NYC List
One reporter's opinion about places in New York City
Overview
Total places
316
Elite
20
Recommended
113
Decent
141
Elite Recommended Decent Meh
Places
309 of 316 places
| Tier | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2A | 25 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009 | decent | East Village old school bar. They play porn on the TV for some reason. |
| 2nd Ave. Deli | 162 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Old school Jewish deli with the classic sandwiches and sides |
| 5ive Spice | 363 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | You wouldn't know it from the name or the exterior, but this place has great vietnamese food, including pho, |
| Algonquin | 59 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Decent bar. Good service. Great history. |
| All-Antico Vinaio (Broadway) | 1450 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Famous big Italian sandwich spot. Way too salty. |
| Angelika Film Center & Cafe | 18 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Art house theater in The Village. Great location. Reliably have the latest art house movies. Crappy theater. |
| Angelina Paris Bryant Park | 1050 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Fancy French pastry shop next to Bryant Park. Has all the baked goodies. There's hard-to-spot sitdown restaurant in the back that can be a good escape from the hustle and bustle. Good alternative to LPQ and Ole and Steen and all the zoo-like spots nearby. |
| Arturo's Coal Oven Pizza | 106 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Down to earth pizza place on Houston. Great location. Decent pizza. Low drama. |
| Babbo | 110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011 | decent | Fancy Batali Italian spot by the Washington Square. Good but expensive. Stick to the pasta. |
| Bagel and Schmear | 116 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Has everything on its menu, including bagels. They work quick. People like it, so there are lines. |
| Bagel Boss Murray Hill | 544 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Standard bagel place with standard bagel stuff. Fast food, Dunkin kind of setup. |
| Bagel Express 3 | 340 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10010 | decent | Standard bagel breakfast counter. Nice location on the Baruch College patio. You won’t regret it. |
| Bagel Market | 875 10th Ave, New York, NY 10019 | decent | Tons of bagel sandwiches. More fast casual |
| Balzen | 202 Mott St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Turkish stuff. Not bad |
| Banc Cafe | 431 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | meh | It's a bar with small plates. You can skip it. |
| Bao Bao Cafe (39th Street) | 214 W 39th St Retail 101, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Simple good bowls and buns and such |
| Bar Bastion | 610 Lexington Ave 2nd floor, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Classy, small cocktail bar up off the street. Good martinis. But you should probably go to The Grill instead. |
| Bar Centrale | 324 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | The fancy cocktail bar you want. In a converted townhouse. Nice thing in a touristy zone. |
| Bar Jamon | 125 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | Tapas off Irving Place. Small. Counters not tables. Gourmet small plates. The kind of place people think of when they think of fancy, romantic New York stuff. |
| Bar Moga | 128 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Japanesey cocktail bar on the Houston party strip. Not cheap but they only have good stuff. |
| Bar Veloce (East Village) | 175 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 | decent | A good enough edition of a good enough wine bar chain. Decent enough place to stop before or after a movie at the Village East. |
| Bar/code | 43 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001 | meh | Just a bar |
| Barclay Rex Pipe Shop | 126 Pearl St, New York, NY 10005 | recommended | Serious cigar shop, not too pricy, nice place to hang on the sidewalk |
| Barn Joo (Nomad) | 816 6th Ave, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Dressed up Korean. Good bowls |
| Barney Brown | 822 6th Ave, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Standard quick mix sandwich and salad place for office lunchers |
| Beekman Ale House | 92 Beekman Ave, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 | recommended | If there's a better normie pub in Tarrytown, I'd like to see it. |
| Beer Culture | 328 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | Good microbrew selection near Times Square |
| Bellevue South Park | Mt. Carmel Pl. & E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Peaceful pocket park near Bellevue, good for smoking a cigar under a canopy of trees. |
| Best Bagel and Coffee | 225 W 35th St A, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Old-style breakfast spot near Penn Station that makes its bagels on site. Crispy shells. Fresh. Ungentrified presentation. Worth it. |
| Bhatti | 100 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Fancy kabobs. Smokey, spicey vegetable dishes. Good for sitdown or takeout. |
| Birdland | 315 W 44th St #5402, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | Jazz dinner theater with jazz dinner theater type stuff. Can book great performers. |
| Bites of Xian 32 | 884 6th Ave, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Cheaper, easier to access version of Xian Famous Foods. |
| Bites of Xian 38 | 555 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | recommended | Cheaper, easier to access version of Xian Famous Foods. |
| Bites of Xian 56 | 60 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019 | decent | A little dirty and small compared to the other locations |
| Bites of Xian 84 | 84 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10003 | decent | Downstairs edition of the Chinese noodles chain on 10th Street. A little messy and not as tight and tasty as the other branches. |
