This week on Brooklyn Eats Rachel explore that sacred institution of urban nightlife: the dive bar. Joining Rachel are food writer Joshua M. Bernstein and Matt Levy, progeny of the Levys that run the famous Levy's Unique New York tours. The gang relay a great deal of booze-soaked anecdotes regarding their time spent in dives; partial nudity, $3 drinks, bikers, drugs, scuzz, and various musty funks are all involved to some degree. This episode was sponsored by Roberta's.

Photo: Inside Park Slope's Lucky 13 Bar

Old school Italian New York is alive and well. This week on The Speakeasy, get to know Thomas Waugh, the bar director for Major Food Group - the people behind Torissi Italian Specialties, Parm and the newly opened Carbone. He shares the plans behind Carbone, a high quality and entertaining take on classic red and white checkered tablecloth NYC Italian restaurants. Hear about Thomas's inclusive drink program at Carbone, that will promise diners free limoncello and grappa at the end of their meal. Damon and Thomas wax poetic about classic cocktails and their place at themed restaurants while giving listeners some great insight into the mentality of forward thinking bartenders. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch. Today's break music provided courtesy of Dead Stars.

"Almost everybody that's grown up in the United States can relate to the experience of the mid-century style American Italian restaurant. Red and white checkered tablecloths, breadsticks, etc. We wanted to do that idea - but actually do it really well." [07:00]

"My job at Carbone is to finish the night. Every single customer gets free limoncello and infused grappa." [13:00]

--Thomas Waugh, bar director of Major Food Group on The Speakeasy

Giuseppe Gonzalez joins Damon Boelte for a raunchy, raw and real episode of The Speakeasy. Giuseppe was the head bartender at Julie Reiner’s well-known Flatiron Lounge and her more recent Brooklyn endeavor, Clover Club. Gonzalez also worked as lead barman at Sasha Petraske’s project in Long Island City, Dutch Kills, where he mixed classically-based cocktails in 19th century saloon-style digs. Since then, he's opened Painkiller, one of the best tiki bars in the country, and plans on opening Golden Cadillac in the East Village soon. Tune in for some honest insights into what it takes to open a bar in New York City and listen in for a special studio bomb from Steve Schneider. This program was sponsored by Roberta's

"My dream bar is a shitty bar. It's a bar that was made by people without contractors, architects or designers." [07:00]

"You should not be invested in what a guest drinks. You should not care. There should be a certain degree of creativity and ownership - but long story short - if somebody wants a vodka soda and bitters don't try to sell them an Old Fashioned. What people drink is personal and what they need at the time." [18:00]

--Giuseppe Gonzalez on The Speakeasy