María Bonita Restaurant, New York

The owners of María Bonita Restaurant founded their eatery as a tribute to women, which is why they work to create a festive atmosphere to bring families together over dinner. Virginia Nava and Nydia D. Perez—the two entrepreneurs behind the eatery—leverage their almost 50 years of combined business experience to manage their Mexican restaurant. Along with their business sense, they are guided by their inspiration, the glamorous but tough Mexican movie star of yore, María Bonita.

To appeal to a range of tastes as expansive as the range needed to play the 47 movie roles Bonita played during her career, the cooks prepare diverse dishes. Fresh guacamole appetizers presage steak burritos filled with rice and black beans, and signature burgers topped with monterey jack cheese and avocado—a culinary palette worthy of the bright reds, yellows, purples, and greens that blanket the walls of the dining area. Free WiFi encourages laptop use, and every weekend live entertainment keeps diners amused while they sip house margaritas or glasses of nacho cheese.