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Obviously NYC has tons of great restaurants. Some of my favorite are below:

  • Michelin / Fine Dining / High-End / Special Occasion: Rezdora, Estela, Toume, Chinese Tuxedo (if fun / heavy drinking vibe)
  • Nice / Casual: Excuse My French, Shuka, Tomino Taberna Gallega, 12 Chairs, L'Artusi, Paisley's, The Odeon,  Aurora Brooklyn, Dudley's, Au Cheval, Soothr
  • Inexpensive / Fast Food: Scarr's Gotham Burger, Golden Diner, Bubby's, Clinton Street Bakery
  • Ones I want to Try: Crown Shy, Cote, Gramery Tavern, One White Street, Le French Diner, Sixty Three Clinton, Wayan, Thai Diner, Torrisi, Minetta Tavern, Frevo, Keens

I'd need more specifics on the cuisine / atmosphere you are looking for to give more specific recommendations / reasons

 

TBH there are way too many "bro you have to go there" places in NY to make a consolidated list or to hit in a week (or even a year). Seems like you're interested in nicer places and stuff that would be popular on social media. Based on that assumption I would try and do at least one good pizza place, one Bagel / BEC, and then fine dining / Michelin places.  The fine dining spots may be very hard to get reservations at.

Sticking to Manhattan I would do some combo of the following:

  • Bagels: Ess-a-bagel or Tompkins (both have locations in the EV, which is young / fun. Pop-Up Bagels in Soho
  • Pizza: You could do some WV spots (L'industrie, John's on Bleeker, or Mama's Too), LES spots (Scarr's or Grand Street Pizza), or Prince Street Pizza in Nolita. These are all good neighborhoods and either hyped/famous pizza or really good pizza
  • Fine Dining / Michelin: Rezdora (Italian in Flatiron) is my favorite Michelin place I've been to that has "hype" on social media. Chinese Tuxedo is my favorite "hype / fun" restaurant to go to with groups (Chinatown). 12 Chair (Israeli) is another fun spot that has some "hype" on social media. Other "hype" options - Misi (Italian), Keen's (Steakhouse), Cote (Korean BBQ), Coqodaq (Korean Chicken), 4 Charles (American / Burger), Don Angie (Italian), Le Berdain (French / Fine Dining), Polo Bar (American), Frevo (Fine Dining), Daniel (French), Carbone (Italian), Le Coucou (French). There are a lot more than the above and I haven't been to most of these, but these tend to be the most hyped / popular
  • Cocktails: You didn't ask, but Double Chicken Please and Attaboy in LES might be the best bars in the City and they are across the street from each other. Bar Gotto in LES is also great. The Dead Rabbit is a good spot in Fidi. Lots of great places in the WV, EV, and LES.
 

Cote is not worth it, unless it's your first KBBQ experience. Really good side dishes, but other than that it was pretty mediocre. The staff also seemed pretty disinterested in providing good service, which didn't help!

I enjoy my times eating AYCE at Let's Meat a lot more, lol.

Similarly want to try Crown Shy, Minetta Tavern.

How was Toume? Booked there in 2 weeks!

 

Good to know on Cote, I'll have to check out Let's Meat.

I really liked Toume. I've had better food (Toume is still really good) at some of the other Michelin places, but Toume's unique menu / general atmosphere pushed it into my top 5 on Beli (big fan of that app and I hate social media). The menu is unique, everything is really well prepared and the atmosphere is much more laid back than other Michelin star spots, while still being nice (similar to why I enjoy Estela). Last time I was there the owner went around to every table to introduce himself and actually spoke with the customers beyond a simple hello / how is the food. It felt much more like a neighborhood spot than a super fancy place. They generally haven't been too strict with time limits (not sure if they even have them) in my experience, which is a major plus.

The prices are also good for the quality of food and serving sizes are generous. Reservations don't seem to difficult to get either. If you've been to a lot of the top spots in NY it won't blow you away, but the relaxed (while nice atmosphere) combined with really well prepared food makes it one of my favorite spots to frequent for the price.

 

Rezdora might be my favorite spot in the City. Haven't had the steak yet (heard its amazing), but the Pasta is second to none if you enjoy cuisine from Emilia Romagna. The Chef has some great features on on some of the major food publications and Youtube (highly recommend watching them if you've been to the restaurant or not) and you can see his passion for the cuisine.

