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Get an art fix at a bar

By Laurel Leicht | Special to amNewYork

Gallery Bar merges alcohol and art at 120 Orchard St. on the Lower East Side. (Dave Sanders / March 27, 2008)

It's an unwritten rule: Art and booze go together. But you don't have to sip pinot noir at a gallery opening or the Guggenheim's Free Fridays to appreciate the combo. A number of bar/galleries with varying setups and styles means everyone -- from art aficionados to casual observers of culture -- can get in on the action.

Gallery Bar

120 Orchard St

212-529-2266

White, open spaces make art pop at this LES bi-level lounge within a gallery.

An ideal area for special events, from fashion shows to a recent Obama fundraiser, Gallery Bar has featured such prominent artists as New York Times photojournalist Ashley Gilbertson, whose photographs documented the war in Iraq. You can presently peruse the blown-up photos of New Zealander Brian Sweeney with specialty cocktail in hand, such as The Picasso -- a spicy mix of Patron Platinum, cucumber puree, chipotle and lime juice.

Lit Lounge/Fuse Gallery

93 Second Ave

212-777-7987

Artist and co-owner Erik Foss has shown his work around the globe, but prefers to focus on local downtown painters, photographers and performers at Fuse -- though the gallery has featured many established pros during its shows. Lit is a separate, adjacent section, but glass doors in between make viewing the art possible anytime. Fuse sells display pieces and keeps artist info on the gallery Web site afterward. Next up is Jean Pierre Arboleda's "Riders" exhibit, opening Saturday.

Freddy's Bar & Backroom

485 Dean St, Brooklyn

718-622-7035

In business since Prohibition, Freddy's constantly pops up on lists of NYC's best dive bars. Venture into the back gallery and check out the two months-long exhibits of painting, photography, sculpture and video. Manager, painter and booking agent Donald O'Finn does video art with repurposed material from TV -- and recently launched Burrow, an arts and literature journal. The current collection, "Found in Brooklyn," showcases neighborhood artists.

Max Fish

178 Ludlow St

212-529-3959

A vibrant mix of colored lights and creatively painted walls, Max Fish is a bright spot on the LES to grab a cheap drink, a game of pool and gaze upon artwork, rotating monthly. For all of April, the photography of Stefano Giovanni, which documents life in New York, will decorate the place. It officially opens at six every night, but stop by anytime; employees roll in around 1 p.m. and will let you wander if you ask to see the art.

Kanvas

219 Ninth Ave

212-727-2616

New art enters each month and hangs above banquettes lining the walls of this dim, spacious lounge. Two plasma TVs above the bar give it a slightly more casual air than some Chelsea spots and help make the lounge a perfect pick for a relaxing after-work spot -- perfected even further with an expansive appetizer menu, half-price martinis and $20 pitchers of margaritas, sangria and mojitos. But catch Kanvas while you can: The lounge will be shuttering Tuesday for lengthy renovations.