Cheetahs

If you’re a sucker for pole tricks and tattoos then Cheetahs is your Mecca, and well worth the pilgrimage from anywhere in the city. Sporting one skinny stage, a well-stocked bar and plenty of seating, this bikini bar has become a neighborhood favorite. You’re just as likely to be sitting next to a middle-aged, aspiring writer talking about how meth really helped him get over his writer’s block as you are a young hipster couple drenched in irony. The music is a great mix and always fun—hip-hop and classic rock come up often, with the occasional dubstep beat or even an indie rock jam by the Strokes. Ultimately, the real stars of Cheetahs are dancers like Breezy and Malice, who completely own the stage with their skillful performances and powerful presence (a foot-high mohawk doesn't hurt). Watching Malice on the pole is its own form of visual poetry. Sexy, sexy poetry.