"The food usually isn’t the first thing people talk about when it comes to Mariel downtown. But it should be. Beyond the flaming cocktails, the Havana-meets-the-Lincoln-Memorial decor, and the steady selfie procession, you’ll find yuca cheese puffs that are a perfect way to start any meal, small plates that are always filled with more flavor than you expect, and a cod fish sandwich that’s one of the best cod dishes in a city with a lot of cod dishes. This is our new favorite birthday place, for literally anyone’s birthday." - dan secatore