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Comments - Cigar bar & steakhouse. Classy place. The decor must be seen. Exposed brick walls, mirrors. Old fashion beer taps, bar lamps, curtains, a wall clock that may be an antique. Somewhat expensive for drinks. Dining area, private party room. Bathrooms in basement are adequate. The food must be good, Mayor Rudy likes to dine here. - T.K.

The food is tremendous. You are going to pay on average $125 per head for dinner here. Remember, if you make a reservation and do not show up, the will charge your card a $100 fee. - G.H.

The presence of a valet in the front of the restaurant gave the impression of a high-end restaurant. In this case, appearances can certainly be deceiving. We had an 8pm reservation and arrived at 7:45pm on a Saturday evening. We began at the bar and waited for 10 minutes, while the bartender was busy chatting with some people next to us. Despite getting his attention several times, he kept raising his hand and said "Hold on, I'll be right with you." Both my date and I thought the drinks were watered down. At $8-10 for a drink, you would certainly expect better.  We were finally seated at 8:25pm. 
Given the poor food and service, we did not order desert or coffee and went elsewhere. Avoid eating at this Manhattan wannabe with Manhattan prices. At $165 for two, get the real thing at Peter Luger's, Smith and Wollensky, Sparks or the Palm instead. - R.T.

This place is a close to a joke as far as steakhouses go. Plan on spending a lot of cash when dining here. The steaks were indeed good, but not as good one would expect. The service was great, but when I paid half the check with a gift certificate I thought I gave the server a heart attack. I still had to shell out another $200 cash, so I don't know what the problem was. Don't waste your money here, as there are numerous other steakhouses nearby that are much better. - F.V.
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Comments - This bar is AWESOME!!! Great atmosphere. Decorated with antique couches and chandeliers but you can still retain the bar atmosphere while staring at some real eye candy! - M.R. 
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Comments - Great place, Thursday and Friday nights this place gets packed, but it's still lots of fun. Sat nights are more mellow until 10pm, so if you're looking for a place to just sit and talk, it's great for that too. - H.W.

This is a fairly new bar/lounge which seems to draw an overflow crowd from the Ginger Man across the street. Very dark, it features a dark oak wood bar, a lounge area, high ceilings with fans, a large mirror behind the bar, NO TV, and bar lamps. The beer selection is limited. The prices are expensive. There is no food (that's different for Midtown). The bartenders are friendly and efficient. The bathrooms are adequate. -T.K.
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Comments - The Undergound is just that... underground. I had a good time here. Service was friendly but the drinks were expensive. It's divided into 3 seperate rooms: one for the VERY small bar, One for the pool table and one for live music... not many came for the music the night I was there though. - R.P.
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Comments - This place draws a great after-work crowd on Thursdays. Most of the people are gathered around the bar practically begging for a drink. The bartenders are extremely rude and act as if they are doing you a favor. But there is hope- the waitresses are a little more helpful. Despite this, I've returned to this place numerous times because I always seem to have a good time and I love the area. - A.H.

This dark bar/lounge is very popular with young twentysomething people. It is obviously more club than pub. The music is not too loud. In addition to the curved mahogany bar, there are many cocktail tables. The prices are somewhat expensive ($5 for a bottle of Coors Light). The female bartenders are friendly and efficient. The bathrooms, located in the basement, are adequate. - T.K.

Martinis were great; no cover. Ambience, lighting, and music really set the tone on Tuesday night after work. Quite a different atmosphere from the weekend crowd. - P.S.

NIce lounge...quite a different atmosphere during the week, etc. and there is a lot to relax about. Music was great and so were the pizzas. Not too crowded, although things aren't so relaxed after 8:00 on Fridays. Forget it, you won't find anyone over 23. It's like a cattle call in there! Moo! Nice spot. - B.F.
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Comments - This place might not be quite as good as the Warren Pool Bar, but it's as close as you'll come to finding a replacement for it. The crowd is a little older. There is a musician (a Jimmy Buffet style soloist), an outside bar & raw bar, several TVs, an indoor dining room, numerous outdoor dining/cocktail tables, and a very nice view of the marina and bay. The prices are reasonable and the service is good. The bathrooms are a little lacking. - T.K.
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To be fair, this place was two weeks old, [at the time of the review], though I've already seen a trendy profile on it. Compared to other Williamsburg bars, its brightly lit atmosphere reveals... not much. It is a converted pool supply store, and retains much of its original decor. There's a bar, there's bathrooms, a DJ, there's people sitting around talking. I didn't get any vibe at all. I've heard they've got great mixed drinks, but, to paraphrase a Holiday Bar review, I'm a two-ingredient guy, and my weak Jack and Coke was $5. The strongest points, in my opinion, is that Stinger is nearby, and Kellogg's 24 Hr. Diner is just down the block. - S.G.

