The Garret (West Village)

The entrance to The Garret runs straight through the Five Guys at Bleecker and Seventh, past the registers to a staircase in back that most customers never notice. Upstairs is loft-like and low-key: tufted couches, cozy nooks, and a wall of windows over the street, closer to a friend's living room than a hidden-bar theme. Owner Gavin Moseley built the drinks list around mixed cocktails, hard liquor, beer and wine rather than a gimmick menu, and the bartenders keep the music going without over-explaining the pours. It gets loud on weekends, closer to a college bar than a quiet date spot, and reservations run through Resy.