Keith McNally waved his magic wand and updated this old stalwart to new glory. The stylish bistro now seats 85 in a classic setting defined by the same cohesive, subtly transporting aesthetic that has made McNally's other ventures, like the Odeon and Balthazar, deviously attractive icons on the New York cityscape. Do your best to try the earth-shattering Black Label burger.

First opened in 1937, the Minetta Tavern was named after the Minetta Brook, which ran southwest from 23rd Street to the Hudson River. Over the course of its long history, the Tavern was frequented by various layabouts and hangers-on including Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Eugene O'Neill, E. E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas, and Joe Gould, as well as by various writers, poets, and pugilists. The names are no less stellar today and getting a table can be tough. Be sure to reserve well in advance.