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Best of NYC 2011
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is one of Best of NYC 2011.

1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden

9.4
990 Washington Ave (btwn President St & Empire Blvd), Brooklyn, NY
Botanical Garden · Prospect Park · 322 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to find your inner Zen boasts relaxed, peaceful grounds. Claim a spot near the serene Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, surrounded by Japanese myrtle and cypress trees, and bliss out. Read more.

Santos Party House is one of Best of NYC 2011.

2. Santos Party House

96 Lafayette St (btwn Walker & White St), New York, NY
Music Venue · Downtown Manhattan · 112 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Come here for 718 Sessions, the best party to dance your heart out to. The vibe (and crowd) harks back to the scene-starting, dance-all-night ’70s club Paradise Garage. Read more.

Dalaga NYC is one of Best of NYC 2011.

3. Dalaga NYC

150 Franklin St (at Greenpoint Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Women's Store · Greenpoint · 15 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: This elegant Greenpoint gem is the best store for upgrading your wardrobe on the cheap. We love the unique outerwear, but the shop’s best offerings are ladylike dresses. Read more.

Glasslands Gallery is one of Best of NYC 2011.

4. Glasslands Gallery

289 Kent Ave (btwn S 1st & S 2nd St), Brooklyn, NY
Music Venue · Williamsburg · 83 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best spot to discover the next band of the moment has an amazing track record for booking hyped indie-rock acts and the DIY decor gives every show the air of a stumbled-upon loft party. Read more.

High Line is one of Best of NYC 2011.

5. High Line

9.5
btwn Gansevoort & W 34th St (btwn 10th & 12th Ave), New York, NY
Park · Chelsea · 1495 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to remember why you love Manhattan takes you above the city while keeping you rooted in urban life. Walk through a field of wildflowers as cabs zoom along the street beneath you. Read more.

Employees Only is one of Best of NYC 2011.

6. Employees Only

8.9
510 Hudson St (at Christopher St), New York, NY
Speakeasy · West Village · 512 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Arrive early at this best bar for birthdays to claim to prime barside real estate, and order a round of original cocktails mixed by rascally, white-jacketed gents. Read more.

Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of Best of NYC 2011.

7. Metropolitan Museum of Art

9.5
1000 5th Ave (btwn E 80th & E 84th St), New York, NY
Art Museum · 1961 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to gawk at priceless art has a collection that is seemingly endless, spanning creepy Egyptian tombs to the shimmering Impressionist paintings to an unparalleled costume collection. Read more.

Theatre 80 is one of Best of NYC 2011.

8. Theatre 80

7.7
80 Saint Marks Pl (at 1st Ave), New York, NY
Performing Arts Venue · East Village · 27 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Come here for the naughtiest burlesque show in NYC, !BadAss! Burlesque. The performances at this bimonthly revue aren’t the playful, teasing kind; they’re perverse and raunchy. Read more.

Madame X is one of Best of NYC 2011.

9. Madame X

7.1
94 W Houston St (btw Thompson St. & LaGuardia Pl.), New York, NY
Lounge · Greenwich Village · 49 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Come to this seductively lit haunt for the House of Scorpio’s Lip Service the best party to kiss a stranger. It’s a naughty and nice make-out mixer. Read more.

10. Carnegie Hall

9.3
881 7th Ave (at W 57th St), New York, NY
Concert Hall · Theater District · 111 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best concert auditorium in NYC hosts the world’s greatest orchestras, instrumentalists and singers. Lately, prominent world-music acts and even rock bands have been added to the mix. Read more.

Nowhere Bar is one of Best of NYC 2011.

11. Nowhere Bar

7.5
322 E 14th St (btwn 1st & 2nd Ave), New York, NY
Gay Bar · East Village · 63 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: This East Village dive is the best place to hang out with cute gay boys. Damian Cote’s long-running Buddies party every Tuesday is reliably packed with adorable East Village and Brooklyn boys. Read more.

Fort Tryon Park is one of Best of NYC 2011.

12. Fort Tryon Park

9.4
Margaret Corbin Dr (at Fort Tyron Pl), New York, NY
Park · Hudson Heights · 93 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to forget that you’re in NYC is crammed with gardens, forests and other quiet nooks that are perfect for chilling out. No visit here is complete without a stop by the Cloisters. Read more.

Brooklyn Brainery is one of Best of NYC 2011.

13. Brooklyn Brainery

515 Court St (at 9th St.), Brooklyn, NY
Trade School · Carroll Gardens · 12 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best informal classroom offers cheap and cool sessions taught by a team of enthusiasts in various fields, including teachers, chefs, makeup artists and graphic designers. Read more.

