li po bar is a regular haunt of mine because the place pays homage to the great poet. i have come to know the bartenders both day and night but my favorites are jackie and vanessa. both of them are very cute, of course, and very friendly. and jack, although not a bartender, is cool too. i like to talk sports with him. anyhow, there is a place downstairs where live bands perform on the weekends, so that's sweet too. and there's even a big screen tv for the ball games if you ask nicely, otherwise it's set on the chinese channel, which is alright cause it's mostly soap operas and you always know what's going on in them even if you don't know the language. and yes, some folks get scared off by li po cause it's got some rough characters going in and out, but so what? i love the place.

This somewhat dive-y bar in Chinatown has it all-- cheap vinyl booths, bowls of chex mix (or its cheaper knockoff), a jukebox full of Prince, and a truly dangerous Mai Tai. Smooth and delicious, it goes down like fruit juice, but halfway theough the second one, your world may begin to spin. They add some kind of Chinese herb or liqueur to the drink, making a bit different than the usual. Watch for hangovers!