Agency of Record

Most Midtown bars serving $20 cocktails are sleepy places filled with servers in bowties and commuters who’d rather not go home. For something a little more lively, try Agency Of Record. Incredibly loud and dark enough to qualify as a rave, this spacious spot from the Patent Pending team looks like an underground club with a 1950s theme. There are framed advertisements for cigarettes and whiskey on the walls, and you’ll see a DJ in the corner tinkering with a few turntables. If you’re meeting up with someone in the area, and you need a spot that isn’t boring, book a table. The cocktails are all twists on classics—try the Manhattan variation with black sesame, and the food menu has things like grilled prawns and a french onion burger.

photo credit: Agency of Record