When the late Sasha Petraske took Milk & Honey to the Flatiron, ace bartenders Sam Ross & Michael McIlroy stayed behind, and opened up Attaboy in its former space on Eldridge Street in the Lower East Side near Chinatown. (The unmarked entrance looks the same, except for the sign with a large "A" shining through the faux-tailors-shop window.) Buzz the door and wait patiently; eventually, depending on the waitlist, you'll get to experience one of the world's best bars, a bar with real substance. Attaboy has no reservations - just like a proper bar should be.

With its tin ceiling, bare brick walls and items on the back bar relics from the museum of bartending past, much about the place is little changed since the old Milk & Honey days, and its vintage lived-in look adds to this bar's appeal. Intimacy is ensured by the long, narrow, corridor-like space, housing a bar seating ten with three booth spaces beyond - 30 is a crowd at Attaboy.