Plastic cucumbers hang from the ceiling at this cash-only bar, where there's plenty of saki, beer, and wine coolers, but no liquor. The music is standard indie-slanted, and the clientele range from local Korean and Japanese kids to [more...]

Bottino is an old standby in the gallery district. It has a nice long bar/lounge area, and the food isn't half bad either. In the summer there is a nice outdoor garden patio.

246 10th (east side of the street bw 24th and 25th)

This 2nd floor bar not only offers patrons a nice selection of beers and liquors in a comfortable, low-key environment, but also gives local writers, musicians, poets and artists a place to showcase their work. Bonus: The bar's website [more...]

At this Nolita bar, everyone's pleased during happy hour, when nearly all drinks are three bucks or less. Grab your Stella or that cocktail and make your way to one of the couches in the main room, or sneak away to the quieter room in [more...]

Resto Leon is a fitting spot to wile away the early evening with a decent range of wines, a full (zinc) bar, nice ambient and airy feeling, and a tasty seafood appetizer list.

I stop by here more often for the apero than for the [more...]

Take refuge in the heart of the St Regis. Blend into the wood and the soft light. Marvel at Maxfield Parrish's "Old King Cole".

Inspires meaningful chatter. Sports reputation of making the first Bloody Mary, their signature [more...]

Louis 649 is a small wine bar in alphabet city with jazz nightly. No cover charge for entrance. This place has a healthy drink menu with coverage in the single malts, bourbons and, of course vino.

Unless your idea of swank scenery is black cabs pouring off the Williamsburg bridge, the view at the Delancey's roof deck will not be the sole reason you come here. You'll find cheap beer–$5 or $6 with the occasional $3 Millers, a [more...]

Catch up on your celeb sightings at this meatpacking bar, located at the Hotel Gansevoort. The drinks are good and priced accordingly for a bar of this location, and while the crowd has shifted since the bar first opened in 2004, the [more...]

Sometimes you take the L train out to Bedford Ave looking for flashy, exciting, fast paced nightlife. But then again, sometimes you just wanna go where everybody knows your name.

Enter Softspot, a neighborhood favorite [more...]

Not only does this dim-lit and hip lounge play eclectic music, but it also has a large oven in the back! Get carded upon entry, and then buy a fairly priced cocktail ($5-6) to retrieve a tiny magical ticket. This entitles you to a free [more...]

Consistently rated one of the best burgers in New York, the "Royale with Cheese" (just $6!) is definitely worth the trip. And the decent beer selection doesn't hurt either.

In nice weather, savor the outdoor space. It doesn't [more...]

The murals inside this bar are of a whimsical, fantasy Central Park, with picknicking rabbits. Recently redecorated, they preserved the murals.

Live music in the evenings, and great cocktails: The Valencia, a wonderful [more...]

The front room is cool in a found artwork kind of way, but you want to go to the back room. This is the Projection Room, complete with futon couches and low tables. There's internaional cuisine which you eat happily while watching [more...]

This is a dark, dark hideaway that still feels furtive, as it did in the old days when it was a speakeasy and mob-run gay bar.

This bar at 567 Hudson St is Famous for serving Dylan Thomas his last drink, the pub was also a hangout for Norman Mailer and Jack Kerouac. If it was good enough for them, it's good enough for your date. And if it's not, end the [more...]

On 13th and A in the East Village. We all love living in New York for many reasons, but one of the main ones being that the bars are open until 4AM... sometimes. On that Monday or Tuesday night when you just can't find a bar that [more...]

This bar/music venue is decked in red and black and boasts an attractive, but low key staff and a packed dance floor on Saturday nights. They have live music [more...]

A great little dive bar on Houston between Mulberry and Mott on the south side of the street - keep your eyes open, it's easy to miss. This basement bar can be fun on any evening (and late enough, they may let you smoke in the back [more...]

W 24th Street between 6th and 7th
On Mondays, go to Dusk for drinks, a cool Chelsea atmosphere, and the opportunity to win a prize for the best napkin doodle.