When you walk into Rebel on the corner of Stanton and Clinton, you might do one of two things: turn around immediately because you're not sure if you're in a restaurant, or start looking for someone to charge you a cover. On any given night here, there's either a live band or a DJ with rainbow globe lights going every which way. It feels like a party, so we wouldn't recommend bringing someone for a quiet discussion about "your future together."

The griot is a popular order, and although you may get a few pork shoulder chunks that spent a little too much time in the fryer, most of the pieces are fatty and tender and keep you wanting more. But we enjoy the Barbancourt mussels the most—they come in a pool of slightly spicy and garlicky broth made with Haitian rum. We asked for more details, but the ingredient list is a secret. Pikliz comes as a side with a lot of items, and you should know it has intense heat from the Scotch bonnet peppers.

The corner space and big windows allow you to see everything that's going on outside on the street, but it's everyone walking by who will be curious about what the hell is going on in here. Think of this place the next time you want to skip any pregaming and get right into a fun night.