New Yorkers are cashing in on the action<\/a>, one witch-tastic cocktail at a time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cHalloween bars are fun because they are, by definition, limited edition,\u201d Mandy Naglich, cocktail expert and author of the book \u201cHow to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life,\u201d told The Post.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a world where it\u2019s on-trend to sip clarified pina coladas, minimalist margaritas, and extra-refined martinis, it\u2019s fun to know you\u2019ll be getting a tiki drink made with fake vampire blood. Let us have fun! It\u2019s a bar!\u201d<\/p>\n
Behind the ghoulish fun is a seasonal business, as NYC bars invest in elaborate decor, enticing menus and captivating experiences to draw crowds \u2014 and keep them coming back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From haunted underwater worlds to witchy rooftop escapes, these limited-run concepts are proving there\u2019s money to be made in a little Halloween havoc.<\/p>\n
\u201cOctober is easily our busiest time of year,\u201d Kav\u00e9 Pourzanjani, the owner and general manager of the spooky East Village bar Paradise Lost, told The Post.<\/p>\n
Boasting a Tiki-horror theme with eye-popping interiors, Pourzanjani opened the year-round bar in 2023 as an upscale tropical cocktail oasis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The interior of Paradise Lost.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s inspired by B horror films, the spirit of punk rock and the work of EC Comics, the latter being the publisher behind the \u201cTales from the Crypt\u201d series.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a love for the nonsensical world of Tiki, and were hoping to get away from a lot of the usual trappings you see in Tiki bars and instead focus on its less-explored aspects,\u201d Pourzanjani said, noting there\u2019s usually a long wait list on the weekends with guests thirsting for an array of frightful libations.<\/p>\n
Paradise\u2019s beast of a menu boasts 25 bespoke cocktails, plus an extra eight available exclusively for October and November. Each one has fewer than 12 ingredients \u201cin true Tiki fashion,\u201d according to Pourzanjani.<\/p>\n
A bartender making one of Paradise\u2019s festive cocktails. <\/p>\n
Among them is a crowd favorite, The Pumpkin Pie Tie, a stand-out made with a blend of Ron Del Barrilito 2 Star, Jamaican, Venezuelan and Martinique rums, along with pumpkin spice, Sichuan peppercorn and a brown butter maple gardenia.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy hope is to always keep Halloween open to the public, never charge a cover or ticket fee, and make certain it\u2019s one helluva good time.\u201d<\/p>\n
A green section of Paradise Lost. Noah Fecks<\/p>\n
A short walk on from Paradise lies The Haunting on E 9th Street, a spooktastic spectacle that has taken over The Cabinet Mezcal Bar.<\/p>\n
For this month only, the bar has traded its usual look for one crawling with ghosts and goblins \u2014 complete with spooky cocktails, including a mezcal-based \u2018clown pear-anoia\u2019 and a whiskey \u2018poison apple,\u2019 some even served in skull-shaped glasses.<\/p>\n
A cocktail called The Widow\u2019s Whisper is displayed at The Haunting. Melissa Hom<\/p>\n
\u201cHalloween resonates everywhere, and I think that bodes well for building a destination around it,\u201d Joann Spiegel, the Vice President of Miracle Inc., told The Post of her viral pop-up company, which completely takes over a former concept for the holidays.<\/p>\n
This year, Miracle is taking over 40 bars all over the US. That includes another Haunting concept over in Bushwick, in the usual home of Vacations.<\/p>\n
The ghoulish operation traces its roots to NYC in 2014, when founder Greg Boehm \u2014 an NYC cocktail star behind acclaimed bars including Mace, Katana Kitten and Super Bueno \u2014 was opening a stand-alone bar that was delayed due to construction<\/p>\n
Another version of The Widow\u2019s Whisper. Melissa Hom<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t cosmetically ready, so his mother said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you just hide everything behind Christmas decorations?\u2019 They didn\u2019t know what they were creating at the time, but it became absolute insanity; people couldn\u2019t get enough of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eventually, the viral bar became the holly jolly-themed Miracle, their global Christmas pop-up. That holiday concept then expanded to Halloween, with the Christmas version opening its doors shortly after The Haunting ends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fun decor and festivities aside, running a ghoulish pop-up is not for the faint of heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like opening a brand new restaurant in an extremely-shortened timeline,\u201d said Spiegel, who noted that planning takes years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entire aesthetics of these bars change, from the hand soap to the beverage napkins, both outside and inside, let alone the menu,\u201d she says, noting a mad scramble to switch everything as quickly as time allows, which usually takes a grueling four days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spiegel declined to disclose how much the massive makeover costs.<\/p>\n
An interior view of Black Lagoon. Courtesy Someday Bar<\/p>\n
At The Haunting, the witchy cocktails are just as festive as its surroundings, including the Widow\u2019s Whisper, a frightful, flavor-packed blend of vodka, chocolate, melon, lychee, matcha, yuzu, cardamom and rose, finished with a dash of absinthe.<\/p>\n
For the bars they transform, the payoff is worth the scramble, according to Spiegel.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody comes back again and again because it does increase business; they cut through the noise to give people a destination to celebrate,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A photo of Black Lagoon at 364 Atlantic Ave in the Brooklyn borough of New York is shown, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Courtesy Someday Bar<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get bigger every year.\u201d<\/p>\n
