Parkside is one of few restaurants in this neighborhood that we endorse for anything but a burger. For visitors looking to take in the American Pie-meets-Eyes Wide Shut horror of a nighttime stroll on Sixth Street, this chef-driven kitchen provides a gastronomical respite. Ostreaphiles, rejoice: the oyster selection is grand and—along with more than a dozen other delectables—are half-price at happy hour. Another raw bar winner is thinly sliced hamachi with slow-burning charred jalapeño and a pineapple tinge. The ever-changing mains might include expertly cooked Gulf fish or a luxurious bowl of veal cheeks with polenta, but we often pile on the starters: the unctuous umami of a blonde pâté accented by seasonal fruit; dainty sweetbreads fried to an ideal crispy-creamy texture; bone marrow salad bringing beefy butter, chervil and parsley, doughy grilled bread, and sea salt together in a DNA-affirming holy union.

You’ll easily find a food-friendly, small-production wine at a reasonable mark-up (especially for downtown). Beer and cocktails are much more grown-up than elsewhere on the street. With its color palette of wood, brick, and steel, the inside couldn’t feel any more metropolitan. Sit outside for the best view of the drunken antics: from the safety of above, with oysters and sparkling rosé.