Welcome to Bar of the Week, a running series from TV and City that highlights New York’s best spots for drinks, vibes, and just the right amount of chaos.
Each week, we spotlight one bar. Sometimes it’s a cozy cocktail lounge. Sometimes it’s a sprawling beer hall. Sometimes it’s a barely-marked door behind a fake hardware store. We don’t try to cover every bar in the city. Just the ones we actually go to. The ones we’d take a friend, a first date, or someone visiting who asks, “So where do you usually hang out?”
These aren’t curated for algorithms or chasing clout. They’re the bars that make up New York. One week at a time.
🏀 Bar of the Week: Recreation at Moxy Downtown
📍 Location: 26 Ann St, 3rd Floor, Financial District
🚇 Nearest Subway: Fulton Street (2, 3, A, C, J, Z)
Vibe: A colorful game room lounge where you can shoot hoops, sip cocktails, and actually forget you’re inside a hotel.
🎮 Why We Love It
Recreation completely breaks the mold of what you’d expect from a hotel bar. Located inside the Moxy NYC Downtown, it doesn’t feel like a lobby hangout or a spot reserved for out-of-towners. On any given evening, it’s filled with locals enjoying the scene just as much as travelers.
The space itself is massive and memorable, featuring a half-court basketball area, skee-ball, vintage arcade games, and playful seating like bright baseball mitt chairs. The design leans into 80s nostalgia, with a mix of funky decor, vinyl records, and neon flourishes that never feel overdone.
🍸 What to Order
Try the Got Moxy, a bright, tropical cocktail that mixes Bacardi Reserva 8 Year, Rum Fire, dragon fruit, passion fruit, strawberry, lemon, and agave. It’s punchy and fun, like everything else here. You’ll also find draft cocktails and large-format disco ball punch bowls if you’re rolling deep with friends.
Happy hour runs daily from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, with solid deals on drinks and draft pours.
🗽 Why It’s a TV and City Pick
Hotel bars don’t usually bring this much personality. Recreation feels like a downtown lounge where the night could take a bunch of different directions. It’s ideal for post-work hangouts, spontaneous game nights, or even a laid-back date that doesn’t take itself too seriously. A bar with a basketball court deserves a visit at least once.
TV and City 