Ray's

At Ray’s, you can be in the presence of a disco ball, and if you’re lucky, you might see a celebrity, or at the very least, a micro-influencer. The faux dive bar has been one of the sceniest spots on the Lower East Side since it opened in 2019. And this second location in Greenpoint loses nothing in translation—it looks exactly the same. Claim a curved booth in the wood-paneled space, and then have some pre-dinner drinks next to a bust of Elvis, encased in glass. Or come after dinner near McCarren Park, and grab a seat at the bar. Someone who could be distantly related to Timothée Chalamet will make your espresso martini, and on your seventh sip you might work up the courage to make a name for yourself at the pool table.

photo credit: Weston Kloefkorn