WAREHOUSE DISTRICT. Cafe Havana evokes the lively atmosphere of pre-embargo Cuba. The trendy club offers a dazzling menu complete with traditional favorites like fried plantains, conch fritters, fried yucca, and tres leches cake. After dinner, sit back and sip a glass of wine while you socialize with old friends or meet new ones. The bar is open an hour or two after the restaurant stops serving food ­ till midnight through the week and till 1am on Friday and Saturday.

UPTOWN. Known for its "street food from the hot zone," Chino Latino features scrumptious, exotic food and drink from a variety of equatorial regions around the globe. The wild, festive decor features a cushioned orange vinyl wall, giant round booths, and an open kitchen, not to mention oft-commented-on restrooms. The eclectic menu includes dishes from Asia and South America: wok-seared noodles, paella, empanadas, suckling pig, sushi, satays, and more. Reservations are suggested, especially during weekends.

WEST ST. PAUL. Real Mexican food is served with style in this colorful atmosphere where each wall is brightly painted a different color. Special features include Nina's cactus pepper stew, Tacho's pollo loco, Bob's buffalo head chili, enchilada's suizas, and fresh seafood burritos. Dark, private booths are surrounded by cheerful decorations that hang from the walls and ceiling. No reservations accepted.

WHITTIER. Serving the Twin Cities for over thirty years, Little Tijuana is equally popular as a cheap dinner spot and as the perfect stop after an evening at the bar. The menu is small ­ nachos, burritos, tacos, and the like ­ but servings are large, tasty, and cheap, more than making up for the lack of choice. While stipulations such as no refills, no substitutions, and a one-hour table limit might rub you the wrong way, regulars agree that the food is worth a bit of sacrifice.