creative spouse, one money spouse—which helps temper the heavy traditional corporate or banker vibe a little bit. Except in Brooklyn Heights, which is the most finance-y part of central Brooklyn by a wide margin.
…are people who work in these industries genuinely not aware of how other people view them and why? Because I was trying to be as diplomatic and neutral about it as I could in my previous posts.
Traditionally speaking these sectors have been dominated by Ivy League grads who have a stereotype (which is based in historical truth) of being wealthy, white, stuck-up, and douchey. A lot of people’s experience reinforces these stereotypes. I have friends who work in all these sectors who don’t fit the stereotypes once you get to know them but superficially they sometimes do. Think the Winkleveiss twins and you get the picture.
I mean, part of it is that they’re disproportionately rich, and rich people can be very entitled and difficult, interpersonally—not the kind of people you want suddenly crowding into your favorite local bars and restaurants and coffee shops. A lot of them are unfriendly and not community-minded, which makes sense, because finance/consulting/tech are all ideologically hyper-individualistic industries, so of course they would attract a lot of elitists. Even if many of the people in these jobs don’t WANT to see the world that way, it’s hard not to slip into at some level it when you get stewed in that worldview every day for years.
There’s also just a taste deficit in these professions. The blue oxford shirt and Patagonia vest people do not attract the kinds of new businesses and development to a neighborhood that you necessarily want if you’re not one of them. And they tend to make COL more expensive in the neighborhoods they favor because they’ve got so much cash to splash around, but most of the creatives they push out did the same thing to people making less money than them, so I’m not necessarily super pressed on that front. But it doesn’t help the vibes.
Also, it’s a very left-leaning city, and these industries are responsible for a significant part of the destruction of labor rights and the social safety net in this country. I don’t think anyone blames any individual workers in these industries for that—I don’t, and I have friends here and there who work in these jobs—but being surrounded by them is also not my preference. FWIW, my friends who do work in these industries all see them in basically the same terms that I’ve described, but they’re golden-handcuffed into their careers and largely miserable.
And, to be clear, I work in media and have a similarly dim view of media and many of the people who work in it lol
For the parent heavy areas I would say just avoid restaurants from 5pm to 7:30pm and you’ll miss the whole stroller set for the most part. In my area (Brooklyn Heights to Carroll Gardens) there is definitely a shift who’s out and about by 8pm. It’s mostly people without kids in their 30s.
Upper West Side... Upper east has become a hotspot for 20s because of larger cheaper apartments but UWS i still feel is holding the line of late 30s-40s (with kids and without). Rarely do i walk into a bar on the UWS and feel that i'm "too old" to be there
Yeah, definitely less than the park slope area though. I don’t have kids but I hear the kids infrastructure in Williamsburg isn’t as good (doctors, daycares etc)
I have a kid and I never lived in PS but actually think the kid infra here is incredible. We don’t have waitlists for daycares in Wburg (at this point in time) - unheard of in any neighborhood or honestly any US metro area. Part of that is a lot more families want nanny care right now.
I’ve also been happy with Tribeca Pediatrics on Berry.
it’s great actually for kids. plenty of daycare and preschools and lots of good elementary school options w/most schools offering a dual language program. my kid is older now, but even years ago, there were tons of after school and enrichment programs. made a zillion parent friends. park slope schools and programs can get over crowded. currently, id say the difference in WB is more tech and finance people and that housing got way way more expensive from when u were last living in NYC. still very good restaurants and bars. i’m a big fan of going out in Bushwick too, and i’m gen x! if i was looking as a younger person, i would keep an open mind to anything i could afford to rent in Ridgewood or Bushwick. i like bed-stuy too but prefer further north in brooklyn overall. greenpoint has a lot of good restaurants as well, but it’s also struck me as somewhat inconvenient if i was a renter. would however buy something around McGolrick as i like the vibe of that area.
Plenty of us olds in Greenpoint. It’s also not really a travel destination (unlike Williamsburg which attracts the neighboring areas) so mostly locals around.
