Serving cheap and greasy Chinese for dinner and late into the night, Republic Cafe is a Chinatown staple. It’s been around since 1922, and since then has seen a lot of action: in the 70s, the bar took up the entire banquet room and the party often lasted until 4am. Today, however, The Republic is merely a testament to its former self. The Ming Lounge, the cafe’s current bar area, provides little in the way of the wild 70’s, and the seedy atmosphere and red & gold orientalia decor recalls those halcyon days when Chinatown actually housed a significant Chinese population. On the weekends, the Republic Cafe’s 1950’s-esque neon sign lures drunken clubbers into its midst, providing for them a cure for the drunk munchies that really hits the spot.