Remember those long afternoons after school when you would spend hours playing Pacman and pinball? Local arcades used to be the scene for junior high kids who didn't want to go home, but New York has stepped up the game with arcade bars. Whoever thought of combining liquor and beer with Moon Patrol and Frogger?

Rather than watching Monday night football or shooting pool with your friends, get in touch with your inner geek. You'll be surprised by how much arcade games have progressed in the last ten years, and this is a great way to enjoy local mixology in a laidback setting.

Take Barcade on Union Avenue, for example. This arcade bar offers Happy Hour from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. every day of the week, and more than 30 arcade games are yours for the choosing. From Donkey Kong to Centipede, the contents of your piggy bank will spend itself here.

Also popular is Ace Bar, where pinball and shuffleboard are the cornerstones of happy hour. Kick back with a VeeV cocktail or your favorite beer and pretend you're back in high school with your buddies.

Of course, if arcade games aren't your style, you can always go with the traditional shuffleboard and pool bars that combine urban grit with refreshing hospitality. Bleeker Street bar and The Diamond on Franklin Street are just a couple of your best options.

Arcade bars are taking New York by storm, and the best news is that there isn't a waiting list. Forget the trendy nightlife hotspots that require a celebrity friend to get in; instead, get back to your inner geek and let yourself be a nerd for the night.

And don't forget your computer. A laptop under your arm will only solidify your membership to this geeky club.

Sources:
www.Barcadebrooklyn.com
www.acebar.com

Written by Steve Thompson

To paraphrase President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the end of Prohibition, what lower Manhattan needs now is a drink.

In these uncertain financial times, New York's Financial District has never been more in need of a happy hour. And a pretty terrific place to spend that hour is New York's world-famous South Street Seaport.

The South Street Seaport is an ideal venue to kick back and relax after a hard day watching the markets. This local New York scene boasts several great bars and restaurants, where you can enjoy delicious bar drinks, including eco-friendly products like VeeV.

If you enjoy a familiar Irish pub feel, you can check out the Heartland Brewery and Beer Hall in the Historic Cobblestone District or MacMenamin's Irish Pub on the third floor of the Pier 17 Building.

If you crave a casual bite to eat with your cocktail, head over to the Seaport Café or J.P. Mustard. For a more formal dining experience, pay a visit to Sequoia, Cabana, Red or the Pacific Grill. Whatever your tastes, the South Street Seaport offers a restaurant with a full-service bar that will cater to them.

Local bars in downtown Manhattan boast diverse crowds of revelers, and the South Street Seaport is no exception. Whether you are in the mood for a relaxing meal overlooking the water or a casual cocktail while watching the big game on a television over the bar, the South Street Seaport is bound to come through.

The South Street Seaport also offers a variety of shops and some stellar views. So check out the local scene in lower Manhattan during happy hour after work.

Written by Jack Oceano

If you're looking for the perfect bar for a date in New York City, surprisingly you don't have to look farther than the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has several bars and is open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Balcony Bar is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. and serves finger foods as well as beer, wine, liquor and a good assortment of mixed drinks. In addition to traditional cocktails the Balcony Bar offers a number of martini-style drinks. These include both a refreshing apple martini that avoids the cliched and not very good sour apple mix, a pomegranate martini that looks like a cosmopolitan but is considerably more bitter and a blueberry martini made with lillet. Their traditional mojitos are also quite good, although the sangria leaves a lot to be desired. Cocktails run about $10.

The Balcony Bar is a decidedly romantic spot with low lighting and live classical music. What makes it a great choice is that it's as casual or as fancy as you'd like, with patrons showing up in everything from jeans to elegant dresses before a night on the town. It definitely makes a great first stop of the night.

Other bar options at the Metropolitan Museum of Art are the Rooftop Bar and Cafe, which is only open weather permitting. In addition to fruity martinis and finger food, the Rooftop Bar also offers a selection of frozen drinks and is a more appropriate venue for a group of friends than the Balcony Bar, which isn't good for groups both due to space limitations and atmosphere.

Finally, the Petrie Court Cafe and Wine Bar offers a full menu in addition to elegant snack foods and desserts and boasts an extensive wine list both by the glass and the bottle. While mixed drinks are available here, they are not featured, so don't expect anything unique. The bar is open until 10:30 p.m., but the last seating for dinner is at 8:30.

For information on all the drinking and dining options at the museum, visit their Web site.

Written by Racheline Maltese