Holidays in the Big Apple

You don't mention your price range, which I think is crucial, nor do you mention your likes and dislikes, another crucial thing. However, I can tell you the two traditional meals in NYC.

The traditional Christmas Day dinner (eaten early) in New York is Chinese. The place to go is Shun Lee West, on West 65th near Lincoln Center (or Shun Lee Palace on East 55th). But you need to make reservations as soon as they are allowed. It's a particularly busy day for that restaurant. There are certainly other cheaper Chinese restaurants, but this is the traditional place.

For Christmas Eve, you want an Italian seafood meal. I'd seriously consider a place in an old-time Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, but I don't know the restaurants well enough (and I'm not sure you'd want to travel that far). But there must be some place in Manhattan. Can anyone help? Again, make the reservations exactly 30 days out.

opentable.com is a booking site for a lot (but not all) restaurants. Many won't take online reservations more than 30 days in advance though. BUDGET and location are critical to give you decent recos. Would also help to know if kids are involved, size of party etc. Rolf's is a German restaurant know for it's kitsch over the top Xmas decorations but the food's not great. There are loads of wonderful restaurant options from an inexpensive meal in Chinatown to a full multi-course feast at some of the best restaurants in the city.

If you want a traditional dinner on Christmas Day consider Fraunces Tavern. the food is fine - not great, but very little is on Christams Day and it's very traditional (dates from colonial times and is where Washington bade farewell to his troops at the end of the revolution.

Chinese on Christmas Day is a tradition primarily for those who don;t celebrate Christmas (many, many people here).

Thanks for your thoughts. We are thinking not Chinatown or Chinese meal for Xmas day if possible (one member of our party is not a fan, alas.) Would definitely love the Italian seafood meal for the night before. Will consider options for all budgets, and it involves no young children. Thanks!

If you want the 7 fishes dinner, I know the Mario Battali restaurants do that with Lupa probably the best option but also probably difficult to book. I know Barbuto also did it in previous years. Here's an article from last year's NY Times on the subject. http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/finding-a-christmas-eve-dinner-in-manhattan/