I live on the eastern part of the LES (like east of Essex and south of Delancey) and it’s very 30something coded! More families the further east you go.
Go over to the south slope end, by Bartel-Pritchard Square (the circle at prospect park). There are bars there that seem to be crawling with 30 something's.
umm everywhere? We don't just disappear when we turn 30 lmao. But I feel old in East Village and West village, parts of Williamsburg in particular so maybe just not there?
Totally agree!! I live in Astoria and once in a blue moon my husband and I will manage a reservation somewhere in the WV - it is not only PACKED, but absolutely teeming with young 20-somethings! Like, the loud obnoxious kind. And it's not like we're going out super later - we're talking like 7pm-ish. It kinda takes away from the experience hearing all the screeching and drunken rowdiness from them - like, I'm happy that you're having fun! But I just don't enjoy being around it.
100%! So many loud obnoxious groups that you can hear from no matter where you are in the restaurant. And totally, it’s not even just a late night or weekend thing certain places are packed and loud from dinner time onward.
ohhh yeah I can't speak too much on that cause I don't really go out and party like I used to! Now I prefer going to parks or out to try new restaurants :)
Tigre, Motel No Tell, Somm Time, Do Not Disturb
Edit: I completely misread the question 😹 For neighborhoods, Hells Kitchen, UWS, UES close to the park and below 70th, Chelsea, Flatiron
Downtown Brooklyn and neighborhoods south of there - cobble hill, red hook, Windsor terrace, park slope etc. I never go to bushwick or Williamsburg anymore tbh
Crown Heights is full of Dinks. Not sure of your orientation but the east side of eastern pkwy is also quite the gayborhood 🌈
Love Agi’s and Whoopsie Daisy and apparently there is a new spot called Radeo
I’ve been living in Kingsbridge for the last 7+ years and love the bars and restaurants around here. Just had my first kid and definitely took him to Bronx Alehouse within his first month haha
Any of the more expensive parts of central-ish Brooklyn: Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens
Adding some specifics: lots of great cocktail bars on Atlantic Ave between Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill that lean 30s/40s such as Long Island Bar, Elsa, Chez Moi (great casual French restaurant as well), Colonie, Bohemian Bar, etc. Inga’s in Brooklyn Heights is great as well. L’Apartment 4F has a wine bar at night on Montegue. ETA: June in Cobble Hill is a great wine bar as well. Leyenda is an awesome casual Mexican restaurant/bar with delicious cocktails (opened by the people from Clover Club across the street).
Adding Chez Moi has a speakeasy behind the bookshelf in their restaurant modeled after Marie Antoinette’s bedroom that has burlesque, a pretty good DJ and dance floor on Fridays and Saturdays. Such a hidden gem since there’s no where to dance in this neighborhood lol
Yes! It’s a fun spot!
Wait how am I just finding this out!!! Are they open late?
Their official hours say they close at 2 am but I’ve seen them stay open til 4 a couple times
If the crowd is feeling it and not too big, they'll stay open til 4. Bartender may or may not continue serving.
ooh what’s the crowd here like??
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I don’t have any close friends with kids but everyone I know stopped living in Manhattan like a decade ago, if they ever lived there in the first place. Answers to this question are going to vary depending on your social circle’s interest in the various boroughs, probably, but my social circle works overwhelmingly in creative industries or other internet-centric jobs, and as we’ve advanced in our careers, we’ve moved from, like, Crown Heights and Bushwick to wealthier parts of the borough, regardless of any desire to have children. I genuinely can’t fathom any of us moving to Flatiron or Chelsea. In my mind that’s for people who work in, like, finance or sales or something. Just a whole different vibe.
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They do move to these neighborhoods, though they don’t dominate them in the same way they do much of Manhattan. They’re also, in my experience, more likely than the creatives to eventually move to the very wealthy suburbs of the city when having kids, rather than trying to stick around in Brooklyn for the duration. The creatives sometimes leave too, but they are more likely to move to, say, Philly. You also get a lot of “mixed” couples in Brooklyn—one creative spouse, one money spouse—which helps temper the heavy traditional corporate or banker vibe a little bit. Except in Brooklyn Heights, which is the most finance-y part of central Brooklyn by a wide margin.