| Black Seed Bagels (Battery Park) | 225 Liberty St, New York, NY 10080 | decent | Good local bagels chain. Food courtin' here |
| Black Seed Bagels (Flatiron) | 1188 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 | meh | Service here isn't as good as the other chain locations. Get ready to wait. |
| Black Seed Bagels (Nolita) | 170 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Good bagels. Doesn't have the full menu of stuff you find other places. |
| Blue Note | 131 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Headliners |
| Bocado | 1293 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128 | meh | Forgettable UES wine bar. Forget it. |
| Boqueria (Flatiron) | 53 W 19th St, New York, NY 10011 | decent | Good pintxos |
| Boqueria (Hells Kitchen) | 260 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Standard tapas thing. Loud. |
| Borgo | 124 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Another fancy restaurant. But this one is drawing people in my neighborhood so I'm all for it. The focaccia with mortadella is a great appetizer. |
| Botanica | 47 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | A total dump, but it's good for cheap beer during happy hour |
| Boucherie West Village | 99 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014 | meh | Terrible service. Overpriced |
| Bravo Pizza (Bryant Park) | 6 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017 | decent | Simple good slice |
| Bravo Pizza (Hell's Kitchen) | 877 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019 | meh | Forgettable pizza chain output |
| Breads Bakery Kiosk | 1080 - 1090 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Good spot to hit at Bryant Park for baked goods and sandwiches. Love the vegan sandwich. |
| Bronze Owl | 52 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Dark, brassy cocktail bar off Herald Square. |
| Buenos Aires | 513 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009 | decent | Unpretentious but a bit corny. You get a big steak! |
| Buona Notte | 120 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Standard touristy Little Italy place |
| Buvette Gastrotheque | 42 Grove St, New York, NY 10014 | recommended | Crowded Villagey, Frenchy place where the food is actually good. |
| BXL Cafe | 125 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Belgian beers near Times Square. Not horrible, not cheap. |
| C as in Charlie | 5 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Korean cooked southern |
| Cafe China | 59 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Gentrified take on a Chinese lunch spot. Decent but you can do better in the neighborhood. |
| Cafe Gitane | 242 Mott St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Place to sit outside and eat in Soho. Good enough |
| Cafe Habana | 17 Prince St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Cuban cafe |
| Cafe Mogador | 101 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009 | decent | Brunchy middleeastern in the East Village |
| Caledonia | 424 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 | decent | Real Scotch selection. Nice and quiet |
| Campbell Apartment | 15 Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY 10017 | recommended | Oldest school. Small |
| Carnegie Club | 156 W 56th St, New York City, NY 10019-3800 | elite | Cigars and scotch. Essential |
| Carnegie Pizza | 200 W 41st St, New York City, NY 10036 | meh | eh |
| Casa de Montecristo Cigar Lounge | 1016 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | A welcome pitstop when walking in Turtle Bay. A good spot to hang when it's empty on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Not so great when it's packed and full of odd characters. |
| Chambers | 94 Chambers St #1, New York, NY 10007 | recommended | Good neighborhood but fancy place. Great booze |
| Charlie Bird | 5 King St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Standard trendy fancy restaurant. Right around the corner from Film Forum. Good for a pre-movie meal. |
| Chelsea Bagel (Midtown) | 62 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Decent deli counter for bagels |
| Chelsea Square Restaurant | 368 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011 | decent | One of the old school NYC diners. Decent but not great. |
| Chi | 492 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Standard Americanized Chinese sitdown place. All the generic dishes. Decent place to take a large group and get a bunch of stuff. |
| Chick Inn | 415 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Lots and lots of chicken. Pretty good. |
| Cho Dang Gol | 55 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Excellent Korean diner spot with all the classic dishes. Wait can be long for a table. |
| Chopt | Wherever | meh | Skip it |
| Chote Nawab | 115 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Nice Indian sitdown |
| Churchill Tavern | 45 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Generic British pub. Full of bank dudes |
| Citizens of Gramercy | 362 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10010 | decent | Decent brunchy place of the Austrailian brekkie style. Not too expensive. Casual. |
| Codex | 1 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | A little precious in selection but a well stocked, nice bookstore where you will find something you want to read. |
| Comodo | 23 Lexington Ave, Freehand Hotel, New York City, NY 10010-3727 | decent | Freehand hotel bar. Lots ferns and fancy light fixtures. Good booze and a nice place but not exciting. |
| Croton Reservoir Tavern | 108 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Generic Midtown bar food for lunch. Not terrible but you don't need to be there. |
| Curry in a Hurry | 119 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Easy cafeteria style lunch. Not great but it's there. And a cool upstair dining room. |
| Dag Hammarskjold Plaza | 833 1st Ave, New York, NY 10017 | recommended | Long quiet promenade between 2nd and 1st Avenues with ample trees and benches. Great spot to stop on a cigar walk. |
