3 Best Bars in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, New York City

A barbecue-chicken joint was the previous tenant of this laid-back bar with a large patio on an industrial stretch of Atlantic Avenue—hence the name. Stake out a picnic table for a group of friends, or just hit it up as a casual date spot. There's a small menu of tacos to go with the drinks, which is good, because once you're here, you won't want to leave.

A local institution, Frank's has live jazz bands, hip-hop DJs, R&B-centric karaoke, and a crowd that joins Barclays- and BAM-goers with dapper neighborhood denizens in throwback fedoras. There's usually a cover charge weekends, but drinks are modestly priced (cash only) and immodestly potent—all the better to fortify patrons heading for the dance floor.

Tiny, candlelit, and discreet, this attitude-free cocktail den is equally suited to a romantic tryst, casual nightcap, or predinner drink while awaiting your table at Aita, the owners' Italian restaurant next door. The bar is located in a carriage house and, unlike many other watering holes in the neighborhood, usually stays open until 2 or 3 am.