BRASS MONKEY

The dim space of Brass Monkey (featuring bare-brick walls and small wooden tables) might look like your run-of-the-mill watering hole, but it’s an undercover NYC hotspot featuring 75 brands of imported beer.

55 Little West 12th Street      (212) 675-6686

HEARTLAND BREWERY

A really great beer selection is not the easiest thing to find in wine-savvy Manhattan, but Heartland offers a dazzling choice of home-brewed liquid delicacies.

127 West 43rd Street      (646) 366-0235

LA ESQUINA

The spirit of film noir lives forever on the silent streets of Soho. The long, polished bar of La Esquina harkens back to the rustic joints of the 1940s. Serves food till the AM.

106 Kenmare Street      (646) 613-7100

LA ZARZA

The exposed brick walls are contrasted against small, dark-wood tables with tiny candles that add flickering shades to the generally romantic décor, creating an utterly cozy ambience.

166 1st Avenue      (212) 477-1111

McSORLEY'S

Even the center of the nightlife cheese-scene, the East Village, hides several genuine gems frequented by the beer-thirsty locals rather than the tourist crowd. McSorley’s Old Ale House offers large pints of multiple drafts with no attitude in sight.

15 East 7th Street      (212) 473-9148

STANTON PUBLIC

The Lower East Side still has some nightlife surprises up its sleeve. One of them is Stanton Public, a bar sitting far enough from the city’s mainstays to become the secret gem of celebs.

17 Stanton Street      (212) 677-5555

SUTTON PLACE

With three floors and four bars, Sutton Place balances on the verge of the club side, but misses the attitude of the more snazzy places.

1015 Second Avenue      (212) 207-3777

VILLAGE POURHOUSE

The rustic nature of the name finds its perfect reflection in the décor and ambience of this friendly East Village bar. The old-school, chunky oak bar creates the best environment for sipping one of their many drafts.

64 Third Avenue      (212) 979-2337

VILLAGE TAVERN

Village Tavern offers the attributes of a good sports bar—multiple screens and huge amounts of affordable draft beer. Of course, if you care about other things, they also feature a surprisingly elaborate list of bourbons and scotches.

46 Bedford Street      (212) 741-1935

THE CARNEGIE CLUB

The huge space with a snazzy mezzanine and glitz worthy of the hottest nightclubs is only one of The Carnegie Club’s advantages; another being cigars. No wonder it’s hard to find an empty spot inside.

156 West 56th Street, #2      (212) 957-9676