Fodor's Expert Review Blackbird

Being cramped next to your neighbor has never been as fun as it is at this hot spot run by award winning chef Paul Kahan. Celebs pepper the sleek see-and-be-seen crowd that comes for the creative dishes and exceptional cocktail list. While the menu changes constantly, you'll always find choices that highlight seasonal ingredients, such as rack of lamb with leeks and spigarello (wild broccoli) in spring, or aged duck breast with buttermilk spaetzle in winter. It all plays out against a minimalist backdrop of white walls, blue-gray banquettes, and aluminum chairs. Reservations aren't required, but they might as well be; the dining room is typically booked solid on Saturday night.