Where to go on a date near Union Square

If you're working out where to go on a date near Union Square, pick a place within a few blocks of the 14 St-Union Sq station. Eight subway lines stop there, so you both have a good chance of a direct ride there and home. Maybe one of you lives in Williamsburg on the L and the other works in Midtown near the 4, 5 and 6. Union Square is on both lines.

This post lists eight places, then covers the trip home and a backup plan. It is part of our guide to Union Square.

Where to go on a date near Union Square?

Choose by the kind of date, from a first coffee to a booked dinner. Walks are from the station at 14th Street and Broadway unless a pick names another.

• Irving Farm Coffee, for a first coffee. A coffee shop on Irving Place, about an 8-minute walk. Google lists it as inexpensive and open until 5 p.m.
• Daily Provisions, for an easy daytime bite. A restaurant on East 19th Street, about a 7-minute walk, open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Google lists it as inexpensive and not taking reservations.
• Old Town Bar, for a drink with no booking. A bar on East 18th Street, about a 6-minute walk. Google lists it as not taking reservations, so you can walk in.
• Dear Irving, for cocktails. A cocktail bar on Irving Place, about a 7-minute walk. Google lists it as taking reservations and moderately priced.
• Raines Law Room, for a booked bar table. A cocktail bar on West 17th Street, about a 5-minute walk from the 14 St station on the F and M. Google lists it as taking reservations and moderately priced.
• Pete's Tavern, for a late table. A restaurant at Irving Place and East 18th Street, about an 8-minute walk. Google lists it as open until 2 a.m. every night and taking reservations.
• Union Square Cafe, for a planned dinner. A restaurant on East 19th Street, about a 7-minute walk. Google lists it as taking reservations and expensive.
• Gramercy Tavern, for an anniversary. A restaurant on East 20th Street, about an 8-minute walk. Google lists it as taking reservations and very expensive.

Our picks in Union Square

Chosen by the Where2Meet team. Photos, ratings and addresses load live from Google Maps.

• Irving Farm Coffee

  A coffee shop on Irving Place, about an 8-minute walk from the Union Square station. Google lists it as inexpensive and open until 5 p.m.

• Daily Provisions - Union Square

  A restaurant on East 19th Street, about a 7-minute walk from the Union Square station, open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

• Old Town Bar

  A bar on East 18th Street, about a 6-minute walk from the Union Square station. Google lists it as not taking reservations, so walk in.

• Dear Irving Gramercy

  A cocktail bar on Irving Place, about a 7-minute walk from the Union Square station. Google lists it as taking reservations and moderately priced.

• Raines Law Room Chelsea

  A cocktail bar on West 17th Street, about a 5-minute walk from the 14 St station on the F and M. Google lists it as taking reservations.

• Pete's Tavern

  A restaurant at Irving Place and East 18th Street, about an 8-minute walk from the Union Square station and open until 2 a.m.

• Union Square Cafe

  A restaurant on East 19th Street, about a 7-minute walk from the Union Square station. Google lists it as taking reservations and expensive.

• Gramercy Tavern

  A restaurant on East 20th Street, about an 8-minute walk from the Union Square station. Google lists it as taking reservations and very expensive.

Google Maps

How do you get home after a late date?

Check the trip home for the hour you'll leave, not the hour you arrive. Fewer trains stop here late at night.

Late at night, the 5, R and W don't stop at Union Square, but the 4, 6, L, N and Q still do. On weekends, the W doesn't run. The MTA's late-night subway map shows what runs from about 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

What if the first place doesn't work out?

Keep a second place a short walk away. If the wait is long or the room is too loud to talk, you can move without getting back on a train.

The Union Square Greenmarket runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For a bigger group, see our group dinner spots in Lower Manhattan. For a Saturday with friends, see our weekend hangout spots on the Upper West Side.

How to do it in Where2Meet

Where2Meet lets two people plan where to meet from one shared link. Nobody needs an account.

1. Open Where2Meet, choose the Date night chip, pick the day and time, and add your name.
2. Send the link to your date. Each of you adds where you're coming from, or an approximate area if you'd rather not share an address yet.
3. Search for bars or restaurants around you both, or look one up by name.
4. Select a place to see each person's route and travel time by car, transit, walking or bike.
5. You both vote, and the person who made the plan picks the final spot. Changes show up without a refresh.

Common questions

Is Union Square a convenient place for a first date?

It is when you come from different directions, because eight lines stop at 14 St-Union Sq. The L runs straight here from Williamsburg and Bushwick.

Which trains still stop at Union Square late at night?

The 4, 6, L, N and Q. The 5, R and W don't stop here late at night, so check the late-night subway map before you pick a closing time.

Where exactly should we meet?

Name the plaza at the south end of the park, along 14th Street. On Greenmarket days, add a corner, since the market fills the north and west sides.