"It’s easy to mistake this dive bar for a shuttered downtown business. But inside the barred windows and unassuming entrance, Manhattan Cafe is a charmingly eclectic cocktail paradise that fills with more locals than students (likely thanks to a strict no-fake ID policy). The mood is foreclosed-storage-unit-chic with antique dolls hanging from the ceiling and threadbare couches held together by sheer willpower. And it’s the only bar we’ve been to where it’s quite normal to read a book by lamplight and drink solo—there's also unlimited free popcorn. They make great classic cocktails, like the gimlet and moscow mule, and a silky-sweet espresso martini that’s rightfully the talk of town. photo credit: Sarah Newman" - Delaney Tarr