This is not the easiest bar to find, nor is it especially convenient. It’s about the size of a Midtown studio apartment, which is small and more than 15 people is a crowd. It doesn’t even open until 9pm, and the address is misleading. But once you’ve found the badly signed stairway and squeezed into this tiny hole-in-the-wall spot, you’ll find yourself in love, and not just for today.

Dimly lit, this is the smallest venture from Jesse Malin and probably the sexiest. With lots of candles, leather booths and a dark wooden bar top, not to mention the charming bartenders to match, who know their stuff. We had an Astral Plane (lemon, herbs de Provence, syrup, gin, and Champagne), which really took us to another level.

Weekends can get pretty busy and mega loud - basements aren't the best for acoustics – so hit it up midweek. The crowd tends to be local; plenty of arty types in their leather and Converse uniforms. But even though it feels and sounds like it should be pretentious, trust us on this one, everyone’s just after a good time.