Nico's is probably my favorite neighborhood bar. The bar and wait staff here are all tremendously friendly. There is not much of a beer selection, but nothing is expensive. Generally in the late afternoon/early evening it is pretty quiet, with a handful or two of regulars. A reading group that I am in frequently meets here around happy hour, and there are always plenty of tables and we can talk easily without having to yell. Weekends it can get pretty crowded, although I've never seen it so packed that I had to wait more than a couple of minutes to grab a bartender's attention. Karaoke on Saturday nights is a blast, with a great mix of working class, hipster, and trendy all belting out cheesy tunes. The only food I've tried are the fries, but they always come out tasty and quickly. Friends have told me the wings are good.
Would give it 5 stars, but for the smoking. If you're a non-smoker, you WILL come home smelling like an ashtray.