| Daily Provisions (Union Square) | 103 E 19th St, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | Great breakfast sandwich. Fancy baked things |
| Daily Provisions (Upper West Side) | 375 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 | recommended | Got that crowded UWS cafe vibe. Same good food in that location. |
| Dear Irving | 55 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | Gussied up cocktail bar with seating nooks for couples and a brassy bar. Good late night stop in Gramercy. |
| Desi Galli | 101 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Tremendous rolls and Indian lunch bits |
| Din Tai Fung | 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | The lux Taiwanese dumpling house streamlined and scaled up into a cavernous Midtown manufacturing center |
| Diner 24 | 283 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10010 | decent | 24/7 kitschy diner. Large portions. Clean. What people expect. |
| Dizzy's Club | 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019 | recommended | Pork cracklins over the mains, which aren't great |
| Dominique Ansel Workshop | 17 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 | elite | A lower-profile outpost of the famous Cronut creator's bakery near Madison Square. Great place to pick something up to eat in the park. |
| Don't Tell Mama | 343 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 | meh | Piano bar on restaurant row |
| Double Down Saloon | 14 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009 | decent | Gnarly East Village dive. The kind you're looking for. |
| Drink 33 | 154 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Basement cave that is a combination cocktail bar and tattoo parlor. Colorful staff. |
| East Village Books | 99 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009 | decent | Grungy basement used book store that delivers what you want: Good books at a good price |
| Eataly (Flatiron) | 200 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010 | decent | Too crowded. Not that great. |
| Eli's at Grand Central Market | 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017 | decent | Convenient outpost of the Eli Zabar archipelago in Grand Central Market, and a great place to pick up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. |
| Epistrophy | 200 Mott St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Affordable compared to the rest of the neighborhood |
| Ess-a-Bagel (Hearld Square) | 108 W 32nd St New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Standard bagel place very well done. NYers love it. This location is way too crowded. Order ahead on door dash. |
| Ess-a-Bagel (Stuytown) | 324 1st Ave., New York, NY 10009 | decent | Crammed into a crappy space. Go to Tal's Bagels nearby instead. |
| Evil Twin Brewing | 1616 George St, Queens, NY 11385 | recommended | Pinic table style brewery hangout spot. Good brews, but mainly high ABV odd brews like barleywine. Dogs on leashes. Yuppies with their kids. |
| Film Forum | 209 W Houston St, New York, NY 10014 | elite | The classic dumpy indie movie theater. Great selection. Not too pricey. The good stuff. |
| Fish Cheeks | 55 Bond St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Sit outside on Bond Street, which alone is worth it |
| Fish Market | 111 South St, New York, NY 10038 | recommended | Legitimate dive bar with shockingly good food hidden in the Seaport. |
| Frances Tavern | 54 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004 | decent | Old school pub near Wall Street. Very put together. |
| Friedman's (Herald Square) | 132 W 31st St, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Gentrified Jewish deli food. You do get a real table and real waiter. Decent for a lunch for two. |
| Friend of a Farmer | 77 Irving Pl, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | Gramercy restaurant with good drinks and the stereotypical farm to table food. Easy table to get and good. |
| Fumo (Kip's Bay) | 415 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Italian spot that reliable and a decent delivery option |
| Future Village Farm Smoke | 425 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Otherwise generic bodega that boasts a high-quality humidor of cigars. The best place to buy a cigar in my neighborhood. |
| Galanga | 149 West 4th Street # 2, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Generic Village Thai |
| Gran Via | 57 Stone St, New York, NY 10004 | decent | Unexciting Spanish bar. But nice enough and maybe the best place on Stone Street |
| Grand Central Oyster Bar | 89 E. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 | recommended | Large underground oyster bar beneath Grand Central Terminal. Cool location, but the scene and service is chaotic. |
| Grey | 43 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010 | meh | Basic bar |
| H&H Bagels (Kips Bay) | 200 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Famous local bagel chain. Clean, nice new outlet. Great schmear. Reliable. Good. |
| Hainan Jones | 135 W 50th St New York, NY 10020 | recommended | Singapore style poached and roasted chicken at a stall inside a big food court. Not bad for a healthy, gourmet lunch. Market is pretty whatever. |
| Hamachi Sushi 34 | 56 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016 | meh | Edible Japanese dinner. Sushi ain't good. Get a bento or rice bowl. |
| Hamburger America | 155 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | meh | The burgers are decent but the long line and crowded dining room suck. Not worth the hassles. |
| Harry's | 1 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004 | decent | Fancy downtown steakhouse. Good. You won't regret it. But pricey and there are other options in this same vein. |
| Hawksmoor | 109 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010 | decent | Upscale British steakhouse. Everything's good, but it's pricey. |
| Hearth | 403 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009 | decent | Great service. Good sitdown place in East Village |
