Best of New York 2012 • Fun

• Pollo

  Pulqueria, 11 Doyers St., nr. Bowery; 212-227-3099

  When the brother-sister duo behind Apotheke opened an Aztec-inspired lounge last September, it was reasonable to expect creative cocktails and haute Mexican street food. But a great party? On a Monday night? Pollo, which takes place every other week, has resurrected New York nightlife for the adventure seeker. Instead of walking into yet another posh Soho hotel, you wind down Doyers Street, descend into a subterranean den, and imbibe a mysterious elixir called pulque—tequila’s wilder cousin—which gets served in a mug ($6) or in curados with fresh fruits and vegetables ($12). There’s no sphinxlike doorman (yet, at least) and no cover, but the crowd still feels stylishly selected—a mix of freelance creatives who arrive en masse around eleven to dance all night to a throwback mix of electro­pop and eighties underground.

From the 2012 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine