I will be spending 4 or 5 days in NYC at the end of July...staying on the Upper West Side. I am looking for, fun, ethnic eateries where I would feel comfortable dining by myself. I will only be with friends part of my stay.

Plenty of places to eat solo. Indicate approximately where on the upper west side so places can be recommended near where you will be staying.

I will be staying around 77 and B'way.

However I love trying all kinds of new restaurants just about anywhere....so the recommendations don't have to be centered around the Upper West Side.

Blockhead Burrito, for a good Burrito. Try it, you'll like it.

Caridad - Chinese/Cuban - 78th and Broadway
Silk Road Palace - Chinese - 82nd and Amsterdam
Check out the restaurants on Amsterdam between 80th and 81st - there are 10 or 11 restaurants serving a variety of different foods.

I think you should feel comfortable dining alone anywhere you feel like going! If you're a little shy, try a place that serves at the bar...you can chat with the bartender. I usually take a magazine in case I get bored between courses.

I beleive if you do a seach at Zagats.com they have a category called "dining solo" or something similar that lists places single-friendly in their opinion.

Also checkout Chowhound.com where there have been numerous threads lately about this exact topic.

Bon Appetit

Gotham Bar & Grill accomodates solo diners well at the bar area.

Thanks for the eating solo suggestions. Good to know there are so many in the Upper West Side.

Dim Sum in china town is fun.
I was in new york solo, and did not have any problems.