I know “it depends” is a wishy washy answer, but really it depends. I fucking love outrageously spicy food - scared my now husband when he took me to a Thai place by ordering papaya salad authentically spicy, it’s been a dozen years and he still brings it up, like he tried it & it gave him PTSD. It was so good though, and I was so happy they did not pull any punches.

If it’s a first date, I wouldn’t like to drink, so maybe pizza? I think what makes a place good for a date is when all the food is for the table, not each of you separately. If the guy was loaded and wanting to go someplace pricy, there are very fancy restaurants here that serve that way, but pizza I like, most people like, and it is not usually a drinking food IMO, it’s better with water or soda. And you share it.

If a foodie guy, I’d ask for Ethiopian food. Those meals are also served on one big injera for the table and wow so delicious and also not a drinking sort of meal.