"At this cozy-cool French spot, you’ll hear soft jazz and see well-dressed dates sipping gimlets at the horseshoe-shaped bar. A row of fancy wine fridges illuminates the back wall. Bar Etoile is sexy, snuggly, and a fine place to burrow into a banquette and eat classic French dishes with non-classic twists, like endive salad with shards of savory meringue and a gooey gruyere tart that looks like cheesecake. Finish with the perfect plate to go splitsies on: crispy fries, medium-rare steak, and a scoop of herby cornichon butter." - brant cox, cathy park