NYC Restaurant Recommendations

[DJR]

My wife and I will be celebrating our anniversary in NYC in mid May. We are staying at a hotel near Grand Central Station and are looking for a nice/intersting place to have dinner in the evening. I know it is a bit overwhelming to find something in the city since there are so many restaurants, so any suggestions you have are most welcome.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

What type of food might you enjoy eating?

 

[MareQ]

http://www.marchirestaurant.com/

FANTASTIC food!

 

[DJR]

What type of food might you enjoy eating?

Actually, we're pretty flexible. I probably want to stay away from the steak house type of place, since we do that a lot at home.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Actually, we're pretty flexible. I probably want to stay away from the steak house type of place, since we do that a lot at home.

Aureole is one of my favorite 'special occasion' restaurants. The food is spectacular and so is the atmosphere. It's on the upper east side in a brownstone.
http://www.charliepalmer.com/aureole_ny/intro.html

For Italian I love Il Mulino or Babbo
http://www.ilmulinonewyork.com/

Daniel is another favorite and very romantic.
http://www.danielnyc.com/


Let us know what you pick and how you liked it!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Aureole is one of my favorite 'special occasion' restaurants. The food is spectacular and so is the atmosphere. It's on the upper east side in a brownstone.
http://www.charliepalmer.com/aureole_ny/intro.html

For Italian I love Il Mulino or Babbo
http://www.ilmulinonewyork.com/

Daniel is another favorite and very romantic.
http://www.danielnyc.com/


Let us know what you pick and how you liked it!

Great selection of restaurants, but if you chose any of these restaurants, and you want to eat before 9:30 pm, I sugesst you make reservations ASAP...like now!

...and I'd like to add Gramercy Tavern to that list, if I might...http://www.gramercytavern.com/gramercy_tavern.html. I'm a huge Danny Meyer fan!

 

[RickinNYC]

We recently went to Bar Americain and had fantastic food, service and cocktails. Pretty priced but worth it. Everyone loved everthing.

A new Nobu called Nobu Fiftyseven opened in midtown as well. Haven't been there myself but I heard great things. Couple of friends were raving about it this past weekend. Owned by Morimoto, the Iron Chef dude.

For a good seafood restaurant that's super close to Grand Central, you can try Dock's over on Third Avenue and 40th Street. Haven't been there in a while, but I had always enjoyed it. Really good martini's!

A NYC staple on the restaurant scene is the Oyster Bar which is on the lower level of Grand Central. NOT fancy, but fantastic seafood, great atmosphere although loud. I love the place.

If you're looking for a GREAT little known (to tourists) Italian restaurant, you should try Osteria al Doge. If you plan on going just prior to a show, you need to make reservations asap because this place fills up. GREAT food, really nice place. Excellent service with good Italian wine. It's on south side of 44th just off Broadway in the Times Square district.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We recently went to Bar Americain and had fantastic food, service and cocktails. Pretty priced but worth it. Everyone loved everthing.

A new Nobu called Nobu Fiftyseven opened in midtown as well. Haven't been there myself but I heard great things. Couple of friends were raving about it this past weekend. Owned by Morimoto, the Iron Chef dude.

For a good seafood restaurant that's super close to Grand Central, you can try Dock's over on Third Avenue and 40th Street. Haven't been there in a while, but I had always enjoyed it. Really good martini's!

A NYC staple on the restaurant scene is the Oyster Bar which is on the lower level of Grand Central. NOT fancy, but fantastic seafood, great atmosphere although loud. I love the place.

If you're looking for a GREAT little known (to tourists) Italian restaurant, you should try Osteria al Doge. If you plan on going just prior to a show, you need to make reservations asap because this place fills up. GREAT food, really nice place. Excellent service with good Italian wine. It's on south side of 44th just off Broadway in the Times Square district.

I agree 100% with your take on Bar Americain, and I'm hardly the biggest fan of Bobby Flay's style of cooking. I've eaten there a number of times and loved it every time.

I have to disagree with your friends on Nobu Fifty Seven, however. I've had dinner there twice and cocktails once, and can I say, I was a bit underwhelmed with the food, the staff, everything. I've had better meals sitting at the counter at Momo***u Noodle Bar in the East Village and paid a fraction of the cost of Nobu Fifty Seven. If you really want Nobu style cooking, I'd suggest making a reservation and going to the original.


