Profile

Tiny Red Bench looks dark and nondescript, but you'll have no trouble finding it: Just follow your ears. Inside, you'll find the noisemakers—a mix of young, successful art-and-commerce types chatting it up late into the night—and little else. Legend has it that mobsters once ruled this address; now the only dangers are posed by the dark and closet-sized surroundings and the pricey drinks. Best to stop in early in the evening—you'll actually get a seat and be heard. — Nicole Davis

Red Bench's eponymous cushy banquette is a holdover from the space's former wiseguy tenants.