"If you’ve ever looked down at your drink and realized you can see your coaster right through the ice, you can thank this Long Island City bar: It’s been at the forefront of the clear-ice movement since opening in 2009. But while Dutch Kills now supplies the see-through stuff to other places via its own ice company, it’s so dark inside this long, memorabilia-filled bar that you'll barely be able to make out the color of your drink, let alone what's in it. That hardly matters though: the house cocktails are stiff, perfectly balanced, and discounted during Happy Hour. The seasonal drinks are great too—we’d recommend starting with anything whiskey-based. Sit in a booth with friends, or at the back bar if you’re solo, and order a sandwich when you need a bite." - bryan kim, neha talreja, sonal shah, willa moore, will hartman