New Brunswick has a tavern on every corner, but there's only one place in town where everybody knows your name. When owner Nick Sideris transformed a run-down dive into the Olive Branch Bar and Restaurant in 1999, he knew exactly the kind of bar students at Rutgers University were craving. The Branch is Cheers for the college set; its friendly attitude keeps the place packed with partying Scarlet Knights every night of the week.

The Scene: This is the one watering hole at Rutgers where the indie rock kids and the Abercrombie set chill in harmony. Why? Maybe it's the overwhelming sense of hospitality -- everyone at the Olive Branch is just so nice. As soon as you step through the door you're welcomed with a handshake and a smile. Inside the scene is laid-back, full of students sharing brews with their friends, and a lightning-fast team of bartenders who notice you're thirsty before you do.

"I love it here," said Lauren, an art history major. "The guys at the bar get to know you personally, and they make you feel right at home."

"Yeah, I guess it is kind of like Cheers," joked Craig, an engineering major.

"It's all by design," said manager Doug Schneider. Even if it's your first time at Olive Branch, everyone here's a regular. Feel free to jump in on a foosball game, throw some darts, dance or just hang out and enjoy the music. Don't be shy around the ladies, either. "We're all here just looking for a good time," said Jess, a recent Rutgers alum. "I'll talk to you, even if I don't want to go home with you," she added with a smile.

Chicks at the Olive Branch: Put away your beer goggles -- the babes here are as plentiful as the booze. Rutgers may be the Big East's tackling dummy in sports, but it scores high with its student bodies. Rutgers girls are Jersey girls, and that means flirting is a contact sport -- so send that drink across the bar.

When to Go: Weekdays are lively and weekends are wall-to-wall packed. On Monday the bar hosts a dart tournament; Wednesday is trivia night; and a live DJ spins Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Dress Code: Jeans and T-shirts are the norm for guys, so keep it casual, because at this bar the ladies provide the eye candy on the menu. Tight shirts, jeans, short skirts -- even in the dead of winter you'll see plenty of skin.

At the Bar: On promo nights you'll find Coors Light Girls, Corona Girls, and the hottest $1 shot girl in all of New Brunswick roaming around the bar, ready to serve up some serious fun. The Branch also has its share of specialty shots, including "Jacks are Wild" [a Jack Daniels, Yukon Jack and Wild Turkey concoction], the fruit-flavored "Monkey Lunch," and the traditional birthday shot of Ouzo [a licorice-flavored Greek liqueur]. If you're lucky, Nick might get behind the bar and pour the Ouzo straight down your throat.

Where It's At: 37 Bartlett St., New Brunswick, New Jersey

Hours: Monday through Saturday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Phone: (732) 729-0203

Photos by James Trevenen