| Hells Kitchenette | 48 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011 | recommended | Down‑to‑earth bodega with excellent simple deli options. |
| Heritage Grand Bakery | 8 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Frenchy coffee shop with the standard pastries. Good food. Crammed inside. |
| Hill Country Barbeque | 30 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010 | recommended | Quality BBQ next to Madison Square. Not mindblowing, and certainly not cheap, but it's the real thing. |
| Hole in the Wall (Flatiron) | 37 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010 | decent | Meat better than fish |
| Hudson Bar and Books | 636 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014 | decent | Decent but incredible cigar book. Good smokes and drinks but the decor and setup is cliche. |
| Hungarian Pastry Shop | 1030 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10025 | recommended | Hamentaschen, son |
| Hutch and Waldo (Gramercy) | 77 Irving Pl Cafe, New York, NY 10003 | decent | Bougie coffee shop with the studied California vibe that New Yorker prefer to call Austrailian. Great location south of Gramercy Park. Good when walking. |
| Il Mulino Prime | 331 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013 | decent | A fancy Soho steakhouse that will deliver the meats. Good but not great. Has the upscale WeHo vibes. |
| Istanbul Bay Express | 578 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Standard doner lunch option near Times Square |
| Ivory Peacock | 38 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010 | meh | Loud club music. Great cheese. Huge gin selection in the back. Speakeasy downstairs. |
| Jack Diamonds | 140 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Generic neighborhood bar |
| Jack's Wife Freda (SoHo) | 226 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Good place for young people but not me |
| Jazz Gallery | 1158 Broadway 5th floor, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Small jazz venue above NoMad. Great place to see up and coming acts. No food. |
| Jimmy's Corner | 140 W 44th St, New York City, NY 10036-4046 | elite | True dive. $3 beers in 2023. Old school Times Square |
| Joe's Pizza | 150 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | My neighborhood outpost of the famous pizza purveyor. Decent and reliably recommended for a slice nearby. |
| Joe's Pizza (Carmine Street) | 7 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014 | elite | The most famous location of one of New York's signature pizza chains. A great place to stop on any walk through the Village. |
| Johny's Lunchette | 124 W 25th St, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Classic greasy spoon breakfast. Good stop before a Yankee's day game |
| Josie's | 520 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009 | recommended | Simple East Village dive. Pool. Jukebox. Drinks. |
| Juliana’s | 19 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 | recommended | Coal fired pizza place in a great location next to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Good spot for dinner before a sunset walk to the water. |
| Julius' | 159 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014 | elite | Cheers for gay guys. Real history. |
| Jumbo Bagels | 1070 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10022 | decent | Standard, unpretentious bagel place. All the basics |
| Junior's [Flatbush] | 386 Flatbush Ave Ext, Brooklyn, NY 11201 | elite | One of the classic NYC diners. Well worn. Easy. Good enough. |
| Jury Duty | 31 St Andrews Plaza, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Outdoor bar in the shade between the two famous courthouses. Not cheap, but what better place to celebrate getting sprung from voir dire. |
| Just Salad | 1412 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Generic lunch salad place |
| Kashmir9 | 478 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Indian lunch spot with cafeteria service |
| Katz's Delicatessen | 205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002 | recommended | You know what you're gonna get |
| Keen's Steakhouse | 72 West 36th Street, New York City, NY 10018-8025 | recommended | The classic kitschy old school New York steakhouse. Massive steaks. Old school decor. Not a regular stop but for people who are into this kind of thing it's a Mecca. |
| Kin Ramen | 129 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019 | recommended | Good Ramen house near the park. Will require that you get there early to be in line ahead of the lunch rush. |
| King Cole Bar | Two E 55th St, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Old hotel bar with a massive, historic mural. Nice cozy space. Expensive. Drinks are okay but not great. |
| Kings Theater | 1027 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226 | recommended | Beautiful old theater that now serves as a music venue. Big. Has both sitting and standing options. |
| Kips Bay AMC | 570 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Dumpy theater. AC works. Bathrooms are dirty. Has IMAX. |
| Kung Fu Kitchen | 610 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Not bad. Lots of Chinese options, better than the generic Americanized version. I like the hot pots |
| La Bonbonniere | 28 Eighth Ave, New York, NY 10014, United States | meh | Not great. Greasy spoon diner. |
| La Grande Boucherie | 145 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019 | decent | Overrprice big French place in the middle of Midtown madness |
| Lamb's Club | 132 W 44th St New York, NY 10036 | decent | Has some old school charm but expensive and they rush you |
| Lan Larb Soho | 227 Centre St, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Good Thai delivery option. Big menu. Everything is good. Actually spicy. |
| LaVista Pizza | 1099 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10022 | decent | Standard NYC pizza spot. Good enough. Has that firmer generic crust you see all over. |
