Debbie's

We love Dutch Kills—the problem is that everyone else does, too. The Long Island City cocktail destination has a tendency to get crowded. Enter Debbie’s, a bar within a bar tucked away upstairs. It’s a welcome expansion, provided you don’t mind jockeying for elbow room with a ghost.

Named for the spirit who supposedly haunts the building, Debbie’s is cozier than its downstairs counterpart, with exposed wood beams and a regular Thursday-to-Sunday schedule of live music and DJs. The most important thing to know is that you can order drinks off the same excellent cocktail menu—we’re partial to the Electric Avenue, an intersection of bourbon, calvados, grenadine, and cinnamon—served with the same S-tier, famously crystal-clear ice. Don’t forget to raise a toast to the lady of the house.

photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick