"Mexican restaurant Casa Balam hits a lot of high notes—and not just because of the upbeat music bouncing off the sun-baked stone walls. Their spacious dining room often means you can walk right in without a wait, especially on weekdays. And if group ordering starts getting tricky, point your crew toward shareable dishes like beef birria with chiles and citrusy ceviche platters. Plus, the food and drinks are fantastic, like the velvety Bee Word with coconut milk, sweet pollen, and tequila." - juli horsford, jacinta howard, nina reeder