Lost City: Ithaca Edition: The Chanticleer

The Chanticleer saloon has long reigned at the corner of W. State and S. Cayuga in downtown Ithaca. It's one of those no-nonsense, down-and-dirty bars that, despite being situated in plain sight, seems clandestine and somewhat anonymous.

Well, as anonymous as a bar with a big neon chicken outside it can be. There are chickens inside to: pictures, statuettes, wallpaper. There's also a long bar, a red pool table, a jukebox and a wooden phone booth. They don't serve food of any kind; just hard drink. According to some, the neon chicken is actually landmarked. Dates from 1947. Whoever founded this place must have loved him some roosters.

The place is actually called the Chanticleer Lounge, for the record. But lounge seems pretty high-falutin' for this dive.