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When you think about Belmont Lounge, three words come to mind: location, location, location. A short walk from Union Square and even less footwork from Irving Plaza, this convenient nightspot draws both hungry shoppers and thirsty revelers. Late at night, sometimes even the band that was onstage shows up as well since the deep-set banquettes and velvet curtains provide a good post-gig nook for lead singers in hiding. The black-jeaned fans are less discreet as they swig pastel-colored cocktails in front of the colorful paintings or shout adulations beside the fireplace—partly because of standing too near the speakers beforehand, partly because of this space’s strange acoustics. The back room with its unadorned dance floor and nearly nightly DJs is more about come-ons than conversations as can be witnessed by the surrounding couches which sink under the burden of one-too-many drunken, anonymous make-outs. — Lucy Cohen