But a booming business can bring its own set of headaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith a pop-up you\u2019re not flying completely blind, but you do have moments like; \u2018Oh, my God, we already sold all of our mugs after two weeks,\u201d Erin Hayes, co-founder of another Halloween hideaway, The Black Lagoon, told The Post.<\/p>\n
This month, The Black Lagoon has taken over Boerum Hill\u2019s Someday Bar, one of 34 bars across the country being transformed by the company for 2026. The result is a kitschy horror fever dream brought to life.<\/p>\n
Inside, Someday is transformed into a spooky underwater haunted seabed, complete with a cast of custom sea monsters who haunt the space dreamed up by designer Kasira Hill. They include an octopus-witch named Abyssia.<\/p>\n
The original concept began on a smaller scale.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor our first one, we rented out a little space and just went for it with a three-week pop-up and the reception was insane,\u201d recalls Hayes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had people lined up around the block every night of the week,\u201d she says, noting their busiest days are Fridays and Saturdays. To alleviate any sell-outs of custom goodies like ornate mugs, the company stores a backlog of merch ready to ship at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n
Cocktail creation, meanwhile, remains at the heart of the operation. Hayes and co-founder Kelsey Ramage consider it one of their \u201cfirst loves,\u201d spending months developing gourmet twists on classic drinks.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur favorite from the very beginning was Abyssia\u2019s Obsession, which I would describe as a Pumpkin Spice Pina Colada,\u201d Hayes muses of the creamy orange libation.<\/p>\n
It includes a deliciously unsettling mixture of pumpkin-infused Kraken Rum, along with fruity pineapple and coconut, and Lustau Sherry \u201cto dry it out a touch, so it\u2019s not so in your face.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for Hayes, it\u2019s more than just elaborate d\u00e9cor and festive drinks<\/p>\n
\u201cThings in this world are so heavy right now, so Halloween itself is a time to let go of the shackles of being a grown-up and let out your inner child a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
A view of Black Lagoon at Someday Bar in Brooklyn, New York, on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Courtesy Someday Bar<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been to Black Lagoon the last two years and there\u2019s a lot to love about it,\u201d said the aforementioned Naglich.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though the cocktail presentations here are a bit extreme, the flavors of the drinks are dialed in and balanced. You can tell there are veteran bartenders behind the event, not just people trying to cash in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Letting go of your inhibitions is also the eerie ethos at Midtown\u2019s towering Dark Magic Hour, located on the 18th floor of the Moxy Times Square.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Normally the home of Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge, which boasts sweeping skyscraper-accented vistas, the space\u2019s seasonal concept is inspired by horror films, including \u201cPractical Magic,\u201d right down to a Midnight Margarita on the menu, which was famously featured in the film.<\/p>\n
An installation is on display at Dark Magic Hour in New York, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. TAO Hospitality Group<\/p>\n
\u201cWe approached it almost like building a movie set,\u201d Christian Parker, Director of Marketing at TAO Group Hospitality, told The Post of the space, which features floating candles and tarot cards, all revolving around a massive \u2018Wishing Willow\u2019 tree; the result of a collaborative process between the company\u2019s design and production partners.<\/p>\n
An interior view shows the current installation at Dark Magic Hour on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in New York. TAO Hospitality Group<\/p>\n
Bloody Chocolate Fondue is pictured at Dark Magic Hour, located at 485 7th Ave in New York, on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. TAO Hospitality Group<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted it to feel cinematic and nostalgic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guests are also invited to make a wish at the centerpiece tree, while Dark Magic Hour\u2019s menu includes a luscious Bloody Chocolate Fondue, which features a black cauldron of creamy strawberry chocolate alongside graham crackers and marshmallows.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn New York, people are always looking for an experience that feels immersive and transportive,\u201d said Parker.<\/p>\n
\u201cHalloween gives us an opportunity to completely transform a familiar space and create something guests can experience beyond just going out for a drink or dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the Boo Apple. In the midst of spooky season, Halloween-themed bars are scaring up monster business…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":375568,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[8075,68,289,245,232,57,9,24,55,54,56],"class_list":["post-375567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-bars","tag-exclusive","tag-food-drink","tag-halloween","tag-lifestyle","tag-metro","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-city-headlines","tag-new-york-city-news","tag-ny"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=375567"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375567\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/375568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=375567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=375567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=375567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}