Best new bar in Williamsburg! The place is industrial cool,  but with comfortable rounded booths. It used to be a swimming pool supply store & still has some of the details. The crowd is Williamsburg hip, but that doesn't seem to stop the Manhattan types.  Bartenders are efficient & attentive, with no attitude! The bathrooms deserve special mention. They have this awesome swimming pool tile so it feels like your in an old pool changing room or something. The men's room also has an old enamel subway straphang. - E.I.

Union Pool is the place. This bar is always jumping when everything else is dead. The outside is an event. I like when a bar has lots of other girls to play with and this one does. Union Pool, that's where I'm at. - C.H.
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Comments - Vazac's (aka Vazac's Horseshoe Bar, The Horseshoe Bar, 7-B. Historical pre-prohibition dive bar in the East Village area of Manhattan made famous by numerous location appearances in movies like Crocodile Dundee and The Color of Money. The mixed crowd includes longtime regulars, sports bar crawlers and college and punk/gothic type newbies. Drinks are inexpensive comparatively and the jukebox and pinball machines will keep you entertained even after you've been blown off by one of the many tattoo girls who frequent this establishment. Often reported sightings of celebrities include Soprano's cast members, Sinead O'Connor, Janeane Garofalo, Matt Stone (South Park). Sunday nights rumored to be a Satanist hang out. - D.B.

Great jukebox. D.L.

Good for pinball -- 2 or 3 recent machines in good shape. - C.A.

Beware, ladies if you are not a regular or regularly sleeping with one of the male bartenders: You'll wait a good 25 minutes to get attention. The boys seem to be too busy doing shots with the regulars to provide adequate service.   Amy, if she is still there, will provide all who enter with a drink and a smile with minimal if any wait time. - P.F.M.

Somewhat indifferent bartenders - it is possible to wait a while for a drink. - S.C.
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Comments - Small, quiet, friendly bar near the Broadway LIRR station. High ceiling. Interesting bric-a-brac items decorate the place. Odd shaped bar. TV, jukebox, video games, bowling game. Formerly the host of top country music acts. Friendly and efficient bartenders. Reasonable prices ($3 for a bottle of Coors Light). Bathrooms are adequate.  - T.K.
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Comments - Well, I like this place. If there were a Jukebox rating, I'd give that a high score. The jukebox is solid, not just in quality picks, but DIVERSITY, which is key.
Not a huge selection of drinks, but they're all cheap (I only drink beer here, anyway). Decent mixed crowd of old regulars who stick to themselves, and young folks. Sometimes it can be overpopulated by NYU kids leaking over from Blue & Gold next door. The bathroom is dealable if we're talking #1 for men. Otherwise, jeez.... you're outta luck. It's filthy. But the simple atmosphere and quick service, good prices and pretty damned good music make this a good place to just have some drinks with some friends. I've never been disappointed. - V.M.

I was there at about 7PM on a Friday evening. It had a mixed crowd at that time. Dimly lit, it features a TV, a jukebox, a pool table, diner-style booths, and a/c (surprisingly). The beer selection is somewhat limited. The prices at happy hour are reasonable and the service is good. The bathrooms are one-at-a-time. - T.K.
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Comments -They only let you in if your beautiful. Good Luck. - A.S.G.

This bar is a rich kids haven. The bouncers are there for show, and if you have money, you know the manager and get the privilege of sitting by the door. The service is OK, if you hold out a fifty dollar bill. The best thing about the place is the bathroom. The bathroom attendant is the most courteous person in the place. Save your money. - E.F.

