"For a noodle-fueled, casual date night, Hanoi House in the East Village is a great option. The St. Marks Vietnamese restaurant’s phở bac with a 24-hour simmered broth is great to share, and if you opt for two meats it’ll only run you $19. Outside of that, the appetizers here are very good, especially the gỏi cuốn summer rolls with sausage and fried garlic, and the crispy pig ear salad. With loudish music and $17 cocktails, it’s a fun spot for some animated conversation." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah