New York City East Village

Niagara, 112 Ave. A, at corner of E. 7th St. Old soda shop meets edgy night owl nest; for example, the walls are adorned with cartoons drawn lovingly onto plastic panels with markers. Live DJs and a dance floor make this establishment only partially about drinking and all about having a good time. Commemorate your night with a picture at the in-house photo booth! Beer $5. Well drinks $6. Top shelf $9-10. Mixed drinks $10. Open daily 4pm-4am. Happy hour 4-8pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Mama's Bar, 34 Ave. B, at 3rd St. (www.mamasbarnyc.com), We are unsure of who exactly “Mama” is, but evidently she likes bright colors, well-worn, antique couches, and enormous golden frogs. Oh, and she also likes to serve cheap drinks. You can and probably should hang out with Mama, whoever she is, any night of the week. Beer from $3. Top shelf $8. Open daily 5pm-4am. Happy hour 5-8pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Ace Bar, 531 E. 5th St., between Ave. A and Ave. B (www.acebar.com), Skee ball, darts, pool, video games—It's just like when you used to go to Chuck E. Cheese's, except now you have booze. Special touches such as a giant, holographic werewolf poster, a skeleton with a witch's hat, and a collection of 106 retro lunchboxes heighten an already jocular mood. Beer from $3. Well Drinks $5-6. Open M-F 4pm-4am, Sa-Su 3pm-4am. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
McSorley's Old Ale House, 15 E. 7th St. (www.mcsorleysnewyork.com), McSorley's has been serving its ale to East Villagers since 1854, making it the oldest bar in New York State. They keep things simple here: you can have McSorley's Light or McSorley's Dark, and everyone gets two drafts for $5. A cheese plate means a plate of American or Aged Cheddar ($3 small, $4 large), and sandwiches come with ham, turkey, liverwurst, cheese, or turkey variety ($4). It may not be gourmet, but it's kept people filling wooden tables on the sawdust-covered floors seven nights a week for 156 years. Ale 2 for $5. Most Sandwiches $4. Cheese and crackers $3-4. Open M-Sa 11am-1am, Su 1pm-1am. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Cherry Tavern, 441 E. 6th St., between Ave. A and 1st Ave. At this most divey of dive bars, there are two specials: the Old Glory (shot of whiskey and a PBR, $5), and the Tijuana (shot of tequila and a Tecate beer, $5). Monday night is iPod night: you bring it, they play it. Beer $6-9. Open daily 6pm-4am. Happy Hour 6-9pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Lunasa, 126 1st Ave., between 7th St. and St. Mark's Pl. (www.lunasabar.com), Its kind of like they took a dive bar and gave it a makeover. They kept all of the cool stuff, like board games and lots of seating, but they cleaned it and put up some interesting art. And turned the lights on. The outdoor patio in the back is a great place to partake of the extensive draft and bottled selection on warm, summer nights. Drinks from $6. Open M-F 2pm-4am, Sa-Su 11am-4am. Happy Hour M-F 4-7pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Continental, 25 3rd Ave., between 8th and 9th St. A bar that allows you to multitask: improve your knowledge of classic cinema while reaching a pleasantly buzzed state on very cheap alcohol. Illuminated old movie posters starring the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Rita Hayworth grace the walls, and a subtitled film is usually projected on the back wall. Need more activities? Surf the web using free Wi-Fi or impose your musical will on the establishment at the jukebox. Beer $4-5, Mixed Drinks $6-9. Open daily 4pm-4am. Happy hour 4pm-8pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Has internet. Serves alcohol.
Easter Bloc, 505 E. 6th St., between Ave. A and Ave. B (www.easternblocnyc.com), Enter this red and black, barracks-style building and you will find yourself in a land of 1970s gay porn, animal heads, and likenesses of a certain Teletubby. A different DJ spins every night, and there are go-go dancers on the weekends. Drinks from $6. Open daily 7pm-4am. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. GLBT
Big Bar, 73 E. 7th St., between 1st and 2nd Ave. The funny thing about Big Bar is..it's actually really small. Owned by a pair of Ukrainian brothers, this tiny beaded bar with a pink glow is a favorite among locals and NYU students alike. Beer $5-7. Cocktails $11-12. Open daily 5pm-2am, F-Sa 5pm-4am, Su 5pm-2am. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Manitoba's, 99 Ave. B, between 6th and 7th St. (www.manitobas.com), Owned by “Handsome Dick” Manitoba of the 1970s pre-punk Dictators, this bar is filled with pictures of the likes of Iggy Pop, Patty Smith, and Sid Vicious. Joey Ramone gave one of his final concerts in the back corner. Drinks $3-8. Open daily 2pm-4am. Happy hour 2-8pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.