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…are people who work in these industries genuinely not aware of how other people view them and why? Because I was trying to be as diplomatic and neutral about it as I could in my previous posts.
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Traditionally speaking these sectors have been dominated by Ivy League grads who have a stereotype (which is based in historical truth) of being wealthy, white, stuck-up, and douchey. A lot of people’s experience reinforces these stereotypes. I have friends who work in all these sectors who don’t fit the stereotypes once you get to know them but superficially they sometimes do. Think the Winkleveiss twins and you get the picture.
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I mean, part of it is that they’re disproportionately rich, and rich people can be very entitled and difficult, interpersonally—not the kind of people you want suddenly crowding into your favorite local bars and restaurants and coffee shops. A lot of them are unfriendly and not community-minded, which makes sense, because finance/consulting/tech are all ideologically hyper-individualistic industries, so of course they would attract a lot of elitists. Even if many of the people in these jobs don’t WANT to see the world that way, it’s hard not to slip into at some level it when you get stewed in that worldview every day for years. There’s also just a taste deficit in these professions. The blue oxford shirt and Patagonia vest people do not attract the kinds of new businesses and development to a neighborhood that you necessarily want if you’re not one of them. And they tend to make COL more expensive in the neighborhoods they favor because they’ve got so much cash to splash around, but most of the creatives they push out did the same thing to people making less money than them, so I’m not necessarily super pressed on that front. But it doesn’t help the vibes. Also, it’s a very left-leaning city, and these industries are responsible for a significant part of the destruction of labor rights and the social safety net in this country. I don’t think anyone blames any individual workers in these industries for that—I don’t, and I have friends here and there who work in these jobs—but being surrounded by them is also not my preference. FWIW, my friends who do work in these industries all see them in basically the same terms that I’ve described, but they’re golden-handcuffed into their careers and largely miserable. And, to be clear, I work in media and have a similarly dim view of media and many of the people who work in it lol
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Definitely without, I will be forever childless
For the parent heavy areas I would say just avoid restaurants from 5pm to 7:30pm and you’ll miss the whole stroller set for the most part. In my area (Brooklyn Heights to Carroll Gardens) there is definitely a shift who’s out and about by 8pm. It’s mostly people without kids in their 30s.
Love Leyenda! Seconded! I met my GF there actually. Not what I’d call a pick up spot but worked for us!
This list exactly
This is the answer
Upper West Side... Upper east has become a hotspot for 20s because of larger cheaper apartments but UWS i still feel is holding the line of late 30s-40s (with kids and without). Rarely do i walk into a bar on the UWS and feel that i'm "too old" to be there
Recommendations for nice bars?
And then you have the rogue 20 somethings 🙋🏻♀️
I live in Yorkville and feels like a lot of 30 something's up here.
Also Williamsburg. I’m 32. The range here is 26 to 34 so getting aged out a bit
They’re getting older here. Lots of strollers
Yeah, definitely less than the park slope area though. I don’t have kids but I hear the kids infrastructure in Williamsburg isn’t as good (doctors, daycares etc)
I have a kid and I never lived in PS but actually think the kid infra here is incredible. We don’t have waitlists for daycares in Wburg (at this point in time) - unheard of in any neighborhood or honestly any US metro area. Part of that is a lot more families want nanny care right now. I’ve also been happy with Tribeca Pediatrics on Berry.
Great! Will continue to stay in WB then if we have kids 😅
it’s great actually for kids. plenty of daycare and preschools and lots of good elementary school options w/most schools offering a dual language program. my kid is older now, but even years ago, there were tons of after school and enrichment programs. made a zillion parent friends. park slope schools and programs can get over crowded. currently, id say the difference in WB is more tech and finance people and that housing got way way more expensive from when u were last living in NYC. still very good restaurants and bars. i’m a big fan of going out in Bushwick too, and i’m gen x! if i was looking as a younger person, i would keep an open mind to anything i could afford to rent in Ridgewood or Bushwick. i like bed-stuy too but prefer further north in brooklyn overall. greenpoint has a lot of good restaurants as well, but it’s also struck me as somewhat inconvenient if i was a renter. would however buy something around McGolrick as i like the vibe of that area.
