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Tucked in the basement of the Washington Square Hotel, this cozy bistro is an unpretentious escape from the surrounding NYU bustle. Popular with that university’s faculty crowd, North Square delivers a relaxed setting across three rooms and, unusually, a value-priced wine list, too. The furnishings alternate, jarringly, between traditional American and Art Deco—beautiful wood floors and mahogany furniture clash with a garish purple palette that appears in varying shades on the walls, banquettes, tablecloths, tile mosaics, and pretty much anywhere else you look. Like the décor, the menu is a mishmash. Chef Yoel Cruz dabbles in Southwest, Latin, Asian, Thai, and American steakhouse cuisines. His ingredients are high quality, but too many flavors overwhelm many plates. But if you’re looking for a little less fanfare with your food, you’re in luck, because you can mix and match entrées and accompaniments at whim. — Tim O’Keefe

Lobster and crab cakes, $12; filet mignon au poivre, $26