Northeastside bar Manhattan is Big Apple-icious

My sister said it best as we walked out the door: "If I were a classier person, I would come back."

She wasn't wrong about Manhattan, the restaurant and bar that opened about a month ago on the Northeastside. Although the Big Apple hideway doesn't have a dress code, we felt silly in our jeans and, in my case, flip-flops. We were the only ones dressed in anything less than, well, hip New Yorky fashion.

But Manhattan is a restaurant/bar playing a role, instead of one posing as a New York bar. I get frustrated when bars in town try to get uppity. With its view of skyscrapers lining blood-red walls and friendly wait staff dressed in black-and-white with suspenders and berets, Manhattan is successful in channeling the old-time NYC theme without forcing anything.

Because we were there to check out the bar, we didn't try any food off the impressive menu. It was divided between boroughs, ranging from Asian cuisine at China Town to steaks in the Meat Packing district. Oh, and let's not forget the New York style cheesecake and other themed desserts.

Although we were in the "quiet" section, we couldn't have much a of conversation because Joe Girard and the Stardust Orchestra's booming -- if great -- booming standards kept us from being able to hear each other.

Of course, I had to try a Manhattan. I'm not exactly what you'd call a connoisseur -- in fact, Manhattans taste a little like Band-aid water to me, but I was nonetheless impressed with the long list of variations on the classic drink, not to mention a full page of other martinis ($7 to $13).

My sister and her boyfriend split a chocolate martini and. By the end of the drink, they were having a straw fight over who'd get to slurp up the last of the chocolate syrup. The best part? All of the martinis are half-off on Thursdays. Classy or not, I'll be back for one of those.