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Your guide to Kentucky Derby parties in NYC

It’s time to don your Derby finest. This Saturday, the most exciting two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby, goes down, with mint juleps and seersucker aplenty. Whether you’re all about the steeds or just in it for the best hat contest, here’s your guide on where to party and watch the races in NYC. Festive attire encouraged.

21 Club

To eat: Southern bar bites including fried oysters, shrimp & grits and mini hot browns
To drink: Classic Maker’s Mark mint juleps
Contest: Best dressed wins dinner for two at 21
Extras: Take Instas in front of the mini jockeys adorning 21.
Admission: $65 (includes two drinks, food, tax and gratuity)
Info: 3:30-5:30 p.m.; 21 W. 52nd St., 212-582-7200
 

The Bell House

To drink: $7 Dickel and $10 Bulleit Juleps
Contest: Derby Hat Contest at 5 p.m., Best Dressed Man Contest at 5:30 p.m.
Extras: Music from Smokey’s Round-Up and rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home”
Admission: $10
Info: 2 p.m.;
149 Seventh St., Gowanus, 718-643-6510
 

Maison Premiere

To eat: Oysters, full dinner menu starting at 5 p.m.
To drink: Specialty cocktails like the Barber of Seville
Contest: Prizes for best-dressed
Extras: Live music and radio broadcast of the race
Admission: First come, first served
Info: 2-8 p.m.; 298 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, 347-335-0466
 

Stone Rose Lounge

To eat: Derby-inspired bites by Porter House New York.
To drink: Specialty mint juleps, plus free rosé for ladies in Derby-style hats
Contest: None
Extras: Photobooth with Derby props such as jockey hats, mint juleps and roses
Admission: Reservations recommended
Info: Noon; 10 Columbus Circle Fourth Fl., 212-823-9770
 

Pounds & Ounces

To eat: Regular menu, plus a special mint julep torte
To drink: Woodford Reserve Bourbon’s Perfect Mint Julep and the Jack Daniels’ Pub Ice Tea, served on tap
Contest: Derby Day Hat Contest. To win the $500 prize, take a picture at Pounds & Ounces and post on Instagram with the hashtags #POderbyhat and #poundsandounces by 6 p.m.
Extras: Music from Roxy Cottontail
Admission: Open to public
Info: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; 160 Eighth Ave., 646-449-8150
 

Eleven Madison Park

To eat: Fried chicken and oysters
To drink: Woodford Reserve bourbon cocktails
Contest: Best dressed woman wins a custom-made derby hat and man a made-to-measure suit
Extras: Live music from The Crooners, The Defibulators and The Brain Cloud, cigars, silent auction
Admission: $225 (waitlist)
Info: 3-7 p.m.; 11 Madison Ave., 212-889-0905, madenicenyc.com

Manhattan Cricket Club

To eat: Bar snacks, including oysters
To drink: The new Run for Your Money mint julep cocktail by Greg Seider, served on tap
Contest: Best Hat wins dinner for two at Burke & Wills
Admission: First come, first served
Info: 2-7 p.m.; 226 W. 79th St., 646-823-9252

 

BLT Bar & Grille

To eat: Derby-themed bites
To drink:  $10 cocktails include classic juleps, Pimm’s Cups, Moscow Mules, Arnold Palmers and the Lawrenceburg Cooler with Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, honey, lemon, grapefruit and Angostura bitters; $5 draft beers
Contest: None  
Extras: Live music from the CitiGrass bluegrass band
Admission: $25 (includes 2 drinks and food)
Info: 4-7 p.m.; 123 Washington St., 646-826-8666  
 

Cooper’s Craft & Kitchen

To eat: Pub menu staples such as sliders and wings
To drink: $10 mint juleps
Contest: $100 prize voucher for best dressed  
Extras: The race will be shown on all TV screens
Admission: Open to the public
Info: 169 Eighth Ave., 646-661-7711 

Bounce Sporting Club

To eat: Bar bites like fried mac & cheese and pigs in a pretzel
To drink:  $5 shots of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, $10 Jack Daniel’s Fire Juleps, $13 Dead Heat cocktails and specialty Mint Julep Table Service Kits.
Contest: None
Extras: Learn how to safely saber bottles of Mumm Sparkling Wine just in time to celebrate the contender’s race to the finish line.
Admission: Open to the public
Info: Noon; 55 W. 21st St., 212-675-8007
 

Billet & Bellows

To drink: $8 Mint Juleps and $8 Peach Mint Juleps
Contest: None  
Extras: The Jazzingaro “gypsy jazz” trio will play bluegrass and jazz all afternoon
Admission: Open to the public
Info: 3 p.m.; 177 Grand St., Williamsburg, billetandbellows.com

 

Char No. 4

To eat: Kentucky Hot Brown with house-smoked ham, turkey and bacon served over French toast and topped with mornay sauce and a fried egg 
To drink: $8 Barrel-Aged Mint Juleps
Contest: None
Extras: For every julep you order you’ll get a ticket with the name of one of the horses in the race. Anyone with the ticket of the winning horse will win a half bottle of bourbon. Race will be broadcast on the radio. 
Admission: Open to the public
Info:  10 a.m. to race time; 196 Smith St., Cobble Hill, 718-643-2106