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With an entire page of the dinner menu devoted to cocktail specials, it’s clear that this UES restaurant caters to drinkers looking to fill their bellies between rounds. Opened in 2007 as the sister location to Hi-Life Bar & Grill across the park, the restaurant’s adjacent lounge, outfitted in red and black vinyl booths and sporting a retro aquarium that doubles as the hostess’s podium, nods to Swingers-style imbibing. With big band music pumping throughout, the mood carries over into the similarly decorated dining room. Given High Life’s emphasis on cocktail swilling, it seems fitting that the kitchen’s best dishes are shareable bar food starters, like a truly grande platter of nachos dripping with cheddar, baskets of deliciously deep-fried popcorn shrimp, and smoked bacon-flecked Idaho potato skins. The scattershot menu of mains, from burgers to pad Thai, aims to please all, with predictably mixed results. Burgers are bland, and Maryland crab cakes fishy, but the refreshing Slammin’ Salmon roll with lemon and cilantro hits the spot. Clearly not a dinner destination, High Life lives up to its expertly mixed martinis and satisfying snacks. — Alexis Korman

Both locations offer daily drink specials and early bird deals on popular dinner entrees.

Kitchen Hours
Mon.—Thu., 11:30 a.m.—11 p.m.; Fri., 11:30 a.m.—11:30 a.m.; Sat., 10:30 a.m.—11:30 p.m.; Sun., 10:30 a.m.—11 p.m.

Nachos grande, $9.95; slammin’ salmon roll, $5.50