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As the definitive late nineties lounge, Sway could've easily lost its cool cachet at the stroke of the millennium. However a constantly fluctuating crowd of true-blue nightlifers and some of the city's better weekly parties (the legendary 80s night on Thursdays; the hugely popular Smiths/Morrisey fest on Sundays) keeps the Moroccan-themed club au courant. Three rooms stretch out beyond the entrance: The narrow bar gives way to a boxy dance floor with banquettes lining the walls; a cooler oasis is further back. Each boasts a dark, sexy Moroccan interior with hash den lamps above the bar, smoky mirrors on the wall, Arabic archways and mosaic tables. When rockers, players, hotties, druggies, and the occasional starlet pack in, Sway's somewhat remote location can feel a world away from some of Bloomberg's less popular ordinances. News-making events like an after-hours shootout may keep the squeaky clean types away, but what's good nightlife without a little scandal? — Andrew Paine Bradbury

Trademark Drink: Ruby Tuesday (Grey Goose and Pomegranate juice martini)