10 Of The Best Places To Eat, Drink And Have Fun On A Trip To New York City

A diner on Broadway has servers who break into show tunes while you eat your fries. That deserves respect.

Balancing plates and hitting high notes at the same time sounds like a circus act.

Now I’m curious about something. Across the river, one building packs bowling lanes, a concert stage, and a full restaurant under one roof.

How do the pins stay quiet during the encore?

I find it oddly funny that shuffleboard, a game I tied to cruise ships, became a big-city night out. In Brooklyn, it even comes with rotating food trucks.

I appreciate that New York treats playtime as seriously as dinner. Ping-pong, Pac-Man, mini golf, and pool are all on the table.

So, which game are you picking first?

1. Brooklyn Bowl

Bowling and a rock show usually live in separate buildings. In Williamsburg, they share one huge room and seem to get along just fine.

Brooklyn Bowl puts sixteen bowling lanes beside a concert stage, creating a night where the soundtrack might be as memorable as your score.

The leather couches by the lanes make watching a performance between turns surprisingly comfortable.

Food comes from the Blue Ribbon kitchen, and meals can be delivered to your lane. That means nobody has to abandon the game just because the fries have arrived.

If you’re visiting with friends, sharing a few dishes between frames is an easy way to keep everybody involved.

The action unfolds at 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249, in a corner of Williamsburg known for its lively creative scene.

There’s a useful distinction for families: weekend daytime Family Bowl sessions welcome all ages, while evenings are generally for adults ages twenty-one and over.

Some daytime music events have separate admission arrangements, so the event calendar is worth checking before leaving home.

New York knows how to combine entertainment, but hearing a live set while lining up a bowling shot still feels delightfully improbable. The venue also offers lane bookings for private gatherings and celebrations.

Invite the friend who always boasts about bowling. One good song could be the perfect distraction before their next turn.

2. Swingers NoMad

Mini golf grew up, moved to Manhattan, and got a lot more stylish. Swingers NoMad brings the putt-putt game indoors with courses built to challenge you.

Don’t expect a sleepy windmill and a sad clown. These nine-hole courses feature playful obstacles and unexpected turns, with each round giving your group plenty of chances to trade friendly predictions.

The venue also serves street food, making it easy to build an entire outing around the game.

Pizza and tacos are among the choices, so even someone more interested in dinner than putting can enjoy coming along.

The putting begins at 35 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001, among NoMad’s busy blocks and neighborhood restaurants.

A practical detail matters if children are joining: family sessions welcome younger players on Mondays, Sundays, Friday afternoons, and Saturday afternoons.

Mini golf is recommended for ages five and older, and children under sixteen need an accompanying adult. Other sessions are reserved for guests twenty-one and over.

Booking a round ahead is sensible, particularly for groups, although walk-in spaces may be offered. There’s no need for professional putting skills, either.

The pleasure comes from navigating a tricky hole while your friends attempt to provide extremely unhelpful advice.

A birthday, a date, or a team outing can all work here. Just remember that a confident first swing doesn’t guarantee a confident final score.

3. Electric Shuffle NYC

Grandpa’s favorite game just got a tech upgrade. Electric Shuffle swaps old-school chalk scoring for electronic shuffleboard that keeps track of points for you.

Here, traditional pucks meet clever sensors, automatic scorekeeping, and four different game modes. Instead of squinting at a scoreboard, you can focus on choosing your next shot and enjoying the friendly competition.

The tables are designed for groups, with bookings accommodating as many as twenty players.

Different games keep everyone involved, even when some friends have never touched a shuffleboard puck before. Replays add another little twist when a particularly impressive shot deserves a second look.

Midtown’s version of this lively pastime awaits at 44 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001. Food arrives directly at the playing area, which makes sharing a few plates convenient.

The menu leans toward approachable game-night favorites, while weekend brunch events combine food, music, and scheduled time at the shuffleboard tables.

Reservations generally run for sixty or ninety minutes, so it’s helpful to know how many people are coming before selecting a session. Shuffle sessions are for adults, and identification may be requested at check-in.

