Smith & Wollensky: Steakhouse. 797 3rd @ 49th; 22/17/$70; 753-1530; Huge portions; Old school; Wollensky’s Grill next door; Macho feel; Biz types & their escorts. Wisecracking waiters.
Wollensky’s Grill: Steakhouse. 201 E 49th @ 3rd Av; 23/16/$54; 753-0444; The less expensive yet still excellent sister restaurant to Smith & Wollensky. Open late til 2am; Great steaks. Bar scene.
Pampano: Mexican. 209 E 49th @ 2nd-3rd; 24/23/$55; 751-4545; Famous chef Richard Sandoval; Elegant, Seafood oriented menu; Classy great Mexican; High energy staffers; Tuna steak; Black bass; Two levels; Great for parties and large groups as well; European infused Mexican.
Bukhara Grill: Indian. 217 49th @ 2-3rd; 22/15/$36; 888-2839; Great $15.95 lunch buffet; Dependable and reasonably priced; 2nd floor terrace; Flavorful dishes. Simply the best choice in area for Indian.
Chin Chin: Chinese. 216 E 49th @ 2-3rd; 22/18/$48; 888-4555; Gourmet, high end cuisine; Whole menu outstanding; Worth the extra bucks for the genre. The emperor must have dined this way!
Seo: Japanese. 249 E 49th @ 2nd-3rd; 23/18/$47; 355-7722; Serene, ideal for a date; Zen experience; Great Saki; Sushi or sashimi assortment plus the fabulous Udon soup is the way to go; Delicious cooked dishes.
Yama: Japanese. 308 E 49th @ 1-2nd Av; 23/13/$40; 355-3370; Sushi/ Sashimi ate “whale size” and scrumptiously fresh as if caught a few blocks away; Great value if not a stunning looker of a place. Often has lines and tight quarters.
Hatsuhana: Japanese. 17 E 48th St @ 5thAv – Madison; 24/16/$52; 355-3345; One of the original sushi houses in NYC – 3 decades old; 9 section Bento Box of ‘Dreams’. Freshest sushi, sashimi and rolls.
Chiam Chinese Cuisine: Chinese. 160 E 48th @ Lex-3rd; 23/18/$44; 371-2323; Upscale cuisine with incredible service; Great lunch spot as well as dinner; Corp types; Formal-ish and also pricy for genre; Unique takes on the dishes.
Avra: Greek. 141 E 48th @ Lex-3rd; 25/21/$61 759-8550; Greek seafooder with freshest possible fish; Classic preparations but the grilled whole fish stands out. Fish priced per pound so beware of pricy main course. However, you will forget $$ after one bite of seafood perfection.
Akdeniz: Turkish. 19 W 46th @ 5-6th; 21/13/$29; 575-2307; Turkish; Dirt cheap, bargain prices for excellent meze, breads, spreads, amazing grilled fish. Good service; Small spot. $21.95 dinner price fixe. So, while décor isn’t anything special- the food can be.
Darbar: Indian. 152 E 46th @ Lex-3rd; 21/16/$34; 681-4500; The cheapest of the ‘high end’ Indians in this area; $11.95 lunch buffet; Excellent choice; Split level setting; Locals love it; Very inexpensive.
Nanni: Italian. 146 E 46th @ Lex-3rd Av; 24/15/$54; 697-4161; Veteran institution with unreal food; Inventive menu; Waiters with true personality. Extremely expensive but food makes you forget. Sparks: Steakhouse. 210 E 46th @ 2-3rd Av; 25/19/$72; 687-4855; Big steaks; Endless wine list; Hugely popular; Biz types. Old boy network; Gruff service; Signature sirloin; Always packed.
Alcala: Spanish. 342 E 46th @ 1-2nd; 22/18/48; 370-1866; Near the UN, this is a charming, cosy Tapas restaurant with many traditional Spanish classics. Try the Garden in spring!
Morton’s: Steakhouse. 551 5th Av @ 45th; 24/19/$65; 972-3315; Clubby, dark place; Beef orgy; Porterhouse is outstanding; Old school vibe; Mammoth sides; Tableside preview of beef.
Aburiya Kinnosuke: Japanese. 213 E 45th @ 2-3rd; 25/20/$50; 867-5454; Japanese Grill; Like being in Tokyo; Open Kitchen. Sushi-free dining. Meticulous attention to detail. Refreshing to have traditional grilled Japanese selections. Palm: Steakhouse. 837 2nd Av @ 44-45th; 24/17/$66; 687-2953; Gargantuan steaks and enormous lobsters; No-nonsense; Saloon type décor. 2nd Av location been around nearly 100 years; Old style feel.
Kellari Taverna: Greek. 19 W 44th @ 5-6th; 22/22/$51; 221-0144; Amazing whole fish served here; Spacious; Gracious service; Pricy but excellent Greek fare. Lively scene with energy to enjoy your meal; $29.95 early bird.
