Despite my father's assertion that only clueless tourists would do such a thing. We (sister, myself, and DS) have been thinking that we would like to eat at one of those iconic Central Park restaurants, after years of walking past them and thinking that the tourists are having all the fun. Likely we would have either brunch or afternoon tea, on a Sunday in June.

Does anyone have fairly recent experience of either? My father had an awful meal at TOG in the early '70's and I rented boats at the boathouse as a child, but that's the sum total of our experience. I get the impression that the Boathouse is the better regarded of the two.

General agreement: TOG for ambience and the Boathouse for the cuisine.

Cobb salad at TOG is one of the best I have eaten anywhere.

How about both? I love the atmosphere of the Boathouse on a nice day, if by the lake with the doors open. We've always ordered simple -- blue cheese burgers that were sensational, and omelettes or something brunchy another time and it was good.
And I think they will still let you sit in the garden at TOG and have a glass of wine (or tea) if you are between hours -- say around 3 or 4. It's a lovely spot and you don't have to worry about crummy, overpriced food that way.

Boathouse. Definitely.

Boathouse. I used to go there with my grandmother.

Thin

Boathouse, especially on a nice day.

Agree on the Boathouse. The setting is lovely and the food is superior to TOG.

Don;t even consider TOG - the Boathouse food is way better.

Thanks, guys. It will be the Boathouse. DS was leaning towards it (we left the decision up to him) as he liked the lakeside idea and the menu was apparently more appealing. The assertion that the food was better clinched it for him.