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Neither signage or illumination announces the existence of Bar Centrale next door to Joe Allen’s; to discover this in-spot for booze, bites, and Broadway stargazing, you’ve gotta climb up the stairs of a Victorian brownstone and past a set of hulking, unmarked oak doors. Sizzling word-of-mouth on this intimate, parlor-floor boîte means that reservations are required for bar seating (with precious few booths and tables), especially after shows let out. The atmosphere, all Milanese gray with dark-brown banquettes and unobtrusive, conversation-friendly jazz, is subdued and cool, all the better for post-curtain post-mortems. A simple menu of salads, appetizers, and sandwiches doesn’t astound, but easily balances the liquid fare. Swim instead with the fish dishes, like deftly spiced Baja fish tacos and a crab seviche that’s accompanied by little shovels of endive fronds or tortilla chips. — Stanley Mieses

Baja fish tacos, $15; spicy crab ceviche, $16

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