What makes this different from shuffleboard on a cruise ship? For starters, the electronic scoring does the arithmetic for you. Everyone can concentrate on a more entertaining question: whose puck will stop closest to the edge?

4. Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club Brooklyn

Somebody in Brooklyn decided shuffleboard deserved its own clubhouse. The result is Royal Palms, a big hall where courts draw playful crowds night after night.

These aren’t little tabletop boards. Ten full-size floor courts give the place the feel of a recreational clubhouse, with tropical touches, communal seating, and room to cheer on teammates.

The food setup is an especially fun surprise. A rotating lineup of trucks drives right inside the building, bringing changing choices that can include tacos, dumplings, pizza, and other snacks. Dinner can change with each visit.

A lively evening starts on Union Street, at 514 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, in the Gowanus neighborhood.

Courts normally go to walk-in parties on a first-come, first-served basis. Larger groups can arrange cabana celebrations in advance, and beginners get a quick introduction to the rules.

Games like giant Jenga and Connect Four offer an amusing diversion while you’re waiting for a court.

The club is generally for guests twenty-one and older from Monday through Saturday, with family-friendly Sunday sessions welcoming younger players. Hours also vary by day, making a quick schedule check sensible.

New York has plenty of competitive pastimes, yet this one feels unusually sociable. It’s perfectly possible to arrive without knowing the scoring system and leave debating whether that last puck counted.

5. SPIN New York Flatiron

Ping-pong in your parents’ basement never looked this good. SPIN turns the classic paddle game into a full lounge experience in the Flatiron District.

The venue has eighteen ping-pong tables spread across a spacious room filled with art, communal seating, and energetic music.

Equipment is provided, so there’s no need to arrive carrying a paddle like you’re heading to an international tournament.

The setup is wonderfully flexible. Reserve a table with friends, play a lively doubles match, or spend time in the lounge with board games between rallies.

Oversized games and a bathtub filled with ping-pong balls give the room a few unexpected details. For your next match, head to 48 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010, between Madison and Park avenues.

The kitchen serves shareable food designed for a social outing, so eating can be part of the evening rather than a separate stop. Staff keep fresh balls available, and experienced players sometimes offer pointers or join a game.

Saturday family packages welcome all ages before early evening, while the usual walk-in schedule runs from Monday through Saturday. Sunday is primarily listed for event inquiries, rather than regular drop-in play.

In a city where everybody seems to be racing somewhere, a little table tennis changes the pace. You can be competitive for five minutes, laugh at an impossible return, and then happily start all over again.

6. Barcade

Pac-Man is still racing around the maze in Williamsburg, and he has plenty of company. Barcade lines its walls with vintage video games from the golden age of arcades.

The machines span several decades, with familiar favorites including Donkey Kong, Frogger, Galaga, and pinball. Instead of touchscreens, you’re handling joysticks, buttons, and the kind of brightly colored cabinets that made arcades so distinctive.

There’s a lovely moment when somebody recognizes a game from childhood and immediately tries to prove their old high score still means something.

Then another player discovers the same machine for the first time. Both have equally good reasons to stay for another round.

That trip through gaming history takes place at 388 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

Barcade opens in the afternoon on weekdays and around midday on weekends, staying open later on Friday and Saturday nights.

Regular admission is for adults twenty-one and over, but Brooklyn hosts family gaming sessions on Sundays from noon until five, when children can attend with a parent or guardian.

Simple snacks are available, and the focus remains on working your way through the rows of machines. You can choose one favorite or spend an hour trying several different games.

The appeal isn’t elaborate technology. It’s the wonderfully direct challenge of getting one tiny character through another level before the game ends.

7. Cellar Dog

Some evenings call for less glitz and more good company. Cellar Dog delivers just that in an easygoing, old-fashioned hangout in Greenwich Village.

Pool tables, ping-pong, shuffleboard, and board games fill the room, creating plenty of reasons to challenge your friends.

Choose a quick contest or settle into a longer match, knowing there will always be another table calling for your attention.

