Raines Law Room
48 W. 17th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; no phone
Raines Law Room deploys some annoying recent bar clichés: buzzer to get in, unlisted phone, cool French maître d’, waiters summoned by a pull chain. And yet there’s no denying the vibrancy of the cocktails, which are perfectly balanced and expertly sourced by Milk & Honey’s Michael McIlroy. Try the Champs-Élysées, a twist on a sidecar, with green chartreuse in place of Cointreau and a splash of bitters. Even clichés can be worthwhile.