New York City has officially earned another superlative to add to its already crowded trophy case: Time Out has named the Big Apple the best city for nightlife in America.<\/p>\n
In our new global ranking of the world\u2019s best cities for nightlife in 2026<\/a>, NYC landed at No. 3 overall, behind only Bangkok and Berlin. Because the list includes only the highest-ranking city from each country, that makes New York the top U.S. entry\u2014and, naturally, the country\u2019s undisputed after-dark champion.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED:\u00a0The best clubs in New York City for dancing to techno, house and more<\/a><\/p>\n The ranking drew on feedback from more than 24,000 locals around the world, who were asked about the quality and affordability of nightlife, as well as whether their cities feel safe, welcoming, diverse, exciting and conducive to finding community. Time Out\u2019s city editors and nightlife experts also weighed in.<\/p>\n We gave our\u00a0home turf a very healthy vote of confidence: 82-percent said the city\u2019s nightlife is \u201cgood\u201d or \u201camazing,\u201d the third-highest local rating in the survey. The city also received a 95-percent approval score from our expert panel. Respondents were especially likely to describe New York as exciting, diverse and lively.<\/p>\n Of course, participating in the city\u2019s nightlife is not exactly a budget-friendly hobby<\/a>. Only 40-percent of New Yorkers said it\u2019s affordable to go out here, the lowest affordability score among the cities surveyed. (That tracks for anyone who’s ever paid for a couple of cocktails and a cover charge.)<\/p>\n Still, New York\u2019s strength is its range. There are big-room dance floors, tiny cocktail bars<\/a>, live-music haunts, wine clubs<\/a>, queer parties<\/a> and stoop gatherings. You can dance under the Kosciuszko Bridge<\/a>, head to a Harlem block party or find a community-centered wine event in Brooklyn\u2014and that\u2019s before getting into the city\u2019s bar scene.<\/p>\n