Bondurants

It’s not the job of a bar to appease all tastes, but Bondurants sure does try, and the effort is appreciated. The whiskey selection alone — over 130 bottles strong, from Jack Daniel’s to the hard-to-find Old Rip Van Winkle — and a strong craft-beer list is enough of a draw. But there are more pleasures on offer (not to mention the proximity to the Second Avenue subway). With its tin-pressed roof and wood paneling, the space is both airy and dark at once: kitschy chandeliers let you know that the bar doesn’t take itself too seriously, and televisions are discreetly hidden (see if you can find them). Ordering at the bar may seem like a hindrance, but, in fact, it’s a blessing when it means you’ll receive your insanely large portion of house-brined and perfectly sour tempura-battered pickles and megasize tater tots that much faster.