Saloon

A cabaret license distinguishes this otherwise unremarkable night spot. The long varnished bars, chintzy high-backed stools, rickety tables, and plasma TVs suggest interior design by Pubs-R-Us as do the tin ceilings and exposed brick walls. Thankfully, the dance floor at this two-room hangout is big by Manhattan standards—about the size of an East Village bar. As a result, Saloon attracts a serious dance crowd, especially on nights devoted to West Coast swing. The mixed crowd of lindy hoppers range in age from 18 to 70—quite a departure from Saloon's usual 20-something crowd. When it's not bringing in the hep cats, the bar reverts to its blander alter ego as a place to drink Bud, scan the meat market, and grind to top-40 hits and tribute bands.