NYC here too, I'm not sure where you're going but go to any sports or Irish bar and >50% of the people there will be on their phone, especially when they're solo. I do wish I could read a book, but so many bars keep it so dark even in the daytime that it's impossible these days.

People go out by themselves all the time (I'm single, WFH and live by myself, if I didn't go out by myself I would literally leave the house only once or twice a week).