New York, NYHoliday Bars

Rolf's is a Gramercy German restaurant and bar that stays decorated for Christmas for months at a stretch, packing the ceilings and walls with thousands of ornaments, dolls, wreaths and twinkling lights. The regular German menu and drink list keep running underneath all of it, but reservations get tight well before the display goes up each fall. Locals and visitors both come mainly for the room itself rather than for a special seasonal drink menu. The decorations typically stay up into the following spring before the space reverts to its plainer everyday look.

The Cabinet is a mezcal bar in the East Village at the East 9th Street address where the touring Christmas pop-up bar format got its start. Each winter its regular agave-focused drink list steps aside for an over-the-top holiday transformation, with dense decor and a dedicated seasonal cocktail menu poured in collectible glassware. Guests get a small holiday-themed gift at the door as part of the bit. The space reverts to its everyday mezcal bar program once the new year begins.

Roberta's, the Bushwick pizza restaurant and bar known the rest of the year for its wood-fired pies and backyard garden, gives its bar a Grinch-inspired holiday makeover each winter. The regular bar and pizza operation keep running, but the drink list adds a dedicated set of holiday-green cocktails and the room fills with over-the-top seasonal decor for the run. It draws a festive, packed crowd looking for a themed night out rather than a quiet dinner. The bar reverts to its usual look once the pop-up wraps for the season.

Sunday in Brooklyn, a Williamsburg all-day restaurant and bar, turns its rooftop into a snow-themed winter pop-up each year. The regular bar program gives way to a dedicated set of cold-weather cocktails and warm drinks built for the season, with heated seating to keep the space usable through the coldest months. It runs as a distinct section of the building alongside the restaurant's usual service downstairs. The rooftop reverts to its non-winter setup once the pop-up ends.

Pete's Tavern, one of the city's oldest continuously operating bars, spends every fall restringing tens of thousands of lights and hanging wreaths and garland for a holiday display that fills the corner room. The regular tavern menu and drink list keep running underneath the decor, with the red glow from its windows becoming a neighborhood landmark for the season. Preparation starts months ahead of the display going up. Everything comes back down and the room returns to its plainer year-round look once the season passes.