| LB33 | 154 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Fancy cocktails below street level. You know it's open when the green light is on. Live music on weeknights. Pretty by the book, but it's good. |
| Le Bilboquet | 20 E 60th St New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Fancy, old school French place. Cheese and steak were good. This is the white table cloth place you expect it to be. |
| Le Dive | 37 Canal St, New York, NY 10002 | decent | Open air bar at the corner of Ludlow and Canal. Has a rundown Mediterranian style. New Yorky views of the gritty city corner. |
| Leather Spa at Grand Central Terminal | 89 East 42nd Street, Lower Level Dining Concourse, New York, NY 10017 | recommended | Real shoeshine stand in Grand Central where you sit up high and watch people milling in the food court beneath the busy terminal. |
| Leo's Bagels | 3 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004 | recommended | Great bagel place |
| Leyla | 108 W 74th St New York, NY 10023 | recommended | Fancy Turkish stuff. Could pair with Lincoln Center visit |
| Liberty Bagels (Midtown) | 260 W 35th St, New York City, NY 10001-2503 | recommended | Classic bagel options |
| Little Alley | 550 3rd Ave, New York City, NY 10016-3538 | decent | Chinese takeout from Murray Hill. Veggies better than the dumplings. Acceptable but not great. |
| Little Beet (Times Square) | 111 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Lunch salad counter that specializes in the trendy diets like Keto |
| Little Branch | 20 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014 | recommended | The underground West Village cocktail bar you're looking for. Nice intimate table seating for two or four. Standard cocktails that are good. Nothing ridiculous. |
| Little italy Pizza (45th Street) | 55 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Decent slice in Midtown. Go to Xian Famous Foods across the street instead, though. |
| Little Italy Pizza (48th Street) | 62 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Decent slice near 30 Rock |
| Little Italy Pizza (Times Square) | 671 8th Ave, New York, NY 10036 | meh | Bad edition of a decent chain |
| Lobby Bar at the Hotel Chelsea | 222 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY | elite | Cool bar |
| Los Tacos No. 1 | 229 W 43rd St, New York, NY | decent | Good taco spot, believe it or not, on Times Square |
| Lovely's Old Fashioned | 642 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | Fancy version of old school burgers. Good |
| Lucia of Gramercy | 73 E 19th St, New York, NY 10003 | decent | Fancy slice with oils, honey, basil and extras; a little floppy. |
| Lucky Lyndon's | 156 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Simple beer-and-shot bar. Small. Punk music. A little cliche but cheap and does the job. |
| Macao Trading Company | 311 Church St, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Good bar and sitdown place but not above and beyond the typical very nice spot |
| MacDougal Street Alehouse | 122 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012 | meh | Dumpy dive below the street, across from the Comedy Cellar. Passable when not crowded. Has a pool bar and Touchtunes. You can do better, though. |
| Mace | 35 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011 | recommended | Fancy ass cocktail bar. Expensive |
| Made in New York Pizza (Midtown) | 512 7th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Standard slice |
| Manhatta | 28 Liberty St 60th floor, New York, NY 10005 | recommended | Incredible views from 60th story both north and south. Good place to get a drink. |
| Marea | 40 Central Park S. | recommended | Fancy spot in a fancy location. The desserts are insane concotions. |
| Margon | 136 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | Small, hole in the wall Cuban lunch counter. Get the Cubano sandwich |
| Martinez Cigars | 171 W 29th St New York, NY 10001 | elite | Handmade cigars! Not the best quality, but good enough and indie as hell. |
| Martiny's | 121 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | The pretentious cocktail bar you're looking for. |
| McSorley's Old Ale House | 15 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | The oldest of the old school. A fun curiousity but not a place you will want to hang all night. |
| Mercado Little Spain | 10 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001 | elite | Like Eataly but you want to be there. Incredible booze. |
| Merchants Cigar Bar | 1125 1st Ave., New York, NY 10065 | recommended | Underground cigar bar near the 59th Street Bridge on the eastside. Quiet. Not too pricey. Where Al Sharpton smokes. |
| Metrograph | 7 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002 | recommended | Nice new independent theater near Canal and Seward Park. Often hosts filmmakers. |
| Michael's New York | 24 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019 | decent | Old school power lunch place. You will see somebody powerful, but not famous, from the media elite. |
| Mike's Coffee and Deli | 44 E 32nd St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Short order cooks and coffee out of a tiny storefront just off Park Avenue. Open very early. Better than any vendor stall. |
| Miznon (The Hugh) | 601 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Good, but not as good at the Times Square location, which has a better staff and buzzy atmosphere. This is more of a food court setup. |
| Miznon (Times Square) | 1410 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | recommended | Fast casual lunch spot that's actually good. Israeli food. Kosher. Warm, sticky. Love the stew. |
| Mona's | 224 Avenue B Unit 14, New York, NY 10009 | decent | The type of East Village divebar you want |
| Moonlight Diner | 250 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022 | meh | Meh diner by the tram to Roosevelt Island |
| Morning Side Cafe | W 112th St and Manhattan Ave New York, NY 10026 | recommended | Humble terraced patio cafe with shockingly good food. Crabs in a tin. Great hot dog. Lovely view of the park. Great for a weekend lunch. |
