Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in New York

Minnesota's seems like it landed in the wrong state, but no one on Long Island is complaining... live music or karaoke entertainment and an outdoor deck where food is served all summer long draw crowds. The restaurant, cooking up seafood & specials every day, becomes a 21 and over nightspot after 10 p.m. Energetic live performances, top 40 tracks, dance & house, rock music, ladies' night, and a fabulous atmosphere make this restaurant and club an excellent place to have fun.

Principally a live music venue, The Long Beach Inn devotes plenty of energy to creating a wonderful concert schedule for music enthusiasts on Long Island, with great results. Special nights all week long tempt guests to satisfy their hunger at the restaurant - try Taco Tuesday - or dance to DJ mixes and happy hour acoustic sets before enjoying performances by great East Coast bands. See website for details and photo galleries.

The Dead Rabbit has been lauded for many things: being the "Best Bar in North America," the "World's Best Bar," and offering the "World's Best Cocktail Menu" among them. This sophisticated Irish pub meets classy cocktail lounge has something for everyone, be it the stellar selection of craft beers in the taproom, more than 70 vintage cocktails in the upstairs parlor, or festive bands and DJs featured weekly. Hungry crowds can choose between elevated bar snacks like cheese and charcuterie plates or heartier dishes like the rabbit burger. There's even a gourmet grocery attached where foodies can stock up on artisan goods. Experience the flow of conversation among fashionable guests on the first and second floors of The Dead Rabbit or book the top floor for a private event.

Located by New Jersey's waterfront, Son Cubano offers its guests a great dining experience by the sparkling waters of the Hudson. At Son Cubano, guests can relish the delectable Cuban fare as they gaze at New York city's spectacular skyline. Weekends is the best time to visit this place; you can unwind at the bar and sway to the gentle beats of the music. You can also drop in on a Sunday to devour on a typical Cuban brunch. Do try out the Mojito: a Cuban classic cocktail. If you are planning to dine in this sophisticated space, remember to leave your sneakers and t-shirts at home.

Experience what it is like being in an Austro-Hungarian beer garden right at the heart of Hoboken, New Jersey. This charming gem of a beer garden is known for its brewery-like ambiance accentuated with large wooden tables, high ceiling hall and small but a vibrant, smoker-friendly garden space. Needless to say, its bar menu has a collection of German beers with as many as 20 draft beers that are directly imported from Germany. It also has a selection of 50 American as well as European beers, much to the delight of even the most discerning beer-lover. If you are in mood for cocktails then the Kolo Klub loft lounge and private event space inside the Pilsener Haus is just the right place to sip on the tasty mixes churned out by the bartenders. As for the food, Pilsener Haus serves traditional European delicacies like grilled sausages, smoked Polish kielbasa and beef burgers, prepared under the guidance of the expert chef Thomas Ferlesch. Its vibrant ambiance is further upheld with the live music events and movie screenings. Be ready to sip on your favorite beer and listen to Gypsy Jazz music in company of your friends. A perfect place for an after-work hangout, walk in here and live the German pub-life.

A popular jazz club, Birdland is dedicated to Charlie Parker, a famed jazz musician nicknamed Bird. Located on West 44th Street, this place is all about soulful jazz music. Well spread with simple decor, the food here is typically spicy Southern cooking. The sirloin steak with gravy and the pork medallions with collared greens are worth trying. Musical greats like John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and, of course, Charlie Parker have all performed here. All in all, Birdland is a great place for jazz music. Glance through their website to see who's playing when.