The pub masters behind neighborhood bars Lord Hobo in Cambridge, Mass., and the original Alewife in Baltimore have opened their latest venture, Alewife Queens, located in the residential recesses of Long Island City. The bar is one of their most ambitious yet, with nearly 30 beers on tap and dozens more by the bottle in labels that will delight even the most experienced beer aficionados. (How often do you see the Belgian Drie Fonteinen or Swedish Dugges around these parts?) 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

Forget the cheeseburger macaroni or the mac and cheese burger with the bizarre pasta-beef patty. Combining two of America's most classic bar dishes should be as easy and delicious as the version at reBar, one of DUMBO's most beloved gastropubs and event spaces. The premise is simple. Take one thick sirloin beef patty and cook to a juicy medium rare. Pile on gooey no-frills mac and cheese. Top with bun. Squish. Eat. More

The guys who brought the late-night pub grub of Wilfie & Nell to the West Village followed that act in 2009 with the similarly minded Sweet Afton, which has quickly become one of the most popular bars in Astoria. The pretense is the same here as it is in the West Village—there is none. Just solid drinks and simple locally sourced food, all shared in a room full of friendly, laughing souls. More