While you are in Lower Manhattan, you might try one of the restaurants on Stone Street in the Financial District. Click on my username and you will see a post about it.

Another "New York" kind of thing to do might be to have dim sum for brunch one day in Chinatown. Always fun and interesting -- but you need to be adventurous!

I am not familiar with any of the other restaurants you posted. Why not try Citysearch or Chowhound for specific neighborhoods/cuisine types/costs.

I had dinner at Samba-Le in March. It was pretty good. I'm right around your age (if it matters), so I can tell you where my friends I go for dinner. I would also look at the following places for less expensive, but still very good, places for dinner:

Mercadito - Mexican, E. Village
Momofuku - Noodles, E. village
Stanton Social - Tapas, Lower East Side
Sea - Thai, E. Village
'inoteca - Italian, Lower East Side
Cafecito - Cuban, E. Village

I meant to also add that Suba is great and has a very sexy atmosphere. Grape & Grain is another favorite. Many restaurants in the E. Village are cash only (incl Samba-Le), so keep that in mind. There are ATMs everywhere, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

First let me just thank everyone for all of the replies...this site is so helpful! So, I think that one night we may go to Suba. Another night be may go to 26 seats. For our one fancy dining experience we may go to the River Cafe. I definitely want to go to Grimaldi's Pizza...probably for lunch. We may also try out Grape and Grain.

So now that I kind of have an idea about restaurants, how about hip Bars and Clubs? I would love to go somewhere where the drinks and atmosphere are amazing...think Sex and the City (I'm a dork I know). FYI...I am not interested in going to some 18 and over get drunk until you puke on someone club. Any advice would be great. Thanks.

If you are a Sex and the City fan, then definitely go to O'Nieals on Grand and Center Market Square. O'Nieals is the real life "Scout" aka Aidan and Steve's bar. It's on the border of SOHO and Little Italy. It's a great place to grab drinks, and the food is also excellent (and reasonable) if you want to have dinner.

www.sheckys.com is as useful as menupages for finding bars.

Other fun bars that I like:
Lolita - Lower East Side
Sweet & Vicious - Very loungey and fun in Nolita
323 Spring - great lounge scene in SOHO
Cibar - great little garden, near Gramercy Park
Uncle Ming's - really fun late night place. It's on Avenue A b/t 13th and 14th. The tricky part is that it's hidden, sort of, with no sign. If you walk down Avenue A, it's on the East side of the street above a store with a yellow awning.

Well - since the drinking age is 21 - and most places are serious about this - unless you're a VIP who's going to get them a lot of PR finding a bar full of 18 year olds would be really hard.

If you want one of the trendy places - they are truly difficult to get into, expensive, and not trendy on Fri or Sat night. Big nights are Thrus or Sun. To try to get in go before 11 and hope they're not crowded and hope you can hang around long enough to see some VIPS on the way to their special rooms.

My stepdaughter informs me the latest is Butter (she has seen there people I'm sure are famous but I've never heard of), also Bungalow 8, I think Plumm and for old standbys someplace like Marquee.

If you just want a nice place for a drink go to the roof bar of the Ritz Carlton Battery Park City. $$$ but great views.

I'm going to disagree with Gotravel on this one... I know (from personal experience;-) ) that the vast majority of bars around NYU, Murray Hill, and Midtown East turn a rather blind eye to fake IDs. kckirk is absolutely right to ask about this. I would avoid most bars in midtown east & Murray Hill, and be careful about the ones in the village near NYU. They 100% embody the drunken/barfing/NYU freshmen/frat boy stereotype. Sutton Place, Martel's, Off the Wagon, I could go on forever...

I don't think trendy has to equal exclusive at all. You're not going to read about any of the places that I mentioned in page six, but they are full of sophisticated and fun people in their 20s.

KC - Read up on Shecky's to see if any bars catch your eye. You can search by type (lounge, neighborhood, dive, frat, shecky's pick, etc.) and by neighborhood. Good luck!

>>My stepdaughter informs me the latest is Butter...<

Congrats to you nytraveler! When did your beau become Mr.nytraveler? I must have missed the announcement. Best wishes to you both.

The entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is not IN Central Park, it is just OUTSIDE the park at 1000 Fifth Avenue between 80th and 84th Streets.

Huh? Lizzie, I didn't even mention bars.

lisettemac, I mentioned Daniel because of the price point of the other restaurants listed. I see now that kckirk didn't want high end.

He's still not Mr. nytraveler - he's working on it - but I'm still hesitant. (My divorce was very difficult.) It's just easier to talk about them as step daughters - since it;s been so many years now.

GoTravel - you're absolutely right, I was responding to nytraveler! I am SO sorry! Just got home from a fun night at E. Village bars with my boyfriend and another couple. KC, you'll have a great trip!

Tea & Sympathy

Hello all! I am wondering if someone can give me some information about the subway system in New York. What is the best way to purchase tickets? Is there some kind of deal that I can get? I have heard of several day packets that you can buy to ride the subway which are much cheaper than having to buy seperate tickets each day. If someone can provide some insight on this matter I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Here. Navigate the link and you'll find everything about the subway system -

http://www.mta.info/nyct/index.html

kckirk~

When will you be in NY?

So, I am leaving tonight for NY and I just found out that it is supposed to rain for most of our trip...especially tomorrow and Sunday. This kinda throws a kink in my plans. Anyone have advice for cool things to do in Manhattan when it is raining? I was thinking the Met among other museums. What do you all think? Please help!!! Thank you.

>>>>>
she has seen there people I'm sure are famous but I've never heard of
>>>>>

huh?

I think I missed the OP before she left but to anyone else going to NYC, get yourself the laminated fold-up purse/pocket sized map from vandam.com. By far the best map I have ever used, and I've been through many of them. street names are big enough to read without my reading glasses! It includes subways and Manhattan. I got mine at Barnes and Nobles.