Swim Bar

Located in the heart of the Lower East Side, Swim packs in an eclectic crowd ranging from the Manhattan metropolitanites to the East Side tenements. While it is considered a trendy place with its coveted location, brooding New York decor and minimalist touches, you don’t feel overexposed or overdone. It’s thoughtful enough not to center itself around a scene, so you can still find a friendly couch and tuck yourself away in the corner for the night and feel comfortable enough to kick back. You won’t find anyone bouncing you at the door or a group of high-fashionistas there. Its resident DJ’s play a mix of hip-hop, funk, groove, electronic, soul, classics, and fusion every night of the week. The locals seem to have their favorite DJ’s and show up on the nights their spinning, giving Swim a warm at-home feeling.

Show up on a Thursday night when the DJ’s going strong and you might not even notice it’s also a full service sushi restaurant. But they boast a well-seasoned menu served late into the night. It’s one of the few digs that can actually combine funky bar and full-service restaurant without alienating either crowd or make it feel like a pizza and pool hall. It’s a welcomed alternative to the predictable dinner out and has a completely unique vibe than any other sushi restaurant in town.

If you happen to show up on a Sunday, you’ll be introduced to Vice City Sushi Sundays. The DJ plays all “Vice City” music and you get all the sushi you can possibly stomach for only $18. Be sure to show up early enough to get a good table or nibble on tuna rolls at the bar, otherwise you’ll be standing with chopsticks in tow. The place fills up fast. A full range of drinks from local beers to vodka martinis will carry over into the wee hours. While late night fish and alcohol doesn’t always make for a smooth evening, take a moment to request your favorite Vice City beats with the DJ or step outside for a smoke.

Swim also caters to events from high profile art, visuals, fashion highlights, and even corporate parties. It’s ability to handle almost any event adds to the ambience and eclectic full-service vibe it has going. But they somehow make it work and can compete with the rest of the bars and clubs sandwiched into the Lower East Side. While the events might be good for business, it’s a harsh reality when you just want to run in for an after work cocktail and are met at the door by a group of hundreds pouring over the latest art installation. But if you do happen to stumble in on one of these unfortunately crowded evenings, you’ll still be welcome for drinks and good music

New Yorker’s click here to find out more about our low rate advertising for this page.