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If you want the swank of LES nightlife without the acrimony and cheese, CV is a choice option. A good-natured staff (the doorman might deny you, but he won’t be a jerk about it) makes this lounge a late-night hit, particularly for the overflow from THOR (which is located right next door). Get there by midnight to nab one of the scarce tables, or a spot at the bar—capacity is just 105 people, in accordance with the name, and there are only ten tables, with a small private room in back. The décor is unpretentious chic: hand-crafted wood sculptures lining the walls, leather banquets and a leather cross-stitched bar, and of course a disco ball. The D.J. spins a crowd-pleasing mix of classic hip-hop at noise levels that make conversation theoretically possible. Expect to pay nightclub prices, especially for bottle service; even so, you won’t feel like you’ve been chewed up and spit out by the New York Club Machine. — Melissa Lafsky