Empire State Building is one of Best of NYC 2011.

14. Empire State Building

9.1
350 5th Ave (btwn 33rd & 34th St), New York, NY
Structure · Midtown Manhattan, New York, NY · 1174 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best touristy venue, this 80-year-old landmark is simply stunning. Check out the Art Deco flourishes in the lobby, restored to its original gilded splendor in 2009. Read more.

Brooklyn Bridge is one of Best of NYC 2011.

15. Brooklyn Bridge

9.5
Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY
Bridge · 1012 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best view of NYC offers a stunning panorama. From the midpoint of the massive suspension bridge, there are spectacular sight lines of Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo and lower Manhattan. Read more.

Prospect Park is one of Best of NYC 2011.

16. Prospect Park

9.7
Prospect Park W/SW (Flatbush Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Park · Prospect Park · 309 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: NYC’s best collective backyard boasts prime people-watching spots such as the Long Meadow and Nethermead The woodland expanse of the Ravine is a towering forest within bustling Brooklyn. Read more.

New York Transit Museum is one of Best of NYC 2011.

17. New York Transit Museum

9.1
99 Schermerhorn St (Boerum Pl), Brooklyn, NY
History Museum · Downtown Brooklyn · 133 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best New York-focused museum is housed in a decommissioned subway station. Make sure to see the excellent collection of vintage subway cars. Read more.

Buvette is one of Best of NYC 2011.

18. Buvette

9.2
42 Grove St (btwn Bedford & Bleecker St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · West Village · 533 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best birthday restaurant offers a homey French feast, centered on a shareable dish like roasted chicken, for groups of 8 to 12 on the long “kitchen table” in the back. Read more.

International Bar is one of Best of NYC 2011.

19. International Bar

6.7
102 1st Ave (btwn 7th St & St. Marks Pl), New York, NY
Dive Bar · East Village · 119 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best dive bar in NYC is filled with regulars making efficient use of the low prices. The owners have banished TVs to promote friendly banter and there’s always the jukebox to keep you company. Read more.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is one of Best of NYC 2011.

20. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

9.3
11 W 53rd St (btwn 5th & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Art Museum · Midtown East · 1870 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best museum to spend the day in boasts unparalleled holdings in 20th- and 21st-century art, the Sette MoMA restaurant, a plush movie theater and the MoMA Design Store. Read more.

Gagosian Gallery is one of Best of NYC 2011.

21. Gagosian Gallery

9.1
555 W 24th St (btwn 10th & 11th Ave), New York, NY
Art Gallery · Chelsea · 52 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to see museum-quality gallery shows has perfected this high-end form. Shows such as “Picasso and Marie-Thérèse: L’Amour Fou” prove you don’t have to be MoMA to stage a blockbuster. Read more.

Gagosian Gallery is one of Best of NYC 2011.

22. Gagosian Gallery

7.5
980 Madison Ave (btw 76th & 77th), New York, NY
Art Gallery · Upper East Side · 20 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to see museum-quality gallery shows has perfected this high-end form. Shows such as “Picasso and Marie-Thérèse: L’Amour Fou” prove you don’t have to be MoMA to stage a blockbuster. Read more.

Playwrights Horizons is one of Best of NYC 2011.

23. Playwrights Horizons

8.9
416 W 42nd St (9th Ave), New York, NY
Theater · Hell's Kitchen · 26 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best Off-Broadway theater has produced such hits as Bruce Norris’s Pulitzer Prize–winning satire Clybourne Park. $25 rush tickets for under-30s are available an hour before each performance. Read more.

The Public Theater is one of Best of NYC 2011.

24. The Public Theater

9.4
425 Lafayette St (btwn Astor Pl & E 4th St), New York, NY
Theater · NoHo · 54 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: This adored staple of Off Broadway also produces Under the Radar, the best Off-Off Broadway festival. Jump on tickets to see the daring international program of experimental theater. Read more.

Opening Ceremony is one of Best of NYC 2011.

25. Opening Ceremony

8.1
35 Howard St (btwn Broadway & Crosby St), New York, NY
Boutique · SoHo · 59 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best store to blow your paycheck in stocks covetable finds from around the world—both luxury threads and more affordable goods like indie mags, CDs and hip accessories. Read more.

26. Opening Ceremony

1190-1192 Broadway (at W 29th St), New York, NY
Boutique · NoMad · 22 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best store to blow your paycheck in stocks covetable finds from around the world—both luxury threads and more affordable goods like indie mags, CDs and hip accessories. Read more.

Benefit Cosmetics is one of Best of NYC 2011.

