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Located on a sleepy side street off Second Avenue, Fish Bar doesn’t draw a lot of attention. With barely a sign or any other markers, you might not even notice it if you were walking by en route to some other, more obvious East Village nightspot. But presumably, that’s how the neighborhood types like it at this laid—back, unpretentious bar, where on a Friday night at 11:30pm you can actually snag one of the small tables lined up against a giant aquatic mural, complete with fishing rod. The sea theme is also carried out in the cute magpie collection of souvenirs and other tchotchkes (think life—size replicas of different fish) that fill the shelves above the bar top. In keeping with Fish Bar’s overall vibe, the design effects are never too in your face. — Sean Kennedy