Celebrate Dia de los Muertos and Halloween in NYC

Uptown, downtown and all around New York City, our favorite spots are featuring drink and food specials for Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Halloween. Check out our roundup and start the party.

Dempsey's at 61 2nd Avenue in the East Village is offering a "Shark Blood" cocktail only available for Halloween day/night for $10 each. It includes: Blue curaçao, raspberry vodka, lemon juice, grenadine and a blood orange rim. Website: http://dempseysnyc.com/.

Artisanal Bistro at 2 Park Avenue is serving the "Black Mamba," a whiskey based cocktail that includes black berries as a garnish. This drink is available on Halloween night only for $18. The ingredients are Whistle Pig Rye, pomegranate juice, vanilla bitters, Amaero Monte Negro, Squid Ink, intense Black Ice and Mint. Website: http://artisanalbistro.com/.

DREXLER'S at 9 Avenue A on the Lower East Side has created the "Zombie," a rum based cocktail that is stirred and garnished with lychee stuffed with a raspberry. Ingredients Include: Jamaican rum, gold Puerto Rican rum, 151-proof Demerara rum, Herbsaint or Pernod, falernum, Donn's Mix, grenadine and a dash of Angostura bitters. This cocktail is only available over Halloween Weekend for $13. Website: http://www.drexlers.nyc/.

Cantina Rooftop at 605 West 48th Street in Hells Kitchen is celebrating the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos tradition this year. Head over to this hotspot on Thursday October 29th and Friday October 30th. They will have plenty of food and drink specials to keep your appetite rolling all night including their brand new Dia de Muertos guacamole which includes charred pumpkin, pomegranate, queso fresco de cabra. Aside from the specials, Cantina is hosting a special costume contest, in which the winner will receive an $80 bar tab. Ladies should come dressed as the grande dame of death, Catrina, while men should come in dressed as Charro Negro. There will be complimentary face painting for those who would like to have a sugar skull face for the night. You really can't miss out on a fun evening like this one especially at a Mexican rooftop that is honoring a Mexican holiday. Website: http://www.cantinarooftop.com.

Monarch at 71 West 35th Street,18th Floor Penthouse is offering their Monster Mash Halloween this year. There are General Admission tickets as well as the following packages: Bronze Table Package: 1 bottle Absolut or 1 bottle Casa Noble, 1 bucket (6) beers; Silver Table Package: 1 bottle Absolut and 1 bottle Casa Noble, 1 bottle champagne; Gold Table Package: 1 bottle Belvedere and 1 bottle Casa Noble, 2 bottles champagne; 1 bucket (6) beers; Platinum Table Package: 2 bottle Belvedere and 1 bottle Casa Noble, 2 bottles champagne; 1 bucket (6) beers. Website: http://monarchhalloween.nightout.com/addison.

Wallflower is located at 235 West 12th Street in the West Village. Xavier Herit, Head Bartender is doing Halloween twists and surprises with his signature cocktails. These totally unique drinks include tricks with dry ice and spider surprises within ice cubes. Website: http://www.wallflowernyc.com/.

Dos Caminos locations will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos with specials all Halloween weekend long including a unique cooking class. Those dining at any Dos Caminos location (the brand new Times Square location as well as Meatpacking, Park Avenue South, SoHo and Midtown East) from Friday, October 30th to Sunday, November 1st, can enjoy the following Dia de Los Muertos specials: Gato Negro cocktail with Espolon Blanco tequila, black currant liqueur, muddled blackberries and fresh lime juice; Huitlacoche Tamales with Huitlacoche crema, hierba santa, and black radishes; Mole Negro de Oaxaca, beef short ribs simmered in mole negro, braised black kale, winter squash tamale; Chocolate Sugar Skulls with mocha mousse, raspberry coulis.

Diners can also celebrate with a Dia de los Muertos Cooking Class at Dos Caminos Park Avenue South, where Executive Chef Ivy Stark shows participants how to recreate this holiday with handmade cocktails, and traditional Day of the Dead dishes and desserts including Candied Pumpkin Sundaes, Mexican Sugar Skulls and Pan de Meurto. The class takes place on Saturday, October 31st from 11:30am to 2:30pm. For $75 (plus tax & gratuity), the demonstration style class includes lunch, cocktails, recipes and a copy of the Dos Caminos Tacos cookbook. To learn more or purchase tickets for the class, please visit www.doscaminos.com.

BROTHER JIMMY'S has some scary good specials for Halloweekend coming your way. All of their NYC locations are gearing up for a spooky fun time. Get your costumes ready, and come celebrate. A great time is mandatory. At the Midtown location, they are having a "Night of the Living and Grateful Dead," in honor of the "Dead and Company" show at Madison Square Garden. The midtown location is at 416 8th Avenue on the corner of 31st Street. Drink specials are available at all Brother Jimmy's locations: $5 Jack-O-Lanterns (Jack Daniel's Whiskey/Jack Honey shots and drinks); $3 Blood Redd's Apple Cider (10 oz cans); $4 DraCoo Light (Coors Light draught); $5 Hell Fire shots (Jim Beam Fire) Website: http://www.brotherjimmys.com/.