Ashlea says:
Brooklyn may be the best borough for hard drinkin', but you won't find a lick of slurry-word tomfoolery at this sophisticated watering hole. It's black and burgundy, cozy and private, rarely crowded, and armed with a seasonal menu that lives to tempt (smoked trout, Welsh rarebit and an effortless cheese plate with the fattest grapes you've ever seen!).

Ally Millar, online advertising coordinator
I like Life Café in Bushwick for daytime drinking fests (e.g., brunch). You can get a lot of bang for your buck by ordering the "manmosas," which are mimosas in pint glasses (and the bar staff is usually pretty liberal with the champagne pour). The food is also good and the menu has a lot of vegetarian-vegan options—in case you're with people who actually insist on eating during brunch.

I also feel like I'm stuck at Subway Bar in Williamsburg way more often than I should be. It's a dive that's always basically empty (despite being literally on top of the Lorimer L stop). Attractions are that it's cheap, has a pool table and looks the other way pretty much 24/7 when it comes to indoors smoking.

David Cote, Theater editor
Druids on Tenth Avenue is a pretty good hangout—good sirloin burgers. The place can get packed with a mix of locals and actors from the various theaters around the area (Ensemble Studio Theatre, Irish Arts Center, New World Stages). There's a nice garden in back when the weather gets better.

Down the street, Perdition rides the line between touristy and cool-local; although it can fill up with luxury-condo-renting douche bags on the weekends, it's a serviceable location for an early weeknight drink. It has decent beer and pub-grub selection, and in the back there are some semienclosed rooms that are good for hanging out in.

Nicole LaMoreaux, assistant to the publisher
One of the places that I tend to go is the Four-Faced Liar. It’s a place where you can instantly feel welcome. Low-key yet fun, it offers such amenities as a jukebox, a foosball table and board games. Overall it's just a nice place to come with friends and enjoy!

Michael Freidson, editor-in-chief
You've walked by it a dozen times—it's right next to Madame X—but you may have missed the Zinc Bar. And they probably like it that way. Underground and through a velvet curtain, the joint's divided in two: the supernarrow front room, packed on Saturday night, shouldn't be able to fit an entire jazz band—but does. Order a drink, enjoy a number and then edge your way to the back, where the second, larger space features padded booths and table service. There, your date will make out with you for being so cool.

Clare Lambe, senior associate features editor
Without a doubt, Billymark’s West is my favorite bar in the city. Yes, it’s a dive, but it’s a classy dive. There's a genius jukebox; no-nonsense drinks (order a Hypnotiq and you’ll likely be asked to leave); bleachy-clean toilets; and a friendly crowd of postal workers, FIT students, Chelsea art scenesters and rogue TONY staffers. But Mark, the owner-barkeep, is the real reason I keep going back: He’s got the wittiest banter and unbeatable music taste, and he cranks up the volume when he likes your jukebox picks. (Stay long and he’ll likely throw a shot your way.) Just don’t play Snow Patrol is all.

Noelle Stout, account manager
Yeah right! I'm not letting you blow up my favorite spots, but since the word is out on Lit Lounge, I can tell you about that. They always have weird bands playing downstairs, like three guys and their Casio, but it's always danceable. There’s also an art gallery in the back of the place.

Atsuhiro Saisho, designer
Turkey's Nest in Williamsburg or Jeremy's Ale House by the South Street Seaport, for their 32-ounce Styrofoam cups of brew.

Spuyten Duyvil for Hitachino White Ale, and all other great-tasting beers. There are also seasonal beers on tap, and it's across the street from Fette Sau (which has the same owners).

Lost & Found in Greenpoint, for little rock shows and free veggie hot dogs.

Loreley in LES-Chinatown, for German beers and brats.

Shaina Park, classified account manager
Grace is an awesome spot in Tribeca. It boasts a really long bar that can accommodate large groups, and you can usually find a seat. The drinks are strong, and the kitchen serves delicious food until 3am! It is not a shock for me to look down at my watch to find my friends and I have been hunkered down at this bar for more than eight hours.

Brooklyn Social is a small Carroll Gardens bar that draws quite a few regulars from the neighborhood, which means you see a lot of familiar faces. The aesthetic is really cozy, the drinks are made to perfection, and there is a pool table in the back room. Just remember: it's cash only.

Amy Plitt, editorial coordinator
I have two favorite spots: Commonwealth in Park Slope, and Bar Sepia in Prospect Heights. Commonwealth has an amazing jukebox full of indie and classic rock, plus cheap beer and a refreshing laid-back vibe. Sepia is also very low-key, with a backyard, board games (including Scrabble and Brooklyn-opoly) and a very, very generous pour.

Peter Chiu, subscriptions manager
I love Rudy's right near the TONY office on Ninth Avenue. It's the only place left where I find a trace of what New York was like 30 years ago. It's hanging by a thread but somehow manages to keep its dive-bar status.

Jason Trobman, online developer
I enjoy Revival on 15th Street. The benches in the garden out back provide incredible drinking scenery. On rainy days you can settle into the giant comfy couches upstairs. The music rocks; the wheat beer is delicious (I think it’s called Widmer—I just ask for the W beer), and they have two toilets.

Drew Toal, assistant editor
Harefield Road on Metropolitan Avenue was new when I moved to the Williamsburg area, so I've always kind of identified with it. There are always people in there, but it's never too crowded. It has pleasant dark lighting, wood floors and tables, and a small area out back for springtime lounging, drinking and smoking. It's right off the Graham stop on the L.

Shauna Cagan, production coordinator
Bar Sepia consistently has just what you’re looking for in a neighborhood bar: a friendly vibe, yummy spiced cider (in the winter), cozy decor and exactly the right amount of people for a fun but laid-back time. It's a perfect place to go when you just want to have a drink with friends and not get crowded out or be subjected to some crappy DJ.

T.J. Carlin, art writer
I love Iona at Bedford and Grand—especially in the summer, when the back terrace is packed with Ping-Pong hopefuls teetering on tree stumps and rotting wooden benches. It’s actually a real Irish bar, and for some reason it’s not as hipstery as it could be.