27. Benefit Cosmetics

8.3
454 W Broadway (btwn Prince & W Houston St), New York, NY
Cosmetics Store · SoHo · 23 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best spa for pampering on the fly has aestheticians ready to primp and polish at a moment’s notice. Plus, buy three best-selling products to get a complimentary makeup application. Read more.

Academy Records Annex is one of Best of NYC 2011.

28. Academy Records Annex

85 Oak St (at Franklin St), Brooklyn, NY
Record Store · Greenpoint · 31 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: At the best music store for vinyl fiends, you’ll find garage rock, electronic, jazz, folk and world (to name but a few genres) and releases by local bands and labels. Plus, free in-store performances! Read more.

Film at Lincoln Center is one of Best of NYC 2011.

29. Film at Lincoln Center

8.9
70 Lincoln Center Plz (btwn Broadway & Amsterdam Ave), New York, NY
Indie Movie Theater · Lincoln Square · 32 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best theater to see a movie that will change your life hosts new art-house titles (at its Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center), rep series and beaucoup festival offerings. Read more.

Film Forum is one of Best of NYC 2011.

30. Film Forum

9.1
209 W Houston St (btwn 6th & Varick), New York, NY
Indie Movie Theater · Hudson Square · 84 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best theater to catch your favorite old movie has exquisite repertory and revival programming such as pre-Code oldies, ’70s NYC crime thrillers and French classics —plus gourmet snacks! Read more.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is one of Best of NYC 2011.

31. Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

307 W 26th St (at 8th Ave), New York, NY
Comedy Club · Chelsea · 171 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: UCBT is the best place to laugh at funny people before they end up on TV. Nearly every sitcom on NBC’s Thursday-night lineup features performers who honed their craft at the Chelsea venue. Read more.

Carolines on Broadway is one of Best of NYC 2011.

32. Carolines on Broadway

7.6
1626 Broadway (btwn 49th & 50th St), New York, NY
Comedy Club · Theater District · 70 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best small venue for checking out headlining comics has seen Dave Chappelle, Susie Essman, Tracy Morgan and others grace its stage. Read more.

The Cubbyhole Bar is one of Best of NYC 2011.

33. The Cubbyhole Bar

7.7
281 W 12th St (at W 4th St), New York, NY
Gay Bar · West Village · 88 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to hang out with cute lesbians is this aptly named, cozy bar. There’s no attitude here, just lots of paper lanterns and holiday decorations. Strike up a conversation at the jukebox. Read more.

34. McNally Jackson Books

52 Prince St (btwn Lafayette & Mulberry St), New York, NY
Bookstore · NoLita · 293 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best literary hot spot boasts a warm atmosphere, well-curated selection and convivial café. It also has the city’s first Espresso Book Machine, which prints a growing number of texts on demand. Read more.

Joe's Pub is one of Best of NYC 2011.

35. Joe's Pub

9.1
425 Lafayette St (btwn Astor Pl & E 4th St), New York, NY
Music Venue · NoHo · 89 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Catch the Happy Ending Series here, it’s the best reading series with a twist. Big names are required to take a risk onstage: Jesse Ball once taught the crowd how to steal a book from B&N. Read more.

Center for Brooklyn History is one of Best of NYC 2011.

36. Center for Brooklyn History

9.0
128 Pierrepont St (at Clinton St), Brooklyn, NY
History Museum · Brooklyn Heights · 26 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to remember why you love Brooklyn examines the borough’s historical, cultural and gastronomic legacies through its permanent collection, rotating exhibitions and events. Read more.

Le Poisson Rouge is one of Best of NYC 2011.

37. Le Poisson Rouge

8.4
158 Bleecker St (btwn Sullivan & Thompson St), New York, NY
Rock Club · Greenwich Village · 165 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Come here for Gameshow Speakeasy, the best game night in NYC, featuring wisecracking panelists from NYC’s nightlife circuit and a famous mystery guest. Read more.

92YTribeca is one of Best of NYC 2011.

38. 92YTribeca

200 Hudson St (at Canal St.), New York, NY
Arts and Entertainment · Tribeca · 55 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Together with the 92nd Street Y, this is the best place in NYC to see a not-boring lecture. Events here are typically quirkier and cheaper then uptown and often include a beer. Read more.

92nd Street Y is one of Best of NYC 2011.

39. 92nd Street Y

8.9
1395 Lexington Ave (at E 92nd St), New York, NY
Community Center · Upper East Side · 62 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: Together with 92YTribeca, this is the best place in NYC to see a not-boring lecture. The 137-year-old organization hosts literary conversations, current events discussions and evenings of sing-alongs. Read more.

Marie's Crisis Cafe is one of Best of NYC 2011.

