Geometry carries the day at Encore. The red and yellow rhombus pattern on the walls provides a colorful backdrop to the brown whiskey and clear vodka. An enormous circular bar allows you to sneak glances at someone sitting on the other side without craning your neck or shifting your body.

Just steps from the historic Cadillac Palace Theatre, Encore is a good place for a meal if you're waiting on a show or if you're just a guest of the adjacent Hotel Allegro. During the day, Encore is a prime spot for a bite to eat at noontime, with $10 sandwiches like the chicken foccacia.

But the place is called the "Liquid Lounge" for a reason. Encore is a haven for drinkers first and foremost, and once the workday is over, alcohol is what brings the folks in. Slip into a big corner booth and camp out with some friends over one of Encore's many martinis (we like the sound of the Trio, with Maker's Mark, Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Cointreau and lime with a sugar rim).

Centerstage Reviewer: Patrick Corcoran