My favorite dish there is Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia. I also love the creativity of the Uovo Raviolo. Similar to my other favorite NY spots (Estela and Toume), I think the atmosphere there is excellent as its very, very nice, but not too formal/stuffy (I don't want to feel like I'm still in the office).

Maybe for my next bonus I'll take my family there for the Regional Pasta Tasting and Wine Pairing (~$200 a person) as I think the pasta is just that good.

 

Nakazawa (if you watch Billions the main room will be familiar to you), Bond St, Raku (both EV and SoHo locations are great), Jungsik (think they've reopened since renovations this summer), Oiji Mi (get the Oiji bowl), Fish Cheeks, Soothr, Pranakhon (can't go wrong with these three if you want Thai), Aquavit, Atomix, Olio E Piu

 

While we're here can someone recommend a list of the best bars and lounges; particularly those where other financiers tend to meet?  

 

Splitting it up into buckets here (my 2 cents):

1. Great restaurants, incredible atmosphere: Raoul's or Balthazar for iconic Parisian NYC staples that are not over hyped. 4 Charles or Polo Bar borderline fits but kinda overhyped 

2. Best Cocktail bars with exceptional food: The Nines, Employees Only, Jeans Lafayette, Dante West Village, Temple Bar 

3. Actual best fine dining spots: la bernadin, daniel, etc. Tbh i wouldn't bother with these unless you're visiting from somewhere that doesn't have that level of fine dining. Anywhere that's fighting for michelin stars is going to be unique enough that it isn't really a new york thing. If you specifically want to try Cote, Per Se, or Eleven Madison Park then sure go for it if you don't mind spending. If it's a visit though I'd go to places that are more quintessentially New York like Johns of Bleecker for the best pizza or JG Melon for a Burger and a martini

Do not go to Carbone, it's over-rated and overpriced. If you want good italian try for L'artusi, Lilia, or I Sodi. They're all better and less pretentious. Also less instagram thots interrupting your dinner so they can capture the moment with their spicy rigatoni and an iPhone with the flash on 

 

Kind of an assortment of all different things…

Naro
Coqodaq
The Office of Mr. Moto
Bangkok Supper Club
Fish Cheeks
Wildair
Oiji Mi / Bom
Ilis
Potluck Club
Misipasta
Atomix
Four Horsemen
The Modern
Kimika
Huso
Four Twenty Five
Little Maven
Mari
Le Rock
Frenchette
Manhatta
Buvette
Salinas
Corima
La Chilaqueria
Banter
Tonchin
53
Al Badawi
Quique Crudo
Nami Nori / Postcard
Halal Guys
Okonomi
The Noortwyk
I Sodi
Zouzou’s
Ci Siamo
Saga NYC
Kyu
Moono
BondSt
Noksu
Yakitori Tono
Kuma Hospitality Group
Wayla
Wayan
Davelle
Mama Yoshi Mini Mart
Rowdy Rooster
Little Kirin
Bolivian Llama Party
Restaurant Yuu
Eulalie
Octo
Raf’s
Misoya
Roscioli
Cafe Chelsea
Torrisi Bar and Restaurant
Demo
Gem Wine
Pecking House
Soothr
Gator
Tucci
Naks
L’Industrie
San Sabino
Konban
Kanyakumari
Buddakan
Tia Pol
Yoshino
Frena

 

I see some great suggestions mentioned.

A few that may have been missed:

  • Restaurant Daniel (Michelin / French)
  • Old Homestead (Oldest Steakhouse in America)
  • Barbetta (oldest family-owned Italian restaurant)

There are so many great options around NYC, of every possible classification, that it's difficult to narrow it down to a few. Many of the options I've seen mentioned are indeed great suggestions.

Investor (30+ years); IB/RE/PE/Corp (MD level); currently, head of boutique private equity firm; principal of family office.
 

Fancy: Il Mulino, Yakitori Torishin, Lucciola, Forsythia

Fancy w/ social scene: Nobu, Avra uptown, Tao, Bobby Van's, Buddakan

Casual-lite: Pranakhon, Kazunori, Margon

 

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