Great Places to Bring a First Date in New York

Whether you go for the wonderful apple martinis or the great mix of soul, funk, R&B and house music, you will always have a great time at the Butta Cup Lounge in Brooklyn. Located on Adelphi street, Butta Cup stands out amongst all the surrounding bars and lounges. Just let the lit tree in front be your guide to great people, music and waiters with tiny ties. Set in what seems to be a pre-war brownstone turned lounge, Butta Cup has a cozy feel and great atmosphere for any night out with the guys or girls, or even a first date.

If you're big on ambiance, Coffee Shop in Union Square is the perfect place for your date. The music is always extra funky, there is always a variety of specials, and the wait is never long. Open 23 hours a days, everyone can enjoy Coffee Shop, no matter if you're a late night dater or a brunch person. With its cozy tables and booths, and even more intimate back lounge, it lends itself to hours of conversation and getting to know each other. The best part about this place is it seems to be the ideal work place for aspiring models and actresses. So if your date doesn't seem to be going so great, you'll at least catch some glimpses of eye candy through the wait staff.

For a more unconventional first date meal, go for some fondue. Dip, located on Third Avenue between 29th and 30th, offers some of the best fondue in the city. Upstairs you can reveal your more competitive edge with a game of pool, or just chill out on the comfy couches and share some chocolate covered pineapples. It's the only way you can get away with eating an excessive amount of cheese and chocolate on a friend date. Fondue is fun and tasty, and don't forget, can be fed to your date if the date is going well.

For the budget dater, Pearls on 99th and Amsterdam is wonderful for cheap but great food and all you can drink wine. Some of the best dishes are the lo mein, chicken with cashew nuts, and sweet and sour chicken. Adorned with modern chic and traditional Chinese décor, it is a good place to have an intimate conversation and lighten things up with an endless supply of light white wine. The staff is quick and attentive. Ask for a booth or table in the back if you don't want to share your date with the rest of the world. You really will feel like you are the only ones in the room.

Fashion 40 lounge is a change from the Webster Hall Thursday night crowds and lines, and actually has space on the floor to dance. Just head over to Fashion (7th Ave) and 40th street to find this brand new night life hot spot. Although it just opened in November, the Fashion 40 lounge is making a name for itself. If you want to put your date's boogie moves to the test after dinner, the Fashion 40 lounge is a great place to go. Spinning hip hop, R&B, reggae, and reggaeton on Thursdays, it is the place to go for an extremely upbeat first date, and a chance to show off some of what you might have in store. But get there soon, because Fashion 40 is up and coming, and once it gets really popular, who knows what the lines will start to look like.