Fine Dining in New York City

[S-Man]

In a few weeks, I am planning a leisure trip to NYC. What are your restaurant recommendations for dinner? At the moment, my first choice is Jean-Georges followed by Keens Steakhouse. Once I saw the Jean-Georges tasting menu included a chocolate dessert tasting, it went to the top of my list.

Thanks,
S-Man

[soxfan]

Daniel for an overall experience. Le bernardin for the ultimate in fish. Momofuku for sheer coolness.

[JDNorthface]

Do some research into the quaint little neighborhood places in Williamsburg and Park Slope in Brooklyn. I grew bored with the Manhattan Meal Madness and crossed the bridge. It's like finding new treasure.

[Anna Davis]

Ai Fiori is phenomenal, it's a must go!!! It's located on
400 5th Avenue, New York.
Enjoy hope you have a fantastic time.

[Solemate62]

Nathan's in Coney Island and, with the money you save, you can see one or more of NYC's super hot Providers!

[S-Man]

Thank you for the recommendations.

Originally Posted by Anna Davis

Ai Fiori is phenomenal, it's a must go!!! It's located on
400 5th Avenue, New York.
Enjoy hope you have a fantastic time.

I was raised to believe it is not where one dines but with whom which makes a meal enjoyable. With that, I will definitely have a fantastic time.

Originally Posted by Solemate62

Nathan's in Coney Island and, with the money you save, you can see one or more of NYC's super hot Providers!

My dinner companion would be okay eating a Nathan's hot dog. Her folks would probably prefer I take her there as they wouldn't want me to spend that much money on a meal. :-p

[JDNorthface]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Thank you for the recommendations.
...
My dinner companion would be okay eating a Nathan's hot dog. Her folks would probably prefer I take her there as they wouldn't want me to spend that much money on a meal. :-p

Her folks? So you're looking for a place to go after prom?

[Anna Davis]

Give it a try, I enjoyed myself there.

[Whirlaway]

Some fine and some more casual, but all solid recommendations...

Four Seasons at lunchtime (weekday only if you can get a table).

Stroll down to Chelsea and catch some food and shoping at Eataly. http://eatalyny.com/

Have weekend brunch at Balthazarr's. http://balthazarny.com/

Eat a casual late night meal at Raoul's on Prince (great bistro food). http://raouls.com/index.php

Definetly have a meal at the little known Ill Buco on Bond Street. http://ilbuco.com/

Grab a hot dog from Papaya King....http://www.papayaking.com/

And the big date night, a table at La Grenouille (a storied NYC restaurant with wonderful service, magical lighting, great buzz, nice banquets, small, stylish, and admirable menu). http://la-grenouille.com/index.html.

Squeeze in a meal at Grammercy Tavern on E. 20th. http://www.gramercytavern.com/

My NYC recommendations.

[Guest073013-1]

KEENS Stake House. I heard about it on the History Channel when I was like 18. I always wanted to go there and last year I went and it was AMAZING. about 100 bucks a plate but AMAZING! It used to be a pipe club, so they have the old pipes lining the walls and ceilings. Its a cool place.

[S-Man]

Originally Posted by VictoriaWest

KEENS Stake House. I heard about it on the History Channel when I was like 18. I always wanted to go there and last year I went and it was AMAZING. about 100 bucks a plate but AMAZING! It used to be a pipe club, so they have the old pipes lining the walls and ceilings. Its a cool place.

I wonder if I saw a re-airing of that show earlier in the year as I also got my sights on Keens.

[AnnelieseBell]

Keen's has a well deserved reputation. My favorites for lunch are Le Bernardin (seafood perfection), and 11 Madison Park, which offers not only flawless food and service, but also a fun experience. Be sure to order the coffee cart after your meal.
Daniel, and Per Se can't be beat for dinner. Per Se also offers an a la carte menu in the lounge area if you aren't interested in the full tasting menu. The Modern at MoMa is a fun, experimental dining experience. For sushi there's Sushi Yasuda, Sushi of Gari (the original location), or Aburiya Kinnosuke. Del Posto is my personal favorite for Italian.
For great food that doesn't quite hit the fine dining mark I recommend Crispo (Italian), I always enjoy The Mermaid Inn, Gramercy Tavern, One if by Land..., DBGB, ABC Kitchen, The Red Cat, opera nights @ Ido Sushi, where aspiring performers are invited to sing for their supper & we get to enjoy it (other types of musicians perform other nights, I believe), and The Spotted Pig. These don't really fit on any "dining" list but when I wander the city I sometimes like to indulge in a cereal milk milkshake at momofuku milk bar, fries with exotic dipping sauces at Pommes Frites, and a lobster roll at Luke's Lobster.
I realize the OP has probably come and gone, but hopefully this will be of use to some other visitors.

[AnnelieseBell]

PS I didn't intend to dis Jean Georges. That restaurant, as well as Jean Georges at The Mark both have excellent reputations. Since I've never been to either I can't personally recommend them. I have dined at several of his other restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed them.

[TexTushHog]

I like most of the recommendations you've gotten. Daniel is better IMHO than Jean Geroges. I'm very, very fond of Daniel.

Al Fiori is really, really good. Maybe just a bit more formal than I prefer, but amazing food. I had a dish of lamb chops wrapped in caul fat and fois gras that was to die for. And don't skip the pasta course. Wine list is deep and reasonably priced.

I absolutely love Le Bernardin. It's slipped a bit from a few years ago, but it still unsurpassed for great seafood. Amazing, but pricey wine list.

Gramercy Tavern is a classic. Perhaps half a notch below the others listed here, but so comfortable. Fits like an old broken in shoe. Nice wine list, too, without being too big. Lunch is a real bargain here, too.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned 11 Madison Park or NoMad. 11MP is Daniel Hmm's signature restaurant. Sometime in September they're closing for a month or so to revamp the menu. But I think most believe that 11MP is the very best of all the NYC restaurants right now. (Only possible competition is Per Se.) But NoMad is this slightly less formal sister restaurant and is extremely good, too. Both have fine, but pricey wine lists. 11MP's is borderline encyclopedic.

Also if you are a wino, try Veritas. Great list, and a very good restaurant.

[XIII]

As a result of reading the recommendations in this post I feel much more prepared for my visits to NYC.