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$$$$ | Flatiron District |
The minimalist concrete space and Ikea-ish tables and chairs might lack gravitas, but the beautifully plated, delicious food shows where Atoboy is focusing its energy. The four-course ($75), small-dish tasting-menu concept lets you sample a range of the kitchen's creative Korean flavors.
43 E. 28th St., New York, New York, 10016, USA
Known For
- Addictive fried chicken with spicy peanut sauce
- It's not typical Korean, so don't expect banchan appetizers
- Some communal tables
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
An island of fine modern American dining just a stone's throw from bustling Times Square and Broadway theaters, Aureole is the second act of a New York classic from famed chef-restaurateur Charlie Palmer and Executive Chef Chris Engel. The airy dining room, inviting thanks partly to the seasoned staff, offers an elegant prix-fixe menu with elevated American and international choices and optional wine pairing. In the front Liberty Room, enjoy a shorter pre-theater prix-fixe menu or à-la-carte courses, all while watching the Midtown clientele evolve from expense-account patrons to discerning diners. In warmer months, the Patio opens in the covered outdoor breezeway beside the restaurant, serving drinks and bar bites in its trio of seating areas.
135 W. 42nd St., New York, New York, 10036, USA
Known For
- Refined setting and dining
- Prix-fixe menu options
- Barroom with à la carte choices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
Expect to find Greek cuisine that celebrates the sea as deliciously as a seaside taverna at Avra’s Midtown West location, across from Radio City Music Hall (there are two more Avra outposts on the east side). The starters menu features wonderfully fresh salads, housemate hummus, grilled or lightly fried calamari, halloumi, and an excellent raw bar and entrées include both “from the sea” and “from the land” items. All dishes showcase Avra’s fine ingredients, though its sashimi and ceviche menu sparkle most thanks to delicate additions like cucumber chimichurri, micro cilantro, and perfect amounts of Mediterranean olive oil and sea salt. The lofty dining room is a welcome respite along this busy commercial corridor, with patio seating in warmer months. Avra’s three-course lunchtime prix-fixe, served 11:30 am to 4:30 pm, may be Midtown’s best dining secret.
1271 6th Ave., New York, New York, 10020, USA
Known For
- Authentic Greek specialties
- Unbeatable lunch menu
- Mediterranean-sourced cheeses and fish
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
The world's most famous French chef, Alain Ducasse, brings to New York a Right Bank bistro—with cozy, red-velour banquettes and wall lamps illuminating each table—plucked straight from the City of Light, with a menu that celebrates beloved French dishes rather than reinvents. And that's okay, especially when onion soup, pate, filet mignon and other classics are so well executed. It's not exactly cheap for bistro fare, but it is a delicious reminder that beloved flavors of Paris also sparkle in Manhattan.
60 W. 55th St., New York, New York, 10019, USA
Known For
- Elegant Parisian bistro decor
- Wine bar with small terrace
- Memorable French dishes
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$$$$ | Midtown East |
Chef Laurent Tourondel may no longer be involved with his namesake steak house, but this classy space, decked out in beige with resin-top black tables, still draws crowds. The no-muss, no-fuss menu with a variety of steaks and other options is nonetheless large, and so are the portions of starters such as crab cakes with celery-infused mayonnaise and ruby tuna tartare with avocado and soy-lime dressing. A veal chop crusted with rosemary and Parmesan lends new depth to the meat. Sides and desserts, like a killer peanut-butter chocolate mousse with banana ice cream, are all superior.
106 E. 57th St., New York, New York, 10022-2601, USA
Known For
- Complimentary Gruyère cheese puffs
- Grilled lobster
- Reservations are essential
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$$ | Upper East Side |
Manhattan's "who's who" in business, politics, and the art world come to hobnob at Daniel Boulud's café-in-name-only, where the food and service are top-notch. The menu is divided into four parts: La Tradition features classic French dishes such as roasted duck breast Montmorency with cherry chutney; Le Potager tempts with creations inspired by local farmers' markets; La Saison follows the rhythms of the season; and Le Voyage reinterprets cuisines of the world. Start with a drink at the chic Bar Pleiades.
