Brandy Library

This bar, hiddden in Tribeca, conceals the most amazing selection of spirits you'll ever see. And see you shall: The hundreds of bottles are placed on shelves all around the tables, waiting for the waiters wearing snifter-shaped cuff-links and waitresses wearing cognag-colored dresses to climb on the library ladders to grab the top shelf stuff. The lack of a velvet rope at the door and attitude inside make this swanky lounge different than most others in Manhattan. The music, jazz from all eras and places, is also a refreshing break from the generic electronic beats that you hear everywhere downtown. The prices however are just as high ($13 for cocktails and up to a few hundreds for the very old single malts and brandies). It's a civilized place during the week but it gets crowded on weekends. Either way it's always very jazzy and hip.