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Past the bouncer and down a black staircase 32 feet below ground is Paris‘s most buzzed-about semi-private club, Le Silencio. Housed where Molière was allegedly buried and Zola printed “J’accuse”, it’s of little surprise that the enigmatic director David Lynch would select the location for his louche lounge-cum-entertainment space, which he designed (expect gold-leaf walls, raw wood cladding, bespoke neo-1950’s furniture) - mere steps into the labyrinthine halls and you’ve entered the entrails of another world, one that evidently takes cues from Lynch’s art. Before midnight, it’s member’s only but once midnight strikes, a smartly dressed crowd of cocktail-crazed creatives floods inside, snatching up seats in the art library, loafing at the bar or lighting up in the mirrored smoking room that was conceived to resemble a forest. Killer cocktails and exclusivity aside, Le Silencio’s biggest draw is its broader offering. Presentations from the local artistic set are frequent as are culinary/cultural events, intimate concerts and private screenings. As the guest of a member, my first visit was not so much to explore the space (though there is plenty to unearth here) but for a private tasting of chef Flora Mikula’s work. A couple hours into the evening and I realized Le Silencio wasn’t about being seen but about discovery - of high culture and the utterly bizarre.

Tastemakers and A-listers abound at this East Village mainstay, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2017. Travelers feel like insiders the moment they slip through the door, thanks to over-the-top service, celeb sightings, and a lobby design that recalls salon parties of bygone eras. The cool factor only continues upon check-in, when guests receive metal room keys linked to lavish, oversized red tassels. Each of the 135 rooms offers visitors a mix of lived-in comfort and luxurious detail, with everything from mohair-upholstered chairs, Turkish Oushak rugs, and hardwood floors to iPod stereos, hi-def televisions, and marble bathrooms with deep-soaking tubs. When hunger hits, guests can head downstairs for authentic Italian plates at Gemma and a nightcap at the Lobby Bar, a lower Manhattan staple known for its timeless ambiance and clever riffs on cocktail classics.

A gloriously eccentric venue, Sketch isn’t a restaurant so much as a collision of ideas, design, food, and frivolity in a large Mayfair townhouse. Its Parlour serves all day breakfast and then evening cocktails in an ambience that’s less Alice in Wonderland and more seriously deranged Hatter. The Gallery is designed by artist and comic genius David Shrigley, meaning that your afternoon tea with one-of-a-kind pastries and cakes come with a side order of wit and a pinch of bitter satire. Upstairs, the Lecture Room and Library delivers a Michelin-starred tasting menu, while there’s breakfast, brunch, and cocktails in the Glade. A trip to the bathroom involves sitting in your own individual egg; try not to be put off by the carpet of red wax oozing down the stairs on your way in.

Bookstore Bar & Café combines two of life’s great pleasures: books and booze. This hotel bar focuses on scotch and whiskey (over 130 varieties), though they also serve up carefully made craft cocktails; we liked the the Rum Daisy (light rum, lemon, house-made grenadine). At happy hour, you can nibble on small plates with charcuterie, cheese, or fried padron peppers, too. And if you see a book you like, they’re all for sale.

Touting itself as “killer burgers and manly drinks,” Urban Stack is an upscale bar food restaurant that just happens to be LEED certified. Choose from one of their signature burgers, with selections like standard beef burgers, alongside lamb, chicken, turkey and veggie patties. Urban Stack also prides themselves on their bar, which leans heavily on bourbon and, of course, “Tennessee whiskey.” Try the Dixie 8, made with Chattanooga Whiskey. The renovated Southern Railway Baggage Building is the best place to enjoy a cocktail in Chattanooga.

Cocktails are not a huge part of the Italian culture, especially not those involving tequila. But at Bar Les Rouges, the three brothers who own the bar mix up one amazing margarita (They even come to your table asking you to sample which salt you want on the rim. Go for the smoked one, it’s perfection!). Housed in a dimly lit and slightly crumbling 16th-century palace, this is one of the most romantic spots in town—a perfect date night out.

With a massive apertivo buffet, stop by Storico for the cheapest dinner/drinks combo in town (and delicious, to boot!). For 7 euros, get a cocktail or a glass of wine, and fill your plate as many times as you like from the buffet of warm snacks—focaccia, pizza, pasta dishes, cold salads, and chips are always found on the “menu”! Make sure you sit outside, though, to get the best view of the people milling about in the beautiful Piazza de Ferrari.

