All New Yorkers have their favorites. Babbo is my husbands. I like Felidia and Picholine and Four Seasons! But when we take out people new to NYC we go to Tavern on the Green. Why? The food has gotten much better, its a fun place and you can see outside (esp. Crystal Room). All (or most) cities now have good restaurants thanks to Culinary Institute, but in NY you want to know you are in NY. The scene waiting for your table at Tavern is a mess, should be improved. But once seated we have always had good service. We have even seen "famous persons" there. Also, by NYC standards it is not that expensive. Often people do not really want to spend 100+ per person. But, if you want to do one of the famous...you will enjoy any of the already discussed. Mesa is the most informal. Isn't it great to have so many choices.

The River Cafe - the views are fantastic and the food's not bad either! 10 of us are flying in from London to celebrate my (big) birthday there.

Japanese sushi (moderately priced) -- Sushi Ann (recently changed owners, used to be Sushisei)

Italian - Il Mulino, though pricey

A much more minimalist, neighborhood sort of place on a relatively remote block in SOHO (technicaly NOLITA), is "Peasant," whose menu is written in Italian only. Ambience is a bit dark, but with high quality food if you are looking for something different (like pasta with rabbit, or grilled sardines, or tasty ossobuco). Also one of the best open kitchens in NY.

American - Mesa Grill, continues to serve a very good meal.

Chinese - Chin Chin

Pizzeria - Angelo's Coal Oven Pizza (57th Street between 6th and 7th).

MMM

Restaurant Provence on MacDougal St.

Jende=

My FAVORITE is Le Bernardin.....

I also like Mesa Grill--but it is way more casual...food is very good..

Concierge.com ( a div. of Conde Naste ) just listed these restaurants in NY in the top 50 of American restaurants:

Jean Georges
Daniel
Le Bernardin
Babbo
Nobu
Grammercy Tavern
Gotham Bar and Grill

If I had my druthers, I would go to Le Bernardin and Babbo as my top 2 choices..and definitely make reservations WELL IN ADVANCE!!!

Enjoy!

If you want a super dinner , extrememly inexpensive, try PO in the Village-

It is Mario Batali's ( of Babbo fame) first restaurant...he no longer owns it but the food is FABULOUS!!!!

Greetings! Trying to search for a steakhouse in NYC for Tuesday 5/20/03. Looking for $100/couple, no wine. Maybe a beer or two. Thinking Gallaghers's??? Cannot find the thread I read about earlier with suggestions. Can you help? Thanks!

For a real NY steakhouse experience, go to Peter Lugar's in Brooklyn (if you can get a reservation). I don't know about Gallagher's. I always like the Palm.

Cafe Espanol on Bleecker St. The Paella is fantastic and the Sangria pitcher large!
Then Zaytoons in downtown Brooklyn(I forget the name of the st.) Their falafal is #1.

Payard on Lex
Terrace in the Sky on Amsterdam (since Manhattan is on a grade, this restaurant is on the top of the grade and boasts the highest elevation of any restaurant in Manhattan. The view is, amazing of course and you can sit on the terrace to see it. But since it is on 119th, stay away if you are a "never above 96th-er"

le Bernardin

The Tavern Room at Gramercy Tavern is one of our very favorite meals out. True, they don't take reservations, but if you arrive by 7, there's not usually too much of a wait if your party's not big. Also, they have continuous service from lunch through dinner, so it's a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon without a crowd. And if you have to wait and can find a place at the bar, they have great house cocktails. Here, you can have three courses and a glass of wine or a cocktail for under $50 per person, with stellar cooking and service.

Our second runner up in the Danny Meyer empire is Eleven Madison Park. Elegant and impressive space, perfect service, and terrific food (including wonderful desserts). Same price range as Union Square Cafe, but a more sophisticated menu and atmosphere, without being formal, and a much easier resrvation.

For big-spending occasions, Town, in the Chambers Hotel in midtown, is as good as it gets. This place is under the radar of this board, which tends to discuss the Zagat/celebrity chef places more, but I've never spoken to anyone who had a less-than-great experience there, and I'm still savoring the meal I had there a month and a half ago. Really impressive room, with sueded walls and a 30-foot ceiling, very good sevice, and wow! food, often in the "best ____ I've ever had" category. Prix-fixe is around $70, about the same as the back room at Gramercy Tavern (but I'd rather go to Town for the money).

As for celeb chef restaurants, I love Lupa, one of Mario Batalli's ventures (though he doesn't cook there). Best here is to order an assortment of antipasti and go for the pastas (especially all 'amatriciana, duck ragu, spicy cauliflower ragu) in lieu of meat dishes, which can be oversalted sometimes. Great Italian wines and really reasonable prices.

I almost feel bad giving this rec on such a public forum.

But: Sushi of Gari. read it and weep.

My favorites:

Tabla

Gramercy Tavern

Gotham Bar And Grill

and for more adventurous eaters:

71 Clinton Fresh Food

I agree with Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe being among the favorites. But for a classic New York experience I still don't think you can beat the Four Seasons. The decor is unlike any other, and the food and service are excellent. Gotham Bar and Grill is another wonderful place. Balthazar is fine but not in the same class as the others. Mesa Grill is usually good but much less a "dining experience" as some of the others.

On a visit to New York, we enjoyed a small Greek restaurant in Midtown called Molyvos; our dinner there tied with the omikase at Nobu for Best Meal of the Trip. I don't see it mentioned here often (except by me!), but I thought it was wonderful, and a nice find in that it isn't terribly fancy or expensive.

Jean Georges because we stay at Trump.

Nobu because I like downtown. Go figure.

And Gramercy Tavern.