Restaurants in New York City

Just as the surrounding Theater District transports audiences to faraway places, Brazil Grill's dining room immerses guests in the rich culinary traditions of Brazil. Though it boasts a substantial selection of entrees, the eatery's specialty is radizio, a traditional Brazilian dining style where passadores, or meat servers, present diners with an endless rotation of skewered morsels. Patrons can nosh to their hearts' content on beef, pork, lamb, duck, and the other meats that continually appear tableside during the course of the night. To complement the authentic dishes, servers can also recommend options from the restaurant's selection of wines culled from Chile, Italy, and New Zealand. Most nights, guests eat as they absorb the sounds of live Brazilian music, the play-by-play of Brazilian League soccer matches, or napkins practicing their Portuguese accents.

Bon Chon Midtown's enticing menu of Asian fusion fare entertains taste buds with a tantalizing spread of fresh local veggies, juicy cuts of chicken and short rib, fresh seafood, and eclectic cocktails. The restaurant's signature Korean-style fried chicken dances across palates with the wholesome flavor of vegetarian-fed poultry free from hormones, antibiotics, or opinions about whether the egg preceded it. As guests sip specialty soju cocktails or frosty draft beers, they can admire Bon Chon Midtown's ultramodern décor, which showcases onyx-black tabletops and pristine white furnishings.

Flickering candles tucked into tiny caves garnish an exposed-brick wall or glimmer atop rich, dark wooden tables, spreading their glow onto a wall forged from rustic timber planks. This combination of soft lighting and contemporary-yet-pastoral decor fosters a sophisticated, Spanish-inspired ambiance inside La Zarza. But it's the eatery's menu of authentic Argentinean and Spanish cuisine made from indigenous recipes and organic ingredients that really transports diners to another country.

To bolster bites of tapas, fresh ceviche, and slow-cooked steaks—an Argentinean staple—live guitarists strum traditional Spanish tunes and reality show theme songs every Friday and Saturday. The soundtrack continues thumping further into the night when La Zarza morphs into an upscale lounge fueled by pulsing beats from international DJs. At full bars across two floors, bartenders regale revelers with mojitos, sangria, and signature cocktails amid chic furnishings, such as opulent chandeliers and crimson drapery.

As New York Times reporter Jeff Vandam explains, Murray Hill is a hard neighborhood to pin down. Quiet rows of brownstones and apartment buildings contrast with a lively pub scene geared toward the 20-somethings who have recently become more of a fixture in recent years.

Like the neighborhood it calls home, The Hill has somewhat of a split personality. From afternoon through early evening, it is predominantly a sports bar. More than 25 high-definition televisions broadcast live games in the bar and upstairs lounge as post-collegiate fans cheer on their alma maters over plates of philly sliders, baskets of crispy tater tots, and pots of fondue. As soon as the action wraps up, though, things start to get interesting. Candlelight replaces the flickering glow of TV screens, and the bar transforms into a stylish lounge for Murray Hill’s sophisticated set. Polychromatic planks of wood line the walls on both floors, giving guests something interesting to admire when the bartenders take a break from stirring up lemon-drop martinis or pouring glasses of watermelon sangria.

Strains from live DJs and the happy chatter of busy silverware resound off the exposed-brick walls and looping whorls of the wooden bar at People's Republic of Brooklyn. Red tabletops billet platters of seared, fried, or blackened catfish, and plates of free-range chicken don adventurous garnishes such as avocado or the essence of an air kiss. Comfort-fare sides conjure nostalgia among guests perched at the bar, with options including mac 'n' cheese, deviled eggs, and sautéed arugula serving as foundations for a wide range of cocktails.

At Casaville Restaurant, the chefs draw culinary inspiration from kitchens across the western Mediterranean and add hints of traditional Spanish and French cuisine to Moroccan staples. Time Out New York praised the dishes for their authenticity, noting that “to find better homespun North African cooking, you’d have to travel to Paris or Casablanca—or at least the far reaches of Brooklyn or Queens." Spiced merguez and pillowy couscous help to build upon that reputation, and trays of tapas drift around murmuring groups.

The dining room's yellow stucco walls brim with a number of Moorish-inspired accents, including tiled recesses. Navigating between the tables inside or on the outdoor patio, belly dancers occasionally swirl their hips, jingling pendant-laden belts. Servers dodge past to fill glasses with wine, selected from the restaurant's extensive list to pair with meals or work with the rhyme scheme of an extremely detailed autobiography.