The Annex
152 Orchard St., between Rivington St. and Stanton St.; 212-673-9058
Another bar sprouts from the guys behind Dark Room: Hot on the heels of Rob Shamlian’s Fat Baby comes current owner Jason Baron’s live-music throwback in the space formerly known as Eleven. Joining Baron, Interpol front man Paul Banks has moved his Wednesday night hip-hop party here while Tiswas, the long-running showcase for up-and-coming bands, has relaunched in a big way: The Mooney Suzuki played a set here recently.
Blue Owl
196 Second Ave., at 12th St.; 212-505-2583
The secret back-room trend hits the East Village at this pseudo-speakeasy which requires patrons to whisper a password if they want to access the back room. If you’re among the uninformed, you’re not missing much: The real draw is the main room of stone and pressed tin, and a happy hour during which martinis and classic cocktails are $5.
Boudoir
127 Eighth Ave., at 16th St.; 212-463-7406
The late Suite 16’s space now resembles a Victorian take on A Clockwork Orange’s Korova Milk Bar. A Bungalow 8-ready location combined with Voula Duval’s celeb-wrangling skills (honed when she ran the VIP room at the now defunct Life) has paid off with drop-ins from Prince and the Olsen twins and regular appearances by socialites like Alexandra Jagger.
Clandestino
35 Canal St., between Essex and Ludlow Sts.; 212-475-5505
Residents of BelDel, the once nightlife-deprived area below Delancey, have immediately embraced this neighborhood bar, a lovely spot to debate the merits of their more ambitious new neighbor, the brasserie Casanis, over a pint of Six Point and some Roquefort on flat bread.
Element
225 E. Houston St., at Essex St.; 212-254-2200
With an opening set from Tommie Sunshine two weeks ago, this onetime Lower East Side bank and perpetual nightclub was reborn as an elegant, Asian-tinged megaclub. During the week, the basement—with its vaulted ceilings and private draped nooks—serves as a D.J. lounge a la Table 50. A greater enticement is electro god Larry Tee’s tri-level boy bash on Saturdays.
G Bar and Lounge
105 W. 27th St., between Sixth Ave. and Seventh Ave.; 212-627-1444
There’s an air of the Tokyo “love motel” about this small lounge, formerly Cotton, where Russian geishas give back rubs in curtained-off areas or in basement bedrooms. Chelsea’s answer to Happy Ending? GBH, for one, has moved its rock-, new-wave-, and eighties-inflected after-hours party here on Saturday nights.
G Spa & Lounge
18 Ninth Ave., at 13th St.; 212-660-6733
The Hotel Gansevoort’s new spa-by-day and lounge-by-night is still operating on an “exclusive” basis. (Cuba Gooding Jr. was recently spotted sipping champagne in the pool.) But if you’re a hotel guest or if you can charm your way past the doorman, a D.J. and Japanese food from nearby Ono await.
Lulu’s
113 Franklin St., between Greenpoint Ave. and Kent St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn; no phone
The owners of Capone’s and Alligator Lounge aren’t giving out free pizza at their three-week-old tri-level former warehouse space in Greenpoint, but you won’t miss it when you’re shooting Skee-Ball or playing pool at one of two tables while D.J.s spin from on high.
Nest
215 W. 28th St., between Seventh Ave. and Eighth Ave.; 212-760-6378
Design top dog Steve Lewis has revamped the long-running Carribbean club Demerara for the city’s junior Weinsteins: $15,000 light fixtures, hardwood floors, and a warm coat of orange paint have transformed the four-level townhouse into a minimalist tower of lounging. This spring, the Museum of the American Cocktail spices things up with booze artifacts, guest mixologists, and butlered tableside drink prep.
Pink Elephant
527 W. 27th St., between 10th St. and 11th St.; 212-463-0000
The latest club to hit West 27th Street is no Gianni-come-lately: West Village hot spot Pink Elephant has taken up digs inside Crobar’s building and has upped the swank factor with a machine that releases citrus scents. Multitiered seating surrounds a sunken dance floor that will be ruled by the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, and Pete Tong.