20 E. 76th St., New York, New York, 10021-2643, USA
Known For
- Elegant UES dining
- Chic bar scene
- Both French and international cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
This sprawling, boisterous Brazilian shrine to meat, with its all-you-can-eat prix-fixe menu, is best experienced with a group of ravenous friends. Start with a trip to the gourmet salad bar, piled with vegetables, meats, and cheeses—but remember, there's about to be a parade of all manner of grilled meats and poultry, from pork ribs to chicken hearts, delivered to the table on long skewers. Everyone at the table gets a coaster-size disc that's red on one side and green on the other: turn the green side up when you're ready for more. Make sure to come hungry, and pace yourself so you can try all the different delicacies.
316 W. 49th St., New York, New York, 10019-7391, USA
Known For
- Arrive hungry to best enjoy this place
- Entertaining dining experience for groups
- Reservations essential
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Murray Hill |
Meat lovers in particular will enjoy Korean barbecue, and Dons Bogam is a venerable, quality option with a variety of meats and seafood, cooked for you on a grill embedded in your table. Dishes are served with assorted condiments, sauces, embellishments. Don't ignore the appetizers; the dumplings and Korean pancakes are excellent, as are the noodle dishes and bulgogis if you aren't into barbecue.
17 E. 32nd St., New York, New York, 10016, USA
Known For
- Spicy Korean stews and noodle dishes (both cold and hot)
- Long list of wines and sakes
- Reservations necessary, even on weeknights
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
Entering the large, rustic-elegant dining room of Gabriel Kreuther invites a sense of calm as well as anticipation for a memorable meal—and it delivers. The renowned namesake chef celebrates his native Alsatian culinary influences with sublime tasting menus of three or four courses, or an inspired chef's tasting menu of at least seven courses (wine pairing optional, and worth the splurge). GK's haute cuisine, attentive service, and even its lovely handmade ceramic dishware are all part of an exceptional dining experience. Here's your chance to taste cuisine by a chef who's earned many of the world's most prestigious fine-dining accolades, including a James Beard award, Relais & Chateaux membership, and two Michelin stars. Note: if dinner is too pricey, enjoy a four-course prix-fixe lunch or à la carte menu, or opt for more casual dining in the inviting bar.
41 W. 42nd St., New York, New York, 10036, USA
Known For
- Elegant, cozy ambience
- Pretheater dining in the bar
- Award-winning menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | |
Tucked on a unglamorous stretch of Downtown Brooklyn, this restaurant can feel like a delightful 19th-century anomaly. That's no coincidence: Gage & Tollner actually has been around for over 130 years. Today the tastefully renovated space, originally from 1892, is like a trip back in time, with uniformed servers, dark wood trim, huge mirrors and gas-lit lamps. The menu also feels decidedly gilded age, with sumptuous cuts of steak and classic sides, luxe seafood platters, and old-timey desserts like Baked Alaska. Start the night off with a drink at the Sunken Harbor Club, with nautical-theme cocktails.
372 Fulton St., New York, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Old-world decor
- Prime steaks
- Underwater-theme tiki bar upstairs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Union Square |
After reopening in November 2021 with new owners for the first time since 1984, Gotham redesigned its interiors, updated its name, and swapped out its predecessor's architectural plating in favor of updated New American cuisine. Longtime pastry chef Ron Paprocki is now at the helm as executive chef. Classics, like the flaky pâté en croûte (meat pâté in a pastry cover) with chestnut and wild mushrooms and perfectly seared Long Island duck. The desserts remain exquisite.
12 E. 12th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- Classy space with high ceilings
- Jazz on Saturday night
- Pricey, special-occasion restaurant
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends, Recommended
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
Given its location just around the corner from Madison Square Garden, this long-standing steak house founded way back in 1885 sees its share of sports and music fans—but whatever your taste, take a gander at the ceilings, which are lined with thousands of clay pipes that once belonged to patrons. Expect all the standard, meaty choices of perfectly seared steak, mutton, and more, along with market-fresh seafood and daily specials. Single-malt scotch aficionados have a delicious dilemma trying to select from 200-plus varieties on the menu here.
72 W. 36th St., New York, New York, 10018, USA
Known For
- Clubby atmosphere
- Huge scotch selection
- Dry-aged steaks and meats
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$$$$ | Upper East Side |
A bright yellow facade makes this upscale bistro easy to find, and inside it's warm and cozy. Sushi and tuna tartare have been added to the French and Italian menu, which includes traditional onion soup, bouillabaisse, steak au poivre, cheese soufflé, and homemade ravioli. The best bet for dessert is profiteroles—in this case, scoops of vanilla ice cream covered in a thin crust of chocolate.