40. Marie's Crisis Cafe

8.5
59 Grove St (btwn 7th Ave S & Bleecker St), New York, NY
Piano Bar · West Village · 133 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: This beloved dive is the best bar to sing your heart out in a group. Every night, a pianist mines the Great American Songbook well into the wee hours for Broadway babies from all over the city. Read more.

41. The Duplex

8.0
61 Christopher St (at 7th Ave), New York, NY
Gay Bar · West Village · 94 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: This West Village institution is the best bar to sing solo in front of strangers. Just scrawl your name and request on a napkin and leave it atop the baby grand for the live pianist. Read more.

Brooklyn Flea - Fort Greene is one of Best of NYC 2011.

42. Brooklyn Flea - Fort Greene

176 Lafayette Ave. (btw Clermont & Vanderbilt Ave.), Brooklyn, NY
Flea Market · Clinton Hill · 143 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best year-round market brings together 150 local vendors carrying all manner of vintage, handmade and antique wares. The Flea will move to its winter location on November 26.

Brooklyn Flea - Williamsburg is one of Best of NYC 2011.

43. Brooklyn Flea - Williamsburg

50 Kent Ave (btwn N 11th & N 12th St), Brooklyn, NY
Flea Market · Williamsburg · 103 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best year-round market brings together 150 local vendors carrying all manner of vintage, handmade and antique wares. The Flea will move to its winter location on November 26. Read more.

One Hanson Place /  Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower is one of Best of NYC 2011.

44. One Hanson Place / Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower

1 Hanson Pl (at Ashland Pl), Brooklyn, NY
Structure · Fort Greene · 16 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best year-round market brings together 150 local vendors carrying all manner of vintage, handmade and antique wares. The Flea moves here on November 26. Read more.

Skylight One Hanson is one of Best of NYC 2011.

45. Skylight One Hanson

1 Hanson Pl (at Ashland & Hanson Place), Brooklyn, NY
Event Space · Fort Greene · 5 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best year-round market brings together 150 local vendors carrying all manner of vintage, handmade and antique wares. The Flea moves here on November 26. Read more.

Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC is one of Best of NYC 2011.

46. Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC

420 Park Ave S (at E 29th St), New York, NY
Hotel · NoMad · 99 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best hotel for a staycation has perfected the urban-resort concept. The tri-level pleasure complex boasts a pool with an open view of the Empire State Building, five bars and the Exhale spa. Read more.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park is one of Best of NYC 2011.

47. Flushing Meadows Corona Park

9.1
Great Lakes Ct (Dwight Eisenhower Promenade), Queens, NY
Park · Flushing Meadows-Corona Park · 85 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to remember why you love Queens contains the Mets stadium, the New York Hall of Science, the home of the US Open, the iconic Unisphere. and the Queens Museum of Art. Read more.

Bronx Museum of the Arts is one of Best of NYC 2011.

48. Bronx Museum of the Arts

9.1
1040 Grand Concourse (at E 165th St.), Bronx, NY
Art Museum · Concourse · 40 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to remember why you love the Bronx places equal weight on forms such as graffiti art and folk-art as well as more conceptual art. Don’t miss the lively First Friday parties. Read more.

Sneak Peak at Freshkills Park is one of Best of NYC 2011.

49. Sneak Peak at Freshkills Park

90-98 Wainwright Ave (Arthur Kill Rd), Staten Island, NY
Other Event · South Shore · 2 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best place to remember why you love Staten Island is turning 60 years of garbage into usable parkland. Get a look at the site during a two-hour bus excursion led by the NYC Parks Dept. Read more.

Museum of Arts & Design (MAD) is one of Best of NYC 2011.

50. Museum of Arts & Design (MAD)

7.9
2 Columbus Cir (btwn 8th Ave & Broadway), New York, NY
Art Museum · Theater District · 81 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best spot to discover your new favorite hobby gives you an up-close view of its artisans-in-residence during its daily open studio. Interactive workshops offer hands-on training from the experts. Read more.

Brooklyn Bridge Park is one of Best of NYC 2011.

51. Brooklyn Bridge Park

9.6
Furman St (Plymouth St), Brooklyn, NY
Park · Brooklyn Heights · 419 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best waterfront in NYC offers a unique view of the lower Manhattan skyline, aquatic features, such as a salt marsh filled with native cordgrass, and Jane’s Carousel, a restored ride from 1922. Read more.

52. Wollman Rink

8.9
830 5th Ave (at East Dr), New York, NY
Skating Rink · Central Park · 83 tips and reviews

Time Out New YorkTime Out New York: The best skating rink in NYC features the largest skating surface of any midtown rink and an awe-inspiring view of the city’s skyscrapers peeking over the surrounding trees. Read more.