The Ritz Bar and Lounge

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Anchoring Restaurant Row’s brimming sink of sudsy gay bars and post-theater eateries, this nautical-themed spot keeps the Brooks Brothers crowd afloat with a half-price happy hour before reeling in a younger set to its boogie-friendly back room. The clashing cavalcade of porch lanterns and stone Buddhas may feel like Applebee’s answer to Bungalow 8, but the wall-to-wall couches at least encourage semi-horizontal cruising. When it does get unbearably congested on weekends, the upstairs captain’s quarters—a dark, clubby space with a large model schooner near the bar—is your best option except during warmer weather when the wedge-shaped outdoor deck holds sway. — Darren Frei