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In 1991, restaurateur Earl Geer set out to revive a faded American icon, the bar and grill. Onetime fixtures of the culinary landscape, these humble establishments catered to working men and women, serving straightforward steaks, chops, and seafood, accompanied by potent cocktails. Geer’s Hi-Life Bar and Grill, with its retro neon signage and updated menu, re-creates and redefines the concept, with an inviting, dark interior that’s part forties film-noir set, part Prohibition-era speakeasy. An antique, twenty-foot mahogany bar dominates the terrazzo-tiled dining room, which is appointed with button-tufted, leather-upholstered walls and cozy booths. Old pinup posters add a rosy, naughty dash. The menu hews closely to American standards, like raw-shellfish platters, burgers, and grilled meats, with elaborate oversize salads and pasta dishes as well. One big departure from Americana is the admirably prepared sushi and sashimi; Hi-Life was among the first Western restaurants in New York to offer the now-ubiquitous Japanese fare. Still, there’s much to be said for the classics: Steak au poivre features a succulent, fourteen-ounce, peppercorn-spiced sirloin bathed in a decadent cream sauce, and delightfully crisp Maryland crab cakes are unctuously rich within. An icy, well-made martini—shaken, stirred, or up with a twist—completes the picture. — Michael Anstendig

Off-night diners find half-priced sushi and sashimi on Mondays and Tuesdays, with easy-priced Kirin pints and pitchers of Coors Light. Big-bowl pastas are specially priced on Wednesdays and Sundays, with discounts on any bottle of vino.

Happy Hour
There’s also a daily midnight happy hour offering $3 Stella Artois and $5 cosmos.

Maryland crab cakes, $16.95; steak au poivre, $18.95; sushi and sashimi platter, $19.95