1. Union Square Park
9.0
Union Sq E/W & Broadway (btwn E 14th & E 17th St), New York, NY
Park · 566 tips and reviews
Gerardo Valerdi: Play chess wth the locals, great games!
AFAR Media: Usually bustling with markets, street performers, skateboarders, sidewalk chess, food trucks, and not a moment of silence or peace… until you take a quiet walk with Gandhi through the magnolia trees. Read more.
Natalia Baker: Especially great at night when all corners of New York come together to hang out, dance, play chess, skate, perform...
2. Chess Forum
8.0
219 Thompson St (btwn Bleecker & W 3rd St), New York, NY
Hobby Store · Greenwich Village · 18 tips and reviews
Alan Cordova: Definitely worth checking out for its old-school charm and rivalry with the other chess establishments on Thompson Street. Read more.
Berk Kapicioglu: A decades old chess store that was originally owned by a Russian grandmaster. Great for hanging out with chess enthusiasts, buying chess pieces, or learning how to play from world-class players.
Ailie Chang: Check out the huge variety of chess sets! So beautiful. My favorites are the Egyptian ones.
3. Washington Square Park
9.5
W 4th St (btwn MacDougal St & University Pl), New York, NY
Park · Greenwich Village · 708 tips and reviews
EchoDA: the newly renovated Park, you will see a lot wacko's (sorry creative's!), and also NYU students hanging, chess tables, a fun place to lounge outdoors
EchoDA: The newly renovated Park, you will see a lot wacko's (sorry creative's!), and also NYU students hanging, chess tables, a fun place to lounge outdoors
Compass: Defined by its giant white arch, the park is best known for its chess games, gorgeous fountain, and live musicians. It acts as a meeting ground for NYU students, artists, and neighborhood regulars.
4. Bryant Park
9.5
W 42nd St (btwn 5th & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Park · Midtown · 1228 tips and reviews
Charles Pixley: great place to have lunch or post work cool out, out door library, yoga classes on the lawn, chess clubs, restaurants and just plain beautiful place to hang.
Lisa Garcia: Come for the free yoga and dance classes during the week. It's also the best place to spend an afternoon playing ping pong or chess (or just reading while eating a sandwich from 'wichcraft).
Nicole: Great place to go with kids in the summer...enjoy the library, carousel, chess, movies etc.! Good fun!
5. Marshall Chess Club
8.8
23 W 10th St (btw 5th & 6th), New York, NY
Gaming Cafe · Greenwich Village · 3 tips and reviews
The Negotiation Institute (TNI): Masters of chess & negotiation are always sharply aware, prepared several moves ahead, with logical extrapolations other side's response--with contingencies in case things don’t go as expected.
Mark Pollard: This place blows me away. An incredible chess history, always hosting events and teaching. Thank you and thank you.
Willy Gissen: Wednesday night tournament, U2000, rounds start at 7 PM, 30/90 then G60
6. Columbus Park
7.6
67 Mulberry St (btwn Bayard & Worth St), New York, NY
Park · Chinatown · 47 tips and reviews
The Standard: NY (See) You don’t need to go to China to experience the Chinese culture. Come take a stroll in the park and experience everything from martial arts to little old men playing chess. Read more.
G Wong: The amount of Chinese people lounging, singing, playing chess, whatever in this park is a serious glimpse into Chinese culture. Also, there's a soccer field in this park if you fancy.
Compass: Enjoy the soccer fields and chess tables, but don’t be surprised if a live dance troupe or chorus takes over Chinatown’s most popular park.
8. City Hall Park
8.8
17 Park Row (btwn Broadway & Centre St), New York, NY
Park · Downtown Manhattan · 143 tips and reviews
Raymond Torres: This is a great place to hang, whether u're having lunch, getting someone's phone number, chatting w/ powerful NYC politicians, chilling w/ the friendly squirrels, or getting beat by chess hustlers.
William Studart: The view is very pretty, and close to the Brooklin Bridge. Great place to sit down and enjoy, and make some squirrel friends
Mike Bloomberg: Yesterday, I was here to launch Citi Bike, the largest bikeshare system in the nation: http://bit.ly/15bYEmY
9. Marcus Garvey Park
8.4
Mt. Morris Park W & Madison Ave (btwn W 120th & W 124th St), New York, NY
Park · Central Harlem · 52 tips and reviews
Stephen Elms: Great little park in the heart of Harlem. Fantastic history and lots of attractions from swimming, basketball, chess, and an outdoor theatre.
NYC Parks: Check out the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, the last of a series of watchtowers erected in 19th century New York City to help watch for fires.
City of New York: Did you know? This cast-iron fire lookout tower is the only one of its type remaining in New York City. It was erected in 1855 as part of the city’s fire protection system.
11. Fort Tryon Park
9.4
Margaret Corbin Dr (at Fort Tyron Pl), New York, NY
Park · Hudson Heights · 93 tips and reviews
Dylan McKenzie: Visit the Cloisters too. I think there are some cool old chess pieces on display here still.
David Derrick: A quiet relaxing break from hustle, bustle, and noise of the city. Purposefully get lost on the myriad trails or wander through the flower gardens. Absolutely must visit the peaceful cloisters!
Time Out New York: The best place to forget that you’re in NYC is crammed with gardens, forests and other quiet nooks that are perfect for chilling out. No visit here is complete without a stop by the Cloisters. Read more.
15. Joe's Pub
9.0
425 Lafayette St (btwn Astor Pl & E 4th St), New York, NY
Music Venue · NoHo · 89 tips and reviews
SideTour: Great date space and intimate performance space. Get here early to snag one of the coveted tables.
Concert Ticket Agency: Amazing place or dinner and a show. great live acts, communal seating, food and bev minimum is $12. See incredible acts here in a small setting before they get too huge!
Time Out New York: Catch the Happy Ending Series here, it’s the best reading series with a twist. Big names are required to take a risk onstage: Jesse Ball once taught the crowd how to steal a book from B&N. Read more.