We are going to the boat show at Javits on Jan 7 and will be in NYC for 2 nites. Hubby wants to do a steakhouse one night and he has chosen Keens'. We were trying for Babbo on the other nite but can't get a reservation. Any ideas for this general area? How is Roy's at SSSeaport? I would love to find a very nice ( not a spaghetti place!) Italian restaurant that has an antipasto table like in Rome (anywhere in the city)Any ideas on this?

Do you mean the Javits area or the financial district? They are not one and the same. I can recommend many Italian places but have to know which area. I am not, however, aware of any place with that kind of antipasto table. If you want Italian in the financial District/Tribeca area you can try Roc (casual but excellent; one of my favorites in that area) or Il Giglio (expensive) or Ecco on Chambers Street (moderate). Roy's is not at the Seaport, by the way and it is a chain-affiliated place not popular with locals.

I think maybe you need to look at a map as you seem to be confused about location.

Javits Center is Midtown.

Financial District is the tip of the island.

Sorry for the confusion - it made perfect sense to me but I didn't explain well!! We staying in the financial center area at the Marriott because we wanted to try something different. The boat show is at the Javitts convention center and I realize where that is. Our restaurant locations can be anywhere but, of course, the closer to our hotel, the better.
Ideally, I would like to find a nice, quiet, upscale restaurant where the next table is more than 18 inches away from us!

Good choice with Keen's, btw. Very "old New York" ambiance, with good steaks.

There are lots of good places for antipasto. Trattoria Dell 'Arte is known for theirs (midtown). The nicest Italian downtown is Scalini Fedeli. It's in Tribeca.

www.scalinifedeli.com

Bayard's is another lovely place in the financial district in a wonderful historic building. Food is French/American.

There are actually a few steakhouses downtown too. Another option would be to do steak downtown and Italian when you're midtown. Downtown steak is MarkJoseph and Delmonico's.

OR you could kill 2 birds with one stone. There's a new place called Il Bastardo on 21 st & 7th ave (not far from Javits) that's an Italian steak & seafood place with supposedly excellent antipasto.

The Grill Room in the World Financial Center is a good choice - it's right across the street from your hotel. The views of NY Harbor are beautiful, and the whole restaurant is very serene...the food is good too!

Okay, I see.

The Roy's is very good but it is a chain. What about Fraunces Tavern? Historical and very good.

The restaurants at South Street Seaport are typical of what you'd find at any other 'themed' shopping area. UNO's Pizzeria, sea food restaurants, etc. I'd probably skip them.

Check out Felidia. I don't think it has an antipasto table, but it does have fantastic Northern Italian.

Giambelli on and Park and 50th serves home style Italian. I understand that at least one Pope ate hear, so you know it's got to be good.

Canaletto at 60th and 3rd might be a bit more casual, and less expensive, than the two above mentions.

Felidia and Giambelli are priced similarly to Babbo.

I stick with my recommendations for Roc, Ecco, or Il Giglio which are each within walking distance of your hotel. Ecco is old-world Italian in an old-fashioned New York salon-type setting. Roc is also casual Italian in a hipper, downtown room. Il Giglio is excellent Itlian food related to the famous Il Mulino (also in NYC). And, as McLaurie mentioned, Scalini Fedeli is a top-rank Italian. The first two are moderate in price; Il giglio and Scalini are more costly. You can't go wrong with any of them..depends on the atmosphere you want and your budget.

Thanks everyone for your great ideas. Made reservations at both Keen's and Il Giglio....now I have to diet so I can eat at these places!!!

Thanks for everyone's suggestion on this older post from me regarding restaurants for this past weekend. Keen's was great for steak and nice atmosphere but Il Giglio was the star for me! Great service and great Italian food. Those little zucchini appetizers could be a meal for me...definitely going back to this restaurant!!

Emily, I am so pleased that you had a good experience at Il Giglio. That is an example of a place known and well-liked by locals but which does not get much mention on this board and in guidebooks. Let us know when you return so we can suggest more "good eats." By the way, I ate at Ecco on Chambers Street last week and noticed that they have a large and very tempting antipasti table in the front of the dining area. I liked Ecco so much that I am returning tomorrow night. Ecco has old-fashioned New York saloon-type atmosphere (think PJ Clarke's) with excellent Italian food.

HHHHhhhhmmm. An antipasto table at Ecco. Now you have my interest. How would you compare their food to Il Giglio?

Try Bayards.It is very upscale, located in a landmark mansion.This restaurant is very romantic and the food and servce are great.
For steak,delmonicos downtown ia very good in a beautiful location.I vote for this over keens but both are in different areas of the city,
For french,14 wall street,great views and good foood.
All of the above are close t the Marriot.

Emily, I was away last week (in Italy as it happens!) so did not respond earlier. The food at both Ecco and Il Giglio is really excellent; the atmosphere in Ecco is more of an old-New-York-saloon type with black and white tile floors, lots of dark wood, etc. Much more casual than Il Giglio. If you check menupages for Ecco, be aware that they have a very long list of daily specials which they present on a blackboard that would not be on the menupages listing. Last time I was there I had the scampi from the specials menu and it was some of the sweetest, best tasting shrimp I have had in ages. served with h ead on as I like it. My mother loved the lobster ravioli as a first course. Veal is excellent quality. Of course I have not tried everything on the menu but I do not feel you could go wrong here; the only downside would be that Ecco can be a bit noisy at peak dinner hours, as they have a lively bar in front.

Going back to the financial center area next week with hubby. Definitely going to Ecco to check out that antipasto table. Now we need 1 more good spot- any ideas? Thinking about Blau Gans - we like good German food. Also thinking about Bayards and the Grill Room. Love Il Giglio - been back there again since the January trip!

Emily, please let us know what you think of Ecco! Blaue Gans is Austrian so not quite as heavy as the stereotypical German food. I mean to try it soon. Think about Danube, more upscale for Austrian in the area. Have fun and lots of good eating!

That Danube menu on menupages looks awfully good....this could be the place!

Emily, I think Danube is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city. And while it is elegant, it is not stuffy at all. Let us know what you think and have fun!