| Murray Hill Diner | 222 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | The standard NYC diner. Fast, good, everything you expect. |
| Nathan's Famous | 1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224 | elite | The real deal out on the boardwalk |
| Naya (Midtown) | 1400 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Standard quick mix mediterranian counter place with salads and such |
| New York Pizza Suprema | 413 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001 | elite | Great fancy slice. Classic grandma. Love the meatball. |
| Ninth Street Expresso | 333 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217 | decent | Decent coffee shop inside the Threes Brewery building |
| Norma | 438 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Pizza and pasta place on Kips Bay strip. Good but not great. The standard decent NYC sidewalk restaurant and vibe. |
| NYC Pizza Kitchen | 390 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | meh | Generic pizza place. You can skip it. I go there because it's on my block. |
| OBEO | 647 9th Ave, New York City, NY 10036-3661 | meh | Noodles. Fine. |
| Old Town Bar | 45 E 18th St, New York, NY 10003 | elite | Old school pub just off Union Square. Food is better than it should be. One of the old NYC bars you want to hit. |
| Osamil | 5 W 31st St #8, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Flavorful Korean gastropub stuff |
| Oscar Wilde | 45 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Loud and overblown, kinda fun |
| Osteria Al Doge | 142 W 44th St New York, NY 10036 | meh | Pasta in Times Square. Not terrible but you can skip it. |
| Osteria Carlina | 455 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014 | decent | Standard Italian place. Pasta is good. Service is not. |
| Overstory | 70 Pine St 64th Floor, New York, NY 10005 | recommended | Small cocktail bar on the 64th story with sweeping views of the harbor and city. Not cheap. |
| Padi D'NYC | 135 W 50th St, New York, NY 10020 | recommended | Inside of the Urban Hawker food hall. Malaysian noodles and soups and rendang and all that good stuff. Spicy. Good. |
| Parisien Bistrot | 163 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Classic French dinner. Not fancy but good. Tiny. A fun neighborhood place. |
| Park Avenue Tavery | 99 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016 | meh | Skip this generic midtown bar. |
| Patzeria Perfect Pizza | 231 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Grandma slice is good. Lasanga slice is their special |
| Peacock Alley | 301 Park Ave, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | The fancy bar and restaurant in the lobby of the renovated Waldorf Astoria. A good way to gawk at the old building's new shine. |
| Peculiar Pub | 145 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Dive |
| Peppercorn Station | 66 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018 | recommended | Real ma la numbing spices on the mapo. Beans app is good. |
| Perros y Vainas en la Plaza | Inside Greeley Square Park, 97 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001 | meh | Arepa spot that isn't as good as it should be. You can skip it. Get some Korean food instead. |
| PHD Terrace at Dream Midtown | 210 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019 | meh | Dorky sceney rooftop bar that's overprice and kind of dirty |
| Pizza Foto | 31 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 | meh | Forgettable pizza place in Midtown |
| Playwright Irish Pub | 27 W 35th St, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Yet another generic midtown Irish bar |
| Pongol | 110 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Southern style Indian food, including Thali plates, good place to hang and eat a lot |
| Pop's Pizza | 301 W 57th St Ground floor, New York, NY 10019 | recommended | Good place for a slice near Columbus Circle and the NYRR Run Center |
| Porchlight | 271 11th Ave, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Bougie generic bar in West Chelesa money zone. Decent drinks and lots of seating. Pretty bland though. |
| Prince Street Pizza | 27 Prince St A, New York, NY 10012 | elite | Believe the hype, but skip the line |
| Printer's Alley | 215 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Print shop themed sports bar near Times Square. You can do better. |
| Puffy's Tavern | 81 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013 | recommended | Quiet, quality tavern on the cobblestones in Tribeca |
| Pulau Pinang | 82-84 Broadway Elmhurst, NY 11373 | decent | Home cooking in Queens |
| Raines Law Room | 48 W 17th St | decent | Underground speakeasy with tight seating, cocktails. Might be a late night romantic spot for some. |
| Randazzo's Clam Bar | 2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235 | recommended | Old school red sauce place by the water. Good times will be had by all. |
| Rangoon | 158 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011 | decent | Nice neighborhood place. Not cheap |
| Rolo's | 853 Onderdonk Ave, Queens, NY 11385 | recommended | Brunchy place in Ridgewood. Great wood-grilled polenta bread, mortadella, bacon. Small plates are what you want to go in on. |
| Romano Pizza | 489 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Generic pizza place. Not bad. |
| Rosie's Kosher Pizza | 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Disorganized and not very good pizza spot. Skip it for better options nearby. |
| Rudy's Bar and Grill | 627 9th Ave, Between 44th And 45th, New York City, NY 10036 | recommended | Dive of dives. Free hotdogs |
| Rum House | 228 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036 | recommended | Great old school theater district place for cocktails. You've seen it in Birdman. |
| Russ and Daughters (Hudson Yards) | 502 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Just as good as the other locations, but a bit boogier. |
| Russ and Daughters (The Cafe) | 127 Orchard St | NYC 10002 | recommended | Menu is more limited than the epic shop. Not as good for a random drop-in. Better for a brunch with a group. |