I had a a great time at this place. I don't think I was supposed to be let in 'cause it was a private party, but oh well. The crowd varies, but if you talk to enough people you can find your type. Don't think the drinks were too outrageous compared to other NYC lounges. This place is a good compromise between a club and a bar- if you wanna dance, there's a small dance floor, if you wanna sit and chill they have nice comfortable couches in the middle and chairs and tables in the back. bathroom is better than most. - E.M.

Cool place. Went on a Saturday night, and didn't even have to wait to get in.. Upstairs was hip hop, downstairs had a big room and played rock music. OK crowd, but there were a lot of wanna-be's. Wearing shades inside should be made illegal. best bathrooms I've ever seen in an NYC bar/club. - M.C.
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Comments - This may be the prettiest room in the city...except that it's in Queens. I did notice that you have Uncle Jacks' in Queens, so it would only make sense to include this beautiful and busy place as well. I believe the owner owns two places in the City...The Musical Box and the Auction House, I believe. And I know they have the absolute best chocolate martinis ever. - J.B.

I went there this past weekend, has a cool antique decor that feels like a SoHo New York lounge.  The chocolate martinis were awesome! - K.M.

The decor is different for this area. It includes exposed brick walls, mirrors, candles, and a red velvet ceiling. It's Middle Eastern looking (I expected to see Barbara Eden come out of a bottle). There is a side room which looks to be somewhat exotic (or erotic). I don't know if people from this area will patronize a place like this. The prices are reasonable ($4 for a bottle of Coors Light) and the service is good. The bathrooms are adequate. - T.K.

No place is ever perfect but this one is close! They even have antiques in the bathroom. Candles everywhere (lots of kissin') and cool colored martini's on almost every table! - D.Z.

I recently went on a blind date to this great looking lounge. I felt like I was in NYC. Living on L.I., I never expected this place to look like it belonged in Soho. Great place for a first date or just to get together with friends. Nice thing is that there are no teenie boppers around. The coconut shrimp & nachos were delicious. Awesome martini selection! I will return and recommend. - D.Z.
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Comments - They play great 80's music, have a fun crowd that sings aloud together, a good bar staff pouring excellent drinks, and a big back room that is fab for throwing a party. What more could you want? - S.A.

We visited Manhattan twice in the past year and a half. Both times we hung at the Vig Bar. The music was great, the service friendly and the drinks were perfect each time. It's a great place to chill any time of the day. The British bartender is cute too. - S.B.
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Comments - Rotating bar and restaurant gives great views of midtown Manhattan. Zoom up the middle of the building in a high speed elevator to the top . Live music & dancing on certain nights. On the pricey side, you pay for the view, not the service or the drinks. A perfect spot for a date, tourists, and a pre- or post-theater cocktail. - S.M.
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Comments - Rocks hard core. Great for cheap beers and fun. -T.H.

Great music, a great crowd, cheap beer, and great bartenders make this a place you don't want to miss out on. -D.C.

Awesome. Lots of hurtin', rockin' country music and despite being packed the service was fantastic. Hey, the bartender even bought me a beer! I think she loves me! - R.H.

Spent a great night here with some friends drinking PBR in a can just because we could. This place smells a little funny (like a locker room), but the great-looking barmaids were quick and friendly with the service. Would definitely hit this place again. - J.C.

White trash atmosphere, cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon, Willie, Waylon, Johnny, David Allen Coe, Patsy, and Hank Williams on the juke, and last but not least, the beautiful and fun bartenders. Damned if I don't wanna be buried there! - D.R.

Only true country spot in the city. Hot bartenders that love to serve you. Great music-nothing but country on the box. And did I forget to mention the best part- $1.75 PBR's!!! Take a 20 dollar bill in there and you're guaranteed to stumble out. Can't do that anywhere else in the city. - S.E.

Welcome home Texans! This bar gives you that Lone Star State feel, with cheap-ass beer, hardcore country, and a set of mock Coyote Ugly bartenders. They really know how to get men going. It is a must see. Hook 'em. - H.H.

What a dump!!! But that's the best part about the Idiot. Nothing like a dive bar to keep the yuppies at bay. The bar maids at the Idiot are without a doubt the most beautiful and charismatic ladies I've encountered. Not only gorgeous, they really know how to run the joint. It's the best service you'll find in any bar, anywhere. - J.B.D.