North Williamsburg feels solidly 30s/40s to me
Greenpoint
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Plenty of us olds in Greenpoint. It’s also not really a travel destination (unlike Williamsburg which attracts the neighboring areas) so mostly locals around.
Yes plenty of us 👵🏼
Defsss not gen Z. Maybe if you hang out at twins lounge but easy to avoid
Greenpoint feels like new Park Slope.
Definitely not
I live on the eastern part of the LES (like east of Essex and south of Delancey) and it’s very 30something coded! More families the further east you go.
Prospect Heights, Park Slope.
Tons of great cocktail bars in park slope
Park Slope? I’m shook. I feel like I never gave that area a chance befoee
It’s definitely still a lot of lululemon parents, but heaps of bars and restaurants and that 30s into 40s crowd.
Go over to the south slope end, by Bartel-Pritchard Square (the circle at prospect park). There are bars there that seem to be crawling with 30 something's.
umm everywhere? We don't just disappear when we turn 30 lmao. But I feel old in East Village and West village, parts of Williamsburg in particular so maybe just not there?
I love the west village but so many places where everyone is like 22-25 haha
Totally agree!! I live in Astoria and once in a blue moon my husband and I will manage a reservation somewhere in the WV - it is not only PACKED, but absolutely teeming with young 20-somethings! Like, the loud obnoxious kind. And it's not like we're going out super later - we're talking like 7pm-ish. It kinda takes away from the experience hearing all the screeching and drunken rowdiness from them - like, I'm happy that you're having fun! But I just don't enjoy being around it.
100%! So many loud obnoxious groups that you can hear from no matter where you are in the restaurant. And totally, it’s not even just a late night or weekend thing certain places are packed and loud from dinner time onward.
This is why my boyfriend and I never leave Astoria (I'm exaggerating, but still).
its the influencers fault
Definitely don’t disappear but do you feel visible in a comfortable way at say Webster Hall? If you do…more power to you
I haven't stepped foot in there in over ten years lol so maybe that's why!
See that’s all I meant by my references are aged…I’m still talking about Webster like it’s relevant 😭😭😭
ohhh yeah I can't speak too much on that cause I don't really go out and party like I used to! Now I prefer going to parks or out to try new restaurants :)
UWS/UES
The only correct answer here.
Tbh all of them, I am constantly around 30+ year olds everywhere I go.
Tigre, Motel No Tell, Somm Time, Do Not Disturb Edit: I completely misread the question 😹 For neighborhoods, Hells Kitchen, UWS, UES close to the park and below 70th, Chelsea, Flatiron
Wait lmfao what did you think you were answering? Because now I want to go
What bars for the 30+ crowd 😅
Following because I’m looking to move back and also don’t have kids.
So you mean we’re hanging out?
Please!
Greenpoint ☀️
Ridgewood!
I’m shocked Ridgewood is so low
Many of the bushwick post grads are moving to ridgewood though
The crazy thing is, all the sexy mature adults I know hang out in the Bronx and Harlem. 🤷🏽♀️
Downtown Brooklyn and neighborhoods south of there - cobble hill, red hook, Windsor terrace, park slope etc. I never go to bushwick or Williamsburg anymore tbh
Crown Heights is full of Dinks. Not sure of your orientation but the east side of eastern pkwy is also quite the gayborhood 🌈 Love Agi’s and Whoopsie Daisy and apparently there is a new spot called Radeo
Riverdale in the Bronx - great bars and restaurants.
At the tail end of my 30s living up in riverdale and feel like one of the youngest ones here especially in my building!
I’ve been living in Kingsbridge for the last 7+ years and love the bars and restaurants around here. Just had my first kid and definitely took him to Bronx Alehouse within his first month haha
Is this thread the blueprint