We'll be there next month and already have a reservation at Boulud Sud. As you can tell, we like French food, but also Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mexican (but we get enough of that here in California). Also great hamburgers. Suggestions? We're staying at the Lucerne, on west 79th, and will eat at least one dinner at Nice Matin. So I need just one more spot.

Shake Shack is a reliable (and usually mobbed) burger place on Columbus at 77th. Would say good but not great.

Shun Lee is excellent chinese on 62nd near columbus.

Maialino is a few years old now, but still going strong for Roman trattoria style cooking. Try the cacio e pepe and the roast suckling pig for the table. Reservations a must, a month in advance if possible. http://maialinonyc.com

Are you willing to travel or are only looking near the hotel?

What is your budget?

Shake Shack is over rated and the lines are not worth it.

For burgers try
Brindle Room
The Burger Joint at the Meridien
Back forty
Corner Bistro during the week
Spotted Pig, during the week
And where no tourist has ever set foot, Paul's Da Burger Joint, 2nd Ave just south of St. Marks, where some of the waitresses still call you 'hon.'

For Cacio e Pepe try a restaurant called Cacio e Pepe also on 2nd Ave.

Try Turkish Kitchen
For dim sum Nom Wah on Doyers, Jing Fong, and Golden Unicorn.

For Lebanese food try Au Za'atar.
French Bistro-Lucien

Shake Shack is a "good hamburger". The burger at db Bistro Moderne is "great" or maybe even "remarkable" and worth a trip to NYC. (of course the price matches the quality).

I'm also a find of HB Burger (or Heartland Brewery), though they recently raised their prices, and Five Napkin Burger. At the latter you need a reservation if you want to go to the Times Square location, but Union Square not so much. But there's a location on the Upper West Side not far from your hotel, but I've never been to that one. Of course, there's also a Shake Shack near your hotel across from the museum of natural history.

Maialino has amazing pastas, and I strongly recommend it, but it's hard to get a table unless you want to eat at 5:30 or 10:30. You definitely need to try exactly 4 weeks in advance for reservations. But there are a lot of very good Italian places.

I don't think Maialino is all that difficult to book. I just took a look at OpenTable and they are showing a table for two tonight at 6pm. But as Doug mentions, it is always best to book ahead.

More useful if the OP would specify neighborhoods and price range.

Doug, did not mean to contradict….I looked again and there is, indeed, little online availability for theh next two weeks for any table for two between 6 and 9:30pm. But often phoning will turn up something not shown online. Best to book ahead..good restaurant.

I also like Marta, in the same stable.

ttt

How about Carmine's? Our goddaughter used to work there, but that was a while back.

We'll be in NYC on Dec. 6hth through 9th. Budget? Around $75 without alcohol for the two of us but we can stretch it for something really good. One of us might have a beer or glass of wine with dinner, which would be on top of the food budget. I have no idea what New York prices are, as this is our first trip. We're not foodies, BTW.

Location: not too far from the hotel would be good but not essential.

Assuming that the $75 includes tax and a 15% tip, you are pricing yourself on the low side for Manhattan dining in general, other than at some Asian places and some very simple spots. But Carmine's might work, and since you do not claim to be a "foody," it might be a good choice, as you can share the dishes.. I have been there once, at another location, about 20 years ago, so cannot comment on the food, but I imagine it is decent enough.

Here is their online menu to offer an idea of prices:

http://carmines2go.com/menu/91st/

Two additional choices that are pretty good and are in the general area are CESCA and OUEST, but both will be more pricey than Carmine's. They were both pretty solid restaurants, but again, I have not been to either in at least 4 years..

Last week we were very pleased with the Tangled Vine, a small wine bar at 80th and Amsterdam. They have a new chef and did a terrific job with a Spanish oriented dinner.

Also, Malson Kayser just open a new place on the corner of 76 and Broadway. They offer two fixed price menus for @25 and $33 - three courses. The $25 portions were small but adequate and excellent. It is a BYOB so that holds down the price.

Good to know about NYC restaurant prices. Sounds somewhat like Paris! Speaking of which, we ate breakfast at Kayser in Paris and were impressed with the quality of the breads. The prix fixe menus don't come up when I Google Maison Kayser, but I'll keep trying. Thanks for the tips.

Anyone know Basso 56? It gets very good reviews on Trip Advisor.

Finally, where do we find terrific pizza?

Sorry - Carmine's is more about quantity than quality - basic red sauce Italian in massive portions. Be careful not to order too much food of you go - most appetizers feed at least 2 and many people just order 2 mains for 4 people

Okay; Carmine's is off the list.

For the ny pizza of my childhood , plain , delicious, folded on a paper plate, Joe's in Union Square.

The best pizza is downtown. Likely spots are Motorino http://motorinopizza.com/new_york/eastvillage Lombardi's http://firstpizza.com and John's http://johnsbrickovenpizza.com

There are several others, well-regarded, which I have not tried. But I do believe the best pizzas are found below 14th Street, inconvenient as that is for me.