| Russ and Daughters (The Shop) | 179 E Houston St, New York, NY | elite | Caviar Cream Cheese is a metaphor for life |
| Sahib | 104 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Standard Indian restaurant. Has all the stuff you expect. Food is pretty good. Service ain't great. You can do better for a sitdown Indian option in this neigborhood. |
| Sally's Bar | 129 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | meh | Dump. Known for its stabbings. |
| Sardi's | 234 W 44th St #808, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Maybe the most famous restaurant at Times Square. Theater district haunt. Good crowd. Lots of space. Decent martini. Do the upstairs bar. A little worn. |
| Sarge’s Delicatessen & Diner | 548 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | All the classic Jewish deli stuff, plus bagels, plus breakfast plates. It's what you want. |
| Satis Bistro | 212 Washington St, Jersey City, NJ 07302 | decent | Nice place to sit outside and food is good |
| Scandinavia House | 58 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Nice little restaurant and a cool place to see Nordic movies |
| Schilling | 109 Washington St, New York, NY 10006 | decent | Austrian sitdown in FiDi. Totally fine. |
| Serafina (Upper East Side) | 33 E 61st St | decent | So-so pizza |
| Shanghai Time | 273 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Decent dumplings |
| Shillelagh Pub | 648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052 | decent | Somehow a suburban dive bar is also a private club |
| Socarrat (Chelsea) | 259 W 19th St, New York, NY 10011 | decent | Paella and pintxos |
| Stinger | 300 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036 | decent | Decent hotel bar. Solid French 75 |
| Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture | 630 Bedford Rd, Tarrytown, NY 10591 | recommended | Fancy farm to table food by and for rich people. The chef got cancelled. It's good though. |
| Stout NYC | 133 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001 | meh | Crappy bar by the Garden |
| Strand | 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 | elite | The epic bookstore. Has it all: New listings, stocked back catalog, good service and the famous carts of cheap books to pick over on the street. |
| Szechuan Gourmet | 21 W 39th St New York, NY 10018 | decent | Decent Midtown lunch |
| Tacombi (Upper West Side) | 377 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 | decent | Okay Mexican food. The corn in the cup might be the best thing. |
| Tagmo | 226 Front St, New York, NY 10038 | decent | Good fancy Indian restaurant in the Seaport pedmall |
| Taim | 1372 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 | meh | Generic pita and falafal place. Not terrible but you can skip it. |
| Tal Bagels (Stuytown) | 357 1st Ave., New York, NY 10010 | recommended | The classic normie bagel place you're looking for. All the basics are great, plus they have matzo ball soup, knishes and the special stuff. |
| Tartine | 253 W 11th St New York, NY 10014 | recommended | Fun Village bistro |
| Tavern on the Green | W 67th St, New York, NY 10023 | recommended | Embrace it for what it is. Get the steak sandwich. |
| Tengri Tagh | 144 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Uyghur food. Buns are great |
| Teppen Ramen | 159 E 55th St, New York, NY 10022 | decent | Unpretentious Japanese lunch spot. Simple. Easy. Has donburry bowls in addition to ramen. |
| Terra Blues | 149 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Bleeker Street tourist zone venue that is a reliably blues show. Music is fun but it will be a zoo of drunk and often disinterested people. |
| Terroir | 24 Harrison St, New York, NY 10013 | elite | Great drinks selection in Tribeca |
| The Bedford (Stone Street) | 55 Stone St, New York, NY 10004 | decent | Oyster bar type spot out on Stone Street |
| The Century Club | 7 West 43rd Street, near Fifth Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, New York City | recommended | One of real deal private clubs. Big beautiful library. Classic lunch and bar setup. Good isnt great but who cares |
| The Dutch | 131 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Upscale oyster bar setup. Service is so so. Overdone decor. |
| The Grey Dog | 242 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011 | decent | Brunchy place. So so. Loud. |
| The Grill | 99 E 52nd St, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Beautiful mid-century bar in what used to be the Four Seasons. Great place to get a martini. |
| The Hugh | 157 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022 | recommended | Bougie food court on the UES. Where the banky people lunch. Good options. |
| The Mansion | 1634 York Ave, New York, NY 10028 | recommended | A classic Upper East Side New York diner with a huge menu, great location next to the river |
| The Musket Room | 265 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012 | recommended | Fancy fixed price. Good service. Nice to sit in the back garden. |
| The Portrait Bar | 250 Fifth Avenue, New York City, NY 10001 | recommended | New school take on the old school NYC cocktail bar. Overappointed and a bit snobby, but it's the classic thing folks are looking for. Great for a small group and outtowners who want the fancy drink experience. |
| The River | 102 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Stowed away, cozy cocktail bar on the north end of Columbus Park south of Canal at Mulberry |
| The Shakespeare | 24 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Traditional pub in a quiet underground nook with wooden fixtures. Real cask ale is the special attraction. |
| The World's Borough Bookshop | 3406 73rd St, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 | recommended | The radical-lefty-but-still-nice-and-down-to-earth neighborhood bookstore you're looking for |
| Tibetan Japanese | 75-26 37th Ave, Queens, NY 11372 | decent | The name says it all. |
