Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf

With a sultry jazz soundtrack and speakeasy ambience, this swanky destination is unfailingly packed every evening with a boisterous crowd. The feel inside may be dark and loud, but that only adds to the bonhomie of the chic and cavernous den, outfitted with exposed brick walls, mismatched dangling light fixtures and tobacco-brown Chesterfield-style sofas.

Steakhouse and raw bar standards dominate the menu. Most steaks are wet-aged and though some may prefer more funk, the cuts are expertly broiled. Perfectly rendered steak frites served with a buttery béarnaise sauce is a great way to go. But, the kitchen deserves praise for other, more unexpected options like fresh-baked crab cake with remoulade; or creamy short rib stroganoff bobbing with hand-cut pasta.