Birthday bars

Brooklyn Bowl

Photograph: Lizz Kuehl

The Ding Dong Lounge
A friend invited us to her party here and earned the nickname “Ding Dong” forever. But in the end, the joke was on us—she had cooler taste than we thought. It’s the sister spot of an Australian rock bar, and it rules, with live bands and a beer and a shot for a rocking $6. 929 Columbus Ave between 105th and 106th Sts (212-663-2600, dingdonglounge.com). Daily 4pm–4am.

Brooklyn Brewery
A bit generic, yes, but this brand-name hangout is perfect for an after-work bash. Arrive here early on a Friday (starting at 6pm), push a few picnic tables together and get your beer tokens—seven for $20. Then you’ll be way done by 11pm, when the place closes. 79 North 11th St at Wythe Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-486-7422, brooklynbrewery.com). Fri 6–11pm; Sat, Sun noon–6pm.

Chuck E. Cheese’s
For $17 per hipster, you get a decorated table, two slices of pizza each, free refills on soda, 16 game tokens each, a special show from Chuck E. and his pals—and, for the birthday mouse, a souvenir cup and crown! Sorry, lushes, no booze. 34-19 48th St at Northern Blvd, Long Island City, Queens (718-728-3600). For other locations, go to chuckecheese.com.

Musical Box
Now that the opening buzz has died down, you and your friends can find some space to party in the high-ceilinged back room, or just lounge on the well-worn sofas and shoot some pool. 219 Ave B between 13th and 14th Sts (212-254-1731). Daily 7:30pm–4am.

d.b.a.
As you get older, you become more of a connoisseur (hopefully), but you still want to get drunk. Satisfy both sides with the extensive selection of top-notch booze at d.b.a. It carries 250 brews from around the globe, a well-curated selection of single malts and a long list of tequilas. You pay for quality, but your friends are buying. There’s also an open-all-year covered garden in the East Village location, so winter babies can have the alfresco party they always dreamed of. On Monday nights at 7pm, at the Williamsburg offshoot, there are free tastings with owner Ray Deter. Don’t want to share? Deter can put together a private tasting for you, like Single-Malt Scotch 101 ($50–$75 per person). 41 First Ave between 2nd and 3rd Sts (212-475-5097, drinkgoodstuff.com) • 113 North 7th St between Berry St and Wythe Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-218-6006) • Daily 1pm–4am

Barcade
Boasting more than 20 classic arcade machines, like Ms. Pac-Man, Frogger, Tapper and Robotron:2084, at old-school prices (just a quarter), you can finally try to beat your '80s high score, except this time you’ll be contending with the effects of 25 microbrews. 388 Union Ave at Ainslie St (718-302-6464, barcadebrooklyn.com). Mon–Fri 5pm–4am; Sat, Sun 2pm–4am.

Rusty Knot
Can’t decide on the perfect spot? Rusty Knot’s two places in one: elaborate cocktails, but in a kitschy, nautical dive-bar setting. Sup on liquor in tiki glasses, like the eponymous Rusty Knot: a refreshing, blender-whirred slushie of rum, ice and mint. Or go cheap with a Busch beer and pretzel dog for just $5. 425 West St at 11th St (212-645-5668). Daily noon–4am.

Planet Rose
"Each one of our bartenders sings,” says co-owner Dave Peña, and you can too at this two-bucks-a-song karaoke lounge. Each drink slinger also has a slightly different take on the bar’s signature Planet Rose cocktail, but they all mix ’em strong. The singles scene is a bit cliquey, but park yourself on the zebra-striped wraparound couches and you might just get a birthday kiss. 219 Ave A between 13th and 14th Sts (212-353-9500, planetrosenyc.com). Tue–Thu 8pm–4am; Fri, Sat 7pm–4am; Sun 6pm–4am.
For more places where you can stretch your golden cords, check out the best karaoke bars in NYC.

Beauty Bar
If you haven’t got time for pampering and boozing on your big day, combine the two at this salon-turned-saloon, where a martini and a manicure cost a mere $10. (Manhattan: Mon–Fri 6–11pm; Sat, Sun 7–11pm. Brooklyn: Wed-Fri 7-11pm, Sat 9pm-midnight. Call ahead for parties of six or more.) Now that you’re looking fresh, roll back the years dancing to the nightly Djs, or chuckle with a regular comedy night on Sundays at the East Village location. Beauty Bar New York: 231 E 14th St between Second and Third Aves (212-539-1389, beautybar.com). Mon–Fri 5pm–4am; Sat, Sun 7pm–4am; Beauty Bar Brooklyn: 921 Broadway at Melrose St, Bushwick, Brooklyn (347-529-0370). Daily 6pm–4am.

Alligator Lounge
If you hanker for your college days, spend a night with beer, free pizza, a killer jukebox and Big Buck Hunter. The pizza is authentically cooked in a wood-burning oven for a deliciously crispy base, and you get a personal-sized pizza with every drink. Though with pitchers of Rheingold only $10, your stomach will soon be begging you to stop. 600 Metropolitan Ave between Leonard and Lorimer Sts, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-599-4440). Daily 3pm-4am.

Blue Owl
The lights are low, the patrons well-heeled and the drinks properly stiff. Stake out one of the stylish pressed-tin tables and sip a proprietary Blue Owl—a sultry mix of Miller’s gin, maraschino liqueur and fresh lemon juice. During cocktail hour between 5 and 8pm Monday through Friday, many drink selections are only $6, while early birds on Wednesdays are treated to free libations between 5 and 6pm. 196 Second Ave between 12th and 13th Sts (212-505-2583, blueowlnyc.com). Mon, Tue, Sun 5pm–2am; Wed–Sat 5pm–4am.

M1-5
This huge, red-walled hangout welcomes a diverse crowd, if by diverse you mean suited brokers and baby-faced indie screenwriters, but it’ll certainly welcome you and your friends. There’s enough space to reliably snag a table, M1-5 can provide catering, and there are nearly always half-price drinks (Mon–Wed 4pm–midnight; Thu, Fri 4–10pm; Sat 8–10pm). More importantly, the drinks are stiff. 52 Walker St between Broadway and Church St (212-965-1701, m1-5.com). Mon–Fri 4pm–4am; Sat 7pm–4am.

Brooklyn Bowl
Round up your posse and put your name down for a lane. While you wait, sink into the luxe Chesterfield sofas, down Brooklyn brews like Sixpoint and chow down on Blue Ribbon’s scrumptious stoner food. It won’t matter if the booze has made your group rowdy by the time you bowl—no one will be able to notice over the deafening hipster-rock soundtrack. 61 Wythe Ave between North 11th and 12th Sts, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-963-3369, brooklynbowl.com). Mon–Thu 6pm–2am, Fri 6pm–4am, Sat noon–4am, Sun noon–2am.