Calle Ocho

Calle Ocho is so different from any other place in the neighborhood, you'd think you walked in from the Flatiron District instead. This is big, fun, and loud restaurant with great cocktails (mmmm, mojitos!) and even better food. Even on a cold winter night, you feel the heat generated from the ambiance and the food. I love the beefsteak and the sopa de mariscos, but that's only touching the surface. This is one of those places where, when you come back again, you don't know whether you should try something new or if you want to have what you had last time. more

This is the best all around restaurant I've been to in a while. The food was fantastic. If you're there for the first time, I would say that the Chicharron (a Crispy Calamari with Dominican Honey topped with an Organic Sprout Salad) is a must. It's not like the calamari in other restaurants. It has it's own unique flavor, very original. For entrée, I had the salmon and my friends tried the Vaca Frita Al Caballo (flank steak) and both were great. Oh, and you have to save room for dessert! My favorite was the Cocos, which is Toasted Coconut Ice Cream in a Chocolate Shell with Pineapple Sauce. My mouth waters just thinking about it. They also make a great Flan so if you have enough room, get that too! Not only was their food delicious, I loved the vibrant atmosphere and the staff there was very nice. more

I've never visited Cuba and I'm pretty sure it's not exactly like Calle Ocho but this Upper West Side restaurant/bar sure does do a good job of making you feel like you're in that imaginary dreamy Cuba that lives in every open-minded American's subconscious. They've done everything, including temperature control, to make this place look and feel tropical. The food was great. What I especially liked was that they offered something outside of just the Americanized Cuban meals (you know the joints that say Cuban and it basically means Cuban sandwiches). The desserts nearly stole the show. They really did go island style with exotic fruit flavors and other Caribbean specialties. What definitely stole the show were the cocktails. While not exactly Cuban (they made me a mean caipirinha) the drinks we all perfectly tropical and sweet without lowering themselves to that frozen daiquiri slushie nonsense. Overall an A+ for Calle Ocho. more