Best old bar

Not only is this a bar where everyone knows your name, but the bar itself is so secure in its identity that it doesn't bother to announce its name outside. You don't need a sign to find your way to My Brother's Bar, however; anyone and everyone who appreciates a good drink -- with or without good company -- knows the way there. The brother is Jim Karagas, who's presided over this spot for almost three decades; his late brother, Angelo, used to run the Wazee Lounge and Supper Club eight blocks down 15th Street. For the record, My Brother's is at the corner of 15th and Platte streets, where it once stood out as an oasis of civilization in the deserted Platte Valley; today it's an oasis of neighborliness in an area that's increasingly highbrow (million-dollar "lofts" will soon rise just a block away). But inside My Brother's Bar, time stands still: A letter from Neal Cassady still hangs in the phone booth, classical music is still piped over the dark-wood booths, Girl Scout cookies are still sold through much of the year, and those great bar burgers (the Johnny burger is our favorite) are still served well into the early hours of the morning. The place has made a few concessions to progress, however: It added a great urban patio ten years back, and the menu has slowly expanded (gazpacho is this summer's special). My Brother's: Everyone should know this joint's name.

Readers' choice: My Brother's Bar