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Dear friends I will be staying for the first time in the upper west side and would like restaurant advice for the area. Thanks, Marcia

The Upper West Side spans a broad area. Be a little more specific.

Hi Howard! We will be stayng at Hotel Olcott that is at 27w72ndSt. Thanks, Marcia

You're certainly in a great location for a wide choice of restaurants. Now, the questions are: What price range and what types of food?

P.S.: Make sure you go to the planetarium show at the nearby American Museum of Natural History.

Hi Howard As for the type of food I like all kinds.Actually we are going to spend 10 days in New York and I would like to go to 2 or 3 very good restaurants that could be anywhere and the rest of the time eat at restaurants close to the hotel that would be nice but not very expensive. Thanks, Marcia For sure I will visit the Museum.Is this the new planetarium?

be sure to visit carmines in nyc. excellent italian food and inexpensive prices! there are 2 locations. both of them are very good

Marcia, yes, I was talking about the new planetarium. Here's some suggestions for your three nights of "very good restaurants." (I'll let some of posters from the West 72nd St. area suggest some local, inexpensive favorites for your other nights.) Obviously, there hundreds of restaurants you could choose from, and you're likely to get a lot different suggestions from Fodorites. Here are mine: 1. Union Square Cafe--regularly voted the most popular restaurant thousands of Zagat reviewer. To get a reservation, you must call a month ahead (the earliest they accept reservations). So, if you pick that one, mark 30 days prior on a calendar for the call. (212-243-4020; 21 East 1th St., between 5th Ave. & Union Sq.) 2. Chez Josephine--our favorite NYC restaurant. It's owned by two of Josephine Baker's Rainbow Children. One of them, Jean-Claude is the host extraordinaire and adds to the charm of the place. Oh yes, the food is quite good, too! Call a week or two prior for reservations. (212-594-1925; 414 W. 42nd St., between 9th & 10th Aves. 3. Becco--this is a good choice for a pre-theater dinner in the theater district. Get the pasta special, very reasonably priced (3 pastas and you can have as much as you want of any and all of them!). Reservations necessary (at least two weeks before for a weekend; at least one week before for weekdays). (212-397-7597; 355 W. 46th St., between 8th & 9th Aves.)

Hi Howard Thank you for the advice.I will make the reservations at the right time. Please Fodorites that know well the west side seventies, if you could advise me about nice places to eat it in the area it would be great! Marcia

Marcia, all you will really need to do is walk to Columbus Ave to have your choice of hundreds of restaurants. There are SO MANY on the Avenue. Our fav is Pomodoro's which is just south of 72nd on Columbus. The bread there is amazing. There are Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and just about anything else you can name right in the area, so relax pick one that looks good to you. I agree with the above post on the Union Square Cafe, one of the best in the city, also you might try one of the restaurants on Park Ave like City Crab or for fun, if you like Japanese go to Tsunami in the Village. Pick up a Zaggats for more info, since there are 10,000 restaurants in Manhattan, (no kidding) you will have alot of choices.

Some good, casual and relatively inexpensive places in the 70s (you can get the exact address/descriptions on www.zagat.com): Gabriela's = Mexican (there's one on 74th) Diwan's Curry House = Indian Niko's = Greek Ruby Foo's (more expensive than the other ones here) = Japanese/Chinese/fusion Dan's Tempura House = Japanese Citrus = southwestern Josie's = "healthy"/organic The 80s Columbus Bakery = terrific bakery/casual breakfast Sarabeth's Kitchen = "nicer" breakfast Isabella's = American, mid-range sit-down Rain = mid-range Asian Saigon Inn = casual, quick cheap Vietnamese Haru = mid-range sushi (Roppongi across the street is also quite good) Fancy: Picholine and Jean Georges are both in that area and are both terrific. Jean Georges is one of the best places in NY. Have fun; let me know if you have any questions!