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International Bar soldiered on for three years after its original owner died in 2002, then sat completely vacant for three more. The quirky, homey saloon—peopled by a fun mix of neighborhood types who actually talked to each other, if only because of the intimacy of the narrow space—was reopened in 2008 by East Village musician Molly Fitch and her partner Shawn Dahl, and they brought improvements: a sink in the bathroom, six beers on tap, and the original mahogany-wood bar from the Raccoon Lodge that, chances are, will take about half a century to get as warped as the old one. The booze is still cheap—four bucks buys a shot and a Schaefer—and martinis are so full the brim over the edge of the glass. The interior is narrow and dark, like a subway tunnel; wind currents blow in from the street, ruffling the thin hair of seasoned regulars talking about the shenanigans they used to pull in the nasty old bathrooms, and turning the book pages of artsy newbies reading at the bar. — Daniel Maurer and John Metcalfe

In summer, a postage-stamp-sized back patio is a refuge for smokers but only until 10 pm on week nights and 11pm on weekends.