(201) Best of Bergen 2017 Edition | Page 28

Nightlife Best Happy Hour (Tie) FISH 54 E. RIDGEWOOD AVE., RIDGEWOOD (201) 857-5151, CITYBYTHESEAHOSPITALITY GROUP.COM MARTINI GRILL 187 HACKENSACK ST., WOOD-RIDGE (201) 939-200 MARTINI-GRILL.COM Come on get happy! That’s what happy hours are all about. Make new friends and enjoy old ones as you sip extraordinary cocktails prepared to perfection. Fish is a renovated bank – complete with vault – and the owner of Martini Grill caters to a jet- setting crowd at Teterboro Airport. So check into these two fabulous restaurants and enjoy an exotic libation before you dine. Best Cocktails PARK WEST TAVERN 30 OAK ST., RIDGEWOOD (201) 445-5400, PARKWESTTAVERN.COM A “cosmopolitan” meeting place, Park West Tavern has a hand-crafted cocktail menu, which includes the Tavern Lemon Drop with Absolut Citron and limoncello, The Park Royale sparkling wine, and the PWT V&T, with housemade rosemary and citrus vodka. Need we say more? RUNNERS-UP: BIGGIE’S RESTAURANT, RAW BAR AND TAVERN CARLSTADT AND RAMSEY MARTINI GRILL WOOD-RIDGE Well of course Biggie’s has great cocktails to go along with everything else fans love about the place. Martini Grill has carved out its own special niche, hosting happy hours Monday through Friday where they serve some of their signature martinis, the Razzle Dazzle, the Caribbean Mango and the Chocolate Tini. 26 Best Place for Girls’ Night Out (Tie) AXIA TAVERNA 18 PIERMONT ROAD, TENAFLY (201) 569-5999, AXIATAVERNA.COM BIBI’Z RESTAURANT/LOUNGE 284 CENTER AVE., WESTWOOD (201) 722-8600, BIBIZLOUNGE.COM Axia has always been a chic place for girls to gather and hang out. Its casual elegance and its full Greek menu, prepared by Executive Chef Alex Gorant, features small plates – perfect for a group of gals who want to eat light – and more filling grilled selections for those looking for something more. Check it out on Tuesdays, when guests can enjoy live music. Bibi’z hosts a Girls’ Night Out Thursday, where specialty cocktails are served throughout the evening. Among the treats are the Bibi’z Blossom, a Dirty Double Cross Martini and a Skinny Margarita. Which one of these cocktails suits you best? Best Place For Dance Classes (Tie) ARTHUR MURRAY DANCE STUDIO 257 E. RIDGEWOOD AVE., RIDGEWOOD, (201) 389-6980, ARTHURMURRAY DANCENOW.COM JUST OFF BROADWAY PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY 118 BROADWAY, HILLSDALE (201) 664-7255 JUSTOFFBROADWAY ACADEMY.COM With a slogan that it’s “changing lives one step at a time,” Arthur Murray Dance Studio has been teaching dance classes for more than 100 years. Summon your inner Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers and get out on the dance floor! For budding dancers, readers say that Just Off Broadway Performing Arts Academy is on point, offering ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap and hip-hop from pre-k through teens. 2017 EDITION | (201) BEST OF BERGEN GUIDE (201) STAFF PICK Best Neighborhood Bar THE ORANGE LANTERN PARAMUS Since I was in college, The Orange Lantern has been a popular hangout for Paramus locals. As a member of the Class of ’76 from PHS, I have heard stories for years about the good times friends had at that neighborhood bar, which is nestled between The Fireplace Restaurant and a Paramus firehouse. It’s also a great place to catch a game. CHOSEN BY AMELIA DUGGAN DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES AND SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS Download the free app and subscribe today!