I really liked Keen's for a steakhouse. It is very pricy though.

Can second the recs for Maialino and Molyvos.

A less expensive Greek option might be Dafni. It's right by the Port Authority, and I find the food simple, traditional Greek and very tasty.

I second Dafni ...eat there quite often

I won't be there until the spring. I got my wife this trip for Christmas she's been wanting to go all her life--so plenty of time to get reservations. I've eaten at the Ruth Chris Steakhouses several times...how do they compare to the steakhouse suggestions mentioned above? Thanks for all the help.

Maialino looks great. Would you recommend the four course tour of the menu? My experiences with Italian food are fairly limited to Carrabas and other similar restaurants.

I absolutely ADORE Aquagrill!

The salmon in falafel crust is fabulous!

I also like L'Ecole at the French Culinary School on Broadway in Soho.

Thin

Ruth's Chris is a chain, like Morton's, so if you have eaten in one you've eaten in them all. If you like that kind of steak (and they do serve a pretty good steak), there's nothing wrong with it, but for the same price, you could eat in a real NYC steakhouse like Peter Luger, which is a singular experience you can't get in Kansas City or New Orleans.

Four courses at Maialino is a LOT of food, and it's going to be cheaper to go your own way. The pasts are stellar, so you don't want to miss those, and the other appetizers can also be good (and can be split). I also really like the maialino itself, but it's far too big for a single human being to eat, so I ordinarily split that. I tried to eat it myself for Thanksgiving, and I ended up bringing half home. Desserts aren't in the same league (for me at least), but they are still pretty good. Wine can be expensive there, but you'll also find some relative bargains.

And also what Thin said. If you'd like to try a multi-course French meal, L'Ecole is a great choice, though it's not as reasonably priced as it used to be. But the ingredients and preparations are always good.

We ate at L'Ecole a few months ago and the meal was inconsistent.

In New York, you can get Italian regional cooking, so you may do some research into that. Try northern Italian, including true Tuscan style and it will very different than what you have eaten in the past.

Just saw your inquiry on Chowhound… hope they'll come up with more info.
California friends of mine loved Maialino. Have never been there myself ( of course,because I live on the upper eastside - But like Pepper the Snoot I do like JoJo. Quiet but nice… you might like it for lunch. I think their prix fix is about $32 per now. Dinner can run into more.
Here's the web site http://www.jojorestaurantnyc.com/#!/...jo/restaurant/

Thanks again for all the replies. I probably won't feel like paying cash for my meal and taking an expensive cab ride to get there so the Peter Luger option is probably out. What comparable steak house would be in midtown?

My two favorites are Gramercy Tavern (my long time number one) and my new favorite Beauty & Essex.

I recommended three comparable steakhouses, with Wolfgang's giving the closest to the Peter Lugar steak experience (though certainly not the ambience, or lack thereof).

Thanks. I had a terrible experience at Tavern on the Green about 10 yrs ago. Heard all about how it's a landmark and the food was great. Needless to say, I paid a ton of money for mediocre food and I don't want that to happen again.

Try "Il Giardino d'Olive".

Ccrash, this is not intended to be rude, but do not use your home town restaurants for comparisons or your friends' advice when it comes to restaurants.

Many have given you solid selections, please look at line at these and choose.

I just had a wonderful lunch at Gramercy Tavern. It's been 13 years since I've been and don't know why I waited so long. Now on my favorites list.

I also enjoy David Burke's Fishtail on 62nd and Lexington.