The name says it all: this sleek bar is set right on the south bank of the Arno, just east of the Ponte Vecchio and the sunset views of the bridge as dusk falls are indeed golden. Bag a table in the window, order a cocktail and help yourself from a great selection of snacks laid out on the bar counter. If you want dinner, move to the restaurant next door where there are regular live jazz sessions.

It’s funny that Culinary Dropout bills itself as being the “rebel child” in Fox Restaurant Concepts’ family of restaurants because there’s nothing too rebellious about this place. It’s obvious that everything in it – from the fashionably grunge décor to the uniform-free staff – is planned. But that’s not always a bad thing. Culinary Dropout does nightlife well with a selection of local and seasonal beers as well as standout cocktails like the Jalisco Flower (tequila, elderflower and sparkling wine).

The Mohawk is home for a diverse creative culture. This beloved Bar and Live Music Venue, located on the corner of 10th and Red River in Austin, TX. Handmade in downtown Austin Texas, The Mohawk was built in 2006 as a one of a kind Bar & Venue. Its mission is to host friends, musicians, and staff that represent all music tastes and all walks of life. All are welcome at the Mohawk Austin. Fall Happy Hours Monday – Friday, 5-8 PM. Weekly drink specials. Mohawk Crafted Cocktails.

Attached to the Dupont Circle Hotel, Doyle (formerly Bar Dupont) is a lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and a patio that enable you to observe the hustle of the neighborhood from a refined vantage point. In the sophisticated midcentury bar area (designed by Martin Brudnizki Studio), bartenders concoct both cocktail classics and their own creations like the Avocolado (Flor de Caña rum, Koko Kanu, coconut, avocado, pineapple juice) and a generous selection of craft beers and mock-tails.

Cafe L’Eclair is everything you expect when you think of the perfect French cafe: delicious cafe au lait, croissants and tartine and a bonus, this cafe turns into a cocktail bar after dark. Another benefit of this lovely cafe is its location on rue Cler. You can order a cafe to go and wander the pedestrian street market to your heart’s content!

Most people in the city know The Battery as an exclusive social club, but did you know it also houses a 14-suite, boutique hotel, open to members and non-members alike? Featuring a maximalist decor that channels the many sides of San Francisco—be it Chinatown inspired motifs on the curtains or beams from the old ships that used to dock in this location (this area was once water)—the hotel will remind you where you are at every twist and turn. Rooms are spacious, comfortable, and impeccably designed.

Panache at the Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel in Lower Town was long one of Québec City’s most celebrated restaurants, a special-occasion favorite of locals and visitors, located in a cozy and historic 19th-century warehouse with wooden beams and stone walls. In June 2017, the restaurant was rechristened Chez Muffy, after one of the inn’s co-owners. The same chef is at the helm, Julien Ouellet, who is known for Canadian and French dishes that make the most of local produce. (The menu is changed every two months to highlight whatever is in season.) With its farmhouse inspiration, you’ll typically find venison, duck, and other gamey options, but Ouellet usually has at least one vegetarian entrée, often made with ingredients grown on his farm on the Île d’Orléans. The hotel’s Bar Artefact, named for the items on display that were unearthed during an excavation of the site, is an ideal place to extend your meal with a cocktail before or after you eat.

When you’ve had enough of the hectic hustle of tourists and traffic in Times Square, seek refuge at Haven, a rooftop lounge located on the top of the Sanctuary Hotel on 47th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The owners of this chic establishment spent a considerable amount of time in Saint-Tropez and have made an effort to make their guests feel like they have been transported there. Chill at the bar, relax under oversize umbrellas at one of their cedar tables, or go all out in an open air cabana, swathed in sheer white drapes while re-fueling with foods from their French inspired menu. You can even get your anti-oxidants while you drink by ordering a Night Sky- one of their signature cocktails made with acai blueberry vodka and fresh lemonade, garnished with a skewer of blueberries. The manager Katerina was wonderful, making sure we had everything we needed and even shaking cocktails herself to help out the busy bartenders. If you’re looking for some excitement after your rooftop recharge, Haven hosts a rotation of DJs, features events such as burlesque shows, and has a VIP area overlooking the main roof that is available to rent out. With plans to install heating and encase the rooftop, Haven will soon be able to provide the refuge you need before a show, after work, or after hours all year long.