Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar, New York

Founded by popular musical duo Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar infuses elegant meals with soulful tunes five nights per week. Inside the converted brownstone building, a small stage stands as the focal point of the intimate dining room, where rustic décor, exposed timber ceiling beams, and statues assembled from Lincoln Logs evoke images of an old country village. The glow of candlelight illuminates menus stocked with fried entrees and decadent desserts, and talented musicians inflate evening airs with R & B grooves, exotic Caribbean melodies, and traditional African rhythms. Trips to the Sugar Bar may also include celebrity sightings, as stars such as Bruce Willis, Stevie Wonder, and Eddie Murphy have previously graced the restaurant's booths and painstakingly autographed the silverware.