Fabio Piccolo Fiore: Italian. 230 E 44th @ 2nd – 3rd Av; 22/21/$48; 922-0581; Solid all the way round; Great food, service, décor; Grand Central sleeper; Chef-owner that treats you like personal guest; Accommodating – will make whatever you like. Ben & Jack’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse. 219 44th @ 2nd – 3rd Av; 23/17/$68; 682-5678; Business professionals; Boys night out; Amazing sides; 3 former Peter Lugar servers own it; Communal porterhouse; NY Strip, filet all great; Nicely charred steaks. Sakagura: Japanese. 211 E 43rd @ 2-3rd; 25/22/$50; 953-7253; Highly rated Sake Bar/Rest with 200+ kinds of Sake; Spacious; Like Tokyo; Authentic Cuisine; Stylish. Japanese small plates, similar to Tapas.
Sushi Yasuda: Japanese. 204 E 43rd @ 2-3rd; 28/22/$78; 972-1001; No 1 in Zagats 2008 for Sushi; Unique menu every day. Fish so fresh you’ll feel like you are dining under water; The best. Period. For $24 for lunch- sushi combo and you can choose the fish; Attentive service; Impeccable quality.
Capital Grill: Steakhouse. 155 E 42nd @ Lex-3rd; 23/22/$63; 953-2000; Amazing Steaks; Tender; Clubby Feel; Business types; Extremely friendly service; Chrysler Center. Lobster Mac n Cheese; Slightly larger menu than most.
Osteria Laguna: Italian. 209 E 42nd @ 2-3rd; 21/18/$46; 557-0001; Very popular UN-area neighborhood mainstay. Solid fare, attentive service and seating outdoors. Venetian fare; Packed at lunch.
Convivio: Italian. 45 Tudor City: 42nd @ 1st-2nd Av; 23/21/$53; 599-5045; Southern Italian; Incredible use of pancetta, tomatoes, and pesto; Superb antipasti; Beautiful garden; Delicious wine list. Elegant.
Docks Oyster Bar: Seafood. 633 3rd Ave @ 40th; 20/17/$50; 986-8080; Casual, fun restaurant; White table-cloth setting with a very popular bar scene; Website has tons of pictures & menu is mouthwatering; While not top in quality, it is spacious, date friendly and solid.
Phoenix Garden: Chinese. 242 E 40th @ 2-3rd Av; 24/10/$27; 983-6666; Cheap décor, Chinatown level service but worth it because the food will blow you away. Go for lunch or a weekday dinner; Inexpensive. BYO.
Wu Liang Ye: Chinese. 338 Lex @ 39-40th; 22/13/$32; 370-9648; Inventive food; Unique Chinese choices and the classics; Great spices and hot dishes are hot. Beware of iffy service and not the greatest décor; Upscale Chinatown.
Aquamarine: Pan Asian. 713 2nd Av @ 38-9th; 21/22/$37; 297-1880; Wonderful neighborhood spot; Even has sushi; Tranquil setting including a waterfall. Sizzling Pan-Asian dishes that are mouthwatering. Wonderful rolls.
El Pote: Spanish. 718 2nd Av @ 38-9th; 22/13/$40; 889-6680; Small in size but giant in flavor; Known for paellas; Small plates as well as full prepared dishes; Happy staff make up for tiny space.
Evergreen Shanghai: Chinese. 10 E 38th @ 5th-Madison; 20/13/$29; 448-1199; Genuine, unique food; Dishes rare to Chinese menus; Amazing Dim Sum and soup dumplings; Inexpensive. Sushi selections as well.
Asia de Cuba: Asian- Cuban flare. 237 Madison @ 37th; 22/24/$61; 726-7755; Celebrities; Sexy crowd; Very trendy; Hot spot; Pre-club. Has a hot bar scene & always a good looking crowd. Food surprises you with a solid menu of Asian classics including beef dumplings. The décor is the star here.
Keens Steakhouse:
Steakhouse. 72 W 36th @ 5th-6th; 24/23/$65; 947-3636; Old boys club feel; Great service for genre; Classic feel- 80,000 clay pipes line ceiling; American memorabilia; Meat lovers- huge portions. Barbes: Moroccan. 21 E 36th @ 5th Av-Madison; 21/18/$43; 684-0215; French-inspired Moroccan fair (both cuisines on menu); Complicated dishes that show care and effort- and great flavor; Coolio date scene- sexy décor;
Villa Berulia:
Italian. 107 E 34th @ Lex-Park; 23/19/$49; 689-1970; Mature, crowd; Extremely friendly and attentive service; Incredible cooking; Great for a family meal or a romantic date. Quiet & more mature.
Pio Pio: Peruvian. 210 E 34th @ 2-3rd Av; 23/13/$22; 665-3000; So cheap you won’t believe the bill; Specialty is Chicken dishes and amazing Sangria; Whole chicken and sides for under $10. Cramp setting but incredibly large portions.
Ali Baba: Turkish; 212 E 34th @ 2-3rd; 23/14/$31; 683-9206; Hood favorite; Large portions; Dirt cheap. Small place. Garden in the summer. Always popular and crowded as it is an authentic bargain. Kebabs to die for.
Trattoria Alba: Italian. 233 E 34th @ 2-3rd Av; 22/18/$40; 689-3200; Neighborhood spot. Crowd is filled with regulars coming back for classic, reliable fare. Take your time service; Menu has the dishes.
El Parador Café: Mexican. 325 E 34th @ 1-2nd; 22/16/$43; 679-6812; Under the radar; Very good spot; Sangria & superb Margaritas; Thrown-back Mexican cuisine; Absolute winner without tabs of high end Mexican; Friendly staff.