Marie Elena Martinez

ating at the bar is a taste of freedom. You can walk into a restaurant on the spur of the moment, gesture toward the bar and, before you know it, you're in. No reservation, no fuss, no big deal. Suddenly, that weight you didn't know was there slips

More than 170 eateries are participating this go-around, here are nine best bets.

A chain with more than 20 locations nationwide now calls the former nostalgic restaurant its new headquarters.

When you're a restaurant critic, however, the chills come all year long, and every dinner has the potential to morph into fright night.

When I was in high school, TGI Fridays was one of the restaurants in my regular rotation and that experience delivered consistently.

The newest opening brings the chicken chain's Long Island total to 10 locations.

Women's laughter echoes through the downtown corner restaurant that used to house Grecian Grill in Farmingdale.

Roadtrip, which recently opened in Bay Shore, takes diners on a culinary journey across the country with weekly-changing specials focused on the most beloved delicacies in particular states.

The pop-up shop now has a permanent brick-and-mortar location.

With its 1920s service station vibe and decor, Ford's Garage is a step back in time.