Carioca Cafe (Bar Bar)

It’s dirty and grimy and sometimes feels a little dangerous, but that’s all part of the grungy charm of this cash-only dive. Known as Bar Bar thanks to the triangular neon sign outside, the downtown holdout nearly went under when it had to put a pause on live music because of licensing issues in 2022, but now the bands are back — along with the late-night crowds that include an assortment of regulars, artists, hipsters, transients and rockers. The drinks are stiff, the bathrooms awful and the atmosphere beyond compare.