5 Of New York's Great Bar Scenes

Nicole Campoy-Leffler|May 2, 2011 12:55 pm EST

Sitting at the bar can add a whole new dimension to dining out — chatting with the bartender and fellow bar-diners can mean getting tips on what to order, where else to go in the neighborhood, and can even mean a taste test of a few libations. Especially when getting a table is tough, eating at the bar gives you the chance to try out that new place without toughing out the two-hour wait. We asked some of our most in-the-know New Yorkers for their favorite bar scenes and they came up with the following spots.