Suggested Answers
A community Q&A forum — questions, answered

Best Restaurants in NYC According to Local Users

best restaurants in NYC

Food & Drink Asked
✓ Top answer Community-sourced, written up by

The best restaurants in NYC, based on what local users recommend, are Minetta Tavern, Four Horsemen, the tavern room at Gramercy Tavern, Shukette, Ernesto's, Dame, Jungsik, Manhatta, Crown Shy, and Playground. These picks span classic New York dining, Middle Eastern, Basque, Korean, and Thai food. Most sit in Manhattan, while Playground sits in Jackson Heights, Queens. Prices range from very reasonable to expensive.

Minetta Tavern gives diners a classic New York experience. One user shared a booking trick: call the reservationist directly, because they can almost always find you a table even when online bookings look scarce. Four Horsemen costs a lot, yet one user said you can eat a world class meal there for under $100 per person if you skip alcohol. The bar often has space for people who show up without a booking. The tavern room at Gramercy Tavern earns consistent praise for its American food, its great burger, its beautiful setting, and its extensive dessert menu from a talented pastry chef.

For acclaimed food at gentler prices, users point to Shukette in Chelsea. It serves Middle Eastern cuisine, one user has never had a bad plate there, and it will not empty your wallet. Ernesto's in the Lower East Side cooks Basque food and runs a good bar program, though it gets loud on weekends. Dame also draws strong recommendations, and users single out the sticky toffee pudding as the thing to order.

Several other names come up again and again. Jungsik, a Korean restaurant in Tribeca, wins praise for both food and service, with one user saying the staff makes you feel like family. Manhatta and Crown Shy get mentioned together as high quality picks, and Manhatta works well for socializing after work. Playground in Jackson Heights serves Thai food that users call the best, and the pad kee mao and grilled chicken gizzards come up as popular dishes.

A few caveats will help you plan. Four Horsemen sits on the pricier side, so budget for it. Ernesto's turns loud on weekends, so pick a weekday if you want a calmer meal. At Minetta Tavern, trust the phone over the online system. Playground sits in Queens, not Manhattan, so allow travel time. Most of these places fill up, so reserve ahead or aim for the bar.

Top picks

  1. Minetta Tavern Classic New York spot; call the reservationist when online bookings fail.
  2. Four Horsemen World class meal under $100 per person without alcohol; the bar takes walk-ins.
  3. Gramercy Tavern (tavern room) Great burger, beautiful setting, and an extensive dessert menu.
  4. Shukette Middle Eastern food in Chelsea that will not empty your wallet.
  5. Ernesto's Basque food in the Lower East Side with a good bar program; loud on weekends.
  6. Dame Users love it, and the sticky toffee pudding is the standout order.
  7. Jungsik Korean restaurant in Tribeca with service that makes you feel like family.
  8. Manhatta High quality kitchen that also works well for after work drinks.
  9. Crown Shy Mentioned often alongside Manhatta for its quality.
  10. Playground Thai food in Jackson Heights; order the pad kee mao and grilled chicken gizzards.

Top-Tier Dining Experiences

Minetta Tavern offers a classic New York experience, with some Users noting that calling directly can often secure a table even when online reservations are scarce. "This is a lowkey hack and I can't believe I'm letting the cat out of the bag, but if you CALL the reservationist at Minetta Tavern they can almost always find a table for you."
Four Horsemen is praised for its world-class meals and fun atmosphere, despite being on the pricier side, and often accommodates walk-ins at the bar. "Not cheap either, but I appreciate I can go and spend less than $100pp (without alcohol) and have a world class meal"
Gramercy Tavern (Tavern Room) is a consistently good option for its American cuisine, beautiful setting, and excellent dessert menu. "The tavern room at Gramercy Tavern. Great burger, really beautiful restaurant, great pasty chef and extensive dessert menu."