29 E. 61st St., New York, New York, 10021, USA
Known For
- Wine pairings
- Delicious profiteroles
- Table-side trolley service for some dishes
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$$$$ | Financial District |
Enter at street level and rise 60 stories to experience both an exceptional menu and incomparable views at this 2018 addition to the upscale Financial District restaurant scene. The new American lunch and dinner menus are both short, allowing for nuanced, carefully prepared dishes featuring seasonal ingredients and delicate touches of French flair; opt for the chef's tasting menu ($165) for an inspired experience. The open kitchen is decidedly modern, while the sophisticated dining-room atmosphere works for chic executives, special occasions, and discerning downtown visitors alike. Reservations are essential, but a spontaneous visit may still be accommodated at the bar, which serves an à la carte menu and fine libations (including nonalcoholic cocktails), with north-facing views of Manhattan as the backdrop.
28 Liberty St., New York, New York, 10005, USA
Known For
- Open kitchen
- Panoramic high-rise view
- Seasonal ingredients
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$$$$ | Financial District |
At this impressive location in a unique setting of Botticino marble that's part of a century-old building lobby, the sushi stalwart serves the innovative Japanese cuisine that namesake master chef Nobu Matsuhisa made famous (though he's rarely in attendance these days). Count on fresh, colorful, daring dishes, or just put your meal in the chef's hands with Nobu's tasting menu ($225), or omakase, then let the kitchen do the rest.
195 Broadway, New York, New York, 10007, USA
Known For
- Trendy crowd
- High-quality sushi
- Omakase tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Gramercy |
In a tightly packed, high-energy space, Israeli celeb chef Meir Adoni covers a lot of ground, serving whatever is delicious from Morocco to Yemen—as well as points in between. Standouts include the smoked eggplant carpaccio, the fantastic breads (including the giant Jerusalem sesame bagel and the challah), and just about everything else.
34 E. 20th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- Elevated Middle Eastern dining
- Chic atmosphere
- Pricey but impressively good
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.--Tues. No lunch weekdays
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$$$$ | Midtown West |
Entering this restaurant is like walking into the dressy stateroom of a modern luxury ocean liner, a perfect setting for some of the most vivid and delicious seafood in town. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out north and west, and the arrestingly designed raw bar backed with Mediterranean-hue ceramics serves stunningly fresh choices including gorgeous oysters. Expect to find a contemporary menu with enticing appetizers, whole fish, live Maine lobsters, and an impressive vegetarian section.
120 W. 49th St., New York, New York, 10020, USA
Known For
- Grilled whole fish
- Refined service
- Reservations essential
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Gramercy |
Some of the nation’s most highly regarded food has emerged from the kitchen at Odo, which serves elaborate multicourse Japanese meals known as kaiseki for lunch ($135) and dinner ($245). With just 14 counter seats around the small open kitchen, the experience is essentially a delicious kind of theater.
17 W. 20th St., New York, New York, 10011, USA
Known For
- Local and seasonal foods rather than imported Japanese specialty items
- Reservations essential
- Impeccable service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. No lunch Tues., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Prospect Heights |
Named after one of the two masterminds behind the design of Central Park and Prospect Park (that would be Frederick Law Olmsted, of Olmsted & Vaux) this restaurant caused a stir when it first opened in 2016, thanks to its penchant for keeping live animals in its backyard. Today, the animals in the garden are gone but you can still sip a cocktail there before enjoying a seasonal, ingredient-forward prix-fixe tasting menu of sophisticated international courses. The airy space with an exposed-brick wall and a cascade of plants is a welcome respite in any season, but gets especially lively during brunch on weekends.
659 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11238, USA
Known For
- Farm-to-table fare
- Backyard garden
- Popular brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
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$$$$ | Upper West Side |
With clubby interiors by Jeffrey Beers and an adjoining lounge area, Porter House is helmed by veteran chef Michael Lomonaco. Filling the meat-and-potatoes slot in Deutsche Bank Center's upscale "Restaurant Collection" in The Shops at Columbus Circle, this masculine throwback highlights American wines and pedigreed, supersize meat; the expertly seasoned fare comes with the usual battery of à la carte sides—creamed spinach, roasted mushrooms, truffle mashed potatoes, and buttermilk onion rings. Begin with the chilled seafood plateau or rich roasted marrow bones.
10 Columbus Circle, New York, New York, 10019-1158, USA
Known For
- Porterhouse steak
- Roasted marrow bone
- Regularly shows up on Top NYC steak-house lists
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. No lunch Mon.
