New York's Best Hookup Spot 2008

This spacious Union Square bar caters to under- and post-graduates looking to party on any given night of the week.

Reviews:

• “Best Bday Place in City, PERIOD”
• “Best Time”
• “Ruins Birthdays”
• “Great Birthday Spot!”
• “Favorite Bar”

Tips: Sip $4 beers, $5 well drinks and $5 bloody marys while watching the game on one of Forum’s flat-screen TVs every day until 8pm.

Forum

An underground parlor playing on high society, from the classy-trashy brothers Martignetti.

Reviews:

• “pathetic”
• “Good Stuff”

Tips: The pan-European restaurant upstairs, Bar Martignetti, serves up moules frites, steak tartare and more to barflies until 2am.

Bella’s

This inconspicuous bar’s polished vibe and lofted smoking atrium up the Williamsburg nightlife ante.

Reviews:

• “Rude Staff!!!”
• “Down the tubes goes another Burg staple.”
• “My new favorite bar”
• “Great for Birthday Parties!”
• “BROOKLYN LOST THE DODGERS NOW ITS SOUL…”

Tips: For a novel experience, head down the block to the 24-hour City Reliquary on the corner of Grand and Havemeyer streets, with its window collection of New York City memorabilia. Push the button for an audio guide.

Larry Lawrence

A brothel-turned-bar brightens the Chinatown lounge scene.

Reviews:

• “Big Fun”
• “Great customer service”
• “great place for bday parties”
• “Fun Friday Night Birthday Party”
• “Best birthday ever!”

Tips: Owners Peter Kane and Oliver Pihlar also masterminded Double Happiness.

Happy Ending or email Happy Ending

A Mardi Gras-styled house of booze.

Reviews:

• “Worthless Bar, Very worthless staff”
• “Friendly Environment – Hot Bartender”
• “Fun Bar”
• “HOT Bartenders, Beer Pong, Good Prices”
• “worst ever”

Tips: There are specials practically every night, such as $3 Bud Light drafts and well drinks on Fridays 11pm until midnight. All Thursday night, ladies are offered $1 Bud Light drafts and $3 well drinks.

The Big Easy or email The Big Easy

Lab-experiment drinks and a fireplace at the East Village’s coziest low-profile watering hole.

Reviews:

• “Great place”
• “happy hour…”
• “Love KeyBar!!”
• “Great bar but the service…”
• “BEST HAPPY HOUR IN NYC”

Tips: All drinks are 2 for 1 until 10pm every day.

KeyBar or email KeyBar

A neighborhood crowd gets cozy at this mainstream East Village boozin’ spot.

Reviews:

• “Great music on Fridays”
• “Awful”
• “SO not recommended.”
• “Great place for a fun night out!”
• “Plan B- my lovely E. Village Lounge”

Tips: Menu items from the Italian restaurant next door are available for snacking.

Plan B or email Plan B

Where collegiates and recent grads keep the good ol’ days raging on the Upper East Side.

Reviews:

• “Where Preppys go to party!”
• “Best Manhattan Bar”
• “Hotest Girls on the UES!!!!!!!!”
• “Shameful”
• “I must’ve lived a bad life, because I died and went to yuppie hell!”

Tips: Guests can rent out the room in the back for private parties.

Dorrian’s Red Hand Restaurant or email Dorrian’s Red Hand Restaurant

A Lower East Side sensibility prevails at this sexy but low-key spot.

Reviews:

• “One of the best nights I’ve had in a long time.”
• “Great for hanging out, good atmosphere, a little cramped for dancing”
• “One word: awful”
• “Two different but good experiences”
• “A seedy joint with a r&r vibe.”

Tips: You’ll need to arrive well before midnight to nab a banquette.

Dark Room

Spontaneous cocktails make a cool splash.

Reviews:

• “Veru rude bouncer and terrible bartenders”
• “Avoid, Crowds, Terrible bartender”
• “Pretty much the epitome of people mixed feelings about W.burg”
• “big, big yard”
• “wow, does everyone but management know how bad the bouncers are?”

Tips: This is one of the few city’s few spots where you can find a photo booth.

Union Pool