The Haunt is in Astoria, Queens, a jazz bar that takes its name from Nick Cave's song and is owned by Evan Rumeliotis, who has programmed the music and the room with the specificity of someone who knows exactly what kind of place he wanted to create. The Adam Platt Trio plays on Monday nights. The Subtonic Three hold Tuesdays. Guest DJs take over on weekends.

The cocktail and beer lists are better than what you'd get at a standard neighborhood bar, and the atmosphere is warm in a way that requires actual attention to achieve. Astoria has enough of its own bar culture that a jazz-focused room with good drinks can find its crowd without having to compete with the Manhattan scene directly.

For people who live in Queens or who are willing to make the trip across the bridge, The Haunt offers a particular kind of evening that's harder to find than it should be.