Live jazz is part of the attraction, too. Music begins at seven each evening, giving the space a relaxed soundtrack that suits an after-dinner outing. The combination of games and musicians makes this feel different from a typical pool hall.

Christopher Street leads you to 75 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014, right in the West Village.

Cellar Dog operates on a walk-in basis, with open seating available as space permits. Games are charged according to playing time, and board games provide another option for groups who prefer something less energetic.

Weekdays open in the late afternoon, while Saturday and Sunday start earlier. The venue continues into the early morning on some nights, making it useful when an evening in the neighborhood stretches longer than expected.

There’s something charming about having several choices without needing a complicated itinerary. A round of pool can turn into jazz listening, then a board game, then another attempt at the perfect shot.

8. Ellen’s Stardust Diner

Your server might take your order and then belt out a Broadway hit. At Ellen’s Stardust Diner, the waitstaff sings show tunes while you eat.

This 1950s-themed diner pairs retro decor with performers who sing throughout the day. The music is part of the experience from opening until closing, so even an early breakfast can come with a memorable number.

Food sticks to American diner favorites, but there are some playful twists.

The all-day breakfast menu includes challah French toast, Belgian waffles, cinnamon roll pancakes, and a mascarpone-stuffed French toast topped with strawberries and caramel.

Burgers, sandwiches, and towering desserts offer plenty of choices later in the day.

You’ll hear those show tunes at 1650 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, in the heart of the Theater District.

The diner opens at seven in the morning and continues until midnight. Children are welcome, and a dedicated kids’ menu makes a family stop easy to arrange. That matters when the entire group wants a meal with a little extra theatrical flair.

Reservations aren’t offered for ordinary dining, so leave some flexibility for the line. Your whole group needs to be present when a table becomes available.

The singing can turn an everyday order into a miniature Broadway moment. Even a plate of fries feels more festive when the next big note arrives before your food does.

9. Comedy Cellar

Famous comedians don’t always announce themselves before stepping on stage here. At Comedy Cellar, surprise celebrity guests are part of the legend.

The intimate Greenwich Village club hosts several stand-up sets on many evenings, with scheduled performers occasionally joined by unexpected names.

Its low ceilings and closely arranged tables make the jokes feel wonderfully immediate, particularly when a comedian interacts with the front row.

This is the kind of entertainment that rewards paying attention. Different acts bring different rhythms, so a single show can move from quick observations to longer stories before you realize how much time has passed.

For the original room, make your way to 117 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012.

Booking ahead is strongly recommended. Confirmed reservations are seated first, with a limited standby list available before shows.

Most admission is for ages twenty-one and over, although exceptions may be arranged for eighteen-year-olds accompanied by a parent.

There’s a two-item minimum per person, and food can be ordered during the performance. Phones and smartwatches are placed in special pouches for the show, helping everyone focus on the person at the microphone.

It’s a New York night out without elaborate scenery. A stool, a microphone, and a room full of attentive listeners do the job beautifully. Just be prepared for the possibility that a seat close to the stage comes with a little friendly attention.

10. Slate

Pool sharks, pizza lovers, and bowling fans can finally share one address.

Slate in Chelsea is a swanky, multi-level spot that packs in a little bit of everything.

The games go far beyond pool. Three bowling lanes, ping-pong tables, foosball, giant games, and arcade machines make it easy to switch activities when someone decides a different competition sounds more appealing.

One particularly unusual feature is a twenty-foot indoor slide connecting the upper and lower levels. That is certainly a more entertaining way to reach the games than taking the stairs.

Sports simulators add even more choices, including virtual challenges inspired by golf and other familiar sports.

All this action fills a venue at 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010, on the edge of Chelsea and Flatiron.

The kitchen offers a menu suited to group outings, with familiar dishes to share between games. Lounge seating provides room to regroup, compare scores, and decide who gets the next turn at the pool table.

Slate opens at four each afternoon and extends its hours into the early morning on Friday and Saturday. Regular admission is for guests twenty-one and over, and a dress code applies, so it’s worth choosing your outfit with that in mind.

After so many possible activities, you may forget which game brought you through the door. That’s a very New York kind of problem to have.