The innovative and sometimes quirky drinks of The Wayland have catapulted the renovated dive bar into the latest cocktail mecca of the East Village. Chef/co-owner Robert Ceraso has come up with a great selection of shareable plates for his partner Jason Mendenhall's libations. More

The basement space at the corner of Broadway and Bleecker has taken many forms throughout its existence, but perhaps none as interesting as its original: a mid-19th century hangout for America's original bohemians. Charles Pfaff's beer cellar was long a waterhole for a group of literary thinkers such as Walt Whitman and Henry Clapp Jr., who were promoting such radical ideas as abolitionism during the Civil War era. (Gives a whole new meaning to "countercultural," doesn't it?) More

This restaurant is more sweet than spice. With its decor and dishes steeped in innocent American domesticity, Sage General Store is best for: a date with someone you'd like to hold hands with. More

Much like its sister bar Royale in the East Village, the recently opened Williams & Bailey successfully toes the line between posh and pedestrian, balancing between pseudo-speakeasy (think faux tin ceilings and fancy whiskeys) and local watering hole (think $3 beers and Giants games on the big screen). More

With rows and rows of heavy wooden picnic tables and a full outdoor barbecue setup that includes a grill and smoker, Greenpoint's t.b.d. is Destination Summer. Easily accessible by East River Ferry or a short bike ride from the Williamsburg Bridge, the expansive bar and beer garden boasts the "biggest, baddest backyard in Brooklyn." More

What used to be a private commissary to the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios has been recently transformed into the Astor Room, a traditional American supper club complete with the long marble bar and baby grand piano. With a hint of imagination, it's easy to picture hobnobbing with the movie stars who once used to wander the halls, from Gary Grant to Woody Allen and everyone in between. More

On Grand Street's restaurant row in Williamsburg, Walter Foods has the dimly-lit charm of a speakeasy. And though it's a damned fine place to get a nightcap, it's the gentlemanly grub that warrants a twilight visit. More

Danny Meyer's newest venture, a cafe for the Whitney called Untitled, takes the coffee shop of the '60s as its inspiration but manages to incorporate what's best about most of Meyer's operations: locally sourced, seasonally fresh fare, prepared by talented hands and offered at reasonable prices. More

'Tis the end of the school year. So, in that spirit, we'd assign the risotto an A, the sliders a B, the octopus a C+, and the spaghetti an A+, for an overall 3.4 FPA (flavor point average). A few glasses of wine, a few dishes, and you might feel up for a walk around Gantry Plaza State Park or the graffiti mecca that is 5 Pointz, both 100% Queens. LIC Market is best for: a date with interborough connotations. More

The brilliantly sourced American whiskeys and Charles Bukowski-inspired stylings of nightlife wunderkind Alla Lapushchik—a Death & Co. founding member at the pre-legal age of 19—are already enough of a draw to her new bar Post Office, but it's the brash yet simple cooking of chef Sam Glinn (Brooklyn Star, Momofuku Ssam Bar) that will have you coming back again and again. More