Acclaimed & Approachable Options

Shukette in Chelsea receives high marks for its incredible Middle Eastern cuisine and vibrant atmosphere without being overly expensive. "Shukette in Chelsea is pretty incredible and is not a wallet buster. Middle Eastern cuisine, and I've yet to have a bad plate there."
Ernesto's (Basque cuisine in LES) is considered delicious with a good bar program, though it can get loud on weekends. "Ernesto’s. Basque cuisine in LES. I think it’s a place that is busy because it’s really delicious and has a good bar program, but it’s totally slept on in this sub."
Dame is a highly recommended spot, with its sticky toffee pudding specifically called out as a must-try. "Dame... Their sticky toffee pudding."

Notable Mentions Across Cuisines

Jungsik is a Korean restaurant in Tribeca offering excellent food and service that makes diners feel like family. "Jungsik. YES, I know that might sound overly pretentious but the food is absolutely good and the service is fantastic."
Manhatta and Crown Shy are frequently mentioned together for their quality, with Manhatta noted as a great place to socialize after work. "Manhatta, crown shy"
Playground in Jackson Heights is celebrated for its authentic Thai food, with the pad kee mao and grilled chicken gizzards being popular dishes. "Playground in Jackson Heights. Best Thai food."

Are you looking for recommendations within a specific budget or cuisine type?

Bottom line

NYC Users frequently recommend Minetta Tavern for a classic experience, Shukette for Middle Eastern cuisine, and Four Horsemen for a world-class meal.

Community answers 22

What others in the community said:

97% upvoted

NYC has so many different cuisines and “hyped” up spots or “award-winning” places and Michelin star restaurants, so sometimes it’s hard to pick somewhere with all these recommendations.

I tried Thai food for the first time a month ago here and just went to Sappe yesterday and it’s probably my favorite restaurant in the city as I now love Thai and ribs are my favorite dish. Always exploring though!

I want to know everyone’s favorite restaurant in the city (preferably also their favorite dishes) and reason why. I’m not looking for “the best” restaurant, I want to know YOUR favorite place, somewhere that you will always pick to eat at.

Visit: Minetta Tavern Avoid: The Smith

94% upvoted

If you had a friend or family member visiting the city for the first time for a couple days, and you could only name one restaurant: - they absolutely HAVE to visit, and - one they should DEFINITELY avoid, what would they be?

No parameters around price point or food category. Simply answer where you're taking your people, and what spot you're having them stay away from.

Four Horsemen is by far my favorite place in the city

Not cheap either, but I appreciate I can go and spend less than $100pp (without alcohol) and have a world class meal

92% upvoted

don’t want to fight with resy anymore

Dame... Their sticky toffee pudding. Lord... Curried lamb scotch egg. West new malaysia... Curry beef brisket, hainenese chicken, malaysian stir fry. Boky... Country style duck. Santi... Crudos and pastas. Somtum der... Somtum, fried chicken. Nam son... #1, beef cube over rice, bun bo hue.

Edit: added punctuations, didnt know users doesnt do line breaks

Avoid: Driving/Ubering/Subwaying an hour out of your way just to go to a restaurant. As a tourist, time is precious, and there are wonderful restaurants in (almost) every single neighborhood

Must: Try to do “two-fers”… if you are seeing a museum, try to find a restaurant nearby. Plan a walk after a Broadway show to get out of Times Square. Use your Google skills like “best restaurants in Astoria” (if you are staying in Astoria). Clicking on top links to Users or Eater has helped me

Go to Claud or Foul Witch or The Odeon, avoid anything that TikTok is into

Id rank it by price point.

$$$$: Per Se but I’ve only been to like 10 restaurants in this category!

$$$: Probably 63 Clinton, Estela or Four Horsemen.

$$: This is where it gets really really tough. My personal favorites are probably GT/USC, Lilia, Glasserie, or Nura.

$: Too many to list here, but taqueria ramirez probably wins

Jardin des Oliviers. I feel like a part of their family

Shukette in Chelsea is pretty incredible and is not a wallet buster. Middle Eastern cuisine, and I've yet to have a bad plate there.

