What do New Yorkers eat for an afternoon snack? Why, martinis and French fries, of course. This has become a beloved combo at bars and restaurants across the city over the last few years, with reporter Alex E. Jung at New York Magazine coining the phrase ‘New York happy meal’ in 2023. Since then, establishments began packaging the two together on their menus, with some places adding in a burger or other food item. But not all New York happy meals are equal. Here are our top 10.
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520 Fifth Ave, New York, NY
Bar Babette
Best for: private members’ club-level privacy.
Moss is a new private members’ club and its bar, Bar Babette, is led by Chef Angela Zeng (formerly of Frenchette and Lilia). The grand bar with soaring ceilings overlooking Fifth Avenue doesn’t have a packaged ‘New York happy meal’, but its crispy frites are served with a creamy garlic aioli and there is a specialty martini menu with five options.
moss.nyc
Carversteak
Carversteak, a modern steakhouse from Las Vegas, opens in Manhattan on March 20. The menu is naturally anchored by a robust steak program – but for a snack, belly up to the bar and order a freezer martini. Ask for the Dirty Martini Experience and select from ‘dirty’ to ‘shamelessly dirty’. Pair it with the Crispy Potato Trio: shoestring fries, sweet potato waffle fries, and tater tots with three dips.
carversteaknyc.com
305 W 48th St, New York, NY
86 Warren St, New York, NY
Warren Street Bar & Restaurant
Best for: admiring art as you sip and snack.
The bar inside this whimsical hotel introduced a martini happy hour last year, with $15 martinis and $10 fries. General Manager Nick Hamdy says people quickly started pairing the two. ‘It’s the perfect balance of high and low,’ says Hamdy. ‘A Martini is timeless and elegant, and when you pair it with fries, it adds comfort and a sense of elevated nostalgia; especially our truffle fries that come with a side of our house-made Bloody Mary ketchup.’
firmdalehotels.com
Le Dive
Best for: a fashionable lunch.
Downtown favourite of the fashion set, Le Dive is giving lunch a chic upgrade with the debut of its Le Menu Enfant special: a perfect pairing of a cheeseburger with au poivre sauce and crispy fries with a Dirty Vesper for $30. The French Tabac-style wine bar attracts Dimes Square regulars with its Parisian-chic design and chill vibes.
ledivenyc.com
37 Canal St, New York, NY
105 W 13th St, New York, NY
Cecchi’s
Best for: happy hour snacking.
Cecchi’s is inside the old Café Loup space. When it opened in 2023, it began offering a New York happy meal featuring a martini paired with its signature fries for $25. It’s offered from 3pm to 6pm, and again one hour before close at the bar. You can also sample the Cecchitinis – a flight of three mini martinis: Classic (gin or vodka), Dirty Girl, and Appletini.
cecchis.nyc | credit: Julian Bracero
Lafayette
French bakery, café, and restaurant Lafayette is a go-to spot for the martini and fries combo at the bar. It offers classic martini variations, alongside its signature Corsica Martini, made with gin, Dolin Blanc, and Cap Corse Mattei Blanc Quinquina. The addictive Pommes Frites – lightly dusted with chives – are a menu staple and a perfect match.
lafayetteny.com
380 Lafayette St, New York, NY
124 E 28th St, New York, NY
Stone & Soil
Best for: a Japanese-inspired spin.
Tucked beneath the Park South Hotel, the new Stone & Soil is a dimly lit, Japanese-inspired bar. The Daikon + Dashi, crafted with Nikka Coffey Gin, Oka Japanese Sake Bermutto, dashi brine, daikon, yuzu bitters, and scallion oil, is a bold, umami-laced riff on the dirty martini. Pair it with the crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside Jenga Fries, served with a rosemary aioli.
stoneandsoil.nyc
The View
NYC’s only revolving restaurant provides stunning city views that change every few minutes. Since reopening last year under the purview of restaurateur Danny Meyer, the martinis have become a draw. There’s the Katz Martini, inspired by the legendary sandwiches from Katz’s Delicatessen, with Brisket-Washed Bombay Sapphire, Noilly Prat Extra Dry, Brennivin Aquavit, and pastrami spices. Order a side of fries, and dig in.
theviewnewyorkcity.com
1535 Broadway, New York, NY
136 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY
Francie
Celebrating its fifth anniversary, Michelin-starred Francie is a sophisticated, convivial Brooklyn brasserie. While the Foie Gras Beignets and Crown Roast of Duck for Two are popular, when you just need something to tide you over, call for their $35 Happy Meal, which includes six oysters, Olive Oil Frites, and a Teeny-Tini. You can always upgrade to the full-size martini if you’re feeling frisky.
franciebrooklyn.com
Chateau Royale
Best for: a martini cart with panache.
Whether you snag a seat at the bar downstairs or in the classy upstairs dining room lined with red velvet banquettes, order a martini. They’re delivered pre-batched via a rolling cart steered by someone in a white tux. Add the Pomme Frites, which arrive on a silver platter with an herb aioli in a silver pedestal bowl (and are some of the crispiest we’ve ever had).
chateauroyalenyc.com
