Located at 28 Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan’s West Village, Virgola is a long, narrow, cozy wine bar that seats at most 20 patrons at once.  With mostly tables of two, with a couple of tables that seat 4-5, Virgola offers 12 wines by the glass and 15 by the bottle (all glass wines are also available by bottle) and three bottled beers.  Limited food menu includes three types of oysters, meat/cheese offerings and a few specials like shrimp cocktail.  Even though the place is small, no reservations are available, unless you have a party of four.  The place opens daily at 5pm, so we recommend getting there at 5:05pm!

Located at 4476 Broadway near 191^st Street at the northern edge of Washington Heights, Buddha Beer Bar, with its 26 beer taps, most likely offers the largest draught beer selection of any bar in the northern tip of Manhattan.  Budda Beer Bar is fairly spacious, with a mix of hi and low rise tables scattered throughout the space.  The food offerings encompass a mix of bar food, pizzas and Mexican fare.  We look forward to returning here.

Located at 2130 Broadway (between 74^th and 75^th Streets) in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Beacon Bar is to the right of the lobby of the Beacon Hotel.  During our visit at happy hour, the space had a laid back, but upscale feel to it.  We did spot not-in-use velvet ropes near the entrance, so later at night, Beacon Bar probably plays the ‘velvet rope’ game, which is a bit rare for this part of town.  Aside from the physical bar, the space is filled with mostly two-seat tables and lounge-style seating.  Three draught beers and another dozen bottled beers are offered; wine and cocktails are also available.

Located at 123 Allen Street in Manhattan’s LES, Antler Beer & Wine Dispensary is a beer/wine only spot located just north of the Allen & Delancey Street intersection.  A few steps down from street level is the long and narrow spot with a bar in front and a seating area in the back offering assorted styles of seating.  Seven tap beers, two tap wines and 12 glasses of wine are available.  For food, a small selection of wine bar-type snacks including chacuterie is available.  Antler is worth a visit next time you’re on the Lower East Side.

Located at 180 West Street in the northwestern edge of Greenpoint, Achilles Heel is part café/part bar.  From the outside (see first photo below), this address feels as though it’s been a bar for decades, with Achilles Heel being the most recent incarnation.  It’s out of the way, but worth your while.  Cocktails, friendly staff and laid-back feel.  Next time we’re in that section of Greenpoint, we will return to Achilles Heel.

Located at 106-11 71^st Avenue in Queens, Forest Hills Station House is a combo sports bar & beer / whiskey bar located just north of the elevated Long Island Railroad Forest Hills stop.  Half the space is taken up by the bar area.  On either side of the bar area is seating offering two-person high-top tables.  For beer, the offerings include 16 taps with a mix of NY regional beers and some craft brews from other parts of the U.S.  The spot is not too spacious and has sort of a Manhattan or Brooklyn feel to it.  Either way, something different for Forest Hills.  Another beer bar or two in this nabe and we’ll have the makings of Forest Hills NYC craft-beer crawl.