Tijuana Picnic

Tijuana Picnic is a dark, sexy, paneled lounge and restaurant offering gourmet Mexican food with a few Asian touches. Grilled chicken is flavored with guajillo chiles and pineapple-miso chipotle, for instance, while pork chops are marinated in coconut milk and topped with Thai-spiced chimichurri sauce. It's a late-night boîte for Lower East Side revelers, fashioned by a strong nightlife team—Jean-Marc Houmard and Huy Chi Lee (Indochine, Acme) plus Jon Neidich (of The Happiest Hour and also of Acme). The cocktail list is inventive, the shelves stocked with rare tequilas and mezcals. If you're looking for a late-night snack rather than a full-on meal, there are plenty of wonderful little dishes to nibble on, including fiery guacamole, shredded duck and foie gras empanadas and skirt steak tacos with spicy aioli and shiso leaf.