El Pingüino

A Spanish seafood bar at the river end of Greenpoint Avenue, from the team behind the late Alameda — a cartoon poster of a wine-drunk penguin on the wall, a transistor radio playing in the bathroom, and a raw bar that takes itself much more seriously than the decor.

Come during the daily happy hour for half-price oysters and a martini stirred for a full minute, then work through the conservas and seafood tapas. A slice of burnt Basque cheesecake with a glass of sherry is the right ending, and there's a second, late-night happy hour for those still out.