Looking for the best bars and nightlife in Yonkers? Just north of the Bronx, Yonkers has a nightlife anchored by its revitalized waterfront, McLean Avenue’s Irish pubs, and neighborhood bars. This local guide covers Yonkers’s nightlife scene, the best neighborhoods to go out in, the kinds of bars the city does well, and how to find where locals actually drink.
Yonkers’s nightlife scene
Yonkers’ nightlife blends its revitalized Hudson River waterfront (with scenic bars and restaurants) with its famous McLean Avenue Irish-pub corridor and diverse neighborhood bars. It’s more neighborhood-and-pub-driven than a bar-district scene, and both the Bronx and Manhattan are a short ride away for bigger nights.
Best neighborhoods for bars & nightlife in Yonkers
The revitalized Downtown Waterfront (around the pier and Hudson River) has scenic bars and restaurants; McLean Avenue (near the Bronx line) is famous for its Irish pubs and lively community bars; and the Central and South Yonkers areas have neighborhood and Latin bars. For how these areas compare, see our guide to the best neighborhoods in Yonkers.
What Yonkers does well: bars, breweries & more
Yonkers does Irish pubs (McLean Avenue is a legendary corridor), scenic waterfront bars, and diverse neighborhood spots especially well. It’s a pub-and-neighborhood nightlife town rather than a club district — McLean Avenue and the waterfront are the standouts.
What to know about going out in Yonkers
The waterfront and Getty Square are walkable, and Metro-North (and Bronx subway lines nearby) reach NYC quickly for a bigger night. McLean Avenue is the go-to for a lively Irish-pub scene; the waterfront for scenic drinks. Rideshare between areas.
Where Yonkers locals actually drink
The best bars change constantly — the hot new spot, the beloved dive, the patio that’s perfect right now — and the honest picks rarely match the tourist lists. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Yonkers community, real Yonkers neighbors share where they genuinely go out. Planning a night out? See our guide to the best things to do in Yonkers too. Join your Yonkers neighbors free and get real nightlife recommendations →
Where this fits in Yonkers
The best bars here reflect the neighborhoods around them, so where you drink shapes the whole evening. The picks in this guide make the most sense once you know how Yonkers is laid out. the free Untermyer Gardens and the Yonkers waterfront and pier sit at the center of where locals actually spend their time, so planning a great night out around one of them rarely goes wrong. When you want something calmer, the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail pulls you away from the busiest blocks, and the Lenoir Preserve is the kind of spot regulars mention but visitors miss. Anchor your plan to one of those and the rest of the day in Yonkers tends to fall into place.
More Yonkers guides
Yonkers rewards people who dig a little deeper. These related guides map the same neighborhoods from different starting points: Best restaurants in Yonkers, Date ideas in Yonkers, Things to do in Yonkers — enough to plan a whole day or two.
Ask a Yonkers neighbor
The best tips never make the guidebooks — they come from neighbors who know which spot is worth it this week. That is what the Yonkers community on Neighborhood Nurturers is for. Ask Yonkers locals what they would do, or join free and get honest answers from people who actually know Yonkers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the nightlife like in Yonkers, NY?
Neighborhood-and-pub-driven — a revitalized Hudson waterfront with scenic bars, McLean Avenue’s famous Irish pubs, and diverse neighborhood bars, with the Bronx and Manhattan a short ride away.
Where are the best bars in Yonkers?
The revitalized Downtown Waterfront for scenic bars, McLean Avenue for Irish pubs, and the Central and South Yonkers areas for neighborhood and Latin bars.
Where do locals go out in Yonkers?
Locals favor McLean Avenue’s Irish pubs and the waterfront bars — Yonkers neighbors share their picks in our community.