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Technically this low-key East Village refuge is called WCOU Radio, but no one calls it that (no one in the know, anyway). Although a tiny mosaic sign over the front door gently hints at the bar's given name, the black-and-white bathroom-style floor and the scattered tiles out front earned it the nickname "Tile Bar." The re-christening is appropriate—in both content and attitude—because WCOU is what you make of it. While there's an excellent blues and rock heavy jukebox, a handsome old bar, a few scattered chairs and tables, and a couple of prime people-watching windows, what's lacking is a real atmosphere. Instead, this watering hole relies on its patrons to provide the personality, which makes it a pleasant stop at the beginning or the end of an evening, particularly for locals returning from the real party. — Amelie Gillette

Like its sister bars WXOU in the West Village and The Magician on the Lower East Side, WCOU prominently displays a large neon clock on the wall—reminding you of exactly how much time you've spent drunkenly scrolling through the jukebox CDs looking for the perfect Clash song.