St. Patrick's Day in New York City: The best bars and bar crawls to get lucky

New York, New York – It's easy being green in New York City, and in the fighting Irish spirit, the festivities will be going "New York Strong" for the green-clad holiday.

The NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade and the city's bar festivities are upon us once again.
The NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade and the city's bar festivities are upon us once again.  © Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/loreleynyc & IMAGO/ZUMA Press

The Big Apple is pulling out the shamrocks and the pot 'o golds, because St. Patrick's Day celebrations are upon us.

With its deep roots of Irish immigrants, NYC is home to the most Irish bars and restaurants in the US, and hosts the largest annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in the country.

The 2024 parade will actually be a day earlier this year, kicking off on Saturday, March 16, 2024 from 11 AM to 5 PM EST. It's usually on March 17, except when St. Paddy's falls on a Sunday, when the Sunday Sabbath is observed.

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Paying homage to the death of St. Patrick, Ireland's most popular patron saint, the procession starts at 44th Street and will march up Fifth Avenue, past the famed St. Patrick's Cathedral at 50th Street, to end at 80th Street – the site of the American Irish Historical Society.

If you'd rather steer clear of the throngs of marchers and spectators, there are plenty of bars celebrating in holiday style, complete with SantaCon-esque bar crawls to boot. Here's TAG24's picks for how to get greenified in NYC this St. Patrick's Day.

The best St. Patrick's Day bars and bar crawls in New York City

McSorley's is considered New York's oldest Irish bar, and have coined the phrase "Be nice or go away" among its patrons at 15 East 7th Street.
McSorley's is considered New York's oldest Irish bar, and have coined the phrase "Be nice or go away" among its patrons at 15 East 7th Street.  © IMAGO/VW Pics

The NYC green machine is powering up.

With so many watering holes to choose from, you can't go wrong on St. Patrick's Day in New York. Yet, some spots are truly turning up the theme this weekend.

If you're feeling like a green machine, you can make like the Hulk and power up with some green eats. Mom's restaurant, which has locations in Astoria, Queens and Midtown Manhattan, is offering green Paddy's Day pancakes slathered with marshmallow frosting and topped with Lucky Charms cereal. You can even wash it down with a themed drink like the Drunken Leprechaun or the Luck of the Irish mocktail.

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Keeping the green goodies going, Loreley's Lower East Side beer garden is offering green beer – of course – and frozen green margaritas topped with green rubber duckies.

While almost every Irish bar will have a perfectly poured pint of Guinness on draft, Hibernia in Hell's Kitchen is offering what may be the best St. Paddy's brunch in the city. On both Saturday and Sunday, you can grab a Bloody Mary, Irish Coffee, and Brekkie Sambo with Hash browns all for $7 each.

For a more traditional Irish experience, revelers can visit McSorley's Old Ale House, the oldest Irish bar in New York, where sawdust still covers the floor and memorabilia lines the walls. The pub says it has been in operation since 1854 and served during Prohibition, so you can count on the historic locale and its home-brewed ale for a reliable good time on the holiday.

Yet, if bouncing around is more your speed, several organized barcrawls are coming to the rescue. The Shamrock Stroll begins at Coyote Ugly at 233 East 14th Street at noon on Saturday and promises entrainment through multiple locations as the "Irish spirit will serenade you as you sip on your favorite Irish brews."

The "Official" Lucky's St Patrick's Day Bar Crawl will take on Midtown after the parade starting and ending at the Hard Rock Cafe, and offering an afterparty if you're still standing by 10 PM.

With endless possibilities, it's easy to get lucky this St. Patrick's Day in NYC.

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/loreleynyc & IMAGO/ZUMA Press

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