
Sip Bar
A bit of a tight squeeze, but mellower and more appealing than your basic Upper West Side bar.
998 Amsterdam Ave. between 109th and 110th Sts.
212-316-2747

Ding Dong Lounge
Ignore the name. It’s dark, it’s noisy, and sometimes the Columbia-undergrand quotient skews high. But a good dive bar in an area that needs one.
929 Columbus Ave. between 105th and 106th Sts.
212-663-2600

Ward III
Loungey, classy, serious cocktails.
111 Reade St. between West Broadway and Church St.
212-240-9194

Subway Inn
Ancient, charming dump of a dive on an unlikely block near Bloomingdale’s.
143 E. 60th between Lexington and Third Aves.
212-223-8929

169 Bar
169 East Broadway at Rutgers St.
646-833-7199

Clandestino
35 Canal St. between Essex and Ludlow Sts.
212-475-5505

Tom and Jerry’s (aka 288)
Much better on weeknights—but isn’t almost everything in Manhattan?
288 Elizabeth St. between Houston and Bleecker Sts.
212-260-5045

Heathers
(Note: Spectacularly unhelpful website; hover your mouse around the upper-right area and hope for the best. Cool little bar, though.)
506 E. 13th St. between Aves. A and B
212-254-0979

Raines Law Room
48 W. 17th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
212-242-0600