87% upvoted

This list was compiled by the 50 Best organization:

#7 Atomix (NoMad) — Korean tasting

#10 César (Hudson Square) — seafood, French/Japanese technique

#12 Le Veau d'Or (UES) — revived French bistro

#13 Le Bernardin (Midtown) — French seafood

#14 Kabawa (East Village) — Caribbean tasting

#18 Jungsik (Tribeca) — Korean

#19 Penny (East Village) — seafood/French

#23 Aska (Williamsburg) — Nordic

#36 Corima (Chinatown) — modern Mexican

#38 Torrisi (Nolita) — Italian-American

#39 Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi (UWS) — Afro-Caribbean/American

#41 Semma (Greenwich Village) — South Indian

#43 Gramercy Tavern (Gramercy) — New American

There are 4 that overlap with the NYT top 10: Atomix, Semma, Torrisi, Kabawa

Here is a gift link;

76% upvoted

Hey everyone,
I’ve been living in New York for a few years now and still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of the food scene. Every time I think I’ve found a favorite spot, someone mentions another place I “absolutely have to try.”

So I’m curious:
👉 If you had to choose just one restaurant in the city—your all-time go-to, the one you’d recommend before someone leaves NYC—what would it be?

I’m open to any kind of answer: a classic old-school staple, a neighborhood hidden gem, or even something that’s a bit touristy if it truly lives up to the hype.

Would love to hear your “can’t miss” picks!

Gramercy Tavern, the Tavern

Playground in Jackson Heights. Best Thai food. I now live in the suburbs and make the 35 minute trek to JH whenever I am in the mood for Thai cuisine. It’s my “happy place” restaurant.

Their pad kee mao was the first dish I had there and it’s a fave of mine. I also love the grilled chicken gizzards and preserved egg salad.

The tavern room at Gramercy Tavern. Great burger, really beautiful restaurant, great pasty chef and extensive dessert menu. The only time that I had a less than amazing experience there was during the very busy holiday season, but even then the food was good.

Union Square Cafe. Classic. Consistent and on-point cooking. Non-stuffy service. And, simple but delicious food.

Ernesto’s. Basque cuisine in LES. I think it’s a place that is busy because it’s really delicious and has a good bar program, but it’s totally slept on in this sub. But I would avoid going on weekends, you can barely hear yourself talk.

  • Cafe Carmellini
  • Little Owl
  • Howoo
  • Numbiani
  • Gage & Tollner
  • Jiang Nan
  • Nudibranch
  • Oiji Mi (A La Carte in Bar & Lounge)
  • Kabawa
  • Radio Kwara
  • Dubu Haus
  • Sofreh
  • Chinese Tuxedo
  • Konban
  • Lysee (Dessert)

This is a lowkey hack and I can't believe I'm letting the cat out of the bag, but if you CALL the reservationist at Minetta Tavern they can almost always find a table for you.

Jungsik. YES, I know that might sound overly pretentious but the food is absolutely good and the service is fantastic. I've gone there on my own several times and I always feel like I'm treated like I'm a close friend or family. They make me smile.

- Playground in Jackson Heights is celebrated for its authentic Thai food, with the pad kee mao and grilled chicken gizzards being popular dishes.

Related questions

How do I get a reservation at Minetta Tavern?
Call the restaurant and speak with the reservationist. Users say the reservationist can almost always find a table, even when online booking shows nothing available.
How much does Four Horsemen cost per person?
It is pricey, but one user reported spending under $100 per person without alcohol for a world class meal. The bar often has room for people who arrive without a booking.
What are good affordable restaurants in NYC?
Users praise Shukette in Chelsea for incredible Middle Eastern food at prices that will not empty your wallet. Ernesto's in the Lower East Side is another delicious option with a good bar program.

Replies (0)

No replies yet. Be the first to reply.