ETA: I can't beleive Momo***u is being censored...hello?!?!

 

[RickinNYC]

I agree 100% with your take on Bar Americain, and I'm hardly the biggest fan of Bobby Flay's style of cooking. I've eaten there a number of times and loved it every time.

I have to disagree with your friends on Nobu Fifty Seven, however. I've had dinner there twice and cocktails once, and can I say, I was a bit underwhelmed with the food, the staff, everything. I've had better meals sitting at the counter at Momo***u Noodle Bar in the LES and paid a fraction of the cost of Nobu Fifty Seven. If you really want Nobu style cooking, I'd suggest making a reservation and going to the original.

As mentioned, never been to Fiftyseven, only heard good things. I have, however, eaten at the original in Tribeca and loved it.

ETA: Totally agree with Bobby Flay. Not very impressed with him but really surprisingly like Bar Americain.

 

[kelleigh1]

Anyone tried Mario Batali's places? Hubby and I really like him and we always talk about possibly taking a trip to the city so we can go to one of his restaurants.

 

[java]

I went to Becco in November*mario and lidia restaurant- how can you go wrong. It was Yummy and inexpensive on top of it all! Fun fun fun. Not romantic though at all. Tables so close that the woman next to my friend and I reached on over and tried some of my pesto pasta! (only in NY... and as a former new yorker that is what I love about it)
I love Felidia(Italian)
Aureole
Cinquanta(cheaper northern italian food)
I second the Oyster Bar in Grand Central! Good food and GREAT people watching.
Palio for the bar alone
Those would be where dh and I would hit if we were heading in alone.(although we would also go to the village for some cheap but good ethnic food)

My now closed favorites of the past
Manhattan Ocean Club(How oh how could they close!!!! LOVED this place)
The Box Tree(another romantic spot that got a redo into a Kosher place but still yummy - but then just closed)

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Anyone tried Mario Batali's places? Hubby and I really like him and we always talk about possibly taking a trip to the city so we can go to one of his restaurants.

I've been to Otto, Babbo, and Del Posto. All incredibly good and each one a totally different experience. If you're concerned about price, go Otto. I just ate there last Monday. It's Mario's casual/hip pizza place but has recently put pasta dishes on the menu. Great wine selection. No reservations are accepted. Everything is great and won't crush your wallet. My favorite of three is Babbo. The room is warm and inviting and they've got great music pumping. The food is upscale peasant fare, and if you are adventurous, you'll find a ton of dishes that you will love. Get a reservation, it's a tough place to book. Del Posto is Mario's latest Meatpacking district restaurant. the food is good, but not better than Babbo and more expensive. I've eaten there once, don't feel the need to return.

ETA: Just noticed online that Otto now accepts reservations. I had no idea, although we've never waited longer than 30 minutes as a walk-in and the bar area is alot of fun if you have to wait for a table.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I went to Becco in November*mario and lidia restaurant- how can you go wrong. It was Yummy and inexpensive on top of it all! Fun fun fun. Not romantic though at all. Tables so close that the woman next to my friend and I reached on over and tried some of my pesto pasta! (only in NY... and as a former new yorker that is what I love about it)

Actually, Del Posto is Mario and Lidia's restaurant...Becco is soley owned by Lidia.

 

[DJR]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! It's very confusing trying to decide. I'm thinking we would like to try Babbo, but it seems reservations are difficult, and it looks like they don't take them more than 30 days out. As a back-up maybe Daniel.

On the other hand we may decide to catch a show, in which case we would dine a little less extravagantly.

 

[auntpolly]

LOL Did you just see my other post in the other thread? I was just talking about Babbo!

I get to NYC once a month for a few days and have been trying to get in, and finally did. Call the day you want to go and sometimes there are cancellation - you can only call a month in advance, and I was calling a month in advance and getting laughed at!!!

 

[java]

Actually, Del Posto is Mario and Lidia's restaurant...Becco is soley owned by Lidia.

oops sorry wrong one. I went to Becco though. And it was yummy. Where is Del Posto? I'm googling to find it. Thanks