This is one of my favorite bars in the city. If you're looking to go out and have a drunken good time, the Idiot is the place to go. Cheap beer, fun bartenders, and an eclectic crowd. The bathroom can be dangerous, but aside from that it's a great time. - T.M.

Possibly the best bar in the city! Always a good time at the Idiot. If you like to taunt, and want to get down and dirty with the rest of the drunks, this place kicks ass. Always great service from the hot bartenders wearing just about nothing. You can never go wrong with a $5 pitcher.  - C.M.

The Idiot continues to be New York's premiere dive bar. The bartenders are amazing; they can throw back shots (I recommend Jaegermeister!) like there's no tomorrow. And they're a group of beautiful women, too! The place does occasionally attract a slumming celeb crowd: Vince Vaughn was drinking in the Idiot on a recent Thursday night. Say 'Hi' to the bar's owner, Tom, if you have the pleasure of meeting him. - C.R.

This place is out of this world! As soon as you walk in you stumble back in amazement. This place has everything you could want out of a bar. Friendly staff, a great bunch of punters. The beer is rather expensive but you do get as much monkey nuts as you can eat! If you want a quite, relaxing bar, don't come here, but if you want fun, to get drunk and eat nuts then the Village Idiot is the No. 1 place for that. - R.H.

The place is cool if your an 18 year old college student that has to chalk his i.d. and your money consists of $12.35 in nickels and dimes. Otherwise, it's a complete dump. The first time I went there it reeked of puke. Therefore, I figured someone let loose right in the bar. However, it wasn't the case. The stink of rancid vomit is a constant aroma one is graced with when visiting this establishment! Bartenders are ok, if you can get to them on a Saturday night. Due to the cheap prices for beers, the "Idiot" cannot afford a/c in the summer which makes it truly feel like a southwest Texas cattle field in the month of July. - C.J.

A loser's bar, for sure. Waitresses/Barchicks are usually hot but [not] the last time I went...The bartendresses are notoriously flirty, making the Star-Trek nerds and dirt-bag-geeks feel like attractive men for a night. If you're already drunk, go to the Idiot, otherwise its hard to stomach the place. Guaranteed wait for the unisex bathroom. There's also these creepy bouncer-guys eyeing you all night and its hard to decide whether to feel safe or afraid of them. Also, the owner circulates through the bar all night, as out of place as a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. That said, if you're the type who doesn't like to get dressed up when you go out, and can't get into any place which discriminates based on looks, this is surely the place for you. Maybe the only place. - W.W.

Nothing but cheap fun. C&W Juke - Cash, CCR, Elvis, etc., plus cheap pitchers of Coors and cans of Pabst. As good as you want it to be. Bartenders are pretty hot & wild, great butts, too.  Beware, Thursday night is NYU frat night. The place also smells like vomit when you walk in, but once you get past that, you're in for a good time. - W.M.

Let's Party. - R.P.

I guess it is a fun place if you like country music and unknown rock music. It was very laid back but unfortunately there were a lot of druggies and weird old men in there. The friendly service is the best thing about the place. - J.R.

The poster child for dive bars. Bartenders are usually drunk an hour into their shift, and that's a good thing, especially when they begin the night falling out of their clothes. Bathrooms were condemned by rats who fled during the Truman administration. - R.F.

Filthy Dump with drunk bar maids! The attempt to copy Coyote ugly is rather sad! - P.F.
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Comments - This is a great addition to the West Village.  A great place to play pool, meet people or enjoy friends' company.  The bartenders were excellent...  I'll be back. - G.M.

Good neighborhood bar by the 'drinking consultants' from Phoenix Park. Long wood bar and pool table make it look like a classic New York saloon, even though it just opened in 2001. - S.M.

Given its position in the heart of the Village, this bar makes a quiet and, some would say, welcome change from the more popular establishments not a million miles away on the Bleecker Street strip. Maybe it was quiet due to the apparent lack of air-conditioning; at least it didn't seem to be working on the night of my visit (late June 2001). Ceiling fans are all very well but I prefer hurricane-force air-con in the height of Summer. The clientele were mostly well-behaved thirty-somethings and the bar service was attentive if not particularly over-enthusiastic. - P.D.

