How many times are we going to screw-up date night before we finally succeed? That is a question most of us have been forced to answer on any given Friday night. Most of the time, expectations and reality don’t meet and the consequences can be… disappointing (to say the least). Fear no more, my consciously coupled New Yorkers, here are some date spots that are sure to lead to a far less disappointing after-date:
1. Bohemian
57 Great Jones Street, SoHo
This secret gem of a restaurant is stashed behind a Japanese butcher shop in Manhattan’s SoHo. The problem is getting a reservation. You either have to know someone who has dined there previously, take your chances and show up in person, or attempt to email ny-info@playearth.jp and hope for a response. They do not list their phone number. Good luck!
2. Burp Castle
41 East 7th Street, East Village
Touting itself as the “Temple of Beer Worship” this monastery-themed bar offers a plethora of imported Belgian beers both bottled and on tap. Oh and bring your indoor voices. If the noise level gets too high, bartenders will shush patrons to keep the sound to a minimum, er rather, a whisper.
3. La Esquina
PC: La Esquina Instagram
114 Kenmare Street, NoHo
Getting to this awesome Mexican restaurant requires a reservation and a walk through a taqueria kitchen. This place is not as secret as it used to be, but it does take some thought and romantic maneuvering to get that reservation.
4. Freemans
191 Chrystie Street, LES
This American fare restaurant is decorated like an old-school hunting lodge with wooden chairs and an array of taxidermy on the walls. To get here you must navigate yourself around Bowery, Chrystie, and Rivington until you spot the easily missed Freeman Alley. The restaurant is at the end of the alley.
5. The New York Earth Room 
141 Wooster Street, SoHo
Again, eclectic date spot alert. This is a permanent art fixture in SoHo that is meant to represent what Soho really is…a space on an island made of dirt. Know your audience before taking a date here. It is a love or hate kind of thing.
6. Attaboy
PC: @nkbdpt
134 Eldridge Street, Lower East Side
So you want to take your date on a more personalized romantic experience? Find this swanky speakeasy hidden behind an unassuming metal door in the Lower East Side. Here, there is no cocktail menu. Simply explain to the bartender what type of drink you like and the bar’s mixologist will craft a personalized drink just for you.
7. Hudson Clearwater
447 Hudson Street, West Village
One of our favorites! Find the inconspicuous green door on Morton street and enter the outdoor garden space known as Hudson Clearwater. This is a great brunch date spot.
8. Sakagura
211 E 43rd Street, Midtown East
This Japanese restaurant is hidden in the basement of an office building in Midtown East. There are no outside signs to give clues to its location, so finding it is a little bit difficult. Menu favorites include handmade soba noodles and the Sake Ikura Don Set, filleted salmon sashimi, and salmon roe cooked in soy sauce and artfully served over a bowl of rice.
9. Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien 
119 W 56 Street, Midtown
This is not so secret anymore, but still noteworthy. The high-end, pristine hotel that surrounds this place was built around the dive bar. It is so amazingly out of place. Your date will appreciate the juxtaposition.
10. Elevated Acre
55 Water Street, Financial District
Situated behind 55 Water Street, this lush high line-esque green space is a real treat in the Financial District. To access the park, take the stairway or one of the escalators adjacent to the building’s Chase bank.
11. The Wine Cellar Room at 21 Club
21 W 52nd Street
This place is amazing. Through the kitchen, down a flight of stairs, and behind a fake wall is a secret wine cellar. If you push through the keyhole, which appears to be a crack in the wall, you’ll find a hidden room that was used to hide liquor during Prohibition.
12. Community 54
186 Avenue B, East Village
Once you find the walkway to the back of the arcade store (hidden inside a photo booth), you can check out the adjacent menswear shop. Here, you’ll find vintage brand-name streetwear and designer collaborations from Members Only jackets to limited-edition NCAA hats. Venture even farther back and you’ll come across an outdoor events space covered in graffiti by internationally renowned street artists.
