It’s not every Monday night that a quirky Serbian bartender whisks you away in a chauffeured limo and introduces you to three of New York’s coolest cocktail bars. But then again, Take Me Out NYC isn’t looking to show you a typical night on the town.
Who is Taking You Out & How it Works
This lively company hosts a variety of limousine tours with escort / guides that are designed to give both tourists and locals a sense of New York nightlife. They place a strong emphasis on VIP treatment and quality cocktails, and they provide an excellent outlet for visiting college students, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and lone travelers looking to have a fun night out in a safe and controlled environment.
The price is steep ($150-$180 per person) and doesn’t include a ride home or drinks at any of the bars ($12-15 each), but if you’re looking to burn some cash on an awesome night out in the city, Take Me Out is the company to lead you.
Unless you reserve the entire limo, tour groups are assembled randomly, making it akin to a group dating service (assuming the other participants are also looking to make friends). As we climbed aboard our humble ride, my friend and I met our lone fellow passenger, a nice German woman looking to spice up her two-week Business English program.
Despite the small size of our group, our guide confidently assured us that the first few drinks would mitigate any lingering awkwardness. Not only was he totally correct, but our group size also turned out to be somewhat of an advantage, as it allowed us to sneak into smaller bars that would be impossible to visit on a larger tour.
Our Night Out in New York City
As we walked through the password-protected door at our first stop, I began to get excited about our three-hour escapade. It felt as if we were stepping through the stereotypical veil of exclusivity often present at New York speakeasies and nightclubs, particularly because our charismatic guide was friendly with virtually everyone we crossed paths with.
I was impressed by Take Me Out’s ability to round up tourists, load them with booze, and take them to secret spots around the city, all while maintaining great relationships with each of their target venues.
Following a round of live music, fantastic cocktails, and increasingly less awkward chatter, we moved on to another location. This time the live music was accompanied by professional Prohibition-era dancers, drinks in coffee cups and brown paper bags, and the most lively Monday-night audience imaginable. The crowd was unique and clearly filled with locals, though our group didn’t feel at all out of place.
The third and final stop had by far the most interesting drinks (including one with mushrooms!), though at that point in the evening, few in the group seemed too concerned about quality.
After shutting down the last bar, everyone went in their separate directions, not only void of awkwardness, but feeling like old friends. (NOTE: Take Me Out does not drop you off where the tour begins — make sure to factor a taxi ride home in your budget.)
A 2nd Date is Practically Guaranteed
There are few cities in the world where a Monday evening nightlife tour would turn into something to write home about, but New York serves as an ideal setting, and Take Me Out NYC is the perfect group to lead it.
I can’t wait to go back to the places we visited on our tour, and I can only imagine how many more are waiting to be discovered.
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