Carnivale

When a restaurant this size is this busy (it seats 400, but an hour wait is typical), it must be making somebody happy. Jerry Kleiner’s colorful—if slightly dated—design can make a person smile, and the mojitos and margaritas don’t hurt, either. You’ll find all sorts of variations on traditional fare, like the grilled skirt steak arranchera and mini whitefish tacos. Some items, like the juicy ropa vieja, raise this restaurant’s bar, but it’s the crowd here that entertains the most.