VIBE

It hails from the great French culinary empire of Keith McNally (of Balthazar and Pastis fame), but apart from the usual distressed décor and cutesy French feel, you’ll find no to-do here. Schiller’s boasts three wines: CHEAP, DECENT, and GOOD (read: three cheap red wines, with cheap being the best of the three), along with a handful of really unique house cocktails. Complete with gleaming tiled walls lined with dark liquor bottles and waitstaff who look like they were extracted from a Parisian fashion ad, Schiller’s is a beautiful, bustling neighborhood must.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

You’ll be surrounded by a stylish crowd here, so opt for a chic shift top, hip-hugging slacks, and fashionable heels.

GO HERE WITH

Significant other; a casual date; a few friends

CROWD

Hipsters, European expats, a handful of suits, and the usual McNally following. It’s a celeb-happy scene here, so people watching is prime.

WHY WE LIKE IT

The place is playful (just look at the wine options), it’s a spot to be seen in, and, though the counter still serves a handful of the restaurant’s best eats, seats here are much easier to come by than in the restaurant itself.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The bathrooms link to a common sink area. Be sure to stick to your own side upon entering.

GOOD TO KNOW

Don’t be afraid to try Schillers’s egg creams, a signature drink here: it’s a milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer water combo with an alcoholic twist of strawberry coconut, white Russian, or dark chocolate Russian flavor. Despite the rush for tables in the restaurant, seats at the bar are easier to come by (though, during peak hours, they are often taken up by those waiting to dine). Free Wi-Fi is available.

OTHER LOCATIONS

None, but Keith McNally’s restaurant group includes Pastis (New York), Balthazar, (New York), and Morandi (New York).

CLOSEST COMPS

Pastis (New York)

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