How often do you go out of your way to have a date in Midtown? About as often as you pick up 1-800 phone calls? Never? Sounds about right. But that might change once you’ve eaten fried brie while listening to an alto sax solo at Tomi Jazz. This tiny basement Japanese spot on East 53rd Street hosts live jazz every night starting at 6pm (and only charges cover on weekends). We can’t think of too many cave-like places where you can watch someone play the cello while eating okonomiyaki, creamy cod roe spaghetti, and salmon rice balls. So while you could come to Tomi Jazz just for drinks—they have enough whiskey and sake options to warrant a Dewey Decimal system—you’d be missing out if you didn’t at least get a snack. And you might as well stay for dinner, especially because securing a seat requires some forethought: on most days, the line to get in can stretch to two hours. For one reason or another, you may have to go on an impressive date in Midtown someday. When the time comes, you’ll need to find a special place that’ll somehow make you forget you’re a half-mile from Auntie Anne’s in Penn Station. That’s where Tomi Jazz comes in.