A ROSE IS A ROSE BUT THE PENROSE...

With it's downtown meets Brooklyn shabby chic vibe, The Penrose is that go-to trendy bar on the Upper East Side. Don't be fooled, it feels like every single Upper Eastsider and their mother knows about this place because day or night, it is always the place to be. It has a super fun vibe but be warned at night hours, you will likely have to hold your cocktail Statue of Liberty torch style if you intend to move at all. That said, an early brunch or weekday lunch is way calmer and super yummy!

I'm so happy to see the Upper East Side getting great cocktail spots like The Penrose, Seamstress and Bar Pleiades. Wait, is the East Side becoming cool? I think we'll have to wait a little longer to really figure that one out.

For now, rest assured that you can find a killer mac and cheese in the area. The smokiness of the gouda perfectly coats the rotini making for a flavorfully gluttonous dish. Looking across the table at my smiling lactose intolerant girlfriend who had just downed two Lactaid pills so she could dive in deep without fully throwing caution to the wind, I knew that was by no means a "waste of calories". To confirm that thought, as though she was reading my mind, she exclaimed in an exhaled breath, "SO WORTH IT!". Pretty sure she just said it all.

It should be noted that the other dishes are also awesome. We loved the fish tacos, burger, seasonal salad—really every thing that was placed down on our table.