mojito monday at las palapas

a Broadway Avenue dive with live music most nights, swinging between country, rock, and blues, with open-mic comedy midweek. it is unpretentious in the best way, the kind of bar where the crowd is friendly and the bartender has your order down by the second visit. covers are cheap or free depending on the night, and the room gets loud and loose once the band starts. it is where you go when you want a real night out without a guest list. check the schedule and just turn up.

wood-fired Neapolitan pizza on 21st Street, the kind of pie with a blistered, chewy crust that comes out of a proper hot oven. the menu keeps the pizza list short and the wine list long, leaning into small-producer bottles worth asking about. it is relaxed but dialled-in, equally good for a date or a table of friends sharing pies. this is the spot locals tend to send visitors to first. it gets busy at dinner, so go early or be ready to wait for a table.