Above Allen
190 Allen St., nr. Houston St.; 212-460-5300
Thompson LES’s members-only terrace bar comes with a retractable roof, upholstery from Stephen Sprouse, and drinks and small plates from Shang, downstairs.
The Back Room at Café Select
108 W. Houston St., at Thompson St.; 212-505-2015
Serge Becker’s latest spot now has its own quasi-secret backroom bar. The place is tiny, meaning celeb elbow-rubbing will be even more pronounced.
Bar 108
108 W. Houston St., at Thompson St.; 212-505-2015
The upscale sports bar is still working out all the details, but things are looking good for the future. Coming down the line is a gastropub menu and, as far as we know, the city’s first-ever fantasy-football-draft war room (available for rent and fitting between fifteen to twenty dorks).
Bleecker Heights Tavern
296 Bleecker St., at. Seventh Ave.; 212-675-6157
A slim sports bar secreted above a Five Guys (find the stairs in the back of the burger shop, past the counter) with five flat screens, Delirium Tremens, and a tiny pool table. Crucial detail: burgers are delivered upstairs.
City Winery
155 Varick St., at Vandam St.; 212-608-0555
An ambitious wine institution from the Knitting Factory’s Michael Dorf, the 21,000-square-foot space houses a winery, a wine bar, a Murray’s Cheese bar, and a restaurant. And a performance space that’s no slouch: Rufus Wainwright, Todd Rundgren, Cowboy Junkies, Philip Glass, and Marianne Faithful will all be dropping by in the near future.
Cornelius
565 Vanderbilt Ave., at Pacific St., Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; 718-398-6662
Another solid Brooklyn bar from the people behind Soda and Franklin Park. Great options abound, from the Kelso and Elysian on tap to the comfort-food menu from onetime Freemans chef Michelle Hanna.
Local 269
269 E. Houston St., at Suffolk St.; 212-228-4874
As to be expected by the union nod in the name, Local 269 is a working-class kind of place. There are a few minor flourishes (mismatched chandeliers, three different types of grilled cheese), but overall the bar has embraced the vibe of the dive it will inevitably grow into.
Pulse Karaoke
135 W. 41st St., nr. Broadway; 212-278-0988
You’d assume the folks behind St. Marks Place BAMN! Automat would be tempted to mix it up when opening a karaoke bar. Wisely, they stuck to the basics with Pulse: one bright-white large main room and six private rooms (with Guitar Hero and Rock Band 2), available by the hour.
Raines Law Room
48 W. 17th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; no phone number
The latest spot to hop on the cocktail craze — this one named after a 1896 New York law intended to curb liquor consumption — was quickly labeled a ‘speakcheesy’ by Grub Street. At least the cocktail menu, from Milk & Honey’s Michael McIlroy, stands up.
Sweet Revenge
62 Carmine St., nr. Bedford St.; 212-242-2240
Not to be confused with this place, the West Village’s Sweet Revenge is a cupcake shop and bar that offers drink pairings for sweets. It’s the place to enjoy a Crimson and Cream — a red-velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting, with a raspberry Bellini.