Fodor's Expert Review Charlie Bird

Perpetually packed, Italian-leaning Charlie Bird is the brainchild of sommelier Robert Bohr, who was in charge of wine at vino-mad Cru, and chef Ryan Hardy, who made a name for himself at Little Nell in Aspen and has been private chef for Jay-Z and Beyoncé—the restaurant has a hip-hop theme. The menu is divided into small and large plates, vegetables, a "raw" section, and pasta. The uni-loaded duck-egg spaghetti marries surf 'n' turf in a deeply satisfying way, while the scallops are subtly laced with lardo, giving them an umami boost.