Those places, and many others just like them, have one thing in common: No one cooking inside would ever claim they’re a “chef.” So why would a guy with Morimoto and Buddakan on his résumé try to enter that lowbrow arena? And some people swear by the hot wings at Wogie’s nearby. The Corner Bistro’s burgers long ago put that West Village hole-in-the-wall on the map. Occasionally, though, the boozing takes a backseat to the kitchen.
Many serve food, but that’s rarely the draw. Good dive bars, attracting regulars from all walks of life, are as integral to the fabric of the city as rent control, bodega flowers and angry cabbies.