| Tierney's Tavern | 138 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ 07042 | decent | Standard suburban pub |
| Tin Building | 96 South St, New York, NY 10038 | recommended | Fancy food court at the Seaport with great seafood. Great for tourists. |
| Tina's Cuban Cuisine | 940 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10022 | decent | Busy lunch place on the Eastside. Not terrible. Has most of the standard Cuban sandwiches and rice dishes. |
| Tom and Jerry's | 288 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012 | meh | Great bar for divorced white guys to take their eHarmony dates and hear their favorite Strokes deep cut three times a night |
| Tompkins Square Bagels | 184 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | The bagel place people really want. Lots of fancy ass sandwiches that are good. |
| Top Thai 55 | 55 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014 | decent | West Village thai spot that has the basics. For young people, and those who want halal. |
| Trailer Park Lounge | 271 W 23 St, New York, NY 10011 | decent | The kitschiest dive on Earth. They didn't leave anything on the field. |
| Treadwell Park | 301 South End Ave, New York, NY 10280 | decent | Decent beer bar for the neighborhood but generic and loud |
| Tsumo | 132 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Trendy omakase counter that'll put truffles on your sushi. It's an Instagram trap but it's good. So why not? |
| Turnmill | 119 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Standard sports bar. Big. Has all the screens. Decent beers. If you need the game, they will have it. |
| Ulivo | 4 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001 | recommended | Great Amaro and Euro-liquor selection. Sardinian food and wine that's not your typical red sauce stuff. A neighorhoody spot in a touristy neighborhood. Cool beareded bartender named Jose from Argentina. Big pours. |
| Uluh | 152a 2nd Ave, Ste A, New York City, NY 10003 | decent | Broad Chinese menu that's good |
| Ulysses Folkhouse | 58 Stone St, New York, NY 10004 | decent | Totally acceptable pub with a horseshoe bar on Stone Street |
| Union Square Cafe | 101 E 19th St, New York City, NY 10003-3104 | recommended | Fancy bar and restaurant of the classic Gramercy style, right off Park Avenue. More seafood than its sister restaurant, Gramercy Tavern. |
| Unregular Pizza | 14 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016 | decent | Bougier than the average pizza spot. A little gimmicky. Not bad but not great. |
| Upside Pizza | 598 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | decent | Good lunch stop that's better than the standard dollar slice |
| Utopia Bagels | 120 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | A big clean and new version of the classic NYC bagel place. They bake the bagels on premises |
| Van Da | 234 E 4th St New York, NY 1000 | elite | Gourmet Vietnamese plates in the East Village. Legit good |
| Veselka | 144 2nd Avenue, at East 9th St., New York City, NY 10003 | recommended | Classic Ukrainian food. Actually good |
| Vezzo Pizza | 178 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016 | recommended | Thin crust pizza in neighborhoody vibe |
| Vietspot | 99 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038 | recommended | Simple counter with a textbook banh mi loaded with pate that comes warm and fast. |
| Village East by Angelika | 181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 | decent | Reliable art house theater in the East Village. Not that nice but good enough. |
| Village Vanguard | 178 7th Ave S New York, NY 10014 | elite | House brandy, please |
| Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar (Flatiron) | 1140 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 | decent | Great outdoor seating in Broadway pedmall with view of the Flatiron. Go for the location not the service. |
| Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar (West Village) | 192 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014 | decent | Good spot for a drink outside before a show at the Vanguard. Otherwise skip it. |
| Von | 3 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012 | decent | Meh cocktail spot |
| Wagamamma (Flatiron) | 210 5th Avenue at, W 26th St, New York, NY 10010 | meh | Basic bowls |
| Walker's | 16 N Moore St, New York, NY 10013 | decent | Old school bar for preppies and Long Island types in Tribeca. Not bad. Old and cozy. |
| Waverly Diner | 385 6th Ave, New York, NY 10014 | decent | Standard diner in great West Village location |
| Webster Hall | 125 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003 | recommended | Cozy club with standing room on the floor and a balcony above. Great location near Astor Place. |
| Xi'an Famous Foods (Chelsea) | 96 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011 | recommended | Handripped noodles, dumplings, cold skin noodles. All great. Great lunch pick. |
| Xi'an Famous Foods (Midtown) | 24 W 45th St, New York City, NY 10036-4205 | recommended | Only go when the weather is nice. There's not much sitting space. But there's a park across the street where you can sit and eat. Handripped noodles, dumplings, cold skin noodles. All great. Great lunch pick. |
| Zabar's | 2245 Broadway, New York, NY 10024 | elite | The quintessential Jewish grocer and bagel counter. Professionally ungentrified. A tradition worthy of relish. |
| Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish (Bryant Park) | 1065 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018 | recommended | They have all the basic bagel stuff people want. A goto lunch spot for me. Get takeout and eat in Bryant Park |
| Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish (FiDi) | 125 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038 | decent | The basic bagel stuff. Good but not a great storefront to hang at. |
| Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish (Murray Hill) | 370 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10017 | decent | The basic bagel stuff. Good but not a great storefront to hang at. |