White Star, New York

White Star-- Sasha Petraske can often be spotted behind the bar at the latest addition to his mini-empire, which is enough of an incentive for us to go on a regular basis. But unlike his other dim, railroaded spots, there is no table service and the focus is on absinthe and other mixer-free spirits. Still, don’t judge this slim, wood-clad joint by its size, but by the quality of the signature cocktails and the famous house absinth, both of which attract the crowd that is not afraid to spend significant chunks of their precious paychecks while swarming around the marble-top bar. This is without a doubt one of the best bars in NYC.