This was the only bar that doesn't advertise itself as a sports bar that actually had the sound up for a Jets game and all the other games were muted. Usually you have to share airspace with Packer, Dolphin, etc. fans, but not here. Extremely refreshing. - M.D.
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Comments - Vintage is the perfect spot for an impromptu gathering. Going to the theatre? After-work cocktails? The staff will accommodate. A no fuss/no attitude gathering place. Also good to start off a first date -- it's not expensive, but the martinis will rev anyone's engine! - K.C.

A nice quiet, comfortable, reasonably-priced place. Includes a front room with restaurant tables and bar, very comfortable Starbucks-style lounge with sofas and coffee tables in back, and an outdoor patio behind. I liked it! - R.K.

This is a trendy bar/restaurant (more restaurant than bar) in Hell's Kitchen. It has a metallic bar-top, dining tables, and a lounge with couches and coffee tables. It has a limited beer selection but an extensive martini menu. Mellow music is piped in. It features a high ceiling with fans, good-looking bar lamps, a TV, red curtains, a nice-looking wall clock, and a large mirror behind the bar. The lighting is somewhat dim. It draws mainly tourists and theatergoers.  The prices are reasonable and the service is good. The bathrooms are adequate. -T.K.

Blah - J.D.
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Comments - Great beer selection, even better food. Good size bar area which gets crowded on Saturday nights. NYC's best bartenders, they treat the regulars (of which I am one) like royalty. - J.E.

This is a very popular restaurant. The prices are somewhat expensive ($5.50 for a pint of Coors Light) and the service is so-so. It's usually very crowded in the bar area (mostly people waiting to dine in the restaurant). The bathrooms (on the second floor) are OK, but navigating your way (through the dining room) is difficult.-T.K.

Hit Virgil's for the first time after a comedy show at Town Hall around 10:30pm [A Thursday night]. It was busy but not packed. We got two bar seats within 20 minutes and ordered beer, whiskey and BBQ immediately. Food and Drink came very quick, impressive. However the bartender wasn't in a great mood and it was obvious, no biggie. Food was AMAZING! Giant plates of BBQed meat! Biscuits slathered with gravy! Thumbs up! - F.F.
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Comments - This Mexican bar/restaurant located on "Little Brazil" seems to draw a young, after-work clientele. Well lit, it features several TVs, (one large screen), a long, dark oak wood bar, a low ceiling with fans, high-top bar tables and cocktail tables, a painted cement floor, brick walls, Mexican music (not played too loud), and miscellaneous Mexican decor. The dining area is on the second floor. Watch for happy hour specials. The female bartenders are friendly and efficient. The bathrooms (located upstairs) are adequate. - T.K.

The food is authentically Mexican, but progressive with some Caribbean & Latin American influences. The cocktail waitresses are prompt & eager to serve more tequila just as you begin to wonder what you drink. - H.M.
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Comments - This place is good if your a college brat that has daddy's money to blow on expensive drinks served in small, picnic size plastic cups. Last I checked, I'm a responsible adult that you can trust with a glass. The music is decent but the dance floor is tiny. They should really think about changing their whole "Club" theme cause this place is no more than a bar for kids. - T.R.

Comments - Very nice. I checked out Vue last week. What a great place. G.C.

If you are looking for a trendy place to spend $80 a person, snobby wait staff and an evangelist as the bathroom attendant, this is your place. After waiting for a table for an hour with a reservation and paying a $100 bar tab for 5 people we were seated in the dining room where our waiter came to tell us about the menu. The $50 prix fix was 3 courses but you could only get certain items to get all 3 courses...for instance, if you got the crab cakes as an appetizer you didn't get a salad (2nd course), you just got a main course. After ordering my sashimi tartar and chicken with garlic mashed potatoes (because I wasn't allowed a salad without paying extra) I was very unimpressed. The chicken and potatoes were good, however they were not worth $50, or even $15. And the only thing I went home with was food poisoning from the sashimi tartar. I believe this place would be fine for a club...but they should not be allowed a license for serving food. And be sure not to ask the bathroom attendant if she had a happy Halloween or she will bust out all of her Christian brochures and preach for a few minutes. - A.R.
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